Brazil is a city in
Clay County Clay County is the name of 18 counties in the United States. Most are named for Henry Clay, U.S. Senator and statesman:
* Clay County, Alabama
* Clay County, Arkansas (named for John Clayton, and originally named Clayton County)
* Clay County, Fl ...
,
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. The population was 7,912 at the 2010 census. The city is the
county seat
A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US st ...
of Clay County.
It is part of the
Terre Haute
Terre Haute ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Vigo County, Indiana, United States, about 5 miles east of the state's western border with Illinois. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 60,785 and its metropolitan area had a ...
Metropolitan Statistical Area
In the United States, a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) is a geographical region with a relatively high population density at its core and close economic ties throughout the area. Such regions are neither legally Incorporated town, incorporate ...
. The current chief executive of Brazil is
Mayor
In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well a ...
Brian Wyndham (
Democrat
Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to:
Politics
*A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people.
*A member of a Democratic Party:
**Democratic Party (United States) (D)
**Democratic ...
).
History
In the 1840s, the owners of the farm which would later originate the city of Brazil decided to name their farm after the country of
Brazil
Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...
, because that country was often the subject of news at the time.
The city was founded in 1866 under the name of that farm.
As of now, Brazil is a part of the Terre Haute Metropolitan Statistical Area. Clay county, which was formed in 1825, originally had Bowling Green as its county seat; the county seat was relocated to Brazil in 1876, following the city's incredible development.
The Chafariz dos Contos (from "
contos de réis", a former Brazilian currency) was given by the country of Brazil as a gift to the city, as a symbol of friendship, and was assembled in Forest Park in 1956. It is a replica of the original fountain located in
Ouro Preto
Ouro Preto (, ''Black Gold''), formerly Vila Rica (, ''Rich Village''), is a city in and former capital of the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, a former colonial mining town located in the Serra do Espinhaço mountains and designated a World Herit ...
, State of
Minas Gerais
Minas Gerais () is a state in Southeastern Brazil. It ranks as the second most populous, the third by gross domestic product (GDP), and the fourth largest by area in the country. The state's capital and largest city, Belo Horizonte (literally ...
,
Brazil
Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...
, built in 1745.
In 2010, Brazil gained national attention for having accepted money from
Kentucky Fried Chicken
KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken) is an American fast food restaurant chain headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, that specializes in fried chicken. It is the world's second-largest restaurant chain (as measured by sales) after McDonald's, with 2 ...
for the rights to display the
KFC
KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken) is an American fast food restaurant chain headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, that specializes in fried chicken. It is the world's second-largest restaurant chain (as measured by sales) after McDonald's, with 2 ...
and Fiery Grilled Wings logos on city fire hydrants.
The
Brazil Downtown Historic District
Brazil Downtown Historic District is a national historic district located at Brazil, Clay County, Indiana. The district encompasses 35 contributing buildings and two contributing objects in the central business district of Brazil. The district ...
,
Clay County Courthouse,
Clay County Hospital
Clay County Hospital is a historic hospital located at Brazil, Clay County, Indiana. It was built in 1927–1928, and is a -story, tan brick Colonial Revival style building. It is limestone trim and a slate hipped roof. Also on the property are ...
,
Meridian-Forest Historic District, and
US Post Office-Brazil are listed on the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...
.
Geography
Brazil is located at (39.525000, -87.127500).
According to the 2010 census, Brazil has a total area of , of which (or 99.08%) is land and (or 0.92%) is water.
Brazil experiences warm, even hot and humid summers and cold winters as part of the
humid continental climate
A humid continental climate is a climatic region defined by Russo-German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1900, typified by four distinct seasons and large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and freezing ...
.
Demographics
2010 census
As of the
2010 census,
there were 7,912 people, 3,154 households, and 2,018 families living in the city. The
population density
Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...
was . There were 3,583 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 97.1%
White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...
, 0.6%
African American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 0.1%
Native American, 0.5%
Asian
Asian may refer to:
* Items from or related to the continent of Asia:
** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia
** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia
** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, 0.6% from
other races
Other often refers to:
* Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy
Other or The Other may also refer to:
Film and television
* ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack
* ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...
, and 1.0% from two or more races.
Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad.
The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...
or
Latino
Latino or Latinos most often refers to:
* Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America
* Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States
* The people or cultures of Latin America;
** Latin A ...
of any race were 1.6% of the population.
There were 3,154 households, of which 35.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.7% were
married couples living together, 16.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.5% had a male householder with no wife present, and 36.0% were non-families. 30.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.5% 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 3.04.
The median age in the city was 36.2 years. 26% of residents were under the age of 18; 9.4% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 26.2% were from 25 to 44; 23.9% were from 45 to 64; and 14.4% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.0% male and 52.0% female.
2000 census
As of the
2000 census,
there were 8,188 people, 3,383 households, and 2,151 families living in the city. The population density was . There were 3,740 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 97.80%
White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...
, 0.64%
African American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 0.37%
Native American, 0.17%
Asian
Asian may refer to:
* Items from or related to the continent of Asia:
** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia
** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia
** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, 0.02%
Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe the original p ...
, 0.28% from
other races
Other often refers to:
* Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy
Other or The Other may also refer to:
Film and television
* ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack
* ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...
, and 0.72% from two or more races.
Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad.
The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...
or
Latino
Latino or Latinos most often refers to:
* Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America
* Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States
* The people or cultures of Latin America;
** Latin A ...
of any race were 0.61% of the population.
There were 3,383 households, out of which 30.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.7% were
married couples living together, 13.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.4% were non-families. 32.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 3.01.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 25.8% under the age of 18, 9.5% from 18 to 24, 26.8% from 25 to 44, 20.6% from 45 to 64, and 17.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.1 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $30,902, and the median income for a family was $37,569. Males had a median income of $29,693 versus $20,215 for females. The
per capita income
Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population.
Per capita i ...
for the city was $15,123. About 10.7% of families and 13.2% of the population were below the
poverty line
The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...
, including 18.5% of those under age 18 and 12.8% of those age 65 or over.
Poverty
A 2018 study by ''24/7 Wall Street'' found that Brazil is the poorest city in Indiana. At the time of the study 31.6% of Brazil's population lived below the poverty line.
Government
The government consists of a mayor and a city council. The mayor is elected in citywide vote. The city council consists of five members. Four are elected from individual districts. One is elected at-large.
Education
The Brazil, Staunton, and Van Buren high schools were consolidated into
Northview High School, which graduated its first class in 1985. Brazil High School replaced the original high school, built ''circa'' 1906. Built in 1916, it was located on the southeast corner of SR59 and Kruzan, now occupied by the
YMCA
YMCA, sometimes regionally called the Y, is a worldwide youth organization based in Geneva, Switzerland, with more than 64 million beneficiaries in 120 countries. It was founded on 6 June 1844 by George Williams in London, originally ...
. Like many other Indiana schools, it was designed by the Terre Haute architectural firm of Johnson, Miller, and Miller.
The city has a free lending library, the Brazil Public Library.
Transportation
Traffic/street issues
The main street of Brazil is
U.S. Route 40, the historic
National Road
The National Road (also known as the Cumberland Road) was the first major improved highway in the United States built by the Federal Government of the United States, federal government. Built between 1811 and 1837, the road connected the Pot ...
, which is referred to as National Avenue within Brazil. Due to frequent accidents on
Interstate 70
Interstate 70 (I-70) is a major east–west Interstate Highway in the United States that runs from I-15 near Cove Fort, Utah, to a park and ride lot just east of I-695 in Baltimore, Maryland, and is the fifth-longest Interstate in the co ...
, five miles (8 km) to the south of the town and often under construction, police often re-route traffic through Brazil, which creates traffic problems on U.S. 40 and the north-south
State Road 59 (Forest Avenue, which intersects U.S. 40).
Many of Brazil's streets are in disrepair and very bumpy. The original brick roadbed is visible in many places through the asphalt. Also evident in several sections are stretches of the original brick streets in excellent condition; however, many intersections have no traffic control devices (stop/yield signs). Many of the roads in the city were replaced with new asphalt. The work began in 2015 and, over several years, the majority of the streets will be replaced.
The annual
Parke County Covered Bridge Festival
The Parke County Covered Bridge Festival is a fall festival which takes place in nine communities in Parke County, Indiana, United States. It celebrates the county's 31 covered bridges, and is attended by more than 2 million people each year. It b ...
often causes traffic problems on Indiana 59.
Brazil's sewer/drainage system dates from the early 20th century. Even though large sections of the sewer system were replaced in the late 20th century, a moderate rainstorm will cause the storm drain system to back up and flood town streets.
Airport
The
Brazil Clay County Airport is a public-use
airport
An airport is an aerodrome with extended facilities, mostly for commercial air transport. Airports usually consists of a landing area, which comprises an aerially accessible open space including at least one operationally active surface ...
located in Clay County, south of Brazil's
central business district
A central business district (CBD) is the commercial and business centre of a city. It contains commercial space and offices, and in larger cities will often be described as a financial district. Geographically, it often coincides with the "city ...
.
Rail
The
Terre Haute, Brazil and Eastern Railroad was a short-line railroad that once ran a tourist excursion called the Beaver Creek Express between Brazil and Limedale. The line was dismantled after TBER entered bankruptcy and ceased operation on December 31, 1993.
Notable people
*
Gerald Eades Bentley Gerald Eades Bentley (September 15, 1901 – July 25, 1994) was an American academic and literary scholar, best remembered for his seven-volume work, ''The Jacobean and Caroline Stage,'' published by Oxford University Press between 1941 and 1968. Th ...
, scholar of
Elizabethan theater
*
Gene Cramer,
NBL player
*
George N. Craig
George North Craig (August 6, 1909 – December 17, 1992) was an American attorney and politician who served as the List of governors of Indiana, 39th Governor of Indiana, governor of the United States, U.S. U.S. state, state of Indiana from 19 ...
, governor of Indiana, Past National Commander of American Legion
*
Johnnie Davis
John Gustave Davis (April 11, 1910 – October 28, 1983) was an American actor, singer and trumpeter.
Born in Brazil, Indiana, into a family of musicians, Davis developed an interest in music during his childhood. He learned to play the tr ...
, musician, band leader
*
Joe Dean
Joe Dean (April 26, 1930 − November 17, 2013) is known as "Mr. String Music" and was the voice of Southeastern Conference basketball for most of the 1970-80s. In 2012, he was elected to the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame, as a contri ...
, American basketball player, announcer and college athletic director
*
John Dugan, actor
*
Ivan Fuqua
Ivan William Fuqua (August 9, 1909 – January 14, 1994) was an American athlete, a gold medal winner in the 4 × 400 m relay at the 1932 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. Fuqua was born in Decatur, Illinois, and graduated from Brazil High Sc ...
, winner of gold medal in 4×400m relay at the
1932 Summer Olympics
The 1932 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the X Olympiad and also known as Los Angeles 1932) were an international multi-sport event held from July 30 to August 14, 1932 in Los Angeles, California, United States. The Games were held duri ...
*
David Goggins
David Goggins (born February 17, 1975) is an American ultramarathon runner, ultra-distance cyclist, triathlete, public speaker, and author. He is a retired United States Navy SEAL member who served in the Iraq War. His first memoir, ''Can't ...
, Navy SEAL, athlete
*
Charles B. Hall, iconic combat fighter pilot and U.S. Army Air Corps Officer with the
Tuskegee Airmen
The Tuskegee Airmen were a group of primarily African American military pilots (fighter and bomber) and airmen who fought in World War II. They formed the 332d Fighter Group and the 477th Bombardment Group (Medium) of the United States Army ...
*
Jimmy Hoffa, Labor Union leader
*
Judy Ledgerwood, Abstract painter and educator
*
Gayle Porter Hoskins, illustrator
*
Stuart Randall, actor who played Sheriff Mort Corey on ''
Laramie''
*
Orville Redenbacher
Orville Clarence Redenbacher (July 16, 1907 – September 19, 1995) was an American food scientist and businessman most often associated with the brand of popcorn that bears his name which is now owned by ConAgra. ''The New York Times'' descri ...
, popcorn tycoon
*
Ralph Francis Stearley
Ralph Francis Stearley, CBE, (July 25, 1898 – February 3, 1973) was a United States Army and United States Air Force, Air Force officer. He is best known as a general in the United States Army Air Forces during World War II. Stearly was born at ...
, 2-star Air Force general in Gen. Eisenhower's Cabinet
*
Henry Lee Summer
Henry Lee Summer (born Henry Lee Swartz; July 5, 1955) is an American rock singer and musician from Indiana.
Career
Born in Brazil, Indiana, Summer played basketball in high school and received a scholarship to play at a college in Montana. How ...
, 1980s pop singer
Climate
Climate is characterized by relatively high temperatures and evenly distributed precipitation throughout the year. The
Köppen Climate Classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...
subtype for this climate is "
Cfa" (Humid Subtropical Climate).
See also
*
Parke County Covered Bridge Festival
The Parke County Covered Bridge Festival is a fall festival which takes place in nine communities in Parke County, Indiana, United States. It celebrates the county's 31 covered bridges, and is attended by more than 2 million people each year. It b ...
(15 miles north of Brazil)
References
External links
*
{{authority control
Cities in Clay County, Indiana
Cities in Indiana
County seats in Indiana
National Road
Terre Haute metropolitan area
1866 establishments in Indiana
Populated places established in 1866