Bryant, a community of about 275 people, is located seven miles north of Portland on Highway 27. It was begun on the four corners of land owned by four men named Bill - thus the nickname of Billtown. On December 8, 1871, it was platted as Bryan to recognize Mr. Bryan, a construction foreman on the railroad who was influential in getting a railroad there. The railroad company did not favor the name, and changed the station to Briant.

North Briant was laid out on October 6, 1873. It was also called Rowley Town after Ezekiel Rowlett, who laid it out.

In December, 1897 Briant and North Briant were incorporated as Bryant. The post office had changed the name to Bryant.

Visit Bryant on the second weekend in September during Bryant Days. Take a look at the old two-cell jail that remains on the alley just south of the post office

Dunkirk is situated in the far southwest corner of Jay County, on Highway 167. A portion of Dunkirk is now in Blackford County. Delaware County is at its southern line. It has about 2,500 people and is the second largest city in the county.

The Isaiah Sutton and Willam Shrack families settled here in half-finished log cabins in October 1837. As Isaiah's cabin was up first, the settlement was called Sutton Town for many years. With a railroad being proposed, Isaiah platted Quincy, a little town of three blocks, on December 10, 1853, on his land. In 1867 the name was changed to Dunkirk, after the railroad station, because there was already a post office named Quincy.

Visit the Glass Museum on the corner of South Franklin and West Washington Streets. It is open from May to October on Tuesday through Saturday from 10:00 to 4:00. See glassware from all over the world, including glass produced in former factories here. Don't miss the glass crown made for "Cinderella, Queen of Glass", who is crowned every year at the Glass Days Festival held just after Memorial Day. On Friday of the festival you can tour St. Gobain, the only remaining glass factory. There you will see as many as 500,000 beer bottles being made in a day.

Drive by the early 1900's passenger depot, for the Pennsylvania Railroad, at the north end of Main Street. At one time there was a tunnel under the tracks for passengers to board the train safely.

Pennville, a community of about 700 people, is in the northwest corner of of the county, on Highway 1.

This community has had more names than any other in the county. In 1836 Samuel Grissell named the little village, of which he was the proprietor, New Lisbon. For an unknown reason, he changed the name a year later to Camden. When applying for a government post office many years later, the name had to be changed as there was already a Camden. The name Penn was chosen in honor of William Penn, as many Quakers had settled in the area. Due to careless handwriting, Penn was often confused with Peru. It was decided to change Penn to Pennville. That solved the problem. It remains Pennville to this day.

Drive by the Chandlee/Maddox house on River Road/Lagro Street that was begun in 1841. It was built from brick burned on the nearby Miami Indian reservation, and is the oldest house in Pennville. It is now a private residence.

Portland is the county seat of Jay County. It has about 6,300 people. Our county seat is the only community that has retained its original name. Jay County was organized in early 1836. By September 4, 1837 the town of Portland had been platted and named.

Drive over the concrete Bowstring Arc/Arch Bridge on South Meridian Street. 
It is the only bridge of its kind in Indiana.

Stop by the Community Resource Center across from the post office on South Meridian Street to see the 1910 Elwood Haynes automobile. Elwood was born in Portland.

Visit the 1916 courthouse on West Main Street. It is the 4th courthouse for Jay County. Notice the marble throughout. Hunt the fox in the marble at the west entrance. See the beautiful dome that tells our history in four murals.

Stop by the John Jay Center for Learning at the southeast corner of East Main and South Meridian Streets to see what can be done in restoring a 1926 historic building to serve our citizens for generations to come.

Take a break at McDonalds on North Meridian Street. Look across the street to the southern point of the Portland Shoppes. Here was the 1st natural gas well for the state of Indiana.

Go east on Votaw Street to the fairground. See the beautiful round Floral Hall built in 1891.

Turn south to East Main Street. Go east to the end of the street to visit the Jay County Historical Society's museum, and learn why we are the only Jay County in the United States. It is open Monday through Friday from 10:00-12:00 and 1:00-4:00.

Redkey is located southwest of Portland at the crossroads of Highways 1 and 67. It has about 1,400 people.

The Josiah Wade family was the first to settle here in 1836. Until Harrison Wade, son of Josiah, platted a little village of Mt. Vernon in 1854, the settlement was known as the Wade settlement. In 1856 Rev. James Redkey had his land next to Mt. Vernon platted. That plat was called Redkey. When application was made for a government post office there was already a Mt. Vernon so the name of Redkey was taken. Redkey was incorporated in 1883.

Enjoy the historic buildings while visiting the street festival at the end of May.

Visit the Key Palace Theatre to hear live entertainment. It is well-known in the area for blues music.