History

Like many early Indiana communities, Attica is a river town. The Wabash River, arguably the most important waterway traversing the Hoosier state, historically connected Attica with Indiana’s larger population centers in Fort Wayne, Lafayette, Terre Haute, Vincennes, and, ultimately, to big cities along the Ohio and Mississippi rivers.  The arrival of the Wabash and Erie Canal further opened trade for the community with the first boat reaching Attica in 1846. In the fall of 1846, residents of Covington and Attica skirmished at Lock 35 over lack of water to Covington. Heavy rains eventually resolved the problem. Competition among canal towns over water control was often intense 

The most charming feature of Attica is its downtown, which is nationally recognized as the Attica Downtown Historic District and contains 50 historic buildings that were built between 1840 and 1942. Some of the more prominent buildings including the 1935 Post Office, the 1840 McDonald House, and the 1870 Odd Fellows Building.