Francisco, Indiana - History

History

The town was platted and laid out on the east side of the Wabash and Erie Canal by John Perkins in 1851. Francisco was incorporated in 1907 and the Francisco State Bank chartered a year later. Its heydey was in the mid-1850s during use of the ill-fated canal to ship goods and produce south to Evansville. Mills, grain warehouses and packing establishments thrived during the decade. Remnants of the old canal are still visible just south of Highway 64 and west of town.

Ott Family

In recent history the Ott Family has given a lot to this small community. Howard Ott (Junior) was known for many years as the Mayor of Francisco. Junior served as Town Board President for a number of years. William R Ott (B-Bob) served as Fire Chief and Twp Trustee for many years and was seen by many in his later days as a mentor and great leader of the fire department. The fire department gained much of the respect from the community that they still enjoy today while under the leadership of B-Bob. Brother of William and Howard Ott was Joseph Ott (Joe) who served as Town Marshal for some years in the 1980s.

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