[1] It contains six incorporated towns as well as several small unincorporated settlements; it is divided into 11 townships which provide local services.

Through White settlement, encroachment, and confrontation, the various indigenous groups were forced to cede their claim to the area.

Before 1832, this area was not open to settlement; previous settlers had taken the southern parts of Ohio, Indiana and Illinois.

Northwestern Indiana was also less desirable for farming, being described as alternate swamps, sterile sand ridges and flat, wet prairies, although it did proliferate in game.

[5] The original county seat selected in 1843 was Oxford, but after a long struggle between contending factions it was moved to Fowler in 1874.

[6] The current Benton County courthouse, located in Fowler, was designed by Gurdon P. Randall of Chicago and built in 1874 by Levi L. Leach at a cost of $62,257.

[n 1] The new courthouse was an impressive building from an architectural standpoint, but also provided much-needed improvements in security, including large fire-proof vaults.

[9] Duke Energy purchases electricity from the wind farm and sells it to customers through its GoGreen program.

[13] However, a knoll 4 miles (6.4 km) NNW of Boswell is shown on official topographic maps as 915 feet (279 meters) ASL.

Representatives, elected to staggered four-year terms from county districts, determine salaries, the annual budget and special spending.

The commissioners execute acts legislated by the council, collecting revenue and managing day-to-day functions of the county government.

[21] The county has several other elected offices, including sheriff, coroner, auditor, treasurer, recorder, surveyor and circuit court clerk.

[21] Each township has a trustee who administers rural fire protection and ambulance service, provides poor relief and manages cemetery care, among other duties.

[23] Benton County is in Indiana's 4th Congressional District, represented by Jim Baird in the United States Congress.

Regarding educational attainment, 42.8% earned a high school diploma or equivalent and 16.1% a bachelor's degree or higher.