Fortville is a town in Vernon Township, Hancock County,

Indiana Indiana () is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States. It is the 38th-largest by area and the 17th-most populous of the 50 States. Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis. Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th ...

, United States. The population was 4,784 at the 2020 census.

Geography

Fortville is located in the northwest corner of

Hancock County, Indiana Hancock County is a county in the U.S. state of Indiana. The 2020 United States Census recorded a population of 79,840. The county seat is Greenfield. Hancock County is included in the Indianapolis- Carmel- Anderson, IN Metropolitan Statisti ...

at (39.934740, -85.847237), immediately adjacent to neighboring Hamilton County, which forms the town's northwest boundary and Madison County, which borders to the north. It is approximately northeast of Downtown

Indianapolis, Indiana 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 Mar ...

and is a part of the

Indianapolis metropolitan area Indianapolis–Carmel–Anderson or Indianapolis metropolitan area is an 11-county metropolitan area in the U.S. state of Indiana, as defined by the Office of Management and Budget. The metropolitan area is situated in Central Indiana, within t ...

. According to the 2010 census, Fortville has a total area of , of which (or 99.67%) is land and (or 0.33%) is water. Despite occasional droughts throughout central Indiana, Fortville has a steady and reliable supply of water because it is situated over a natural aquifer.

History

Fortville was originally called Walpole, and under the latter name was laid out and

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 1849. It was named for Cephas Fort, the original owner of the town site. Fortville was incorporated as a town in 1865. The historic Browne-Rafert House on Merrill Street was 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 ...

in 2015.

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 3,929 people, 1,553 households, and 1,060 families living in the town. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopu ...

was . There were 1,705 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 96.2%

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 ...

, 1.3%

Black Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white ha ...

, 0.3% Native American, 0.1% Asian, 0.9% from other races, and 1.3% 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 2.3% of the population. There were 1,553 households, of which 37.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.6% 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, 14.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 6.1% had a male householder with no wife present, and 31.7% were non-families. 26.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 3.03. The median age in the town was 35.7 years. 28.3% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.4% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 28.4% were from 25 to 44; 24.1% were from 45 to 64; and 11.6% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 48.6% male and 51.4% female.

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, there were 3,444 people, 1,394 households, and 950 families living in the town. The population density was . There were 1,454 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 98.14%

, 0.06%

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 ...

, 0.06% Native American, 0.17% Asian, 0.73% from other races, and 0.84% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 1.74% of the population. There were 1,394 households, out of which 36.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.4% were

living together, 11.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.8% were non-families. 27.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 3.03. In the town, the population was spread out, with 27.8% under the age of 18, 7.9% from 18 to 24, 33.0% from 25 to 44, 19.4% from 45 to 64, and 11.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 91.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.2 males. The median income for a household in the town was $42,642, and the median income for a family was $49,010. Males had a median income of $37,723 versus $25,951 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the town was $17,745. About 4.3% of families and 6.5% 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 9.8% of those under age 18 and 8.4% of those age 65 or over.

Parks

Landmark Park is located at Staat Street and Veteran's Court, just east of Main Street. The entrance to Memorial Park is located just west of Church and McCarty streets.

Education

The town houses schools for the Mt. Vernon Community Schools Corporation. The district houses three elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school. The schools regularly receive an "A+" score from the State of Indiana. The town has a lending library, the Fortville-Vernon Township Public Library.

Economy

Fortville's historic downtown is home to local retailers, restaurants, and service providers. The downtown is also an attraction for arts and culture.

References

External links

Town websiteFortville/McCordsville Chamber of Commerce
{{Authority control Towns in Hancock County, Indiana