Bicknell Mayor Thomas Estabrook has officially is officially proclaiming  today, October 1, 2024, as “John Bicknell Day” in honor of the city’s founder.

The proclamation, being signed today, highlights Bicknell’s vital contributions to the formation of the community.

Mayor Estabrook’s proclamation states that In the 1860s, John Bicknell purchased 240 acres of land at $13 an acre, with the vision of establishing a stop on the Indianapolis and Vincennes Railroad. He divided the land into lots, selling the first to George Fuller, who opened the city’s first general store near the train station. Bicknell also donated land for the Baptist, Christian, and Methodist churches, all of which still stand today.

In 1869, the community named itself Bicknell to honor its first landowner. That same year, Bicknell filed the first city plat and provided land for the first brick schoolhouse, located at 3rd and Miami Streets, which remains intact.

Mayor Estabrook encourages residents to reflect on John Bicknell’s generosity and lasting impact on the community many now call home.