Oakville is an

unincorporated community An unincorporated area is a parcel of land that is not governed by a local general-purpose municipal corporation. (At p. 178.) They may be governed or serviced by an encompassing unit (such as a county) or another branch of the state (such as th ...

in Monroe Township, Delaware County,

Indiana Indiana ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Michigan to the northwest, Michigan to the north and northeast, Ohio to the east, the Ohio River and Kentucky to the s ...

History

Oakville, originally known as "Pleasant Hill," was laid out by John Holsinger in December 1873. The town was renamed Oakville around 1880 to avoid confusion with Pleasant Mills in Adams County. The development of Oakville was closely tied to the arrival of the

Lake Erie Lake Erie ( ) is the fourth-largest lake by surface area of the five Great Lakes in North America and the eleventh-largest globally. It is the southernmost, shallowest, and smallest by volume of the Great Lakes and also has the shortest avera ...

and Western

railroad Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport using wheeled vehicles running in railway track, tracks, which usually consist of two parallel steel railway track, rails. Rail transport is one of the two primary means of ...

in 1872. By 1880, Oakville had a store, a post office, and a growing community centered around the

railway station Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport using wheeled vehicles running in railway track, tracks, which usually consist of two parallel steel railway track, rails. Rail transport is one of the two primary means of ...

. The original Pleasant Hill post office opened in 1876, the Oakville Post Office opened in 1880, and the town's first

school A school is the educational institution (and, in the case of in-person learning, the Educational architecture, building) designed to provide learning environments for the teaching of students, usually under the direction of teachers. Most co ...

was constructed in the early 1890s. This school, a three-room brick building, accommodated grades 1 through 8. As Oakville's population grew, the town saw the establishment of various businesses, including a

grain elevator A grain elevator or grain terminal is a facility designed to stockpile or store grain. In the grain trade, the term "grain elevator" also describes a tower containing a bucket elevator or a pneumatic conveyor, which scoops up grain from a lowe ...

in 1898, a drainage tile operation, and the Neff

Washing Machine A washing machine (laundry machine, clothes washer, washer, or simply wash) is a machine designed to laundry, launder clothing. The term is mostly applied to machines that use water. Other ways of doing laundry include dry cleaning (which uses ...

Company. Despite the town's early growth, the grain elevator was destroyed by fire in 1912 but was rebuilt, only to face another fire in 1939. The Farmers State

Bank A bank is a financial institution that accepts Deposit account, deposits from the public and creates a demand deposit while simultaneously making loans. Lending activities can be directly performed by the bank or indirectly through capital m ...

, founded in 1915, experienced a robbery in 1921. Other notable businesses included a stockyard (closed in 1927), a Ford dealership, and a

tractor A tractor is an engineering vehicle specifically designed to deliver a high tractive effort (or torque) at slow speeds, for the purposes of hauling a Trailer (vehicle), trailer or machinery such as that used in agriculture, mining or constructio ...

supply store. In addition to its economic development, Oakville became known for its cultural contributions. The Oakville Band, formed in 1906, performed at community events such as parades, ice cream socials, and county fairs. The band was a key part of the town’s social life until its disbandment around 1911 or 1912. Loren B. Garrett, a former band member, distributed a short history of the band in 1945, recalling the band's impact on the town's communal identity. Religiously motivated efforts to enforce strict Sunday laws also marked the early 20th century in Oakville. In one instance, local churchgoers pushed for the prosecution of individuals like Harvey West, a barber, and Rufus Williams, a grocer, for working on Sundays. Constable John D. Oaks enforced these laws, leading to fines and arrests as part of an effort to restore Sunday as a day of rest. Despite its struggles, Oakville thrived as an agricultural community. The Farmers Elevator Co., a grain elevator established in 1919, continues to be the town’s largest employer, facilitating the storage and transport of crops, particularly corn, to southeastern states. Oakville remains an unincorporated community with a population of around 200 people, maintaining its small-town charm while continuing to depend on agriculture for economic stability.

1884 Tornado

Oakville experienced a devastating F5 tornado on April 1, 1884, which left the town nearly obliterated. Prior to the storm, Oakville was a thriving village with about 25 houses and a population of approximately 100. The storm destroyed nearly all of the town's structures, leaving only four houses standing, three of which were severely damaged. The cyclone resulted in multiple fatalities and many others sustained severe injuries. The destruction was so extreme that much of the debris was unrecognizable. Buildings were scattered across large distances, and some household items were found in treetops or miles away from their original locations. The storm impacted businesses, such as the Replogle & Weaver

sawmill A sawmill (saw mill, saw-mill) or lumber mill is a facility where logging, logs are cut into lumber. Modern sawmills use a motorized saw to cut logs lengthwise to make long pieces, and crosswise to length depending on standard or custom sizes ...

and J.T. Holsinger’s tile mill, and damaged public

infrastructure Infrastructure is the set of facilities and systems that serve a country, city, or other area, and encompasses the services and facilities necessary for its economy, households and firms to function. Infrastructure is composed of public and pri ...

, including a

warehouse A warehouse is a building for storing goods. Warehouses are used by manufacturers, importers, exporters, wholesalers, transport businesses, customs, etc. They are usually large plain buildings in industrial parks on the rural–urban fringe, out ...

. The town’s total damage was estimated at $18,810, equivalent to approximately $560,000 in 2025 after adjusting for inflation. Survival stories emerged from the wreckage, such as one of a family whose house was lifted into the air, leaving them sitting on the floor while the walls and roof were torn away. Other bizarre reports included a child being found dead half a mile from where the storm had taken them, and a chicken being dashed to pieces with its entrails scattered. In the aftermath, immediate relief efforts were organized by local residents and a committee led by A. E. Lyman, D. V. Buchanan, and J. E. Mellette. Contributions poured in, including a $100 donation from Gen. Thomas J. Brady. The survivors faced significant challenges, as many were left homeless and without food or clothing, while efforts to rebuild were slow due to limited resources. Despite the storm’s overwhelming impact, the community gradually began to recover, and Oakville remains marked by this catastrophic event in its history.

References

Unincorporated communities in Delaware County, Indiana Unincorporated communities in Indiana {{DelawareCountyIN-geo-stub