Brookville is a town in Brookville Township, Franklin 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. The population was 2,596 at the 2010 census. The town 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 and the largest community entirely within Franklin County.

History

Brookville was

plat In the United States, a plat ( or ) (plan) is a cadastral map, drawn to scale, showing the divisions of a piece of land. United States General Land Office surveyors drafted township plats of Public Lands Surveys to show the distance and bear ...

ted in 1808 by Thomas Manwarring. The town derives its name from Brooks, the maiden name of a settler's mother. A post office has been in operation at Brookville since 1816. The Brookville Historic District,

Franklin County Seminary Franklin County Seminary is a historic school building located at Brookville, Franklin County, Indiana. It was built in 1831, and is a two-story, five bay, Federal style brick building. It has a side gable roof and interior end chimneys. The ...

, The Hermitage, and

Whitewater Canal Historic District The Whitewater Canal, which was built between and , spanned a distance of and stretched from Lawrenceburg, Indiana on the Ohio River to Hagerstown, Indiana near the West Fork of the White River. History Birth of a canal As with most transport ...

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

Brookville is located at (39.422328, -85.009509). It contains the confluence of the East and West forks of the Whitewater River; the East Fork forms a portion of the eastern boundary of the town. Brookville is also at the southern end of

Brookville Lake Brookville Lake Dam (National ID # IN03017) is a dam in Brookville Township, Franklin County, Indiana, just north of Brookville, in the southeastern part of the state. The earthen dam was constructed in 1974 by the United States Army Corps of ...

, impounded in 1974 by the

United States Army Corps of Engineers , colors = , anniversaries = 16 June (Organization Day) , battles = , battles_label = Wars , website = , commander1 = ...

. According to the 2010 census, Brookville has a total area of , of which (or 97.4%) is land and (or 2.6%) is water.

Climate

The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to 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 ...

system, Brookville has a

humid subtropical climate A humid subtropical climate is a zone of climate characterized by hot and humid summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between latitudes 25° and 40° ...

, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.

Demographics

2010 census

As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...

of 2010, there were 2,596 people, 1,160 households, and 673 families living in the town. 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 1,307 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 97.5%

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 ...

, 0.3%

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 ...

, 0.3% Native American, 0.2%

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 ...

, 0.8% from other races, and 0.9% 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 ...

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 1,160 households, of which 29.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.4% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...

living together, 12.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.9% had a male householder with no wife present, and 42.0% were non-families. 37.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 20.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.24 and the average family size was 2.91. The median age in the town was 39.6 years. 24.1% of residents were under the age of 18; 9.2% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 22.4% were from 25 to 44; 24% were from 45 to 64; and 20.2% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 46.8% male and 53.2% female.

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, there were 2,652 people, 1,145 households, and 683 families living in the town. The population density was . There were 1,276 housing units at an average density of 953.8/mi² (367.7/km). The racial makeup of the town was 98.91%

, 0.04%

, 0.19% Native American, 0.34%

, 0.19% from other races, and 0.34% from two or more races.

of any race were 0.53% of the population. There were 1,145 households, out of which 26.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.8% were

living together, 12.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.3% were non-families. 36.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 21.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.24 and the average family size was 2.93. In the town, the population was spread out, with 23.5% under the age of 18, 8.3% from 18 to 24, 26.7% from 25 to 44, 19.8% from 45 to 64, and 21.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 85.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.7 males. The median income for a household in the town was $29,390, and the median income for a family was $37,212. Males had a median income of $29,009 versus $23,910 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 town was $17,360. About 4.4% of families and 8.0% 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 6.6% of those under age 18 and 8.6% of those age 65 or over.

Transportation

The main mode of transportation is by road. Major routes running through the town include: *

U.S. Route 52 U.S. Route 52 (US 52) is a major United States highway in the central United States that extends from the northern to southeastern region of the United States. Contrary to most other even-numbered U.S. Highways, US 52 primarily follows ...

* State Road 1 * State Road 101 * State Road 252 Brookville Reservoir is registered with the

Federal Aviation Administration The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is the largest transportation agency of the U.S. government and regulates all aspects of civil aviation in the country as well as over surrounding international waters. Its powers include air traffic m ...

and the

International Civil Aviation Organization The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO, ) is a specialized agency of the United Nations that coordinates the principles and techniques of international air navigation, and fosters the planning and development of international sc ...

as a civil airport assigned ICAO code K12I. It is only suitable for aircraft capable of water landing because there are no paved runways. Brookville Reservoir Airport is owned by the

Indiana Department of Natural Resources The Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is the agency of the U.S. state of Indiana. There are many divisions within the DNR and each has a specific role. The DNR is not only responsible for maintaining resource areas but also manages In ...

Education

The town has a free lending library, the Franklin County Public Library District.

Notable people

Anna Farquhar Bergengren Anna Farquhar (, Farquhar; after marriage, Bergengren; pen name, Margaret Allston; December 23, 1865 – ?) was an American author and editor. ''A singer's heart'' (1897) and ''The devil's plough'' (1901) were published under her maiden name, "Ann ...

(1865–?), writer, editor * Indiana Sopris Cushman (1839-1925), pioneer teacher in

Denver, Colorado Denver () is a consolidated city and county, the capital, and most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Its population was 715,522 at the 2020 census, a 19.22% increase since 2010. It is the 19th-most populous city in the Unit ...

* James B. Goudie Jr., Indiana state representative, grist mill owner, and newspaper owner *

Sarah Carmichael Harrell Sarah Carmichael Harrell (pen name, Citizen; January 8, 1844 – 1929) was an American educator, social reformer, and writer. She served two years as superintendent of the department of scientific temperance in the public schools, and was the "fir ...

(1844-1929), educator and temperance reformer * John Templeton McCarty, one of the founders of the fraternity of

Phi Gamma Delta Phi Gamma Delta (), commonly known as Fiji, is a social fraternity with more than 144 active chapters and 10 colonies across the United States and Canada. It was founded at Jefferson College, Pennsylvania, in 1848. Along with Phi Kappa Psi, Phi ...

* Minnie Myrtle Miller (1842-1882), writer * Noah Noble, 5th Governor of Indiana *

James B. Ray James Brown Ray (February 19, 1794 – August 4, 1848) was an Indiana politician and the only Indiana Senate president pro tempore to be elevated to governor of the state of Indiana. Ray served during a time when the state transitioned from per ...

, 4th governor of Indiana * John St. John, 8th governor of

Kansas Kansas () is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its capital is Topeka, and its largest city is Wichita. Kansas is a landlocked state bordered by Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to the ...

Stephen Stevens Stephen C. Stevens (1793 – November 7, 1870)Minde C. Browning, Richard Humphrey, and Bruce Kleinschmidt,Biographical Sketches of Indiana Supreme Court Justices, ''Indiana Law Review'', Vol. 30, No. 1 (1997), section reproduced iIndiana Courts ...

, Justice of the

Indiana Supreme Court The Indiana Supreme Court, established by Article 7 of the Indiana Constitution, is the highest judicial authority in the state of Indiana. Located in Indianapolis, Indiana, Indianapolis, the Court's chambers are in the north wing of the Indiana ...

, abolitionist *

Gilbert Van Camp Gilbert C. Van Camp (25 December 1814 – 4 April 1900) was an Indianapolis businessman who founded the Van Camp canning company. Life He was born in Brookville, Indiana, to Charles and Mary (Halstead) Van Camp. His father was a farmer and wagon ...

, founder of the

Van Camp Van Camp is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Aaron Van Camp (1816–1892), American Civil War spy *Al Van Camp (1903–1981), American baseball player * Benjamin Van Camp (born 1946), Belgian scientist * Emily VanCamp (born 198 ...

pork and beans company * David Wallace, 6th governor of Indiana * Lew Wallace, 11th governor of

New Mexico Territory The Territory of New Mexico was an organized incorporated territory of the United States from September 9, 1850, until January 6, 1912. It was created from the U.S. provisional government of New Mexico, as a result of ''Santa Fe de Nuevo México ...

, Union general in the American Civil War, author of '' Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ'' * H. B. Wilkinson, Arizona state senator *

Roswell Winans Roswell Winans (December 9, 1887 – April 7, 1968) was a highly decorated United States Marine, who as a First Sergeant earned the Medal of Honor during combat in the Dominican Republic. He was later commissioned and served as a company office ...

, Medal of Honor recipient *

Alex Smith Alexander Douglas Smith (born May 7, 1984) is an American former quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 16 seasons. He played college football at Utah, where he received first-team All-American honors and won the 20 ...

, Indiana First Mr. Football

References

External links

* {{authority control Towns in Franklin County, Indiana Towns in Indiana County seats in Indiana