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Seymour, Indiana

Seymour is a city in Jackson County, Indiana, United States. Its population was 21,569 at the 2020 census.

The city is noted for its location at the intersection of two major north–south and east–west railroads, which cross each other in the downtown area. The north–south line (the Jeffersonville, Madison and Indianapolis Railroad) was built in the 1840s and connected Indianapolis to the Ohio River at Jeffersonville. In 1852, Captain Meedy Shields persuaded Hezekiah Cook Seymour into routing the east-west railroad (the Ohio and Mississippi Railroad) through his land, and in return named the city in Seymour's honor. The first settlers arrived in the spring of 1853.

The companies Aisin USA and Rose Acre Farms are headquartered in Seymour, and Cummins operates a plant in the area. Walmart operates a large distribution center east of the city near the junction of I-65 and US-50. The city is also home to the 2nd largest high school gymnasium in the United States by seating capacity. The city is home to a historically significant former military airbase built during WWII that is now a civilian airport.

19th century
The land near Seymour was first occupied by the Cherokee Indians. The Treaty of Grouseland opened the area to white settlers in 1805. Shortly after the Pidgeon Roost Massacre of 1812, a local battle occurred between settlers and a band of hostile Indian raiders at the Battle of Tipton's Island. Between 1811 and 1815, fifteen white settlers were killed by Native Americans. In 1816, there were only 5 white families in the area. In 1817, the State of Indiana established a blockhouse in the area to facilitate trade with the Lenape Indians until the natives ceded the area in the aftermath of the Treaty of St. Mary's. Between 1822 and 1832, the county became almost completely depopulated.

Seymour was laid out and plated on April 27, 1852, by Meedy and Eliza Ewing Shields, near the 1809 Indian Treaty Corner and approximately two miles south of the village of Rockford, Indiana; the terminus of the north-south railroad at the Driftwood River before the opening of the purchase of 1828 and the construction of the rail-bridge over the White River. During the latter 1840's, a north–south railroad connecting the Ohio River at Jeffersonville with Indianapolis was built crossing the Shields' farm. In 1852, an east–west railroad was being surveyed through Jackson County and Meedy Shields persuaded the Ohio and Mississippi Rail Road to run through his property. In exchange for this favor, he agreed to name the town after the railroad's civil engineer, Henry C. Seymour, although some sources mention J. Seymour, who was the surveyor. This information contradicts the aforementioned:

”In 1852, Captain Meedy Shields persuaded Hezekiah Cook Seymour into routing the east-west railroad (the Ohio and Mississippi Railroad) through his land, and in return named the city in Seymour's honor.”

The first settlers arrived in the spring of 1853.On June 29, 1854, the first train on the new Ohio and Mississippi Railroad stopped in Seymour and fired a celebratory cannon shot. Four men were killed in the resulting explosion from the poorly aimed fusillade.

Seymour was derisively referred to as a "mule crossing" because its slow initial development and lack of interest from the railroad companies. The town did not see significant development until the state legislature, led by the efforts of local landowner and Indiana State Senator Meedy Shields, passed a law in 1857 requiring all trains to stop at railroad-railroad intersections. By increasing safety statewide in a time before widespread semaphore use, it increased the value of land around such intersections and made them safer for warehousing.

Meedy Shields advertised in Cincinnati and Louisville newspapers offering a free lot and $100 to any congregation to establish a church in the city. Charles White of the Presbyterian Church was the first to answer in 1855. In 1858, Blish Mill opened as the first mill in town. By 1881, Seymour would have three mills within the city limits. The large grain tower still stands near the railroad intersection near the center of town.

Seymour was once a stop on the Underground Railroad. On April 20, 1860, an Adams Express package shipped from Nashville, Tennessee, and addressed to "Hannah Johnson [care of] Levi Coffin" burst open at Seymour while en route to Cincinnati. Levi Coffin was a leading Hoosier abolitionist and the unofficial leader of the Underground Railroad. The package contained a person fleeing slavery and looking for freedom in the North. A similar incident occurred earlier in Kentucky. The true identity of "Hannah Johnson" remains a mystery. Although Indiana was a "free state", Article XIII of the state constitution of 1851 made it illegal for African Americans to settle in Indiana and the Fugitive Slave Act permitted bounty hunters to capture and return people to slavery. The fugitive, later identified as Alexander McClure, was arrested and returned to Louisville and then to his owner in Nashville, Tennessee.

The Civil War
During the American Civil War, despite southern Indiana's strong Copperheads political sentiment, the city of Seymour and the surrounding area raised three separate infantry regiments for service in the Union Army. Volunteers from Seymour were organized at Camp Heffron in Seymour. The entirety of the 50th Indiana Infantry Regiment was commanded by former Indiana Secretary of State, Colonel Cyrus L. Dunham, as well as portions of the 10th Indiana Cavalry Regiment. Captain Fielder A Jones, who would end the war as a Brigadier General, led company H of the 6th Indiana Infantry Regiment.

By 1865, Fielder Jones of the 8th Indiana Cavalry was promoted to colonel, only a couple of months before being brevetted to Brigadier General. Early in the war, Jones had been "body shot" by a bushwhacker he later killed, W. A. Carter recalled decades later. "No Surrender" Jones survived his wound, then later raised another infantry unit of Jackson County men who elected him colonel. "When the company was organized, a group of Seymour women made a beautiful silk American flag and presented it to the Colonel. The presentation was made on the platform of what was then the O&M railroad station located in what [later became] the east warehouse of the Travis Carter Company at the corner of Fourth and Broadway. Mrs. George Williams, wife of one of Seymour's first jewelers, made the presentation speech. 'The enemy will never get this flag while I live,' the Colonel declared in accepting the flag and he kept his word." Carter said the flag came back with General Jones and his company, but other stories said Jones never returned to Seymour. After being mustered out, Jones headed to Missouri to practice law.

In 1863, Captain Meedy Shields trained local minutemen militia units in response to Morgan's Raid while several regiments of infantry were sent from the state capitol in Indianapolis.

Due to its strategic location along rail lines, and with the large cities of Indianapolis, Chicago, and Detroit to the north and St. Louis to the west, Seymour was an important waypoint for the movement of men and supplies to the front during the war. On January 20, 1864, during the transfer of Confederate prisoners of war, six officers escaped. One was later recaptured in town. The New York Times reports that on January 22, 1864, a "Soldier's riot" took place, wherein two soldiers were killed, and several others were injured.

The 50th Indiana Infantry Regiment lost 3 officers and 54 enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 3 officers and 158 enlisted men by disease for a total of 218 casualties during the war. Colonel Dunham, a Democrat, was accused of harboring Confederate sympathies and mustered out of the regiment in 1863 under a cloud of suspicion. Lt. Colonel Heffron, who was poorly regarded by the men of the regiment, was also dismissed from the army and replaced by Major Samuel T Wells, a Vallonia, Indiana, native, Mexican-American war veteran, and former Jackson County Sheriff. Wells would go on to command the regiment after Durham's resignation until the 50th was dissolved and all men transferred to the 52nd Indiana Infantry Regiment which was also garrisoned in Mobile, Alabama, and remained there until the war's end.

During the Civil War, Seymour and Jackson County fielded a total of 2,571 volunteers for the Union cause.

The Reno Era
After the war, local veterans organized the Ellsworth Post 20 of the G.A.R. At its zenith, the post included two hundred and twenty-two local citizens who had served the Union during the war as members. During its long existence, the organization included many prominent community members. The Ellsworth Post was active in local charities, organized burial services for local veterans, and conducted official observances on Decoration Day. The final member of the post, James H Boak, lived to be 98 years old. He died in 1942, closing one of the longest-running G.A.R. chapters in existence.

An infamous local murder occurred in January 1866, when a traveling merchant, Moore Woodmansee, 42, on his way to Cincinnati, disappeared while staying at the Rader House. The Rader House was operated by proprietor Captain George Rader, a purported Reno Associate, and was the center of gambling, theft, prostitution, and a string of mysterious disappearances. Months after he disappeared, the headless body of Woodmansee was found downriver in the East Fork of the White River; then known as the Driftwood River. Rader was implicated in the murder. Two local witnesses were murdered. Rader and his son-in-law were ultimately acquitted but forced to leave town. A robbery of the Adams Express Car on the east-west Ohio and Mississippi line near Brownstown was reported in July 1866. That night, the perpetrators were chased by a local vigilance committee of 300 men that continued into the Rockford area. Three days later, the Reno brothers had been identified as the gang's leaders and newspapers were recounting the notorious deeds of the family. Later that year, Seymour was the site of the world's first successful peacetime train robbery, in which the train was moving. It was committed by the local Reno Gang, on October 6, 1866, just east of town, starting in the Adams Express Company car of the Ohio and Mississippi Railroad. Some members of the gang were later lynched at Hangman's Crossing outside town. The insolvent Ohio and Mississippi Railroad was reorganized in 1867 as the Ohio and Mississippi Railway.

About 1876, a general strike of approximately 500 railroad men occurred at Seymour and nearby North Vernon, Indiana, led by armed brakemen, engineers, and other railroad employees who had not been paid for two and a half months by the Ohio and Mississippi Railroad. A paper reported that the communities of Seymour and North Vernon were armed and in revolt. A contingent of US Marshals and detectives was sent from Cincinnati to end the strike. All passenger and cargo service through Seymour and North Vernon was suspended during the strike. The Ohio and Mississippi Railway was purchased in 1893 by B&O Southwestern Railroad.

The town's first high school was built in 1871 on the vacant lot of the disbanded civil war encampment. Frank B Shields, a Seymour native, former MIT professor, and inventor of Barbasol shaving cream, subsequently donated the adjacent land needed for the construction of the James Shields memorial gym.

In 1880, the Seymour Weekly Democrat noted that Seymour boasted a population of nearly 5,000, four schools including Shields High School, a Catholic School and two German schools with 700 students; four hotels including the newly build Jonas, the Faulconer, the City Hotel and the Mansion House.

During the years prior to the turn of the 20th century, Seymour saw a significant influx of Dutch and German migrants of the Lutheran faith. These migrants eventually established many successful local farms and businesses. These pioneers' influence continues today and can be seen in the city's annual Oktoberfest celebration.

20th century
Seymour fielded its own minor league team, the Seymour Reds, beginning in 1900. Pee Wee Reese once played with the Seymour Reds before being called up to the majors. The team had its own field, Redlands Park, north of Shields City Park.

The Ahlbrand Carriage Company, a builder of buggies and custom coaches was incorporated in Seymour by Ephriam, Albert, and Walter Ahlbrand of Seymour. The Seymour Public Library opened to the public in January 1905, following a grant of $10,000 from the Carnegie Foundation in 1903 led by the Public-School Superintendent and President of the Seymour Public Library Board, Professor H.C. Montgomery. Efforts to bring a library to Seymour began twenty years early in 1881. Early library collections were housed in a local bookshop and then at Shields High School until the new Carnegie Library opened. The public library was part of more than $2.6 million in grants issued in the state of Indiana for more than 160 libraries: more than any other state.

In 1913, the Great Flood hit Seymour causing widespread death and destruction. It was the deadliest natural disaster to ever hit the area. The East Fork of the White River reached 27.50 ft above the level recorded in the flood of 1884.

In 1914, H. Vance Swope, a landscape artist who spent his youth in Seymour, donated many of his own works and paintings he acquired during his career to Seymour's Art League. Eventually, those works became part of the H. Vance Swope Gallery in the new Public Library. This collection contains important works by Charlotte B. Coman and other favorites from Swope.

WWI and WWII
On May 7, 1915, leading city-industrialist and scion of the Thompson family, Eldridge Blish Thompson died during the sinking of the ocean liner RMS Lusitania. A memorial scholarship was funded in his name by his family at Seymour's Shields High School for any student accepted to Yale University. The sinking of the ocean liner was an important factor in President Woodrow Wilson's decision to ask Congress for a declaration of war in April 1917.

During World War I, nine Seymour natives died in combat. Seymour's first municipal airport, the White River Valley Flying Field, was located on the Henry Ahlert farm (once owned by the Renos) near the White River north of the city.

In 1934, Seymour police officer John Pfaffenberger was shot and killed by three assailants after he attempted to stop their car after they stole a few dollars' worth of fuel from a gas station east of town. One defendant, Nashville, Indiana, native Edward Coffin, was subsequently sentenced to death and sent to Indiana's electric chair for the murder of Officer Pfaffenberger. His co-defendants were sentenced to lengthy prison terms.

Kenneth Earl Cockrum, serving on the U.S.S. Arizona became the first casualty of the war from Seymour. During World War II, the US government purchased 2500 acre of land southwest of town for use as an airfield. Local veterans initially proposed to name the field after US Navy Seaman Cockrum who died at Pearl Harbor. Freeman Army Airfield operated from 1942 to 1946. The base was first used for twin-engine training. The first class graduated on April 29 and went on to fly multi-engine aircraft such as the B-24 Liberator, B-17 Flying Fortress, B-29 Superfortress, and various other medium bombers and transport aircraft. Twin-engine training continued with a total of 19 classes of students graduating from Freeman Field using a total of 250 Beechcraft AT-10 Wichita trainers. The last graduates were in May 1944; 4,245 total cadets. Freeman Army Airfield was the first helicopter base in the US. The first instructor pilots arrived on June 30 and preparations for the helicopter training were made in great secrecy, as in 1944 very few people had seen one and the technology was new and revolutionary. The group assigned to coordinate their arrival was known as "Section B-O". A total of six Sikorsky R-4 helicopters were assigned for training, flown directly to Freeman from the Sikorsky plant at Bridgeport, Connecticut. This was the longest-distance flight of any formation of helicopters at the time.

The Freeman Field Mutiny occurred in 1945, in which African American members of the 477th Bombardment Group attempted to integrate an all-white officers' club at Freeman Army Air Corps Base. The mutiny is generally regarded by historians of the Civil Rights Movement as an important step toward full integration of the armed forces and as a model for later efforts to integrate public facilities through civil disobedience. Nearing the end of WWII, Freeman Field was designated the Foreign Aircraft Evaluation Center for US Army Air Technical Intelligence. After the end of the war in Europe, captured German and Italian aircraft were collected by "Operation Lusty". Freeman Field was also charged with the mission to receive and catalog United States equipment for display at the present and for the future AAF museum. However, these operations, including the helicopter training missions were moved to other locations, and Freeman Field was deactivated and deeded to the city of Seymour in 1946. Future astronaut Gus Grissom enlisted as an aviation training cadet at Freeman Field in 1944.

Mid century
During the last week of June 1952, the city of Seymour held a week-long centennial celebration that included concerts, parades, a re-enactment of the Reno Brothers train robbery, contests, and a play entitled "The Seymour Story". The B&O Railroad loaned Engine #25 and several cars from their Baltimore Museum for use in the Reno reenactment scenes, and the event was featured in B & O Magazine. During the event, local industries paid their employers in silver dollars to commemorate the event.

Beginning in 1959, the city's former high school, Shields High School, was closed and all students transferred to the new Seymour High School west of town. By 1970, the school corporation completed the construction of the second-largest school gymnasium in the United States. In 1981, the gym was renamed the "Lloyd E Scott" gymnasium in honor of the Indiana Hall of Fame basketball coach.

Shortly after opening a local franchise in the area, on October 20, 1965, during a ceremony in Seymour, Colonel Harland Sanders, owner and originator of Kentucky Fried Chicken was initialed as a member alongside thirteen local residents into the local Elks Lodge, #462. Sanders had a long association with Seymour through cousins and a nephew living in town.

Seven Seymour servicemen were killed in action during the Vietnam War. The highest-ranking soldier killed in action from Seymour was Command Sergeant Major William Henry Clevenger, United States Army who enlisted in the United States Army during World War II. He was awarded the Silver Star and the Distinguished Flying Cross.

Late century
In 1970, future Rock and Roll Hall of Famer John Mellencamp graduated from Seymour High School. He briefly attended nearby Vincennes University before returning to Seymour and working for the local telephone company while pursuing a music career. On October 2, 1976, at the behest of Mellencamp's new management and record label, the city of Seymour dedicated its Oktoberfest parade to young Mellencamp. The mayor declared that day "Johnny Cougar Day" and the city celebrated by parading "Johnny Cougar" through downtown to help promote his debut album, the Chestnut Street Incident.

A series of murders occurred in the Seymour area that were linked to Rose Acre Farms. Theresa Osborne, Mike Reece, and Carrie Croucher, all Rose Acre employees with ties to founder David Rust, all died under mysterious circumstances. Theresa Osborne's body was found in the trunk of her burnt and abandoned vehicle weeks after her disappearance. The deaths remained under investigation for years and were the focus of a series of articles from journalists at the Louisville Courier-Journal. Local authorities investigated the deaths, but no charges were ever brought against David Rust, who died in 2004.

On August 15, 1981, Seymour police officer Jack Osborne died after being hit by a motorist at the scene of a traffic accident on Interstate 65. He was the third Seymour police officer to die in the line of duty.

On March 29, 1983, Christopher Moritz resigned as mayor after a judge found him guilty of four counts of accepting bribes while in office. He was sentenced to five years in prison and barred from holding public office for ten years. Moritz began serving his sentence on December 8, 1984. Donald Scott served the remaining balance of Moritz's term until William Bailey assumed office.

In 1985, Mellencamp released "Small Town" a song written about his hometown. It reached #6 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart. MTV included the associated music video in frequent rotation. This video, and approximately five others, were filmed in around the Seymour area during this time. The videos included shots of Riverview Cemetery, Rockford, the Rok-Sey Arena, downtown Seymour, and cameos of many locals. This, with the release of his "Rain on the Scarecrow" single and music video, increased awareness of the plight of rural American farmers in general and life in Seymour specifically. Many regional and national media outlets produced segments about Seymour during this timeframe.

Future Indiana University basketball coach Teri Moren graduated from Seymour High School in 1987 and was named an Indiana All-Star that year. She led the Seymour Owls to four sectional titles, two regional championships, a semi-state win, and a 1987 state finals appearance.

Seymour's east-west railroad, controlled by the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad since the previous century merged in 1987 into CSX Transportation, creating one of the largest Class I railroads in North America. In 1989, the Stardust Theater, a local landmark for fifty years, shuttered its gates for the last time. The 550-spot drive-in first opened on May 19, 1949, and aired its last feature films "Ghostbusters II" and "Karate Kid III" on September 30. The theater was popular for showing movies, cartoons, and dusk-to-dawn movie marathons. The operator of the theater said the decision to close the theater was purely economic, the land the theater sat on was just too valuable. The owner, Florence Carter sold the property to developers who turned the entire site into an outlet mall.

On July 8, 1991, the former Lynn Hotel, a local landmark first opened on July 1, 1883, collapsed due to disrepair and neglect. The city previously purchased the property for $35,000 with an eye on redeveloping the building into city offices. Other groups had offered to purchase and save the property before it was leveled including John Mellencamp, an investment group from California, and local community activists.

Despite efforts from local community leaders, the city of Seymour and then-mayor John Burkhart ordered the leveling of the historic Vondee Theater on September 24, 1993. Marina Gill, President of the Historic Preservation Foundation said, "This is just negligence" when asked about the decision to level the structure.

On May 29, 1997, the former Shields High School, first constructed in 1910, was raised during a botched demolishment of a smaller portion of the building, the girls' gym. The structure was privately owned after the construction of Seymour Middle School, and once housed a private bible college. Building inspectors determined that was too much damage and the structure was unsafe.

On Christmas Day 1998, the historic Walton Hotel, first known at the Rader House, and then the Faulkner House, the Jonas Hotel, and the Centennial Hotel, burned to the ground in an accidental fire that killed one person. The property was first built in 1854, was one of the oldest structures in Seymour, was in the process of being restored, and was being used as low-income housing at the time of the fire. The structure was the third important historic downtown building to fall during the nineties.

The American Dream in Seymour, the 21st century
Thanks to the efforts of then Lt. Governor John Mutz and community leaders at the Jackson County Industrial Development Corporation, Aisin constructed a factory in Seymour in 1986, with production beginning in 1989 with wide public support. Initial estimates suggested 200 new employees, but by 2020, Aisin employed more than 2,000 local residents. This factory has since been expanded and supplies components for Honda, General Motors, Mitsubishi, Nissan and Toyota.

The 106 mi north-south railroad line that serves Seymour was purchased by the Louisville and Indiana Railroad from Conrail in March 1994. The Seymour Diamond Crossing is a good place to also watch the east-west railroad line, which CSX upgraded in 2016 for reliable higher speed operation. The Louisville and Indiana Railroad served as a short-line railroad to provide switching services for access to the CSX mainline.

Immigration from San Sebastián Coatán, Guatemala, began about 1989 as indigenous Chuj people found the American Dream in the United States. As word spread to their families and friends in their hometown of San Sebastián Coatán about the quality of life in Seymour, more families journeyed from their poverty-stricken part of Guatemala to a newer, more fruitful life in the U.S. Immigrants from Guatemala as of 2020 make up more than 10% of the local population.

In November 2019, the city unveiled a large mural of John Mellencamp, painted on the side of a local guitar store. The store's owner, Larry McDonald, is a longtime friend and former bandmate of Mellencamp. The Mellencamp family donated $50,000 to help turn the former parking lot into a green space so more people could enjoy the mural painted by artist Sue Bliss.

Folklore
Hangman's Crossing, just west of Seymour near a property once owned by a farmer named 'H. Borchherding', a Beech tree once stood. This tree witnessed the final demise of the Reno Gang at the hands of a group of vigilantes allegedly led by town elder Travis Carter. The exact location of the tree is lost to time, but the Indiana Folklore Reader tells us it was near the Borcherding farm, across the road which crossed a tiny stream on 'the old Brownstown Road'. Legend has it that the hanging tree never bore leaves again and some say that Laura Reno had the tree burnt to the ground as nothing remains.

Local folklore tells us that somewhere near Seymour, the Reno Gang buried $96,000 from their last train robbery. Before it was torn down, the original Reno home near the Riverview Cemetery was an object of curiosity among fortune hunters who would sometimes find small silver coins where the house once stood.

After they were hanged, legend has it the Reno Brothers were allegedly buried together under a single stone alone atop a hill in the old city cemetery. Outraged, local citizens refused to bury their relatives with the Renos. The Riverview Cemetery was eventually built and many famous former occupants of the city cemetery, like town founder Meedy Shields and his wife Eliza, were laid to rest in Riverview. Later, a Reno plot with headstones for each of the brothers was constructed in the old cemetery close to the road to appease the tourists and the curious. Another legend tells us of the demise of a train, its crew, and a passenger car that disappeared into the Blue Hole Quarry in 1913. The train met its fate during a rainstorm and flood that washed away the train trestle and everything on it. Despite the efforts of local authorities, the remains of the train or the crew have never been found.

In the March 31, 2001, copy of the Seymour Tribune, readers share their stories of "Martha's Grave", the burial site of an old witch, and one "can see her face in the moss on the north side of the tombstone."

Finally, Freeman field was home to captured Nazi aircraft after World War Two, including captured jet aircraft, V-1 and V-2 rockets. However, the base was closed shortly thereafter, the base commander ordered many aircraft to be buried at the site.

Geography
Seymour is located at 38.95722°N, -85.88889°W (38.956350, -85.890068).

According to the 2010 census, Seymour has a total area of 11.425 sqmi, of which 11.42 sqmi (or 99.96%) is land and 0.005 sqmi (or 0.04%) is water.

Topography
The soil is sandy but generally productive for agriculture and livestock. The local topology is dominated by the East Fork of the White River, a slow-moving, heavily silted, and meandering floodplain. Because of the surrounding low-lying swamplands and agricultural activity, the river is prone to frequent flooding averaging 19 days above flood stage per year; with at least three major floods recorded since 1900.

2020 census
As of the census of 2020, there were 21,569 people and 7,866 households in the city. The population density was 1532.7 PD/sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 82.2% White, 2.0% African American, 0.2% Native American, 4.3% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, and 2.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 13.0% of the population.

The median household income in the city was $47,949 compared to the median household income of $62,743 in the State of Indiana. 39% of the population was employed in manufacturing or production and 17.4% of the population was involved in the education or healthcare industry.

The median age in the city was 34.4 years. 28.4% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.3% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 69.1% were aged 21 and over.

The 2020 Census estimates that 7% of the population were veterans.

2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 17,503 people, 6,907 households, and 4,514 families living in the city. The population density was 1532.7 PD/sqmi. There were 7,719 housing units at an average density of 675.9 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 90.3% White, 1.3% African American, 0.2% Native American, 1.2% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 5.1% from other races, and 1.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 11.5% of the population.

There were 6,907 households, of which 34.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.3% were married couples living together, 13.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 6.5% had a male householder with no wife present, and 34.6% were non-families. 28.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 3.01.

The median age in the city was 35.5 years. 25.3% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.7% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 28.6% were from 25 to 44; 24% were from 45 to 64; and 13.4% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.7% male and 51.3% female.

2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 18,101 people, 7,231 households, and 4,743 families living in the city. The population density was 1,670.3 PD/sqmi. There were 7,709 housing units at an average density of 711.4 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 93.4% White, 1.0% African American, 0.3% Native American, 1.4% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 2.9% from other races, and 0.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.9% of the population.

There were 7,231 households, out of which 32.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.4% were married couples living together, 11.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.4% were non-families. 28.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 2.99.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 25.5% under the age of 18, 10.2% from 18 to 24, 31.4% from 25 to 44, 19.4% from 45 to 64, and 13.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.7 males. For every 100 females aged 18 and over, there were 93.0 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $36,883, and the median income for a family was $43,357. Males had a median income of $30,638 versus $22,265 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,222. About 8.0% of families and 10.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.7% of those under age 18 and 11.6% of those age 65 or over.

Economy
The economy of Seymour is based primarily on manufacturing and distribution, healthcare, and education. Major manufacturers include Aisin USA, a leader in the field of automotive component manufacturing including a diversified product line of door frames, seat adjusters, molding, and other body components. Cummins, Valeo North America, the Lannett Company, and Silgas Plastics. Home Products Incorporated recently acquired the former Lear Siglar facility that sits atop the defunct Milwaukee Rail yard. Nippon Steel Pipe is an automotive parts supplier of various sizes and shapes of carbon and stainless steel tubing to the automotive industry. NSPA is an Indiana Corporation, that employs over 400 associates at its plant in Seymour, IN.

Owing to the city's convenient access to I-65 and US-50, Walmart Transportation and Pet Supplies Plus have significant operations based in Seymour. Walmart Distribution is the primary provider of merchandise for all Wal-Mart retail units. The Walmart Distribution Center is fully mechanized and multi-shift operated with receiving, order filling, and shipping departments

Schneck Medical Center employs more than 1,100 including 200 physicians and 400 volunteers and has operated for over 100 years. The Seymour Community Schools and Rose Acre Farms round out the list of major employers.

Other employers include retail and service industry providers including franchise and locally owned restaurants that line US-50 headed east out of the city.

Government
Mayors are elected by city-wide election every four years from qualified candidates who are residents of the city. The first mayor of the city was Captain George Greene, a native of Kentucky, a veteran of the Mexican-American War, and a close ally of Meedy Shields. The City Hall has operated out of the former Southern Indiana Telephone and Telegraph Company since 1985.

In 2019, a local businessman, former city councilman, 1996 graduate of Seymour High School, and 1998 graduate of Ivy Tech, Matthew Nicholson was elected to his first term as mayor. He carried the election with 1,963 (59.3%) votes versus challenger Rexanne Ude who received 1,350 (40%) votes. Since his election, in addition to his official duties, Nicholson has joined the board of directors for Main Street Seymour, Indiana and regularly contributes to the local newspaper.

The seven-member city council is the legislative body for the city and has the exclusive responsibility of passing or changing local laws, resolutions, orders, and motions for the city's government. As the fiscal body, the Council has the authority to levy certain taxes and it has the sole responsibility of adopting a city budget each year. The Council also appoints members to certain boards and commissions that serve the community in various areas.

A chronological list of mayors of the city of Seymour includes; • George Green (D), 1865 - 1867

• Alexander A Davison (D) 1867 - 1869

• Thomas Whitson, 1869 - 1870

• Albert P. Charles, 1870 - 1872

• Samuel W. Holmes, 1872 - 1874

• Albert P. Charles, 1874 - 1878

• Daniel W. Johnson, 1878 - 1884

• Rueben Everhart, 1884 - 1886

• A.J. Frazer, 1886 - 1888

• Daniel W. Johnson, 1888 - 1890

• Frank Bennett, 1890 - 1892

• Philip Laugel, 1892 - 1894

• Joseph Basley, 1894 - 1898

• Alfred W. Mills, 1898 - 1902

• Dr. J. M. Shields, 1902 - 1904

• Dr. George G. Graessle, 1904 - 1906

• Dr. Henry R. Kyte, 1906 - 1910

• Allen Swope (D), 1910 - 1914

• John A Ross, 1914 - 1918

• Charles W. Burkart (D), 1918 - 1922

• Charles L. Kessler, 1922 - 1926

• Charles E. Miles, 1926 - 1929

• F. W. Abele, 1929 (12 days)

• Charles W. Burkart (D), 1929 - 1939

• Stanley Switzer (R), 1939 - 1942

• Charles W. Burkart (D), 1943 - 1947

• Donald L. Heiwig (R), 1948 - 1955

• John C. Isaacs (D), 1956 - 1963

• James L. Laupus (R), 1964 - 1971

• Christopher D. Moritz (D), 1972 - 1975

• Donald H. Ernest (R), 1976 - 1979

• Christopher D. Moritz (D), 1980 - 1983

• Donald F. Scott (D), 1983

• William W. Bailey (D), 1983 - 1990

• John S. Burkhart (D), 1990 - 2003

• James E. Bullard (D), 2004 - 2007

• Craig Luedeman (R), 2008 - 2019

• Matthew Nicholson (R), 2019 - incumbent

Education
Seymour Community Schools operates Seymour High School and eight other elementary and secondary schools in the city. The current system-wide school enrollment exceed 5,000 students. The local schools employ 650 people and are managed by a public board consisting of seven members of the community. The current board President is Art Juergens, a retired social studies teacher and coach. Three hundred forty-two students graduated in the class of 2023.

Trinity Lutheran High School, a private educational institution for grades 9–12 that first opened in 2000 on a newly donated 41-acre campus. The school is owned and operated by the South Central Lutheran Association for Secondary Education, Inc., an association of 14 Lutheran congregations in Scott, Jennings, Bartholomew, and Jackson Counties. The school is accredited and in good standing by the National Lutheran School Accreditation (NLSA) organization of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, Cognia, and also recognized as an accredited school by the Indiana Department of Education. Twenty-seven seniors graduated from TLHS's 19th class in May 2023.

The Immanuel Lutheran School provides private K-8 and is full accreditation through the State of Indiana and the Lutheran Church Missouri-Synod. In addition to the core curriculum, Immanuel's comprehensive education offers a full fine arts program including music, band, art, and physical education. Students attending ILS have the option of enrolling in either Trinity Lutheran High School to finish their secondary education or enrolling at Seymour High School.

The St. Ambrose Catholic School is a private school associated with St. Ambrose Church of Seymour Indiana. The School is a member of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis. The current facility opened in 1958 but the Archdiocese has offered private Catholic educational services to the community since 1858. Enrollment is open for students K-8. The school is overseen by St. Ambrose School Commission is an advisory committee that works with the school principal and pastor on the advancement of the school. The commission has nine members and meets six times per year. The school provides services in both English and Spanish. The school is fully accredited by the State of Indiana and nationally through Cognia.

Seymour Public Library, a branch of the Jackson County Public Library.

Parks and Recreation
The recreation department of the city of Seymour operates five parks, including the 12-acre Shields Park that is home to a skate park and a public pool.

Shields Park is the oldest public park in the city and was formally known as City Park. It is located on North Park Street. In 1924, Anna M. Gaiser donated the site of her father's plant nursery to be Gaiser Park.

Kessler Park was donated by the Kessler family in 1978.

Additionally, the recreation department operates 3 plazas, one recreation field located near Freeman Field and Mellencamp Plaza below the large mural of John Mellencamp in the downtown area that was completed in 2019. The department also provides a memorial tree and bench program to honor deceased residents. In addition to the numerous parks, plazas, and recreational facilities, the recreation department also provides 14 miles of bike and walking trails around the city.

Culture
The Actors Community Theatre of Seymour (ACTS) is a non-profit organization founded in 2013. Its first production was in March 2014. ACTS is dedicated to the propagation and preservation of the theatrical arts in the area and has an ongoing schedule of theatrical performances.

The Southern Indiana Center for the Arts (SICA) is a not-for-profit organization operated by a volunteer board of directors and an executive director owned by the Mellencamp family since 1991 that provides art education and helps draw attention to the area of Jackson County as an art-conscious region.

The Oktoberfest celebrates the city's German heritage and has been held annually since 1973. The first Oktoberfest was organized by the Seymour Chamber of Commerce and featured Bavarian music, carnival rides, food and exhibit booths, parades, a hot air balloon race, baby contest and a Biergarten.

Scoop the Loop is a local weekend car show that started in 2011 but can trace its origins back to the years following WWII. In Seymour, like many small towns in America, with the rise of car culture, rock and roll, and teenagers with free time, cruising downtown to meet and make new friends and show off cars became a way of life in Seymour. Seymour used to be so popular for cruising that teens would come from eleven surrounding counties. But, starting in the 80s, some local merchants complained and alleged illegal activities were occurring. In the 90s, without any city ordinance to prohibit the activity, the local government would block many of the roads downtown and popular parking lots. This effectively killed the practice in Seymour as happened in nearby Columbus, North Vernon, and Seymour. But, cruising was reborn in 2011 by local cruising enthusiasts two started a yearly event held on one Saturday each August. Ironically, local merchants and restaurants support the event as a way to draw customers back to the downtown area.

The H. Vance Swope Memorial Art Gallery was created at the bequest of the artist, who spent his youth in Seymour and whose father was once the postmaster, and relative of then-mayor Allen Swope and contains works by regional artists as well as an extensive collection of landscapes by Swope.

Local comfort food is a deep part of Seymour's culture. This includes local hotspots like The Townhouse Cafe, which first opened in 1962. They have been serving locals their favorites for breakfast since then. In 2023, it was voted best home cooking, best breakfast, and best catering, and won honors for its tenderloins, burgers, and atmosphere. The Fish Stand, first opened its doors in 1962. Locals have been coming to the small unassuming local landmark restaurant on Ewing Street since then for fried fish and comfort food. The stand resides in a building first constructed in 1878 and needed major repairs when the current owners bought the property in 2013 that included new flooring, a new kitchen, and a new roof. Larrison's Diner, a local institution, has been serving local teenagers and adults-alike a steady diet of comfort food like burgers, fries, tenderloin sandwiches, and Big Red soda for more than fifty years. The diner was used as a filming location for Falling from Grace, starring John Mellencamp. The diner is also popular among his fans who might catch a glimpse of him at his favorite booth from time to time.

Until 2019, Seymour was the last town in the United States to celebrate Victory over Japan Day with a local parade. Beginning in 1946, the parade was held annually for 73 years until the local VFW voted to discontinue the tradition.

Seymour is home to many vibrant social, service and philanthropic organizations such as the Elks Lodge, the Jackson County Masonic Lodge, the Order of the Eastern Star, the Seymour Lions, the Rotary Society, the Moose Lodge, the Rotary Society, the Phi Beta Psi, Knights of Columbus, and the Jackson County Sertoma Club.

National Register of Historic Places
The city is home to six structures listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Farmers Club was built by the Blish family and donated to the city as a memorial to city founder Meedy Shields and was included in the National Register in 1983. The building was constructed from Bedford limestone, brick, and steel and at the time of its construction it was the only building of its kind in the midwest. Meedy Shields Blish (1855–1922) was inspired to provide a local place of comfort and relaxation to area farmers while they were bringing produce and grain to market in the city. The building formally open on October 8, 1914. Since then it has been used as the club, the building also housed the Seymour Red Cross, the city of Seymour, the Seymour Police Department, and the Seymour Chamber of Commerce.

The First Presbyterian Church of Seymour was constructed in 1884 and is of Late Gothic Style architecture and includes stained glass by the Jacoby Art Glass Company. At the time of its construction, it was the tallest spire in the city. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1991.

The T. Harlan and Helen Montgomery House is a grade five historic building of Dutch Colonial Revival design located at 628 North Poplar Street has 5 bedrooms and 2 and a half baths. It last sold in 1979 for $49,000 and was placed on the registry in 2010.

The Seymour Commercial Historic District consists of 79 contributing buildings and 4 contributing structures in the central business district of Seymour. The district developed between about 1876 and 1945 and includes notable examples of Italianate, Romanesque Revival, and Classical Revival style architecture. The entire district was placed on the register in 1995 although the Jonas Hotel later burnt to the ground and no longer exists.

The Southern Indiana Railroad Freighthouse, has since January 2008 served as the Jackson County Visitor Center, for Jackson County, Indiana. The freight house was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on June 22, 2003.

George H. Vehslage House is a historic home located at 515 N. Chestnut Street. It was built in 1894 and is a 2-and-one-half-story, Queen Anne style brick dwelling with a limestone foundation. It was placed on the registry in 2010.

Other Significant Buildings in the City
714 W Fifth Street is the boyhood home of John Mellencamp. The 2-bedroom, 1 bath, 1019 square foot ranch style house was built in 1949. It has been privately owned since 1979. The owner has plans to remodel the property and rent it on AirBnB.

The Travis Carter house at 410 Indianapolis Avenue is the oldest building (1852) still standing in Seymour. Today, it is privately owned, but it once housed the offices of the local Red Cross.

The Blish Mill grain towers are the tallest structures in town, they operated from 1858 to 1976.

The Federal Building was built in 1915, served for many years as the post office, and then as offices for the Seymour Police Department. Today, it is being restored as the Seymour Museum Center.

At the corner of N. Poplar and Sixth Street the former James Shields Memorial Gym is one of Indiana's ten most endangered landmarks. One of Indiana's largest high school gymnasiums when it was built by Works Progress Administration workers in 1941, the James M. Shields Memorial Gymnasium provided the backdrop for decades of local basketball memories, hosting 21 sectional titles from 1942 to 1970. A local family purchased the long-vacant property in 1996, and later had to demolish the high school nearby. As of 2023, the gym remains empty. Vandals continue to break windows and cover walls with graffiti, despite the current owner's attempts to secure the property. Though roof leaks have allowed water to infiltrate the building, an architectural assessment showed the steel and concrete gym to be structurally sound.

Railroads

The Pennsylvania Railroad succeeded the Jeffersonville Railroad (built northward). A Chessie System caboose sits in front of the Blish Mill grain tower.

The Ohio and Mississippi Railway, built westward, was acquired by the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad in 1893. It has been operated by CSX since 1986.

The Evansville & Richmond Railroad (after 1910 the Chicago, Terre Haute & Southeastern Railroad (CTH&SE), or "the Milwaukee") was built eastward toward Richmond, reached Seymour in 1890, and connected with New York Central in Westport. Trackage east of Seymour was "cut off" in 1961, and operations to Bedford closed in 1978.

The Interstate Public Service interurban lines reached Seymour from Columbus in October 1907. Interstate merged into Midland United Company, leased to Indiana Railway, and all trains south of Seymour stopped running to Louisville in September 1939. Operations continued north of Seymour to Indianapolis until a collision on September 8, 1941, that wrecked "the majority of the line's rolling stock".

Interstates

 * [[Image:I-65.svg|25px]] Interstate 65

US Highways
•  U.S. Route 31

•  U.S. Route 50

Indiana State Roads
•  State Road 11

•  State Road 258

•  State Road 160

•  State Road 250

•  State Road 256

Notable people
• J. Ottis Adams, an American impressionist painter lived nearby.

• H. Foster Bain, geologist and 4th Director of the U.S. Bureau of Mines was born in Seymour.

• Christopher Ryan Baker, American professional golfer born in Seymour and raised in Brownstown.

• Bill Bailey former city councilman, Mayor, and President of the local Chamber of Commerce

• Danny "the Damaja" Basham, professional wrestler

• John Bell Blish, inventor of the 'Blish Lock' component of the Thompson submachine gun.

• Harold Bower, American basketball player

• Jason B. Brown, US Congressman from March 4, 1889, through March 3, 1895.

• Pat Calhoun, a swimmer who competed in the 2000 Summer Olympic Games

• Royce Campbell, jazz guitarist, composer, producer

• Hoagy Carmichael, jazz musician and frequent guest of the Blish family

• Jon Robert Cart, American flutist, piccoloist, and teacher

• Clessie Cummins, founder of Cummins was the Blish family's chauffeur

• Larry Crane, American musician

• Rolla Daringer, American MLB shortstop

• John Dittmer, award-winning civil-rights historian, author, and DePauw University professor

• Tim Durham, Ponzi scheme operator convicted in 2012 of the largest white-collar crimes in Indiana history

• Scott Earl, retired MLB second baseman

• Frank K. Edmondson, American astronomer

• Brian Fish, basketball coach, Montana State

• Daniel M. Fleetwood, an American scientist, inventor, engineer, and innovator.

• Terry Goodin, former Indiana House of Representatives congressman

• George Green, songwriting partner of John Mellencamp

• Betty Grissom, wife of astronaut Gus Grissom often stayed in the city with of her sister

• Baron Hill, former Indiana 9th District U.S. Representative

• Leroy Charles Hodapp, Methodist bishop

• Thomas M. Honan, Speaker of the Indiana House of Representatives and Indiana Attorney General

• George L. Knox II, American Air Force fighter pilot - court-martialed for mutiny

• Oren Ritter Lewis, American jurist

• Jim Lucas, is an American politician and businessman

• Margaret Read MacDonald, American writer

• John Mellencamp, musician, singer-songwriter, painter, and actor

• Lisa Kennedy Montgomery, American libertarian political commentator, radio personality and author

• Oscar H. Montgomery, Justice of the Indiana Supreme Court

• Erica Moore, American middle-distance runner

• Teri Moren, women's basketball head coach, Indiana University

• Carrie Nation lived at the Steele Boarding house during one of her temperance tours.

• Frank Niehaus, professional football player

• Pee Wee Reese, an American baseball player who played for the former 'Seymour Reds'

• Rip Rogers, retired professional wrestler and trainer

• Colonel Harland Sanders, American Businessman

• Meedy Shields, pioneer, town founder, landowner, and influential state senator

• Robert Shields, minister and teacher listed in the Guinness Book of World Records

• Katie Stam, 2008 Miss Indiana and Miss America 2009

• Steve Steinwedel, American college basketball coach

• David Curtis Stephenson, Grand Dragon of the Indiana KKK, convicted rapist, and murderer

• Gary Wagner, former MLB pitcher

• Edgar Whitcomb, the 43rd Governor of Indiana, maintained a law practice and a home in Seymour.

• Rob Wiethoff, actor, John Marston in Red Dead Redemption and Red Dead Redemption 2

• Gary Wagner former professional baseball player resides in Seymour

• Anthony Winchester, American college basketball coach

• Coleman Young, American Air Force Officer and participant in the mutiny at Freeman Field

Notable groups and organizations

 * The Elms, Rock and Roll band active between 2000 and 2010
 * Reno Gang, committed the first peacetime train robbery in the United States in Seymour in 1866

Nearby points of interest

 * Bell Ford Bridge, a covered bridge originally over the East Fork of the White River, was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on March 25, 2005
 * Freeman Municipal Airport, a public-use airport located 2.6 mi south-southwest of downtown, known as Freeman Army Airfield during World War II
 * Hoosier National Forest, 202814 acre managed by the United States Forest Service
 * Jackson–Washington State Forest, 18000 acre state forest
 * Muscatatuck National Wildlife Refuge, located 3 mi east of downtown
 * Starve Hollow State Recreation Area, 280 acre state recreation area located near Vallonia, Indiana

Radio
• WLCL : 93.9 FM

• WXKU : 92.7 FM

• WZZB : 1390 AM and 99.3 FM

• WJAA : 96.3 FM

• W252BY : 98.3 FM is a 100-watt repeater for WHUM-LP

• WJCP: 97.7 FM and 1460 AM

• WJLR : 91.5 FM (K-Love)

Print

 * The Seymour Tribune is a newspaper published in a traditional print edition three times per week and online Monday through Saturday.
 * Jackson County Banner is a semi-weekly publication from nearby Brownstown, Indiana

title: Seymour, Indiana


text:
Collegeville, Indiana

Collegeville is a census-designated place (CDP) in Jasper County, Indiana, United States. The population was 330 at the 2010 census. Collegeville is home to the now-unaccredited Saint Joseph's College, the source of the town's name.

Geography
Collegeville is southwest of the center of Jasper County and is bordered to the northeast by Rensselaer, the county seat. U.S. Route 231 (South College Avenue) forms the eastern edge of the community. According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 2.93 km2, all land.

On July 14, 1936, the temperature in Collegeville rose to 116 F, the hottest temperature ever recorded in the state of Indiana.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 865 people, 84 households, and 68 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 670.5 PD/sqmi. There were 90 housing units at an average density of 69.8 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the CDP was 93.29% White, 4.16% African American, 0.35% Asian, 0.92% from other races, and 1.27% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.62% of the population.

There were 84 households, out of which 31.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 72.6% were married couples living together, 6.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.0% were non-families. 16.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 2.76.

In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 5.0% under the age of 18, 76.4% from 18 to 24, 6.4% from 25 to 44, 8.1% from 45 to 64, and 4.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 21 years. For every 100 females, there were 110.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 110.8 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $44,821, and the median income for a family was $51,071. Males had a median income of $53,542 versus $18,382 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $8,587. About 15.4% of families and 19.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 39.6% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over.

Education
It is within the Rensselaer Central School Corporation (K-12 school district).

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Collegeville, Indiana


text:
Remington, Indiana

Remington is a town in Carpenter Township, Jasper County, Indiana, United States. The population was 1,185 at the 2010 census.

History
Remington was first laid out in 1860 by Jesse H. Fordice. It was originally called Carpenter Station, after Carpenter's Creek where a railroad station had been established, around which the town grew. The name was later changed to Remington, after the founder of the general store. The main trade was in grain, as the area consisted of excellent prairie farmland; the town's position on the Pittsburgh, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad made it a good location for such trade. The first grain elevator was built in 1870 by Church and Hartley; the second was built by the Hathaway Brothers in 1872; and in 1879, James Irvin built a third. In 1883 the population was about 900.

Remington Water Tower and Town Hall was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2003.

Geography
Remington is located about 90 miles northwest of Indianapolis and about 90 miles southeast of Chicago. It is about a mile west of Interstate 65; U.S. Route 24 and U.S. Route 231 pass through the town. Remington is located in the CST Time Zone.

According to the 2010 census, Remington has a total area of 1.02 sqmi, all land.

2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 1,185 people, 503 households, and 329 families living in the town. The population density was 1161.8 PD/sqmi. There were 569 housing units at an average density of 557.8 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 96.5% White, 0.6% African American, 0.1% Native American, 0.3% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.3% from other races, and 2.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.1% of the population.

There were 503 households, of which 33.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.1% were married couples living together, 10.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 7.0% had a male householder with no wife present, and 34.6% were non-families. 29.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 2.91.

The median age in the town was 39.8 years. 24.8% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.6% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 23.2% were from 25 to 44; 27.3% were from 45 to 64; and 16.1% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 48.8% male and 51.2% female.

2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,323 people, 532 households, and 353 families living in the town. The population density was 1,279.7 PD/sqmi. There were 557 housing units at an average density of 538.8 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 98.72% White, 0.15% African American, 0.68% Asian, 0.08% from other races, and 0.38% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.06% of the population.

There were 532 households, out of which 33.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.9% were married couples living together, 8.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.6% were non-families. 28.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 3.06.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 27.7% under the age of 18, 9.1% from 18 to 24, 27.9% from 25 to 44, 20.8% from 45 to 64, and 14.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.5 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $37,037, and the median income for a family was $45,735. Males had a median income of $34,135 versus $20,833 for females. The per capita income for the town was $17,184. About 4.4% of families and 7.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.4% of those under age 18 and 7.1% of those age 65 or over.

Education
The town has a lending library, the Remington-Carpenter Township Public Library.

Notable people

 * Frances Janssen, All-American Girls Professional Baseball League player and Northern Indiana Historical Society researcher
 * George D. Major, American politician, agriculturist, businessman, and former owner and proprietor of “The Remington Press”.
 * David H. Patton, Doctor of Medicine and U.S. Representative from Indiana
 * Randall Tobias, chief executive officer of Eli Lily and Company.

title: Remington, Indiana


text:
Rensselaer, Indiana

Rensselaer is a city located along the Iroquois River in Marion Township, Jasper County, Indiana, United States. The population was 5,859 at the 2010 census, up from 5,294 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat of Jasper County. Saint Joseph's College is located just south of the city limits.

History
This settlement, first platted on June 12, 1839, was originally named "Newton" and was established at the rapids of the Iroquois River. By 1844, it had been renamed "Rensselaer", after James Van Rensselaer, a merchant from Utica, New York, who came to the area after his business failed in the Panic of 1837. He took over the land from Joseph D. Yeoman, who had established a farm some years earlier and had begun to plan the village.

St. Joseph Indian Normal School was established in 1888 by St. Katherine Drexel, an heiress from Philadelphia, who donated $50,000 for the education of Catholic American Indian boys. The school trained 60 boys annually until 1896. The school was operated by the Bureau of Catholic Indian Missions.

In addition to St. Joseph Indian Normal School, the Jasper County Courthouse, Oren F. and Adelia Parker House, Rensselaer Carnegie Library, and Rensselaer Courthouse Square Historic District are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Geography
Rensselaer is located southwest of the center of Jasper County. It is bordered to the south by the unincorporated community of Collegeville, home to Saint Joseph's College. The Iroquois River, a tributary of the Kankakee River, hence part of the Illinois River watershed, flows from east to west through the southern part of the city.

U.S. Route 231 and Indiana State Road 114 intersect in the downtown area. US-231 leads north 20 mi to DeMotte and south 12 mi to Remington, while State Road 114 leads east 13 mi to U.S. Route 421 and west 3.5 mi to Interstate 65. Via I-65, Rensselaer is 42 mi north of Lafayette and 54 mi south of Gary.

According to the 2010 census, Rensselaer has a total area of 3.86 sqmi, of which 3.8 sqmi (or 98.45%) is land and 0.06 sqmi (or 1.55%) is water.

Climate
Humid continental climate is a climatic classification typified by large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and cold (sometimes severely cold) winters. Precipitation is relatively well distributed year-round in many areas with this climate, while others may see a marked reduction in wintry precipitation and even a wintertime drought. The Köppen Climate Classification subtype for this climate is "Dfa". (Hot Summer Continental Climate).

2010 census
At the 2010 census there were 5,859 people, 2,336 households, and 1,517 families living in the city. The population density was 1541.8 PD/sqmi. There were 2,556 housing units at an average density of 672.6 /sqmi. The racial makup of the city was 95.4% White, 0.7% African American, 0.4% Native American, 0.4% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 1.8% from other races, and 1.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.4%.

Of the 2,336 households 33.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.9% were married couples living together, 14.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.4% had a male householder with no wife present, and 35.1% were non-families. 29.5% of households were one person and 12.6% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 2.96.

The median age was 36.6 years. 25.5% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.7% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 25.6% were from 25 to 44; 23.7% were from 45 to 64; and 16.4% were 65 or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.0% male and 52.0% female.

2000 census
At the 2000 census there were 5,294 people, 2,158 households, and 1,404 families living in the city. The population density was 1,824.8 PD/sqmi. There were 2,296 housing units at an average density of 791.4 /sqmi. The racial makup of the city was 97.94% White, 0.32% African American, 0.21% Native American, 0.09% Asian, 0.66% from other races, and 0.77% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.53%.

Of the 2,158 households 31.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.1% were married couples living together, 10.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.9% were non-families. 31.1% of households were one person and 15.6% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 2.98.

The age distribution was 25.3% under the age of 18, 9.4% from 18 to 24, 26.9% from 25 to 44, 20.0% from 45 to 64, and 18.5% 65 or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.4 males.

The median household income was $34,821 and the median family income was $43,313. Males had a median income of $33,971 versus $24,016 for females. The per capita income for the city was $20,872. About 6.6% of families and 10.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.8% of those under age 18 and 8.0% of those age 65 or over.

Education
It is within the Rensselaer Central School Corporation (K-12 school district).

Rensselaer has a public library, a branch of the Jasper County Public Library.

Saint Joseph's College is in Rensselaer.

Transportation
Rensselaer is served by Amtrak's Cardinal, which runs three days per week, stopping at the Rensselaer Amtrak station.

Notable people

 * Eleanor Stackhouse Atkinson, author
 * Dan Brandenburg, National Football League player, Buffalo Bills 1996-1999
 * Steve Buyer, former U.S. Representative
 * Charles A. Halleck, Republican leader of the U.S. House of Representatives
 * James Frederick "Jimmy" Hanley, American songwriter
 * Tom Harmon, 1940 Heisman Trophy winner
 * Eli Isom, professional wrestler
 * Michael Stephen Kanne, Judge on the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals
 * Robert H. Milroy, Major General in the Union Army during the American Civil War
 * Augustus Phillips, actor during the silent film era

title: Rensselaer, Indiana


text:
Roselawn, Indiana

Roselawn is a census-designated place (CDP) in Newton and Jasper counties in the U.S. state of Indiana. The population was 4,131 at the 2010 census.

Roselawn is known in northwestern Indiana for the two nudist resorts which operate in this town: the Ponderosa Sun Club and Sun Aura. Sun Aura resort was previously known as Naked City, but closed in 1986 after its operator, Dick Drost, encountered significant legal troubles. The resort continued to operate under several different owners and was known as Sunspot resort prior to becoming Sun Aura. The clubs are long-standing fixtures of the community, dating to the 1930s.

History
Roselawn was laid out in 1882. The community's name is an amalgamation of the names of early merchants Orlando Rose and Lon Craig. A post office has been in operation at Roselawn since 1881.

On October 31, 1994, American Eagle Flight 4184 crashed at Roselawn, killing all 64 passengers and four crew members aboard.

Geography
The original center of Roselawn is in northeastern Newton County, with the CDP extending eastward into northwestern Jasper County. Indiana State Road 10 passes through the community, leading east and north 8 mi to DeMotte, and west the same distance to Lake Village. Interstate 65 passes through the eastern part of the community, with access from Exit 230 (State Road 10); I-65 leads north 33 mi to Gary and south 58 mi to Lafayette.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the Roselawn CDP has a total area of 20.9 km2, of which 0.03 sqkm, or 0.15%, are water.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 3,933 people, 1,286 households, and 1,099 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 484.4 PD/sqmi. There were 1,326 housing units at an average density of 163.3 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the CDP was 97.30% White, 0.15% African American, 0.13% Native American, 0.28% Asian, 0.18% Pacific Islander, 0.97% from other races, and 0.99% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.33% of the population.

There were 1,286 households, out of which 41.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 71.7% were married couples living together, 9.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 14.5% were non-families. 11.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 3.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.99 and the average family size was 3.22.

In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 29.3% under the age of 18, 7.5% from 18 to 24, 29.6% from 25 to 44, 24.7% from 45 to 64, and 8.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 101.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.5 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $48,625, and the median income for a family was $49,351. Males had a median income of $42,284 versus $18,208 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $19,136. About 4.3% of families and 3.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.0% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over.

Education
The portion of Roselawn in Newton County is in the North Newton School Corporation. Lincoln Elementary is in the Roselawn CDP, and has a De Motte postal address. North Newton Jr-Sr High School, the public high school of the district, is located north of Morocco CDP and has a Morocco postal address.

The portion of Roselawn in Jasper County is in the Kankakee Valley School Corporation (K-12 school district).

Roselawn has a public library, a branch of the Newton County Public Library.

title: Roselawn, Indiana


text:
Wheatfield, Indiana

Wheatfield is a town in Wheatfield Township, Jasper County, Indiana, United States. The population was 904 at the 2020 census.

History
Wheatfield had its start in the early 1880s by the building of the railroad through that territory. The Wheatfield post office was established in 1882. Wheatfield was named for the field of swamp grass that looked like fields of wheat.

Geography
According to the 2010 census, Wheatfield has a total area of 0.56 sqmi, all land.

2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 853 people, 322 households, and 221 families living in the town. The population density was 1523.2 PD/sqmi. There were 353 housing units at an average density of 630.4 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 95.8% White, 0.8% African American, 0.1% Asian, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 1.9% from other races, and 1.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.9% of the population.

There were 322 households, of which 39.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.1% were married couples living together, 13.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 7.1% had a male householder with no wife present, and 31.4% were non-families. 25.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.65 and the average family size was 3.20.

The median age in the town was 31.8 years. 29.1% of residents were under the age of 18; 8% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 29.3% were from 25 to 44; 22% were from 45 to 64; and 11.5% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 49.4% male and 50.6% female.

2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 772 people, 267 households, and 191 families living in the town. The population density was 1,398.4 PD/sqmi. There were 289 housing units at an average density of 523.5 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 94.17% White, 2.46% African American, 0.13% Asian, 0.78% from other races, and 2.46% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.46% of the population.

There were 267 households, out of which 36.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.7% were married couples living together, 9.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.1% were non-families. 24.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.61 and the average family size was 3.07.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 33.2% under the age of 18, 9.5% from 18 to 24, 27.7% from 25 to 44, 18.5% from 45 to 64, and 11.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 29 years. For every 100 females, there were 108.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.6 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $38,021, and the median income for a family was $43,750. Males had a median income of $34,792 versus $23,472 for females. The per capita income for the town was $15,003. About 6.1% of families and 7.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.5% of those under age 18 and 5.0% of those age 65 or over.

Education
The Kanakee Valley School Corporation serves Wheatfield. Wheatfield Elementary School is located in and serves Wheatfield. Kankakee Valley Intermediate School, Kankakee Valley Middle School, and Kankakee Valley High School are located in Wheatfield Township and serve Wheatfield.

Wheatfield has a public library, a branch of the Jasper County Public Library.

title: Wheatfield, Indiana


text:
Bryant, Indiana

Bryant is a town in Bearcreek Township, Jay County, Indiana, United States. The population was 252 at the 2010 census.

History
Bryant had its start in the early 1870s by the building of the railroad through that territory. Its name is derived from that of an Irishman named Bryan, who was instrumental in bringing the railroad there. The Bryant post office was established in 1872. Bryant was incorporated as a town in 1897.

Geography
According to the 2010 census, the town has a total area of 0.30 sqmi, all land.

2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 252 people, 99 households, and 68 families living in the town. The population density was 840.0 PD/sqmi. There were 116 housing units at an average density of 386.7 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 97.2% White, 0.4% African American, 0.8% Native American, 0.8% Asian, and 0.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.4% of the population.

There were 99 households, of which 32.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.5% were married couples living together, 9.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 11.1% had a male householder with no wife present, and 31.3% were non-families. 28.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 3.07.

The median age in the town was 38.5 years. 24.2% of residents were under the age of 18; 9.4% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 22.6% were from 25 to 44; 29.3% were from 45 to 64; and 14.3% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 49.2% male and 50.8% female.

2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 272 people, 95 households, and 74 families living in the town. The population density was 897.9 PD/sqmi. There were 109 housing units at an average density of 359.8 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 97.79% White, 0.37% Asian, 0.37% from other races, and 1.47% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.10% of the population.

There were 95 households, out of which 35.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.2% were married couples living together, 6.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.1% were non-families. 18.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.86 and the average family size was 3.27.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 30.9% under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 32.7% from 25 to 44, 18.8% from 45 to 64, and 9.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 121.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 106.6 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $34,821, and the median income for a family was $41,042. Males had a median income of $21,833 versus $17,266 for females. The per capita income for the town was $13,416. None of the families and 4.4% of the population were living below the poverty line.

title: Bryant, Indiana


text:
Pennville, Indiana

Pennville is a town in Penn Township, Jay County, Indiana, United States. The population was 621 at the 2020 census.

History
The history of Pennville began when Samuel Grisell and Moses Hamilton left their homes in Columbiana County, Ohio, in the spring of 1834 to search for government land for a permanent home. Their journey led them to Jay County, Indiana, and on February 10, 1835, Grisell received a Land Patent at the General Land Office at Fort Wayne, purchasing the land "for the North East quarter of Section thirty-five, in Township twenty-four of Range twelve," which contained 160 acre. Hamilton was the first to move to the new area, and Grisell came shortly thereafter. It is generally accepted, although not proven, that Grisell then platted the land into a town in August 1836, and named it New Lisbon, presumably after the Village of Lisbon in his home county of Columbiana County, Ohio. New Lisbon was short lived and the name of the town changed to Camden around 1837 because there was another town of the same name in Indiana.

Grisell was a member of the Hicksite Quaker faith, mostly country Friends who perceived urban Friends as worldly, a group which split from Orthodox Friends in 1827 due to the views of Elias Hicks. As early as 1841 there were Friends Monthly Meetings in Camden. A post office was established in Camden on January 19, 1839, with John D. Jones as postmaster. The change to the town name of Pennville was gradual and began when the post office was applied for at Camden. Since the new post office could not be called Camden, as that name was already being used by the post office at Camden in Carroll County, Indiana, the new post office was named Penn, allegedly by Grisell, who was a great admirer of William Penn, the famous Quaker. Since Camden no longer existed after an earlier collapse of the corporation, and the post office was named Penn, this caused confusion and more and more the town was called Pennville. The oil and gas boom that began in the 1880s increased business to such an extent that the people felt there should be a legal name for the town. In 1905 a petition was presented to the Jay County Commissioners asking that the town be incorporated under the name of Pennville.

Pennville has had two high schools, the first being organized around 1890 and existing until 1910. The second Pennville High School was built in 1911 on Jones Hill (sometimes called Gregg Hill) and was in session until 1975, when the schools of five Jay County communities – Pennville, Portland, Bryant, Redkey and Dunkirk - were consolidated into Jay County High School, outside Portland.

From 1903 until 1917, the Cincinnati, Bluffton and Chicago Railroad, sometimes referred to as the CB&C, ran through Pennville. Provident Hospital, a precursor to the Caylor-Nickel Clinic in Bluffton, Wells County, Indiana, existed in Pennville from November 1, 1907, until 1917.

Geography
Pennville is located along the Salamonie River.

According to the 2010 census, Pennville has a total area of 0.5 sqmi, all land.

2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 701 people, 292 households, and 180 families residing in the town. The population density was 1402.0 PD/sqmi. There were 342 housing units at an average density of 684.0 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 97.1% White, 0.4% Asian, 1.9% from other races, and 0.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.6% of the population.

There were 292 households, of which 33.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.4% were married couples living together, 14.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.5% had a male householder with no wife present, and 38.4% were non-families. 29.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.97.

The median age in the town was 39.6 years. 25.5% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 22.7% were from 25 to 44; 25.1% were from 45 to 64; and 18.7% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 47.4% male and 52.6% female.

2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 706 people, 284 households, and 191 families residing in the town. The population density was 1800.0 PD/sqmi. There were 316 housing units at an average density of 805.7 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 99.58% White, 0.14% from other races, and 0.28% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.27% of the population.

There were 284 households, out of which 32.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.1% were married couples living together, 10.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.7% were non-families. 26.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 3.01.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 27.2% under the age of 18, 9.1% from 18 to 24, 26.5% from 25 to 44, 21.1% from 45 to 64, and 16.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.1 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $29,688, and the median income for a family was $31,111. Males had a median income of $29,167 versus $21,875 for females. The per capita income for the town was $14,182. About 8.5% of families and 9.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.3% of those under age 18 and 9.3% of those age 65 or over.

Fire Department
The Pennville Volunteer Fire Department, Inc. is located at 105 North Washington Street, and is a non-profit domestic corporation created October 23, 1961, the first fire department in the town having been organized in 1919. There is one fire station and approximately 33 volunteers. In 2004, the town received a grant of almost $150,000 to be used for the purchase of a new tank.

Library
The Penn Township Public Library is located at 195 Union Street. The collection of the library contains 9,872 volumes and circulates 5,200 items per year, serving a population of 1,308 area residents.

Cornerstone Church of Pennville
Previously known as Pennville United Methodist Church, this church is located at 160 West Main Street. The current church building was dedicated in 1917.

Hillside Cemetery
Hillside Cemetery, also known as Quaker Cemetery, is located on a gently sloping hill at the east end of town on East Lagro Street at Grisell Avenue. Many early settlers of Pennville are interred here, including Samuel Grisell, who platted the town in 1836.

Maple Lawn Cemetery
Maple Lawn Cemetery, also known as Mason Cemetery, is located on the extreme east side of the town. East Maple Street dead-ends into the cemetery. Large trees that once lined the back of the cemetery to the east were destroyed by a tornado in the 1980s.

IOOF Cemetery
Located approximately $1 1/2$ miles east of the town limits on County Road W400N (extended East Lagro Street), this cemetery is the largest burial ground in the Pennville area. Over 4,000 persons are buried here, including many area Civil War veterans, including Thomas J. Cartwright, Enoch B. Hartley, Aaron W. Letts, Simon P. Morrow, Albert Pugh, Stephen B. H. Shanks, Aaron L. Somers, Jacob Walker, and Morris C. Ward.

Chandlee-Gregg-Hedges House
Pennville has one of the oldest houses in Jay County, the Chandlee-Gregg-Hedges house, built by Goldsmith Chandlee sometime between 1836 and 1841. The house, which stands at 129 West Lagro Street, has also been owned by the Gregg, Hedges, and Springer families.

Twin Hills
The Twin Hills lie approximately 2–3 miles east, north-east of Pennville. Technically "moraines," accumulations of unconsolidated glacial debris formed by early glaciers, the hills range 100–150 foot high and are made up mostly of gravel and sand. Only one of the hills has been left intact, due to the high gravel content being used for roads and railroads.

There is also a legend with Twin Hills as told by Sparkle Crowe. A young couple were having a picnic on the southern hill during the time of horse drawn buggies. For whatever reason the man killed the woman causing her ghost to occasionally be seen haunting the area.

Underground Railroad and Eliza Harris Marker
Founded by Hicksite Quakers, who were early abolitionists, Pennville and the surrounding area is rich in the history of the Underground Railroad. Approximately $2 1/2$ miles north of Pennville on Indiana State Road 1, near Balbec, Indiana, a marker was erected in 1923 to mark the site of the pioneer home of Jimmy and Rachel Silliven, an important "station" of the Underground Railroad. The marker memorializes the local legend that the real run-away slave, on whom the character of Eliza Harris of Uncle Tom's Cabin was based, stopped at the Silliven home on her way to freedom. The marker bears the inscription: A station on the Underground Railroad Tradition says Eliza Harris Of Uncle Tom's Cabin fame Rested here in her flight to Canada.

Notable people

 * Jim Paxson Sr. (1932-2014) -- former collegiate & NBA basketball player; father of Jim Paxson and John Paxson, both NBA players.

title: Pennville, Indiana


text:
Portland, Indiana

Portland is a city in and the county seat of Jay County, Indiana, United States. The population was 6,223 at the 2010 census, and in 2018 the estimated population was 6,085.

History
Portland was platted in 1837. It was named after Portland, Maine.

The Jay County Courthouse, Portland Commercial Historic District, and Jonas Votaw House are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Portland has a total area of 12.88 sqkm, of which 6524 sqm, or 0.05%, are water. The Salamonie River runs through the city just south of its center. The Salamonie is a west-flowing tributary of the Wabash River.

2010 census
At the 2010 census there were 6,223 people, 2,607 households, and 1,620 families living in the city. The population density was 1338.3 PD/sqmi. There were 3,005 housing units at an average density of 646.2 /sqmi. The racial makup of the city was 94.5% White, 0.4% African American, 0.5% Asian, 3.1% from other races, and 1.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.8%.

Of the 2,607 households 30.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.7% were married couples living together, 14.0% single female householder, 5.4% single male householder, and 37.9% were non-families. 32.1% of households were one person and 14.2% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.89.

The median age was 39.4 years. 23.7% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.6% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 25.1% were from 25 to 44; 24.7% were from 45 to 64; and 17.9% were 65 or older. The gender makeup of the city was 46.8% male and 53.2% female.

Education
The town has a lending library, the Jay County Public Library.

Notable people

 * Leon Ames, actor, founder of Screen Actors Guild in 1933
 * Stephanie Arnold, competed in women's archery in the 2004 Olympics
 * Oscar Ray Bolin, serial killer
 * Pete Brewster, professional football player
 * Pete Daily, musician
 * Kevin A. Ford, astronaut, piloted NASA space shuttle mission to International Space Station in 2009
 * Elwood Haynes (born in Portland, 1857) invented the clutch-driven automobile in 1894
 * Jack Imel, television producer, Lawrence Welk Show
 * Richard T. James, Indiana lieutenant governor 1945-49
 * Kenneth MacDonald, actor, born Kenneth Dollins; he worked for many years at Columbia Pictures in short features and in the Three Stooges movies
 * Mary Meeker (born in Portland, 1960) investment banker, made Internet economically viable by promoting it to investors in the 1990s, (becoming known as the "Queen of the Internet")
 * John P. C. Shanks, U.S. Representative from Indiana, Union Army major general
 * Twyla Tharp, Emmy and Tony Award-winning choreographer
 * Bill Wallace (born 1945), martial artist
 * Greg Williams, WNBA coach, college basketball player at Rice University

title: Portland, Indiana


text:
Redkey, Indiana

Redkey is a town in Richland Township, Jay County, Indiana, United States. The population was 1,353 at the 2010 census.

History
Redkey was named for James Redkey, who platted an addition to the town when the railroad was built through it in 1867. The area was originally known as the Wade Settlement, after the family of Josiah Wade, who settled there in 1836. His son William Harrison Wade platted a village there in 1854, which he called Mt. Vernon. James Redkey platted his addition in 1856, but when application was made for a government post office, the name Mt. Vernon was already taken, so the name of Redkey was chosen. Redkey was incorporated in 1883.

The Redkey Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1992.

Geography
According to the 2010 census, Redkey has a total area of 0.95 sqmi, of which 0.94 sqmi (or 98.95%) is land and 0.01 sqmi (or 1.05%) is water.

2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 1,353 people, 551 households, and 365 families living in the town. The population density was 1439.4 PD/sqmi. There were 630 housing units at an average density of 670.2 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 98.2% White, 0.2% African American, 0.2% Asian, 0.5% from other races, and 0.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.4% of the population.

There were 551 households, of which 35.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.5% were married couples living together, 15.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 6.2% had a male householder with no wife present, and 33.8% were non-families. 27.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 2.96.

The median age in the town was 37.1 years. 27.3% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.5% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 25.4% were from 25 to 44; 22.6% were from 45 to 64; and 16.1% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 48.2% male and 51.8% female.

2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,427 people, 586 households, and 400 families living in the town. The population density was 1,526.8 PD/sqmi. There were 637 housing units at an average density of 681.6 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 98.95% White, 0.14% African American, 0.07% Native American, 0.07% Asian, and 0.77% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.91% of the population.

There were 586 households, out of which 31.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.9% were married couples living together, 12.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.6% were non-families. 27.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 2.94.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 26.9% under the age of 18, 7.0% from 18 to 24, 27.4% from 25 to 44, 24.5% from 45 to 64, and 14.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.3 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $30,732, and the median income for a family was $36,042. Males had a median income of $29,464 versus $19,340 for females. The per capita income for the town was $13,906. About 11.2% of families and 14.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.1% of those under age 18 and 11.6% of those age 65 or over.

title: Redkey, Indiana


text:
Salamonia, Indiana

Salamonia is a town in Madison Township, Jay County, Indiana, United States. The population was 157 at the 2010 census. The town is situated along the Salamonie River, near its headwaters in Northern Indiana.

History
Salamonia was originally called Lancaster, and under the latter name was platted in 1839. When the first post office was established there, it was discovered there was another Lancaster, Indiana, and the town was renamed Salamonia, in order to avoid repetition. Salamonia was incorporated as a town in 1867.

Geography
According to the 2010 census, Salamonia has a total area of 0.37 sqmi, all land.

2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 157 people, 52 households, and 40 families living in the town. The population density was 424.3 PD/sqmi. There were 61 housing units at an average density of 164.9 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 98.7% White, 0.6% Native American, and 0.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.6% of the population.

There were 52 households, of which 42.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.5% were married couples living together, 13.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 1.9% had a male householder with no wife present, and 23.1% were non-families. 19.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.02 and the average family size was 3.50.

The median age in the town was 30.5 years. 33.8% of residents were under the age of 18; 9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 22.9% were from 25 to 44; 26.8% were from 45 to 64; and 7.6% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 49.7% male and 50.3% female.

2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 158 people, 57 households, and 47 families living in the town. The population density was 429.9 PD/sqmi. There were 58 housing units at an average density of 157.8 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 98.73% White, 0.63% Asian, and 0.63% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.63% of the population.

There were 57 households, out of which 43.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 71.9% were married couples living together, 10.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 15.8% were non-families. 14.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.77 and the average family size was 3.04.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 31.6% under the age of 18, 7.0% from 18 to 24, 29.7% from 25 to 44, 26.6% from 45 to 64, and 5.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.9 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $36,458, and the median income for a family was $46,250. Males had a median income of $30,313 versus $25,313 for females. The per capita income for the town was $11,734. About 16.2% of families and 16.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 28.8% of those under the age of eighteen and 66.7% of those 65 or over.

title: Salamonia, Indiana