Trenton, Indiana

Trenton, Indiana

Trenton is an unincorporated American town in Jackson Township, Blackford County, Indiana. Nearly all of the community's businesses have been closed for many years. Although the Blackford County Historical Society lists this community as a ghost town, homes are still maintained in the area, and it is still listed as a populated place by the U.S. Geological Survey.

Trenton is located east of Hartford City, Indiana, on Indiana State Road 26. Platted in 1845, it is one of the older communities in Blackford County. The community had its own Post Office from 1856 until 1907. Because there was another Trenton in Randolph County, Indiana, during the 19th century, Blackford County’s Trenton Post Office used the name Priam. Therefore, many older maps show the community as "Priam" instead of Trenton.

Trenton participated in the Indiana Gas Boom, and had two of Blackford County's many gas companies (Marion Creek Natural Gas Company and Trenton Natural Gas Company) that existed during the 1890s. The Gas Boom gradually ended during the beginning of the 20th century, and many small communities never recovered. During the next few decades, the quality of automobiles and roads improved — indirectly contributing to the decline of many small communities as consumers drove to larger cities.