Terre Haute ( ) is a city in and 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
Vigo County, Indiana
Vigo County ( ) is a county on the western border of the U.S. state of Indiana. According to the 2020 United States Census, it had a population of 105,994 . Its county seat is Terre Haute.
Vigo County is included in the Terre Haute metropolita ...
, United States,
about 5 miles east of the state's western border with
Illinois
Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolita ...
. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 60,785 and its
metropolitan area
A metropolitan area or metro is a region that consists of a densely populated urban agglomeration and its surrounding territories sharing industries, commercial areas, transport network, infrastructures and housing. A metro area usually com ...
had a population of 170,943.
Located along the
Wabash River
The Wabash River (French: Ouabache) is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map accessed May 13, 2011 river that drains most of the state of Indiana in the United States. It flows from ...
, Terre Haute is one of the largest cities in the
Wabash Valley
The Wabash Valley is a region located in sections of both Illinois and Indiana. It is named for the Wabash River and, as the name is typically used, spans the middle to the middle-lower portion of the river's valley and is centered at Terre Haute ...
and is known as the Queen City of the Wabash. The city is home to multiple higher-education institutions, including
Indiana State University
Indiana State University (ISU) is a public university in Terre Haute, Indiana. It was founded in 1865 and offers over 100 undergraduate majors and more than 75 graduate and professional programs. Indiana State is classified among "D/PU: Doctor ...
,
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, and
Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana
Ivy Tech Community College (Ivy Tech) is a public community college system in the U.S. state of Indiana. It is the state's public community college system and it has more than 40 locations. It is also the state's largest public postsecondary in ...
.
History
Terre Haute's name is derived from the French phrase ''terre haute'' (pronounced in French), meaning "highland". It was named by French-Canadian explorers and
fur trappers
The fur trade is a worldwide industry dealing in the acquisition and sale of animal fur. Since the establishment of a world fur market in the early modern period, furs of boreal, polar and cold temperate mammalian animals have been the most ...
to the area in the early 18th century to describe the unique location above the Wabash River (see
French colonization of the Americas
France began colonizing the Americas in the 16th century and continued into the following centuries as it established a colonial empire in the Western Hemisphere. France established colonies in much of eastern North America, on several Caribbe ...
). At the time, the area was claimed by the French and British and these highlands were considered the border between Canada and
Louisiana
Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It is the 20th-smallest by area and the 25th most populous of the 50 U.S. states. Louisiana is borde ...
.
![Siege of Fort Harrison](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/51/Siege_of_Fort_Harrison.jpg)
The construction of
Fort Harrison in 1811 marked the known beginning of a permanent population of
European-American
European Americans (also referred to as Euro-Americans) are Americans of European ancestry. This term includes people who are descended from the first European settlers in the United States as well as people who are descended from more recent E ...
s. A
Wea
The Wea were a Miami-Illinois-speaking Native American tribe originally located in western Indiana. Historically, they were described as either being closely related to the Miami Tribe or a sub-tribe of Miami.
Today, the descendants of the ...
Indian village already existed near the fort, and the orchards and meadows they kept a few miles south of the fort became the site of the present-day city. (Terre Haute's currently affiliated
Order of the Arrow
The Order of the Arrow (OA) is the honor society of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA), composed of Scouts and Scouters who best exemplify the Scout Oath and Law in their daily lives as elected by their peers. The society was created by E. Urner Go ...
lodge of the
Boy Scouts of America
The Boy Scouts of America (BSA, colloquially the Boy Scouts) is one of the largest scouting organizations and one of the largest youth organizations in the United States, with about 1.2 million youth participants. The BSA was founded i ...
is named after the last leader of the Wea village, Jacco Godfroy.) The village of Terre Haute, then a part of
Knox County, Indiana
Knox County is a county in the U.S. state of Indiana in the United States. The oldest county in Indiana, it was one of two original counties created in the Northwest Territory in 1790, alongside, St. Clair County, Illinois. Knox County was gradu ...
, was platted in 1816.
![FirstVigoCountyCourthouse](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/24/FirstVigoCountyCourthouse.jpg)
Terre Haute became the county seat of the newly formed Vigo County in 1818, leading to increased population growth. The village's estimated 1,000 residents voted to incorporate in 1832; the village was elevated to city status in 1853.
Early Terre Haute was a center of farming, milling, and pork processing. However, the city's pre-1960 business and industrial expansion occurred largely due to transportation. The Wabash River, the building of the
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 ...
(now
US 40
U.S. Route 40 or U.S. Highway 40 (US 40), also known as the Main Street of America, is a major east–west United States Highway traveling across the United States from the Mountain States to the Mid-Atlantic States. As with most routes wh ...
), and the
Wabash and Erie Canal
The Wabash and Erie Canal was a shipping canal that linked the Great Lakes to the Ohio River via an artificial waterway. The canal provided traders with access from the Great Lakes all the way to the Gulf of Mexico. Over 460 miles long, it was th ...
linked Terre Haute to the world and broadened the city's range of influence. The economy was based on iron and steel mills, hominy plants, and late in the 19th century, distilleries, breweries, and bottle makers. Coal mines and coal operating companies developed to support the railroads, yet agriculture remained predominant, largely due to the role of corn in making alcoholic beverages and food items.
With steady growth and development in the latter part of the 19th century, the city's vibrant neighborhoods benefited from improved fire protection, the founding of two hospitals, dozens of churches, and a number of outlets for amusement. Terre Haute's position as an educational hub was fostered as several institutions of higher education were established. The city developed a reputation for its arts and entertainment offerings. Grand opera houses were built that hosted hundreds of operas and theatrical performances. It became a stop on the popular vaudeville circuit. The development of the streetcar system and later the electric-powered trolleys in the 1890s allowed residents to travel with ease to baseball games, picnics, river excursions, amusement parks, and even horse racing. The famous "Four-Cornered" Racetrack, now the site of
Memorial Stadium, was laid out in 1886 and drew the best of the country's trotters and drivers.
On the evening of Easter Sunday, March 23, 1913, a major tornado struck the city around 9:45 pm, demolishing more than 300 homes, killing 21 people, and injuring 250. Damage to local businesses and industries was estimated at $1 million to $2 million (in 1913 dollars). Up to that time, it was the deadliest tornado to hit Indiana.
Heavy rains followed the tornado, causing the Wabash River to rise. By midday on Tuesday, March 25, West Terre Haute (
Taylorville) was
three-quarters submerged.
[
Like all U.S. communities, Terre Haute experienced economic swings as the country's economic base evolved. Before the ]Great Depression
The Great Depression (19291939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagio ...
brought the U.S. economy to a near halt, influences such as Prohibition and the decline of the country's railroads had a negative effect on two of Terre Haute's major industries - distilleries/breweries and railroad repair works.In 1940, though, it was selected for a new United States penitentiary built on south of the city.
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
brought an economic upswing with the development of three ordnance plants in the county and the revitalization of the coal, railroad, and agriculture industries. Terre Haute remained dependent on consumer manufacturers such as Quaker Maid, the world's largest food processing factory under one roof. The city was an enthusiastic participant in the war effort with troop send-offs, victory gardens, bond sales, civil defense drills, parades, and ceremonies. The country's 100th United Service Organizations
The United Service Organizations Inc. (USO) is an American nonprofit-charitable corporation that provides live entertainment, such as comedians, actors and musicians, social facilities, and other programs to members of the United States Armed F ...
(USO) facility opened in the city in 1943.
Following the war, Terre Haute gained several new factories: Pfizer
Pfizer Inc. ( ) is an American multinational pharmaceutical and biotechnology corporation headquartered on 42nd Street in Manhattan, New York City. The company was established in 1849 in New York by two German entrepreneurs, Charles Pfizer ...
(1948), Allis-Chalmers
Allis-Chalmers was a U.S. manufacturer of machinery for various industries. Its business lines included agricultural equipment, construction equipment, power generation and power transmission equipment, and machinery for use in industrial set ...
(1951), Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music, Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the North American division of Japanese Conglomerate (company), conglomerate Sony. It was founded on Janua ...
(1954), and Anaconda Aluminum (1959). The face of downtown Terre Haute began to change in the late 1960s when 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 ...
was built, passing through Vigo County about south of the path of U.S. 40 Wabash Avenue). As traffic began to concentrate at the U.S. 41 interchange, many downtown businesses relocated to Honey Creek Mall shopping center, built in 1968.
Throughout the period, civic groups developed to work toward boosting the economy. The Terre Haute Committee for Area Progress developed the Fort Harrison Industrial Park in the 1970s. Grow Terre Haute in the mid-1980s encouraged the establishment of new stores, factories, and high-tech industrial parks that helped to stabilize the economy and enhance community life. Most encouraging was the arrival of the Digital Audio Disc Corporation (DADC
Sony Digital Audio Disc Corporation (Sony DADC) is a manufacturer of CDs, DVDs, UMDs, and Blu-ray Discs. The company has many plants worldwide. Although it primarily services Sony Music Entertainment-owned record labels, Sony Pictures Home En ...
), a subsidiary of the global company, Sony
, commonly stylized as SONY, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. As a major technology company, it operates as one of the world's largest manufacturers of consumer and professional ...
, as the first American factory designed exclusively to make compact discs. In other developments over these years, railroad overpasses eased traffic congestion, law enforcement strengthened, and several national and state awards for volunteerism and citizen participation boosted local pride.
Like other Midwest manufacturing cities, Terre Haute faced daunting challenges as it neared the end of the 20th century, including the outmigration of the population and the closure of long-time manufacturing operations.
Much of the city's resiliency can be attributed to the diversity of the local economy. Manufacturing continues to be an important part of that, due to the formation of the Vigo County Industrial Park. The efforts of the Terre Haute Economic Development Corporation, in cooperation with city and county government, have made the industrial park home to some of the world's leading companies – Companhia Siderúrgica Nacional
Companhia Siderúrgica Nacional (CSN) is the largest fully integrated steel producer in Brazil and one of the largest in Latin America in terms of crude steel production. ’s cold-rolled steel-processing facility, Staples Corporation’s Midwest Distribution Center, Advics
is a Japanese corporation that develops and produces components and systems for the automotive industry. Aisin is a Fortune Global 500 company, ranked 359 rankings. Aisin is a member of the Toyota Group of companies.
Aisin was founded in 1965 ...
automotive brake systems manufacturing facility, ThyssenKrupp
ThyssenKrupp AG (, ; stylized as thyssenkrupp) is a German industrial engineering and steel production multinational conglomerate. It is the result of the 1999 merger of Thyssen AG and Krupp and has its operational headquarters in Duisburg a ...
Presta’s automotive steering systems manufacturing facility, and CertainTeed
CertainTeed is a North American manufacturer of building materials for both commercial and residential construction and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Saint-Gobain SA, based in Paris.
History
The company was established in 1904 as the General Ro ...
’s fiber cement board manufacturing plant.
The revitalization of the downtown area can be traced to the construction of First Financial Bank
First Financial Bank is a regional bank operated by First Financial Corporation and based in Terre Haute, Indiana. It is the oldest national bank in Indiana and the fifth oldest national bank in the United States. First Financial Corporation ...
's new headquarters building in the late 1980s and the creation of the city's first tax increment financing Tax increment financing (TIF) is a public financing method that is used as a subsidy for redevelopment, infrastructure, and other community-improvement projects in many countries, including the United States. The original intent of a TIF program is ...
district, which funded the first downtown parking structure. Over the years, more initiatives followed, including the construction of several new office buildings and a second downtown parking structure.
With the efforts of nonprofit groups such as Downtown Terre Haute and the expansion of the campus of Indiana State University, changes have spurred growth downtown. Several new hotels and businesses have been added to the "Crossroads of America" near 7th and Wabash, outdoor events and festivals attract crowds nearly every weekend during the summer, and the 7th Street Arts Corridor and Terre Haute Children's Museum, completed in 2010, enhance the appeal of the downtown area. These developments over several years inspired property owners throughout downtown to rehabilitate and renovate their buildings, including Hulman & Company
Hulman & Company is an American private, family-owned, company founded in 1850 by Francis T. Hulman as a wholesale foods supplier of groceries, tobacco, and liquor, headquartered in Terre Haute, Indiana. Throughout the early half of the 20th cen ...
. A new $25 million convention center is in the works for downtown Terre Haute, with completion planned for 2021
Renovation of the city's 1930s-era Federal Building to house Indiana State University's Scott College of Business in 2010 and development of a new downtown location for Indiana State University Foundation and the university's bookstore in 2011 strengthened ties between the city and the university. In 2015, Indiana State University partnered with developers to build a student housing facility in the heart of downtown, and other downtown residential development followed.
A casino has been proposed to be built on the east side of the city near U.S. Route 40/Indiana Route 46. A referendum in November 2019 on whether to allow the casino to be built passed overwhelmingly.
Geography
Terre Haute lies along the eastern bank of the Wabash River in western Indiana, about west 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 ...
.
According to the 2010 census, Terre Haute has an area of , of which (or 2.08%) is covered by water.
The Wabash River dominates the city's geography, forming its western border. Small bluffs on the east side of town mark the edge of the historic flood plain. Lost Creek and Honey Creek drain the city's northern and southern sections, respectively. In the late 19th century (particularly during the oil craze of 1889), several oil and mineral wells were productive in and near the center of town. Pioneer Oil of Lawrenceville, Illinois
Lawrenceville is a city in and the county seat of Lawrence County, Illinois, Lawrence County, Illinois, United States, located along the Embarras River (Illinois), Embarras River. The population was 4,348 at the 2010 census. Lawrenceville is locat ...
, began drilling for oil at 10th and Chestnut Streets on the Indiana State University campus in December 2013, the first oil well drilled in downtown Terre Haute since 1903.
Terre Haute is at the intersection of two major roadways: U.S. 40, originally from California to Maryland
Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to ...
, and US 41
U.S. Route 41, also U.S. Highway 41 (US 41), is a major north–south United States Numbered Highway that runs from Miami, Florida, to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Until 1949, the part in southern Florida, from Naples to Miami, ...
, from Copper Harbor, Michigan
Copper Harbor is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) located in Keweenaw County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is located within Grant Township. The population of the CDP was 136 as of the 2020 census.
The communit ...
, to Miami, Florida. US 41 is now locally named 3rd Street, but historically was 7th Street, making "7th and Wabash" the Crossroads of America. Terre Haute is southwest of Indianapolis and within of Chicago, St. Louis
St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the bi-state metropolitan area, which e ...
, Louisville
Louisville ( , , ) is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the 28th most-populous city in the United States. Louisville is the historical seat and, since 2003, the nominal seat of Jefferson County, on the Indiana border.
...
, and Cincinnati
Cincinnati ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located at the northern side of the confluence of the Licking and Ohio rivers, the latter of which marks the state line wit ...
.
Climate
Climate in the city is characterized by relatively high summer temperatures, mean winter temperatures near freezing, 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 ...
this climate is '' Dfa'' (humid continental).
Demographics
2010 census
As of the census of 2010, 60,785 people, 22,645 households, and 12,646 families were residing in the city, with 107,878 people residing in Vigo County. The city's population density was . The 25,518 housing units had an average density of . The racial makeup
A race is a categorization of humans based on shared physical or social qualities into groups generally viewed as distinct within a given society. The term came into common usage during the 1500s, when it was used to refer to groups of variou ...
of the city was 83.5% White, 10.9% African American, 0.4% Native American, 1.4% Asian, 0.8% from other races, and 2.9% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 3.1% of the population.
Of the 22,645 households, 28.8% had children under 18 living with them, 35.0% were married couples living together, 15.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.1% had a male householder with no wife present, and 44.2% were not families. About 34.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.2% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.29, and the average family size was 2.95.
The median age in the city was 32.7 years. About 20% of residents were under 18; 18.3% were between 18 and 24, 26.4% were from 25 to 44, 22.6% were from 45 to 64, and 12.6% were 65 or older. The gender makeup of the city was 51.6% male and 48.4% female.
2000 census
As of the census of 2000, 59,614 people, 22,870 households, and 13,025 families lived in the city. The population density was . The racial makeup of the city was 86.3% White, 9.8% African American, 0.3% Native American, 1.2% Asian, 0.5% from other races, and 1.9% from two or more races. About 1.6% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race.
Of the 22,870 households, 27.2% had children under 18 living with them, 39.0% were married couples living together, 14.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 43.0% were not families. About 34.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.1% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.28, and the average family size was 2.95.
The median income for a household in the city was $28,018, and for a family was $37,618. Males had a median income of $29,375 versus $21,374 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,728. 19.2% of the population and 14.8% of families were below the poverty line. Of the total population, 17.4% of those under the age of 18 and 11.4% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.
Economy
Major employers
* Advics
is a Japanese corporation that develops and produces components and systems for the automotive industry. Aisin is a Fortune Global 500 company, ranked 359 rankings. Aisin is a member of the Toyota Group of companies.
Aisin was founded in 1965 ...
* Amcor
Amcor plc is a global packaging company. It develops and produces flexible packaging, rigid containers, specialty cartons, closures and services for food, beverage, pharmaceutical, medical-device, home and personal-care, and other products.
The ...
* Casey's General Stores
* City of Terre Haute
* United States Federal Correctional Complex
* First Financial Bank
First Financial Bank is a regional bank operated by First Financial Corporation and based in Terre Haute, Indiana. It is the oldest national bank in Indiana and the fifth oldest national bank in the United States. First Financial Corporation ...
* GE Aviation
GE Aviation, a subsidiary of General Electric, is headquartered in Evendale, Ohio, outside Cincinnati. GE Aviation is among the top aircraft engine suppliers, and offers engines for the majority of commercial aircraft. GE Aviation is part of t ...
has two facilities, a large structures fabrication facility, and a component repair facility
* Indiana State University
Indiana State University (ISU) is a public university in Terre Haute, Indiana. It was founded in 1865 and offers over 100 undergraduate majors and more than 75 graduate and professional programs. Indiana State is classified among "D/PU: Doctor ...
* Ivy Tech Community College
Ivy Tech Community College (Ivy Tech) is a public community college system in the U.S. state of Indiana. It is the state's public community college system and it has more than 40 locations. It is also the state's largest public postsecondary in ...
* Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
* Sony Digital Audio Disc Corporation
Sony Digital Audio Disc Corporation (Sony DADC) is a manufacturer of CDs, DVDs, UMDs, and Blu-ray Discs. The company has many plants worldwide. Although it primarily services Sony Music Entertainment-owned record labels, Sony Pictures Home Ent ...
(Sony DADC)
* Taghleef Industries, Inc
* Terre Haute Regional Hospital
* Union Associated Physicians
* Union Hospital
* Vigo County School Corporation
Vigo County School Corporation (VCSC) is a school district that serves Vigo County, Indiana and is headquartered in Terre Haute. The corporation is led by superintendent Robert Haworth http://metadot.vigoschools.org/metadot/index.pl?id=20108 an ...
* Vigo County
* Wabash Valley Correctional Facility
Wabash Valley Correctional Facility is a prison situated south of Terre Haute, located in Haddon Township, Sullivan County, just north of Carlisle, Indiana.
The Wabash Valley Correctional Facility received American Correctional Association (ACA) ...
Terre Haute Federal Correctional Complex
Terre Haute is the location of the Federal Correctional Complex on Highway 63, two miles south of the city. The complex includes a medium-security federal correctional institution and a high-security United States penitentiary. The penitentiary houses the Special Confinement Unit for inmates serving federal death sentences and contains the federal government's execution chamber.
Arts and culture
Terre Haute has made an effort to revitalize the businesses and culture in its downtown district. Festivals, museums, restaurants, shopping, and the addition of multiple hotels in the area have greatly improved the overall image of downtown Terre Haute. Its revitalization efforts were recognized in 2010 when the Indiana Chamber of Commerce named Terre Haute Indiana's Community of the Year.
Arts
Located on 7th Street between Wabash Avenue and Ohio Street, Terre Haute Arts Corridor includes the Swope Art Museum and two galleries - the Halcyon Contemporary Art Gallery and Gopalan Contemporary Art. The first Friday of every month, the area features art openings, musical performances, and socializing.
The Swope Art Museum
The Sheldon Swope Art Museum in Terre Haute, Indiana, United States, was originally funded by a bequest from Michael Sheldon Swope (1843–1929), a Civil War veteran and jeweler who lived in Terre Haute much of his adult life. Planning for the a ...
, open and free to the public since 1942, has a collection of American art, including work by Edward Hopper
Edward Hopper (July 22, 1882 – May 15, 1967) was an American realist painter and printmaker. While he is widely known for his oil paintings, he was equally proficient as a watercolorist and printmaker in etching.
Hopper created subdued drama ...
, Grant Wood, Thomas Hart Benton, Janet Scudder
Janet Scudder (October 27, 1869 – June 9, 1940), born Netta Deweze Frazee Scudder, was an American sculptor and painter from Terre Haute, Indiana, who is best known for her memorial sculptures, bas-relief portraiture, and portrait medallions, ...
, Andy Warhol
Andy Warhol (; born Andrew Warhola Jr.; August 6, 1928 – February 22, 1987) was an American visual artist, film director, and producer who was a leading figure in the Art movement, visual art movement known as pop art. His works explore th ...
, Ruth Pratt Bobbs, Robert Motherwell
Robert Motherwell (January 24, 1915 – July 16, 1991) was an American abstract expressionist painter, printmaker, and editor of ''The Dada Painters and Poets: an Anthology''. He was one of the youngest of the New York School, which also inc ...
, Robert Rauschenberg, and many others.
The Turman Art Gallery at Indiana State University features rotating exhibitions by student and faculty artists. In 2007, the university was the recipient of nearly 150 Andy Warhol photographs and prints as part of the Andy Warhol Photographic Legacy Program. These additions were to be added to the other Andy Warhol prints already held in the university's permanent collection. The gallery's Permanent Art Collection and Study Collection includes a total of 3,600 paintings, sculptures, ceramics, drawings, prints, and photographs.
The cornerstone of the Terre Haute Arts Corridor is the historic Indiana Theater. Designed by famed theater architect John Eberson in Spanish Andalusian style and opened in 1922, this theater seats 1,674 and houses a screen measuring , which is the second-largest in the state. The theater, which had long sat vacant, was recently restored and is being used for concerts, film screenings, and other events.
Terre Haute is home to several arts nonprofits, including Wabash Valley Art Spaces
Wabash Valley Art Spaces, incorporated as Art Spaces, Inc. — Wabash Valley Outdoor Sculpture Collection, is a non-profit arts organization based in Terre Haute, Indiana and serving the Wabash Valley region. It sponsors the creation and installa ...
and Arts Illiana.
Performing arts
Community Theatre of Terre Haute presented its first shows in 1928. A staple of the Terre Haute arts scene, Community Theatre is a volunteer theatre producing five varied main stage plays and musical productions per year.
Terre Haute also features the Crossroads Repertory Theatre, a professional theater company with over a 40-year history. Its season is mid-June through late-July and performances include classic and new plays and musicals, as well as educational programs and staged reading of new plays.
Hatfield Hall is home to a 602-seat theater on the campus of Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology. A performing arts series has been held annually at Hatfield Hall for over 10 years. Indiana State University holds a performing arts series on its campus, as well. The performances of both series range from Broadway musicals, musical acts, and plays to lectures and dance productions.
Music
Terre Haute has multiple music venues and a strong music community. The Wabash Valley Musicians Hall of Fame recognizes local musicians yearly.
Locally, the Blues at the Crossroads Festival brings more than 15,000 blues fans to the city the second weekend of September each year. A statewide high-school jazz festival is hosted annually by the Phi Mu Alpha
Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Fraternity of America (colloquially known as Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, Phi Mu Alpha, or simply Sinfonia) () is an American collegiate social fraternity for men with a special interest in music. The fraternity is open to men "w ...
chapter at Indiana State University. Terre Haute is also the birthplace of musician/actor Scatman Crothers
Benjamin Sherman Crothers (May 23, 1910 – November 22, 1986), known professionally as Scatman Crothers, was an American actor and musician. He is known for playing Louie the Garbage Man on the TV show '' Chico and the Man'', and Dick Hal ...
.
The Terre Haute Symphony Orchestra, established in 1926, is the oldest professional orchestra in Indiana, antedating the Indianapolis Symphony
The Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra (ISO) is an American orchestra based in Indianapolis, Indiana. The largest performing arts organization in Indiana, the orchestra is based at the Hilbert Circle Theatre in downtown Indianapolis on Monument Circ ...
by four years. The Terre Haute Symphony started as a volunteer group of musicians who provided community entertainment, and has evolved into a group of paid professional musicians who complete auditions to demonstrate their skill level. A series of concerts is offered from September through April, as well as a free Children's Concert for about 3,000 fourth graders from the Wabash Valley.
Terre Haute is also home to various other music organizations, such as the Terre Haute Community Band, Terre Haute Sinfonietta Pops Orchestra, Terre Haute Children's Choir, Terre Haute Masterworks Chorale, Banks of the Wabash Chorus (which performs in Harmony Hall), the Sweet Harmony Women's Barbershop Chorus, and the Wabash Valley Musicians Hall of Fame.
Terre Haute native Paul Dresser
Paul Dresser (born Johann Paul Dreiser Jr.; April 22, 1857 – January 30, 1906) was an American singer, songwriter, and comedic actor of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Dresser performed in traveling minstrel and medicine-wa ...
was a late 19th-century singer, actor, songwriter, and music publisher, who became "one of the most important composers of the 1890s". In 1913, the Indiana General Assembly
The Indiana General Assembly is the state legislature, or legislative branch, of the state of Indiana. It is a bicameral legislature that consists of a lower house, the Indiana House of Representatives, and an upper house, the Indiana Senate. Th ...
named Dresser's biggest hit, " On the Banks of the Wabash, Far Away" as the state song 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 s ...
. The Paul Dresser Birthplace in Fairbanks Park is 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 ...
.[ The Vigo County Historical Society operates the property as a museum, open by appointment. In 2014, a bronze sculpture, sponsored by Art Spaces and created by Teresa Clark to celebrate the composer, was dedicated in Fairbanks Park near the Dresser House.
]
Museums
The Vigo County Historical Society Museum boasts a collection of artifacts in downtown Terre Haute into a 40,000 square foot, four-level building constructed in 1895. A triangle of museums is located downtown, with the Terre Haute Children's Museum and the Clabber Girl Museum just blocks away.
The three-story Children's Museum is at the intersection of Wabash Avenue and Eighth Street in downtown Terre Haute. It is a hands-on science and technology museum that has educated over 230,000 adults and children from over 22 counties in Indiana and Illinois. It has traveling exhibits focused on weather and space that educate children of Wabash Valley schools. The museum is a participant in a national consortium of 14 science and technology museums.
The Clabber Girl Museum is at Wabash and Ninth Street in downtown Terre Haute. Housed in the Hulman & Company building built in 1892, the museum has exhibits on the history of Clabber Girl
Clabber Girl is an American brand of baking powder, baking soda, and corn starch popular in the United States. Originally owned and manufactured by Hulman & Company, which also owned and operated the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and INDYCAR, it w ...
, one of the oldest brands in America, and on the art of baking. The museum is adjacent to the building where the Clabber Girl Baking Powder is still manufactured today.
Kleptz Antique Auto Museum, at 625 Poplar Street, displays antique cars, motorcycles, and other auto memorabilia. Styles include a 1902 clear plastic car, a 1963 Chrysler Turbine, and a 1932 Duesenberg with a Judkins body.
The CANDLES Holocaust Museum and Education Center, created by Holocaust survivor Eva Mozes Kor
Eva Mozes Kor (January 31, 1934 – July 4, 2019) was a Romanian-born American survivor of the Holocaust. Along with her twin sister Miriam, Kor was subjected to human experimentation under the direction of SS Doctor Josef Mengele at the Ausch ...
, has exhibits and artifacts related to the Holocaust
The Holocaust, also known as the Shoah, was the genocide of European Jews during World War II. Between 1941 and 1945, Nazi Germany and its collaborators systematically murdered some six million Jews across German-occupied Europe; a ...
, eugenics
Eugenics ( ; ) is a fringe set of beliefs and practices that aim to improve the genetic quality of a human population. Historically, eugenicists have attempted to alter human gene pools by excluding people and groups judged to be inferior o ...
, and forgiveness.
The Indiana Association of Track and Field and Cross-Country Museum is a new addition to the Terre Haute Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Terre Haute was the home of Socialist Party of America
The Socialist Party of America (SPA) was a socialist political party in the United States formed in 1901 by a merger between the three-year-old Social Democratic Party of America and disaffected elements of the Socialist Labor Party of Ameri ...
leader and five-time presidential nominee Eugene V. Debs
Eugene Victor "Gene" Debs (November 5, 1855 – October 20, 1926) was an American socialist, political activist, trade unionist, one of the founding members of the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW), and five times the candidate of the Soc ...
. His former home is now a museum on the campus of Indiana State University. It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1966 and is now owned and operated by the Debs Foundation. The interior of the museum features many of Debs’ possessions and other artifacts from his lifetime. It is open to the public.
Sports
The Terre Haute Rex
The Terre Haute REX are a collegiate summer baseball team based in Terre Haute, Indiana. They are a member of the summer collegiate Prospect League.
They are managed by Tyler Wampler.
The Rex play home games at Bob Warn Field at Sycamore Stadium ...
is Terre Haute's collegiate summer baseball team, founded in 2010. A member of the Prospect League, the team plays its home games at Bob Warn Field at ISU's Sycamore Stadium, The Rex's season runs from late May through early August. The team gets its name from a product with a historic connection to the community, Rex Coffee, roasted and packed in downtown Terre Haute by Clabber Girl Corporation and for many years a household name across the Midwest.
The Rex is building on a rich history of professional baseball in Terre Haute, stretching back to 1884, that includes some of the most famous names associated with the game, including Hall-of-Famers Mordecai Brown
Mordecai Peter Centennial Brown (October 19, 1876 – February 14, 1948), nicknamed Three Finger Brown or Miner, was an American Major League Baseball pitcher and manager during the first two decades of the 20th century (known as the " dead-ball e ...
and Max Carey
Maximillian George Carnarius (January 11, 1890 – May 30, 1976), known as Max George Carey, was an American professional baseball center fielder and manager. Carey played in Major League Baseball for the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1910 through 1 ...
, Josh Devore
Joshua M. Devore (November 13, 1887 – October 6, 1954), was a professional baseball player who played outfielder in the major leagues from –. He would play for the Cincinnati Reds, Philadelphia Phillies, New York Giants, and Boston Braves. ...
, Negro League baseball all-star Junius Bibbs
Junius Alexander Bibbs (October 31, 1910 – September 11, 1980), nicknamed "Rainey", was an American infielder in baseball's Negro leagues from about to .
Early life
Junius Bibbs was born in Henderson, Kentucky to Lloyd Bibbs, a veteran of ...
, Vic Aldridge
Victor Aldridge (October 25, 1893 – April 17, 1973), nicknamed the "Hoosier Schoolmaster", was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Chicago Cubs, Pittsburgh Pirates and New York Giants, and was known to be ...
, Art Nehf
Arthur Neukom Nehf (July 31, 1892 – December 18, 1960) was an American baseball pitcher. He played 15 seasons in Major League Baseball for the Boston Braves (1915–1919), New York Giants (1919–1926), Cincinnati Reds (1926–1927), and the Ch ...
(who holds the National League record for most World Series games pitched), Paul "Dizzy" Trout, Jim "Jumbo" Elliott, Harry Taylor, and Bill Butland. More recent professional stars include pitcher Tommy John
Thomas Edward John Jr. (born May 22, 1943), nicknamed "The Bionic Man," is an American retired professional baseball pitcher who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for 26 seasons between 1963 and 1989. He played for the Cleveland Indians, ...
(who won 288 games in his 26-year major league career) and catcher Brian Dorsett
Brian Richard Dorsett (born April 9, 1961) is an American former professional baseball player who played eight seasons for the Cleveland Indians, California Angels, New York Yankees, San Diego Padres, Cincinnati Reds, and Chicago Cubs of Major ...
, both of whom played for the New York Yankees during their careers. Terre Haute North graduate Josh Phegley
Joshua Aaron Phegley (born February 12, 1988) is an American former professional baseball catcher and current director of player development for Michigan. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Chicago White Sox, Oakland Athletics, and ...
is a member of the Oakland A's, and Terre Haute South graduate A.J. Reed
Andrew Joseph Reed (born May 10, 1993) is an American former professional baseball first baseman. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Houston Astros and the Chicago White Sox. He played college baseball at Kentucky. He was drafted ...
moved up to the Houston Astros in 2016.
Terre Haute was represented for 53 season in various leagues, chiefly the Central League
The or is one of the two professional baseball leagues that constitute Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan. The winner of the league championship plays against the winner of the Pacific League in the annual Japan Series. It currently consist ...
and the Three-I League, winning seven titles (1901, 1922, 1924, 1932, 1950, 1952, and 1953) during that time.
Parks and recreation
Terre Haute has been recognized as a Tree City USA by the Division of Forestry for the Indiana Department of Natural Resources since 1999, and also received the Growth Award, which denotes a higher standard of excellence for urban forestry management. Indiana State University is one of four Tree Campuses in the state.
Terre Haute Parks Department
The Terre Haute Parks Department owns over of dedicated land, including community parks, neighborhood parks, block parks, and two golf courses, as well as trails, greenways, and boulevards.
Some highlights of the Terre Haute Parks Department include:
* Deming Park – on the east side of Terre Haute at Fruitridge and Ohio Boulevard, it is the largest park, consisting of . It is home to the Oakley Playground, Clark-Lansdbaum Holly Arboretum, an 18-hole disc golf course, a public pool, the Spirit of Terre Haute Miniature Train, and a variety of sport facilitiesn including basketball and tennis courts.
* Dobbs Park – on the east side, Dobbs Park has a nature center and a Native American museum with an heirloom garden, a pond, a restored prairie, a butterfly garden, and of trails that pass restored wetlands, through pine woods, old-growth and second-growth forest and a state nature preserve.
* National Road Heritage Trail – a multi-use paved trail, it extends about from the Twigg Rest Area to the Indiana State University campus. It is used for running, walking, biking, and rollerblading.
LaVern Gibson Championship Cross-Country Course
The LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course
The LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course, in Terre Haute, Indiana was dedicated October 17, 1997. This course has the distinction of being one of the few purpose-built cross-country courses in the world. The facility is part of that co ...
has the distinction of being one of the few purpose-built cross-country courses in the world. The facility is part of that comprise the Wabash Valley Family Sports Center Wabash may refer to:
Political entities
* Wabash Confederacy, or Wabash Indians, a loose confederacy of 18th century Native Americans
Places in the United States
* Wabash River, in Ohio, Indiana and Illinois
* Wabash Valley, in Illinois and Indi ...
east of Terre Haute. The course is built on a reclaimed coal mine and consists of an external loop of and four internal loops that allow for circuits of varying lengths. Indiana State University's cross-country team uses the Gibson Course for its home meets. The course has also hosted NCAA national championship meets..
Government
Duke Bennett began his fourth term as Terre Haute's mayor in January 2020.
The city council has six members, each representing a district, and three at-large members.
Education
Terre Haute is served by the Vigo County School Corporation
Vigo County School Corporation (VCSC) is a school district that serves Vigo County, Indiana and is headquartered in Terre Haute. The corporation is led by superintendent Robert Haworth http://metadot.vigoschools.org/metadot/index.pl?id=20108 an ...
. The corporation manages 18 elementary schools, five middle schools, three high schools, and two alternative schools, enrolling 14,642 students from kindergarten to grade 12.
Terre Haute is also home to several higher-education establishments.
Indiana State University (ISU) is in downtown Terre Haute. It has an enrollment around 12,000. The ''Princeton Review'' placed ISU on its "Best in the Midwest" list of college and universities for nine consecutive years. ISU was also included in the Forbes' "America's Top 650 Colleges."
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology is a private engineering school just east of the city. For 20 consecutive years, ''U.S. News & World Report'' has ranked it the nation's number-one undergraduate engineering school among institutions whose highest degree in engineering is the master's. It has an enrollment near 2,200 students on its campus.
Ivy Tech Community College
Ivy Tech Community College (Ivy Tech) is a public community college system in the U.S. state of Indiana. It is the state's public community college system and it has more than 40 locations. It is also the state's largest public postsecondary in ...
, a full-service community college
A community college is a type of educational institution. The term can have different meanings in different countries: many community colleges have an "open enrollment" for students who have graduated from high school (also known as senior sec ...
and part of the statewide system, is also in Terre Haute.
The city has a lending library, the Vigo County Public Library
The Vigo County Public Library serves the people living in Terre Haute and Vigo County, Indiana. A funded public library, it has been in operation since 1882, when the existing library was purchased by local school trustees from the Terre Haute Lib ...
.
Media
Newspaper
*''Tribune Star
The ''Tribune-Star'' is a seven-day morning daily newspaper based in Terre Haute, Indiana, covering the Wabash Valley area of Indiana and Illinois. It is owned by Community Newspaper Holdings.
Counties within the newspaper's coverage areas inc ...
''
Magazines
*''Terre Haute Living
"Terre" (meaning "Earth") is a song by Canadian singer Celine Dion, recorded for her 1998 French-language album, '' S'il suffisait d'aimer''. It was written by French songwriter and producer Erick Benzi, and produced by Jean-Jacques Goldman and B ...
''
*''Wabash Valley Business Monthly Wabash may refer to:
Political entities
* Wabash Confederacy, or Wabash Indians, a loose confederacy of 18th century Native Americans
Places in the United States
* Wabash River, in Ohio, Indiana and Illinois
* Wabash Valley, in Illinois and India ...
''
Television
* WTWO
WTWO (channel 2) is a television station in Terre Haute, Indiana, United States, affiliated with NBC. It is owned by Nexstar Media Group, which provides certain services to ABC affiliate WAWV-TV (channel 38) under joint sales and shared serv ...
- NBC affiliate - Channel 2.1 (Laff - 2.2; Court TV Mystery - 2.3; Antenna TV - 2.4)
* WTHI - CBS affiliate - Channel 10.1 (Fox/MyNet - 10.2; CW - 10.3; Ion - 10.4; Dabl - 10.5 (coming soon))
* WAWV - ABC affiliate - Channel 38.1 (Grit - 38.2; Bounce - 38.3)
Radio
* WISU - 89.7 FM - NPR (Rebroadcasts WFYI)
* WZIS - 90.7 FM - Variety
*WHOJ
WHOJ (91.9 FM) is a radio station broadcasting a Christian radio format. Licensed to Terre Haute, Indiana, United States, the station serves the Terre Haute area. The station is currently owned by Covenant Network.
History
The station began ...
- 91.9 FM - Religious (Catholic)
*WFNB
WFNB is an FM radio station licensed to the city of Brazil, Indiana. The station operates on the FM radio frequency of 92.7 MHz, FM channel 22 The studios were located at 1301 Ohio Street in Terre Haute, Indiana. but were moved to 925 Waba ...
- 92.7 FM - Active Rock
*WPFR-FM
WPFR-FM is a Christian radio station licensed to Clinton, Indiana
Clinton is a city in Clinton Township, Vermillion County, in the U.S. state of Indiana. The population was 4,893 at the 2010 census.
History
The city was established in 182 ...
- 93.7 FM - Silent
* W236AE - 95.1 FM - Classical (Rebroadcasts 103.7 WFIU)
*WHLR
WHLR (95.9 FM) is a silent radio station, formerly broadcasting a classic country music format. Licensed to Seelyville, Indiana, United States, the station serves the Terre Haute area. The station is currently owned by David Crooks, through lic ...
- 95.9 FM - Classic Country
* WMKI-LP - 96.9 FM - Goodtime Oldies
* WWVR - 98.5 FM - Classic Rock
* WTHI - 99.9 FM - Country
*WMGI
WMGI, "100.7 Mix FM", is an FM radio station owned by Midwest Communications, Inc. in Terre Haute, Indiana. The station operates on the FM radio frequency of 100.7 MHz, FM channel 264. The studios are located at 925 Wabash Avenue in Terre ...
- 100.7 FM - Top40/Pop
* WBOW - 102.7 FM - Classic Hits
*WVIG WVIG may refer to:
* WVIG (FM), a radio station (105.5 FM) licensed to serve West Terre Haute, Indiana, United States
* WHLR
WHLR (95.9 FM) is a silent radio station, formerly broadcasting a classic country music format. Licensed to Seelyville, ...
- 105.5 FM - Classic country
*WYLJ YLJ may refer to:
* '' Yale Law Journal'', a journal of legal scholarship published by students at Yale Law School
* Meadow Lake Airport (Saskatchewan) (IATA: YLJ)
{{disambig ...
- 107.5 FM - Religious ( 3ABN Radio)
*WAMB
WAMB (1130 AM broadcasting, AM) is a radio station broadcasting a mix of adult contemporary and soft adult contemporary formats. Licensed to Brazil, Indiana, United States, the station serves the Terre Haute area. It first began broadcasting in ...
- 1130 AM / 99.5 FM / 106.9 FM - Adult Standards
*WIBQ
WIBQ (1230 AM, "NewsTalk 1230") is a radio station broadcasting a news/talk format. Licensed to Terre Haute, Indiana, the station serves the Terre Haute area. It first began broadcasting in 1958 under the call sign WMFT. The station is current ...
- 1230 AM / 97.9 FM - News Talk
* WPFR - 1480 AM - Silent
Infrastructure
Transportation
Airports
Two airports serve Terre Haute. The Terre Haute Regional Airport is home to Hulman Field (HUF). The airport has a partnership with multiple military units including the 181st Intelligence Wing of the Indiana Air National Guard. It also houses a flight academy through ISU. Sky King Airport is north of Terre Haute and mostly serves training and recreational flights.
Highways
*
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 ...
to St. Louis (west) and Indianapolis (east): Terre Haute is served by multiple exits. Exit 11 connects with State Road 46, and Exit 7 connects with U.S. 41 on the southwest side of the city. Exit 3 serves West Terre Haute, Indiana
West Terre Haute is a town in Sugar Creek Township, Vigo County, Indiana, on the western side of the Wabash River near Terre Haute. The population was 2,236 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Terre Haute Metropolitan Statistical Area. Bethany ...
, via Darwin Road, which provides easy access to downtown Terre Haute via US 150
U.S. Route 150 (US 150) is a 571-mile (919 km) long northwest-southeast United States highway, signed as east–west. It runs from U.S. Route 6 outside of Moline, Illinois to U.S. Route 25 in Mount Vernon, Kentucky.
Route description
I ...
. Exit 1 onto National Drive is marked for both Terre Haute and West Terre Haute, but is only accessible via the eastbound lanes of I-70.
*
US 40
U.S. Route 40 or U.S. Highway 40 (US 40), also known as the Main Street of America, is a major east–west United States Highway traveling across the United States from the Mountain States to the Mid-Atlantic States. As with most routes wh ...
to Effingham (west) and 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 ...
(east). Travels with Interstate 70. US 40 ran through Terre Haute on Wabash Ave., but in January 2011 INDOT gave the road to the city and paid the city to take care of Wabash Ave.
*
US 41
U.S. Route 41, also U.S. Highway 41 (US 41), is a major north–south United States Numbered Highway that runs from Miami, Florida, to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Until 1949, the part in southern Florida, from Naples to Miami, ...
to Rockville (north) and Evansville
Evansville is a city in, and the county seat of, Vanderburgh County, Indiana, United States. The population was 118,414 at the 2020 census, making it the state's third-most populous city after Indianapolis and Fort Wayne, the largest city in ...
(south). It is the main north–south thoroughfare on Terre Haute's west side. From Maple St. south to I-70, it is marked as 3rd St.; along this stretch is US-41's interchange with I-70.
*
US 150
U.S. Route 150 (US 150) is a 571-mile (919 km) long northwest-southeast United States highway, signed as east–west. It runs from U.S. Route 6 outside of Moline, Illinois to U.S. Route 25 in Mount Vernon, Kentucky.
Route description
I ...
enters Terre Haute from neighboring West Terre Haute, Indiana
West Terre Haute is a town in Sugar Creek Township, Vigo County, Indiana, on the western side of the Wabash River near Terre Haute. The population was 2,236 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Terre Haute Metropolitan Statistical Area. Bethany ...
. At 3rd St., US-150 turns south, following the path of US-41.
* begins at its intersection with US 40 just west of Rose-Hulman. From here, the highway runs south with US 40 to an interchange with I-70. The road then heads through Riley on its way to Bloomington.
* enters Terre Haute on the city's north side crossing the Wabash River
The Wabash River (French: Ouabache) is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map accessed May 13, 2011 river that drains most of the state of Indiana in the United States. It flows from ...
. SR 63 ends at the interchange with US 41 on the north side of town.
* , also known as the Terre Haute Bypass, is a limited access highway running from the interchange of IN-46 and I-70 to US-41 near the industrial park
An industrial park (also known as industrial estate, trading estate) is an area zoned and planned for the purpose of industrial development. An industrial park can be thought of as a more "heavyweight" version of a business park or office park ...
on the city's southside.
Bus service
All city and intercity buses serve the downtown Cherry Street Multi-Modal Transportation Facility.
* The Terre Haute Transit Utility
Terre Haute Transit Utility or Terre Haute City Bus provides public transportation in the city of Terre Haute, Vigo County, Indiana, Vigo County, Indiana
Services
Transportation is provided Monday through Saturday on 6 day and 3 evening fixed ro ...
provides bus service via seven day and three evening routes throughout the city. The system's ridership in 2012 was 376,763.
* Greyhound Lines provides interstate bus service (St. Louis—Indianapolis).
* Miller Transportation Hoosier Ride provides daily round trip express and local bus service to Indianapolis.
Railways
Historically, the city was a rail hub. The New York Central Railroad
The New York Central Railroad was a railroad primarily operating in the Great Lakes and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The railroad primarily connected greater New York and Boston in the east with Chicago and St. Louis in the Mid ...
used the Big Four Depot. Its last train was the St. Louis
St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the bi-state metropolitan area, which e ...
-New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
'' Southwestern Limited'' in 1967. The last train serving Terre Haute, Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, Trade name, doing business as Amtrak () , is the national Passenger train, passenger railroad company of the United States. It operates inter-city rail service in 46 of the 48 contiguous United Stat ...
's Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City (abbreviated KC or KCMO) is the largest city in Missouri by population and area. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 508,090 in 2020, making it the 36th most-populous city in the United States. It is the central ...
-New York City train, ''National Limited
The ''National Limited'' was the premier train of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (B&O) on its route between Jersey City, New Jersey and St. Louis, Missouri, with major station stops in Washington, D.C., and Cincinnati, Ohio. (Buses took passen ...
,'' stopped running in 1979.
The Chicago & Eastern Illinois Railroad
The Chicago and Eastern Illinois Railroad was a Class I railroad that linked Chicago to southern Illinois, St. Louis, and Evansville. Founded in 1877, it grew aggressively and stayed relatively strong throughout the Great Depression and two Wor ...
, Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad
The Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad (CMStP&P), often referred to as the "Milwaukee Road" , was a Class I railroad that operated in the Midwest and Northwest of the United States from 1847 until 1986.
The company experience ...
('Milwaukee Road') and the Pennsylvania Railroad
The Pennsylvania Railroad (reporting mark PRR), legal name The Pennsylvania Railroad Company also known as the "Pennsy", was an American Class I railroad that was established in 1846 and headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was named ...
used Union Station
A union station (also known as a union terminal, a joint station in Europe, and a joint-use station in Japan) is a railway station at which the tracks and facilities are shared by two or more separate railway companies, allowing passengers to ...
. Prior to the 1971 establishment of Amtrak, the Penn Central
The Penn Central Transportation Company, commonly abbreviated to Penn Central, was an American Railroad classes, class I railroad that operated from 1968 to 1976. Penn Central combined three traditional corporate rivals (the Pennsylvania Railroad ...
(combined company after the merger of the New York Central and the Pennsylvania Railroad), ran these St. Louis-New York City trains through Terre Haute: ''Penn Texas
The ''Penn Texas'' was a named passenger train of the Pennsylvania Railroad that ran from New York City's Pennsylvania Station to St. Louis' Union Station from 1948 to 1970. The train also had a branch from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania to Washingto ...
'' and the ''Spirit of St. Louis
The ''Spirit of St. Louis'' (formally the Ryan NYP, registration: N-X-211) is the custom-built, single-engine, single-seat, high-wing monoplane that was flown by Charles Lindbergh on May 20–21, 1927, on the first solo nonstop transatlant ...
.'' Until 1965 the C&EI ran the '' Dixie Flyer'' from Chicago
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
, image_map =
, map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago
, coordinates =
, coordinates_footnotes =
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name ...
through Terre Haute, to Evansville
Evansville is a city in, and the county seat of, Vanderburgh County, Indiana, United States. The population was 118,414 at the 2020 census, making it the state's third-most populous city after Indianapolis and Fort Wayne, the largest city in ...
, Nashville
Nashville is the capital city of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the seat of Davidson County. With a population of 689,447 at the 2020 U.S. census, Nashville is the most populous city in the state, 21st most-populous city in the U.S., and the ...
, Atlanta
Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...
, and on to Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is a city located on the Atlantic coast of northeast Florida, the most populous city proper in the state and is the largest city by area in the contiguous United States as of 2020. It is the seat of Duval County, with which the ...
. Until 1968 the C&EI ran the ''Georgian
Georgian may refer to:
Common meanings
* Anything related to, or originating from Georgia (country)
** Georgians, an indigenous Caucasian ethnic group
** Georgian language, a Kartvelian language spoken by Georgians
**Georgian scripts, three scrip ...
'' from Chicago through Terre Haute, on the same route to Atlanta. Up to the same time, the C&EI ran through Terre Haute the -bound ''Humming Bird
Hummingbirds are birds native to the Americas and comprise the biological family Trochilidae. With about 361 species and 113 genera, they occur from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego, but the vast majority of the species are found in the tropics aro ...
.''
Notable people
* Charles G. Abrell
Charles Gene Abrell (August 12, 1931 – June 10, 1951) was a United States Marine Corps Corporal#United States, corporal who was killed in action during the UN May–June 1951 counteroffensive in the Korean War.
Abrell was Posthumous recognition ...
, United States Marine and Medal of Honor recipient
* Ray Arcel, boxing coach
* Birch Bayh
Birch Evans Bayh Jr. (; January 22, 1928 – March 14, 2019) was an American Democratic Party politician who served as U.S. Senator from Indiana from 1963 to 1981. He was first elected to office in 1954, when he won election to the India ...
, former U.S. Senator
The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States.
The composition and powe ...
from 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 ...
, former Speaker of the Indiana House of Representatives
* Max Carey
Maximillian George Carnarius (January 11, 1890 – May 30, 1976), known as Max George Carey, was an American professional baseball center fielder and manager. Carey played in Major League Baseball for the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1910 through 1 ...
, Hall of Fame
A hall, wall, or walk of fame is a list of individuals, achievements, or other entities, usually chosen by a group of electors, to mark their excellence or Wiktionary:fame, fame in their field. In some cases, these halls of fame consist of actu ...
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...
player
* Helen Corey
Helen Corey (born October 9, 1923) is a Syrian-American cookbook author, television producer, and educator. She is also the first Syrian-American woman to have held elected office in Indiana. She is known for her cookbooks ''The Art of Syrian Cook ...
, cookbook author, television producer, educator, first Syrian-American to hold elected office in Indiana
* Scatman Crothers
Benjamin Sherman Crothers (May 23, 1910 – November 22, 1986), known professionally as Scatman Crothers, was an American actor and musician. He is known for playing Louie the Garbage Man on the TV show '' Chico and the Man'', and Dick Hal ...
, musician and actor
* Eugene V. Debs
Eugene Victor "Gene" Debs (November 5, 1855 – October 20, 1926) was an American socialist, political activist, trade unionist, one of the founding members of the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW), and five times the candidate of the Soc ...
, Indiana State Senator, five-time American presidential candidate, and leader of the Socialist Party of America
The Socialist Party of America (SPA) was a socialist political party in the United States formed in 1901 by a merger between the three-year-old Social Democratic Party of America and disaffected elements of the Socialist Labor Party of Ameri ...
* Terry Dischinger
Terry Gilbert Dischinger (born November 21, 1940) is an American former basketball player in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Dischinger was a three-time NBA All-Star and the 1963 NBA Rookie of the Year, after averaging 28 points per gam ...
, National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America. The league is composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada) and is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United S ...
player, NBA Rookie of the Year
The National Basketball Association's Rookie of the Year Award is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA) award given to the top rookie(s) of the regular season. Initiated following the 1952–53 NBA season, it confers the Eddie Gottl ...
; Chicago Zephyrs
The Washington Wizards are an American professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C. The Wizards compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Southeast Division. The team plays ...
, Detroit Pistons
The Detroit Pistons are an American professional basketball team based in Detroit. The Pistons compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Central Division and play their home games at L ...
and Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers (colloquially known as the Blazers) are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. The Trail Blazers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Con ...
* Theodore Dreiser
Theodore Herman Albert Dreiser (; August 27, 1871 – December 28, 1945) was an American novelist and journalist of the naturalist school. His novels often featured main characters who succeeded at their objectives despite a lack of a firm mora ...
, author of ''Sister Carrie
''Sister Carrie'' (1900) is a novel by Theodore Dreiser (1871-1945) about a young woman who moves to the big city where she starts realizing her own American Dream. She first becomes a mistress to men that she perceives as superior, but later ...
'' and ''An American Tragedy
''An American Tragedy'' is a 1925 novel by American writer Theodore Dreiser. He began the manuscript in the summer of 1920, but a year later abandoned most of that text. It was based on the notorious murder of Grace Brown in 1906 and the trial of ...
''
* Zhivago Duncan
Zhivago Duncan is a contemporary artist currently based in Mexico City. His works range from paintings, sculpture and mixed media to substantial installations including complex, mesmeric mechanical fantasies.
Early years
Born in Terre Haute, In ...
, contemporary artist
* Max Ehrmann
Max Ehrmann (September 26, 1872 – September 9, 1945) was an American writer, poet, and attorney from Terre Haute, Indiana, widely known for his 1927 prose poem "Desiderata" (Latin: "things desired"). He often wrote on spiritual themes.
Educa ...
, author of "Desiderata
"Desiderata" (Latin: "things desired") is an early 1920s prose poem by the American writer Max Ehrmann. Although he copyrighted it in 1927, he distributed copies of it without a required copyright notice during 1933 and , thereby forfeiting his ...
"
* Ruben Gonzales (tennis)
Ruben Gonzales (born September 11, 1985) is a Filipino professional tennis player playing on the ATP Challenger Tour
The ATP Challenger Tour, known until the end of 2008 as the ATP Challenger Series, is a series of international men's profes ...
, professional tennis player
* Tony Hulman
Anton "Tony" Hulman Jr. (February 11, 1901 – October 27, 1977) was an American businessman from Terre Haute, Indiana, who bought the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 1945 and brought racing back to the famous race course after a four-year hiatu ...
, former owner of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway is an automobile racing circuit located in Speedway, Indiana, an enclave suburb of Indianapolis, Indiana. It is the home of the Indianapolis 500 and the Verizon 200, and and formerly the home of the United State ...
* Tommy John
Thomas Edward John Jr. (born May 22, 1943), nicknamed "The Bionic Man," is an American retired professional baseball pitcher who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for 26 seasons between 1963 and 1989. He played for the Cleveland Indians, ...
, pitcher for the Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. The team is owned by Jerry Reinsdorf, and p ...
and New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Amer ...
* Howard Andrew Jones
Howard Andrew Jones is an American speculative fiction and fantasy author and editor, known for ''The Chronicles of Sword and Sand'' series and ''The Ring-Sworn'' trilogy. He has also written ''Pathfinder Tales'', tie-in fiction novels in the wo ...
, American speculative fiction
Speculative fiction is a term that has been used with a variety of (sometimes contradictory) meanings. The broadest interpretation is as a category of fiction encompassing genres with elements that do not exist in reality, recorded history, na ...
and fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of speculative fiction involving Magic (supernatural), magical elements, typically set in a fictional universe and sometimes inspired by mythology and folklore. Its roots are in oral traditions, which then became fantasy ...
author and editor
* Emil W. Leipziger, rabbi
* Bobby Leonard
William Robert "Slick" Leonard (July 17, 1932April 13, 2021) was an American professional basketball player, coach and color commentator. He played college basketball for the Indiana Hoosiers, where he was a two-time All-American and a member ...
, former coach of the Indiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers are an American professional basketball team based in Indianapolis. The Pacers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Central Division. The Pacers were first esta ...
* Clyde Lovellette
Clyde Edward Lovellette ( ; September 7, 1929 – March 9, 2016) was an American professional basketball player. Lovellette was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1988. He was the first basketball player in history to ...
, Hall of Fame
A hall, wall, or walk of fame is a list of individuals, achievements, or other entities, usually chosen by a group of electors, to mark their excellence or Wiktionary:fame, fame in their field. In some cases, these halls of fame consist of actu ...
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America. The league is composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada) and is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United S ...
player
* Mick Mars, guitarist of Mötley Crüe
* Ernestine Myers
Ernestine Myers Morrissey (January 7, 1900 – June 29, 1991), sometimes credited as Ernestine Meyers, was an American dancer, Ziegfeld girl, and dance educator.
Early life
Myers was born in Terre Haute, Indiana, the daughter of professional b ...
, dancer and dance educator
* Art Nehf
Arthur Neukom Nehf (July 31, 1892 – December 18, 1960) was an American baseball pitcher. He played 15 seasons in Major League Baseball for the Boston Braves (1915–1919), New York Giants (1919–1926), Cincinnati Reds (1926–1927), and the Ch ...
, an American baseball pitcher who played 15 seasons in Major League Baseball, mostly for the New York Giants
* Teresa Hord Owens, General Minister and President of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) is a mainline Protestant Christian denomination in the United States and Canada. The denomination started with the Restoration Movement during the Second Great Awakening, first existing during the 19th ...
* John T. Scott
John Tarrell Scott (June 30, 1940 – September 1, 2007) was an American sculptor, painter, printmaker, collagist, and MacArthur Fellow. The works of Scott meld abstraction with contemporary techniques infused with references to traditional Af ...
, Justice of the Indiana Supreme Court
* Janet Scudder
Janet Scudder (October 27, 1869 – June 9, 1940), born Netta Deweze Frazee Scudder, was an American sculptor and painter from Terre Haute, Indiana, who is best known for her memorial sculptures, bas-relief portraiture, and portrait medallions, ...
, sculptor, painter, and high school art teacher
* Abe Silverstein, aerospace engineer
* John Gould Stephenson
John Gould Stephenson (March 1, 1828 – November 11, 1883) was an American physician and soldier. He was the fifth Librarian of the United States Congress
from 1861 to 1864. He was referred to as the "librarian of the Civil War era" because Ste ...
, Librarian of Congress
* Bill Thompson (voice actor)
William H. Thompson (July 8, 1913 – July 15, 1971) was an American radio personality and voice actor, whose career stretched from the 1930s until his death. He was a featured comedian playing multiple roles on the ''Fibber McGee and Molly'' ra ...
, voice of Droopy Dog and Wallace Wimple
* Margaret Hoberg Turrell
Margaret B. Hoberg Turrell (1890 – 1948) was an American composer, organist, and philanthropist who with her husband Herbert Turrell founded the Turrell Fund in 1935 to aid at-risk children. She published her music under the name Margaret Hoberg. ...
, composer and philanthropist
Legends
One well known Terre Haute legend is the story of Stiffy Green, a stone bulldog that allegedly at one time guarded the mausoleum in Highland Lawn Cemetery
Highland Lawn Cemetery is a city-owned rural cemetery in Terre Haute, Indiana. Opened in 1884, the cemetery includes .
The cemetery features a Richardsonian Romanesque chapel built by architect Jesse A. Vrydaugh in 1893 for a cost of $10,000. I ...
of florist John G. Heinl, the brother-in-law of Eugene V. Debs
Eugene Victor "Gene" Debs (November 5, 1855 – October 20, 1926) was an American socialist, political activist, trade unionist, one of the founding members of the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW), and five times the candidate of the Soc ...
and the father of journalist Robert Debs Heinl. The statue is now housed in the Vigo County Historical Society Museum, in Terre Haute.
In Popular Culture
Comedian Steve Martin
Stephen Glenn Martin (born August 14, 1945) is an American actor, comedian, writer, producer, and musician. He has won five Grammy Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award, and was awarded an Honorary Academy Award in 2013. Additionally, he was nominate ...
referred to Terre Haute as "Nowhere, U.S.A." in an interview with ''Playboy
''Playboy'' is an American men's lifestyle and entertainment magazine, formerly in print and currently online. It was founded in Chicago in 1953, by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from Hefner's mother.
K ...
'' in 1978. He made these claims after a performance in the same year where he stated that he had difficulty finding any open downtown restaurants. He then was invited back to take a tour of the city in December 1979. He then premiered his film ''The Jerk
''The Jerk'' is a 1979 American comedy film directed by Carl Reiner and written by Steve Martin, Carl Gottlieb, and Michael Elias (from a story by Steve Martin and Carl Gottlieb). This was Martin's first starring role in a feature film. The f ...
'' at one of the city's theatres. In Martin's 1982 film ''Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid
''Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid'' is a 1982 American neo-noir mystery comedy film directed, co-written by, and co-starring Carl Reiner and co-written by and starring Steve Martin. Co-starring Rachel Ward, the film is both a parody of and a homage to ...
'', he mocked Terre Haute at the end. He saved the world from being decimated by a cheese bomb, and only Terre Haute was hit. Martin then says "Damn, and they were about to get a public library.
Sister cities
Terre Haute has three sister city relationships:
*Tajimi
is a city located in Gifu, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 110,070 in 46,580 households, and a population density of 1200 people per km2. The total area of the city was . The city is famous for its production of Mino ware cera ...
, Gifu, Japan (established in 1960's)
*Tambov
Tambov (, ; rus, Тамбов, p=tɐmˈbof) is a city and the administrative center of Tambov Oblast, central Russia, at the confluence of the Tsna and Studenets Rivers, about south-southeast of Moscow. Population: 280,161 ( 2010 Census); 29 ...
, Russia
See also
*List of attractions and events in Terre Haute, Indiana
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 ...
* List of people from Terre Haute, Indiana
*List of place names of French origin in the United States
Several thousand place names in the United States have names of French origin, some a legacy of past French exploration and rule over much of the land and some in honor of French help during the American Revolution and the founding of the country ...
*List of public art in Terre Haute, Indiana
This is a list of public art in Terre Haute, Indiana, and the surrounding area of Vigo County, Indiana.
This list applies only to works of public art accessible in an outdoor public space. For example, this does not include artwork visible in ...
References
;Specific
;General
*
* Nolan, John Matthew "2,543 Days: A History of the Hotel at the Grand Rapids Dam
The Grand Rapids Dam was a dam located on the Wabash River on the state line between Wabash County and Knox County in the U.S. states of Illinois and Indiana. The dam was built in the late 1890s by the Army Corps of Engineers to improve navigat ...
on the Wabash River" Discusses Charles T. Hinde, one of the silent investors of the Hotel del Coronado and how the Hotel del Coronado influenced the Grand Rapids Hotel
The Grand Rapids Hotel also known as The Grand Rapids Resort, was a hotel that existed outside of Mount Carmel, Illinois, in Wabash County, Illinois, United States in Southern Illinois from 1922 to 1929. The hotel was located on the Wabash River ...
in Wabash County, Illinois
Wabash County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2020 census, it had a population of 11,361. Its county seat is Mount Carmel. It is located in the southern portion of Illinois known locally as " Little Egypt".
...
.
External links
Terre Haute Tribune-Star
City of Terre Haute, Indiana website
Terre Haute Convention and Visitor's Bureau
Hometown: A Journey Through Terre Haute, IN
A documentary about Terre Haute in the 1920s
{{Authority control
Cities in Indiana
County seats in Indiana
National Road
Populated places established in the 1810s
Cities in Vigo County, Indiana
Terre Haute metropolitan area