Orestes is a town in Monroe Township, Madison 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. It is part of the

Anderson, Indiana Anderson, named after Chief William Anderson, is a city in and the county seat of Madison County, Indiana, United States. It is the principal city of the Anderson, Indiana Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses Madison County. Anderson is ...

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 population was 414 at the 2010 census.

History

Orestes was founded in 1876 when the railroad was extended to that point. It may be named after

Orestes In Greek mythology, Orestes or Orestis (; grc-gre, Ὀρέστης ) was the son of Clytemnestra and Agamemnon, and the brother of Electra. He is the subject of several Ancient Greek plays and of various myths connected with his madness and ...

in Greek mythology. Orestes was incorporated as a town in 1894. Orestes was a little village known as Lowrys Switch until the town board decided to change the name and ask for suggestions for the name. Nathan McMahan sent in his son's name and upon its acceptance, the town became known as Orestes. Orestes McMahan was born on Christmas Day, 1876 and died September 14, 1946. He was a farmer all his life and never married.Orestes McMahan obituary

Geography

Orestes is located at . According to the 2010 census, Orestes has a total area of , all land.

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 414 people, 148 households, and 114 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 177 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 95.7%

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 ...

, 0.2%

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 ...

, 0.5% Native American, 2.9% 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 0.7% 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 4.8% of the population. There were 148 households, of which 38.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them;60.1% 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; 12.2% had a female householder with no husband present; 4.7% had a male householder with no wife present;and 23.0% were non-families. 18.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.80 and the average family size was 3.11. The median age in the town was 35.8 years. 24.6% of residents were under the age of 18; 11.8% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 24.6% were from 25 to 44; 25.6% were from 45 to 64; and 13.3% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 51.4% male and 48.6% female.

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, there were 334 people, 129 households, and 94 families living in the town. The population density was . There were 147 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 97.31%

, 0.30%

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 ...

, 1.50% from

, and 0.60% from two or more races.

of any race were 3.29% of the population. There were 129 households, out of which 31.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.3% were

living together, 7.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.1% were non-families. 22.5% 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 2.59 and the average family size was 2.91. In the town, the population was spread out, with 25.1% under the age of 18, 11.7% from 18 to 24, 29.9% from 25 to 44, 19.8% 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 111.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 103.3 males. The median income for a household in the town was $39,219, and the median income for a family was $39,602. Males had a median income of $30,750 versus $21,250 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 $18,037. None of the families and 3.8% of the population were living 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 no under eighteens and 11.8% of those over 64.

Flag

The current flag of the Town of Orestes was designed by Orestes's own Carolyn Shettle which was accepted by the Town Board in 1976. The flag consists of three white rings on a blue background with a red flame amidst the rings. The symbolism of the flag and its rings, according to Mrs. Shettle is as follows: * The image of a ring itself stands for continuity. There is no beginning and no ending. It stands for the past, present, and future of the Town of Orestes. The rings also are in the form of the letter "o" which stands for Orestes. * The three different rings have their own individual meanings: ** One symbolizes our Delaware American-Indian Heritage. ** One stands for the Gas Boom from which the Town of Orestes was created. ** One represents the more than 300-year-old Orestes Oak Tree, which is a point of pride in the town. * The flame stands for the Torch of Liberty and also symbolizes the discovery of gas which was the impetus for the creation of the Town of Orestes. * The colors of the Flag are red, white, and blue to represent freedom, which the Citizens of Orestes hold dear, but the blue is brighter than normal to overemphasize their love of independence. Unintentionally, Mrs. Shettle noted that a descending dove, in blue, can be seen in the flame which is a symbol of peace and Christianity.

Business

References

{{authority control Towns in Madison County, Indiana Towns in Indiana