Chrisney, first called Spring and later named Spring Station until 1883, when it was permanently called Chrisney, after its founder John B. Chrisney.
John Chrisney came from Alsace, France, with his parents to Crawford County, Indiana. There he married Mary Fella and along with his brother, Pharaoh, moved to the area purchasing a large tract of land surrounding a large spring in 1865. When the railroad was purchasing right away, Chrisney persuaded the railroad to come through his farm in the winter of 1871-1872.
The town made rapid growth with a railroad station, post office (1874), stores, hotel, warehouses, businesses, and industry.
The notable spring was well known before settlement in 1865. It was used to provide water to residents of Spring Station, and families from miles around. The sides of the spring were bricked up in 1897 so to continue to support good drinking water. In 1899 the town board placed a pump in the spring for public use. The now capped spring is located at the northeast corner of the old Chrisney Lumber company property.
The progressive town boasts several organizations, churches, athletic fields, golf course and library. Its high school of 61 years closed to consolidation in 1972 and an elementary school of six grades now replaces it.
-Taken from “A Bicentennial Celebration of Spencer County, Indiana 1818-2018
Chrisney Park
- Baseball Field
- Basketball court
- Shelter house
- Volleyball court
- Playground equipment
- Grills
- Picnic tables
- If you would like to rent any of the park facilities or if you would like to volunteer, please contact Jennifer Cohoon at 812-453-8849
Chrisney Shared Use Trails
- The Town of Chrisney partnered with the Tri-County YMCA, Welborn Baptist Foundation, St. Martin's I Catholic Church, and Purdue Extension Nutrition Education Program to offer 5 different Chrisney Park Shared Use Trails to choose from.
- Start at the Chrisney Park Trailhead and walk to the Chrisney Lake Loop (Round trip = 1.58 miles)
- Start at the Church Street Trailhead and walk to the Chrisney Lake Loop (Round trip = 1.75 miles)
- Start at the Chrisney Park Trailhead and walk to the Gazebo Loop (Round trip = .95 miles)
- Start at the Chrisney Church Street Trailhead and walk to the Gazebo Loop (Round trip = 1.0 miles)
- Start at the Chrisney Elementary School trail entrance. Walk the loop through the woods, past the school entrance and down Church Street to the Chrisney Park Trailhead. From the Chrisney Park Trailhead, walk the Chrisney Lake Loop and back. Return to the starting point (Round trip = 3.4 miles)
- If you would like a map of all of the Shared Use Trails, please contact the Town Hall at 812-362-8668 (See Attached)
Chrisney Lake
- 20-acre lake
- Stocked with largemouth bass, channel catfish, red ear, bluegill
- Fishing license required
- Canoes, kayaks, and john boats allowed
- No gas engines allowed (battery operated trolling motors are ok)
- Boat dock
- Gazebo
- Picnic tables
- Grills
Lincoln Heritage Public Library- Chrisney Branch
The Chrisney Library, a branch of the Lincoln Heritage Public Library, was built in 2009. A fun fact to note… Thanks to its solar panel construction, which was the first in the state of Indiana, this library is a net zero energy facility. To this date, the library has paid no bills for electricity.