Shelbyville is a city in
Addison Township,
Shelby County, in the
U.S. state of
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 ...
and 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 ...
. The population was 20,067 as of the
2020 census.
History
In 1818, the land that would become Shelbyville was ceded to the United States by the
Miami tribe
The Miami ( Miami-Illinois: ''Myaamiaki'') are a Native American nation originally speaking one of the Algonquian languages. Among the peoples known as the Great Lakes tribes, they occupied territory that is now identified as North-central Indi ...
in the
Treaty of St. Mary's. Also in 1818, the backwoodsman
Jacob Whetzel and a party cut a trail through this "
New Purchase" from the
Whitewater River at
Laurel due west to the
White River at
Waverly. This trail became known as
Whetzel's Trace and was the first east–west road into the New Purchase of central Indiana. Whetzel's Trace was cut just 4 miles north of site of Shelbyville and proved important in the settlement of Shelby County.
Shelbyville 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 bea ...
ted in 1822. Shelbyville was named in honor of
Isaac Shelby, the first and fifth
Governor of Kentucky
The governor of the Commonwealth of Kentucky is the head of government of Kentucky. Sixty-two men and one woman have served as governor of Kentucky. The governor's term is four years in length; since 1992, incumbents have been able to seek re-e ...
and soldier in
Lord Dunmore's War
Lord Dunmore's War—or Dunmore's War—was a 1774 conflict between the Colony of Virginia and the Shawnee and Mingo American Indian nations.
The Governor of Virginia during the conflict was John Murray, 4th Earl of Dunmore—Lord Dunmore. He a ...
, the
Revolutionary War, and the
War of 1812
The War of 1812 (18 June 1812 – 17 February 1815) was fought by the United States of America and its indigenous allies against the United Kingdom and its allies in British North America, with limited participation by Spain in Florida. It be ...
. The town incorporated January 21, 1850.
The Shelbyville post office has been in operation since 1823.
The city charter received at that time was destroyed in the City Hall fire on January 1, 1928.
A railroad was built connecting Shelbyville to
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 ...
in the late 1830s, the first railroad in the state, that later expanded to connect to
Madison Madison may refer to:
People
* Madison (name), a given name and a surname
* James Madison (1751–1836), fourth president of the United States
Place names
* Madison, Wisconsin, the state capital of Wisconsin and the largest city known by this ...
and
Jeffersonville.
Allegheny Airlines Flight 853
Allegheny Airlines Flight 853 was a regularly scheduled Allegheny Airlines flight from Boston, Massachusetts, to St. Louis, Missouri, with stops in Baltimore, Maryland, Cincinnati, Ohio, and Indianapolis, Indiana. On September 9, 1969, the air ...
crashed on September 9, 1969 near
Fairland. Nearly thirty of the 83 people killed were never identified and were buried in a mass grave in Shelbyville.
John Hamilton House,
Lora B. Pearson School,
Porter Pool Bathhouse
Porter Pool Bathhouse is a historic bathhouse located at Shelbyville, Shelby County, Indiana. It was built in 1930, and is a -story, rectangular, Art Deco style brick building. ''Note:'' This includes and Accompanying photographs
It was listed o ...
,
Shelbyville Commercial Historic District
Shelbyville Commercial Historic District is a national historic district (United States), historic district located at Shelbyville, Indiana, Shelbyville, Shelby County, Indiana. The district encompasses 149 contributing buildings, 1 contributi ...
,
Shelby County Courthouse,
Shelbyville High School
The Shelbyville High School is a historic school complex located at Shelbyville, Shelby County, Indiana. The high school was designed by architects William Butts Ittner and built in 1911. It is a two-story, Neoclassical style brick building o ...
, and
West Side Historic District 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 ...
.
The
Grover Museum features a "Streets of Old Shelby" exhibit.
Horseshoe Indianapolis
Horseshoe Indianapolis (formerly Indiana Grand Racing & Casino and Indiana Live!) is a casino with a horse racing track in Shelbyville, Indiana owned and operated by Caesars Entertainment. It is the closest casino to Indianapolis. It offers gamin ...
(owned by
Caesars Entertainment
Caesars Entertainment, Inc., formerly Eldorado Resorts, Inc., is an American hotel and casino entertainment company founded and based in Reno, Nevada that operates more than 50 properties. Eldorado Resorts acquired Caesars Entertainment Corporat ...
) opened in 2009.
Geography
Shelbyville is located in
Central Indiana and within the
Indianapolis metropolitan area. It is southeast 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 ...
. The city is at the fork of the
Little Blue and
Big Blue Rivers.
According to the 2010 census, Shelbyville has a total area of , of which (or 97.59%) is land and (or 2.41%) is water.
Climate
Shelbyville has a
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 freez ...
(Köppen climate classification Dfa) experiencing four distinct seasons.
Education
Shelbyville Central Schools consists of
Shelbyville Senior High School, Shelbyville Middle School, Coulston Elementary, Loper Elementary, and Hendricks Elementary. The high school and middle school's mascot is Golden Bears. Coulston is the Comets, Hendricks is the Hurricanes and Loper is the Bulldogs.
St. Joseph Elementary School is a private school, associated with St. Joseph Catholic Church, in Shelbyville.
Prior to 1870, no public education was provided for Shelbyville's black residents. In 1870, the state required communities to provide education, but allowed them to choose whether they would be integrated or segregated. Shelbyville schools were integrated at the high school level, but segregated in the elementary grades until 1949.
Shelbyville has a
public library
A public library is a library that is accessible by the general public and is usually funded from public sources, such as taxes. It is operated by librarians and library paraprofessionals, who are also civil servants.
There are five fundamen ...
, a branch of the Shelby County Public Library.
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 inc ...
of 2010, there were 19,191 people, 7,682 households, and 4,848 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 RosenberPopu ...
was . There were 8,658 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 91.9%
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 ...
, 1.9%
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 ...
, 0.2%
Native American, 1.0%
Asian, 3.2% from
other races, and 1.7% from two or more races.
Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, 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 viceroyalties for ...
or
Latino of any race were 7.1% of the population.
There were 7,682 households, of which 34.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.6% 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 ...
living together, 13.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 6.9% had a male householder with no wife present, and 36.9% were non-families. 30.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 3.00.
The median age in the city was 35.9 years. 25.5% of residents were under the age of 18; 9.4% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 27.2% were from 25 to 44; 24.8% were from 45 to 64; and 13% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.8% male and 51.2% female.
2000 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 inc ...
of 2000, there were 17,951 people, 7,307 households, and 4,654 families living in the city. The population density was . There were 7,930 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 95.28%
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 ...
, 1.58%
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 ...
, 0.15%
Native American, 1.16%
Asian, 0.02%
Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/ racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...
, 0.90% from
other races, and 0.91% from two or more races.
Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, 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 viceroyalties for ...
or
Latino of any race were 1.91% of the population.
There were 7,307 households, out of which 32.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.3% 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 ...
living together, 12.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.3% were non-families. 30.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.96.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 26.2% under the age of 18, 9.5% from 18 to 24, 31.6% from 25 to 44, 19.3% from 45 to 64, and 13.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $36,824, and the median income for a family was $46,379. Males had a median income of $34,550 versus $24,331 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 $18,670. About 6.1% of families and 9.1% 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 ...
, including 10.8% of those under age 18 and 11.6% of those age 65 or over.
Notable people
*
Sandy Allen
Sandra Elaine Allen (June 18, 1955 – August 13, 2008) was an American woman recognized by the Guinness World Records as the tallest woman in the world. She was tall.
Allen wrote a book, ''Cast a Giant Shadow''. Although over the years other ...
(1955–2008), world's tallest living female ()
*
James "Bucky" Barnes, fictional character from Marvel Comics universe and former Captain America, was born in Shelbyville.
*
Ovid Butler (1801-1881),
abolitionist
Abolitionism, or the abolitionist movement, is the movement to end slavery. In Western Europe and the Americas, abolitionism was a historic movement that sought to end the Atlantic slave trade and liberate the enslaved people.
The British ...
and chancellor and namesake of
Butler University, practiced law in Shelbyville from 1825 to 1836.
*
William Garrett,
Indiana Mr. Basketball
The Indiana Mr. Basketball honor recognizes the top high school basketball player in the state of Indiana. The award is presented annually by ''The Indianapolis Star''. The first Indiana Mr. Basketball was George Crowe of Franklin High School in ...
, first African-American basketball player in
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference (stylized B1G, formerly the Western Conference and the Big Nine Conference) is the oldest Division I collegiate athletic conference in the United States. Founded as the Intercollegiate Conference of Faculty Representati ...
for
Indiana University
Indiana University (IU) is a system of public universities in the U.S. state of Indiana.
Campuses
Indiana University has two core campuses, five regional campuses, and two regional centers under the administration of IUPUI.
*Indiana Universi ...
, played for
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics ( ) are an American professional basketball team based in Boston. The Celtics compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Atlantic Division. Founded in 1946 as one of t ...
and
Harlem Globetrotters
The Harlem Globetrotters are an American exhibition basketball team. They combine athleticism, theater, and comedy in their style of play. Created in 1926 by Tommy Brookins in Chicago, Illinois, the team adopted the name ''Harlem'' because of ...
. Led Shelbyville HS basketball team to its only state high school basketball championship in 1947.
*
Ken Gunning, basketball player for
Indiana Hoosiers and head coach at
Wichita State University
Wichita State University (WSU) is a public research university in Wichita, Kansas, United States. It is governed by the Kansas Board of Regents. The university offers more than 60 undergraduate degree programs in more than 200 areas of study in ...
*
Thomas Hendricks
Thomas Andrews Hendricks (September 7, 1819November 25, 1885) was an American politician and lawyer from Indiana who served as the 16th List of governors of Indiana, governor of Indiana from 1873 to 1877 and the 21st vice president of the Unite ...
,
21st Vice President of the United States under
Grover Cleveland
Stephen Grover Cleveland (March 18, 1837June 24, 1908) was an American lawyer and politician who served as the 22nd and 24th president of the United States from 1885 to 1889 and from 1893 to 1897. Cleveland is the only president in American ...
in 1885
*
Victor Higgins
William Victor Higgins (June 28, 1884 – August 23, 1949) was an American painting, painter and education, teacher, born in Shelbyville, Indiana. At the age of fifteen, he moved to Chicago, where he studied at the Art Institute of Chicago, Art ...
(1884–1949), painter
*
John W. Hill
John Wiley Hill (November 26, 1890 – March 17, 1977) was an American public relations executive. He co-founded Hill & Knowlton with Donald Knowlton in 1933.Miller, Karen S. (1999). ''The Voice of Business: Hill & Knowlton and Postwar Public R ...
(1890–1977), founder of PR firm
Hill & Knowlton
Hill+Knowlton Strategies is an American global public relations consulting company, headquartered in New York City, United States, with over 80 offices in more than 40 countries. The company was founded in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1927 by John W. Hill ...
in
Cleveland
Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the United States, U.S. U.S. state, state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County, Ohio, Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along ...
in 1927
*
Marjorie Main (1890-1975), Ma Kettle in 10
Ma and Pa Kettle movies
*
Charles Major (1856–1913), novelist
*
Edna Parker
Edna Ruth Parker ( Scott) (April 20, 1893 – November 26, 2008) was an American supercentenarian who, for 15 months, was recognized as the oldest person in the world. She was featured in two documentaries and included in a Boston University DN ...
(1893-2008), oldest living person at the time of her death at age 115
*
Mike Phipps, NFL quarterback for NFL's
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional American football team based in Cleveland. Named after original coach and co-founder Paul Brown, they compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conferenc ...
and
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago. The Bears compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) North division. The Bears have won nine ...
. Phipps finished second in the voting for the Heisman Trophy in 1969.
*
James Pierce, silent film actor
*
Kid Quill (born in 1994), recording artist
*
Mike Sexton
Michael Richard Sexton (September 22, 1947September 6, 2020) was an American professional poker player and commentator. He was inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame in 2009.
Early years
Sexton was a gymnast and attended Ohio State University, wh ...
, professional poker player and commentator. Inducted into the
Poker Hall of Fame in 2009.
*
Waldo E. Sexton
Waldo Emmerson Sexton (23 March 1885 – 28 December 1967) was an entrepreneur whose enterprises have attracted visitors to Vero Beach, Florida, since the 1930s and remain of value to the community, industry, tourists, artists, historians and ho ...
, entrepreneur
*
Wilbur Shaw, three-time
Indianapolis 500
The Indianapolis 500, formally known as the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, and commonly called the Indy 500, is an annual automobile race held at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) in Speedway, Indiana, United States, an enclave suburb of Indi ...
winner in 1937, 1939, and 1940
*
W. Roland Stine, educator and politician
*
Bob Zimny, NFL football player for the
Chicago Cardinals
The professional American football team now known as the Arizona Cardinals previously played in Chicago, Illinois, as the Chicago Cardinals from 1898 to 1959 before relocating to St. Louis, Missouri, for the 1960 through 1987 seasons.
Roots ...
. Won the 1947 NFL Championship.
References
External links
City of Shelbyville, Indiana website
{{authority control
Cities in Indiana
Cities in Shelby County, Indiana
County seats in Indiana
Indianapolis metropolitan area