This week in Hoosier History Highlights for the week of Dec. 3:
1859 – Newton County was established with its present borders in Northwest Indiana. It was the last of the 92 counties to be organized in the state. It is named for Sergeant John Newton who served under General Francis Marion in the Revolutionary War.
1868 – Two steamboats, the America and the United States, collided on the Ohio River in the area of Switzerland County. Both boats caught fire and 72 people died.
1879 – Former United States President Ulysses S. Grant and his wife Julia arrived in Logansport to a grand reception led by Indiana Governor James D. Williams. General Grant spoke of his recent two and one-half year tour of the world.
1924 – Gene Stratton Porter was killed in an automobile accident in Los Angeles. Her novels, poetry and photography captured her love of outdoor Indiana. At the time of her death, she was involved with producing movies based upon her books.
1940 – In a meeting at the Jefferson County Courthouse in Madison, it was announced that the federal government was purchasing 60,000 acres of land in Jefferson, Ripley and Jennings counties. The site would become a major ordnance testing area known as the Jefferson Proving Ground.
1955 – Country singer Hank Snow and stars of the Grand Ole Opry performed on stage in a four-day engagement at the Lyric Theater in Indianapolis. At the bottom of the bill was a young guitar player and singer named Elvis Presley.