Acton is a small community located in the southeast corner of Marion County,

Indiana Indiana () is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States. It is the 38th-largest by area and the 17th-most populous of the 50 States. Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis. Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th s ...

, United States, and has been included in the city of

Indianapolis Indianapolis (), colloquially known as Indy, is the state capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the seat of Marion County. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the consolidated population of Indianapolis and Marion ...

under the

Unigov Unigov is the colloquial name adopted by the city of Indianapolis, Indiana, to describe its consolidated city–county government. By an act of the Indiana General Assembly, Indianapolis consolidated with the government of Marion County in 197 ...

legislation passed by the Indiana General Assembly in 1969. The community was named for an early settler, General Acton.

History

The community's original name was Farmersville. The town was renamed in 1854 when the U.S. Postal Service discovered there was already a town named Farmersville in

Posey County, Indiana Posey County is the southernmost, southwesternmost, and westernmost county in the U.S. state of Indiana. Its southern border is formed by the Ohio River, and its western border by the Wabash River, a tributary to the Ohio. As of 2010, the popula ...

. From 1859 to 1905, a group of Methodists operated the Acton Camp Ground on just north of the town, at the corner of Southport and Acton roads. An agreement with the

Indianapolis and Cincinnati Railroad Indianapolis (), colloquially known as Indy, is the List of U.S. state and territorial capitals, state capital and List of U.S. states' largest cities by population, most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the county seat, seat of ...

provided good access to the camp grounds. Fire destroyed the camp buildings in 1864, but the association rebuilt them. Another fire in 1905 again destroyed the camp, but this time efforts to raise funds to rebuild fell short, and the land was sold. Actress Marjorie Main was born in Acton in 1890. Born Mary Tomlinson, Marjorie Main, moved from Acton to Elkhart, Indiana as a child In the summer of 1980, a motorcyclist was struck by lightning while passing through Acton. When attempts by paramedics were unsuccessful in reviving the motorist, both the paramedics and witnesses claim a lady dressed in black and holding a bible, emerged and was able to revive the motorist by striking the motorist on the chest with a bible while speaking in tongues. Some believe the lady in black was the spirit of one of the attendees from the former Acton Camp ground.

Notable people

Marjorie Main Mary Tomlinson (February 24, 1890 – April 10, 1975), professionally known as Marjorie Main, was an American character actress and singer of the Classical Hollywood period, best known as a Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer contract player in the 1940s and ...

, Oscar-nominated American character actress

References

{{Authority control Neighborhoods in Indianapolis Indianapolis metropolitan area Populated places established in 1852 1852 establishments in Indiana