with over 15 merchants in the town by the start of the American Civil War. By 1873, the town had two blacksmith shops. In 1902 The Sharpsville Bank was chartered. Manufacturing and industry In the early 20th century, the Sharpsville Canning Company was the largest employer, followed by a flour mill and a lumber yard. Sharpsville was home to G.W. Invader Corporation, a boat manufacturer, owned and operated from the early 1960s through 1980s by Arne Gray and George Wooldridge. Tourism The first hotel to open in Sharpsville was in 1853. By the 1860s there were three hotels in town. Infrastructure Utilities Sharpsville is provided natural gas by Northern Indiana Public Service Co. (NIPSCO), a division of NiSource. Electric energy is provided by Duke Energy. Water and Sewage is supplied by the Sharpsville Water Utilities Department. Healthcare Sharpsville has two hospitals within a 10-mile radius, Community Howard Regional Health and Indiana University Health Tipton Hospital. Education Students in Sharpsville attend Tri-Central Community Schools. Public safety Law enforcement in the town is provided by the Sharpsville Marshal’s Office and the Tipton County Sheriff's Office. Fire and Emergency Medical Services are provided by the Sharpsville Volunteer Fire Department and the Sharpsville Ambulance Service. References Footnotes Sources Pershing, Marvin W. "History of Tipton County, Indiana: Her People, Industries and Institutions". Indianapolis: B.F. Bowen (1914). Towns in Tipton County, Indiana Towns in Indiana Kokomo, Indiana metropolitan area Populated places in Tipton County, Indiana