Salem, Indiana
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Salem 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 ...
of Washington Township, Washington County, in the
U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sove ...
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 ...
. The population was 6,319 at the 2010 census.


History

Salem 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 1814. It was named for
Salem, North Carolina Salem is a census-designated place (CDP) in Burke County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 2,218 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Hickory– Lenoir– Morganton Metropolitan Statistical Area. History The town of Sal ...
, the hometown of one of the city founders. The Salem post office has been in operation since 1816.


Morgan's Raid

In June 1863, the Confederate
cavalry Historically, cavalry (from the French word ''cavalerie'', itself derived from "cheval" meaning "horse") are soldiers or warriors who fight mounted on horseback. Cavalry were the most mobile of the combat arms, operating as light cavalry in ...
under
John Hunt Morgan John Hunt Morgan (June 1, 1825 – September 4, 1864) was an American soldier who served as a Confederate general in the American Civil War of 1861–1865. In April 1862, Morgan raised the 2nd Kentucky Cavalry Regiment (CSA) and fought in ...
had departed
Tennessee Tennessee ( , ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. Tennessee is the List of U.S. states and territories by area, 36th-largest by ...
on what would later become known as
Morgan's Raid Morgan's Raid was a diversionary incursion by Confederate cavalry into the Union states of Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio and West Virginia during the American Civil War. The raid took place from June 11 to July 26, 1863, and is named for the command ...
. Traveling through Tennessee and into Kentucky, Morgan eventually crossed into Indiana; he reached Salem on July 10, 1863, coming north from Corydon. Upon entering Salem at approximately 9 a.m., Morgan immediately took possession of the town and placed guards over the stores and streets. The cavalrymen burned the large, brick railroad depot, along with all the train cars on the track and the railroad bridges on each side of the town. Morgan demanded taxes from the two
flour mill A gristmill (also: grist mill, corn mill, flour mill, feed mill or feedmill) grinds cereal grain into flour and middlings. The term can refer to either the grinding mechanism or the building that holds it. Grist is grain that has been separated ...
s that belonged to DePauw and Knight, and from the Allen Wollen Mill. Morgan's men looted stores and took about $500 from the area before departing about 3 p.m. Of the brief action at Salem, Col.
Basil W. Duke Basil Wilson Duke (May 28, 1838 – September 16, 1916) was a Confederate general officer during the American Civil War. His most noted service in the war was as second-in-command for his brother-in-law John Hunt Morgan; Duke later wrote ...
, Morgan's second-in-command and brother-in-law, later said: ''"They did not pillage with any sort of method or reason; it seemed to be a mania, senseless and purposeless. One man carried for two days a bird cage containing three canaries. Another rode with a huge chafing dish on the pommel of his saddle. Although the weather was intensely warm, another slung seven pairs of skates around his neck. I saw very few articles of real value taken; they pillaged like boys robbing an
orchard An orchard is an intentional plantation of trees or shrubs that is maintained for food production. Orchards comprise fruit- or nut-producing trees which are generally grown for commercial production. Orchards are also sometimes a feature of ...
."''


African Americans in Salem

In 1898, Salem was recorded to be a
sundown town Sundown towns, also known as sunset towns, gray towns, or sundowner towns, are all-white municipalities or neighborhoods in the United States that practice a form of racial segregation by excluding non-whites via some combination of discriminator ...
, where African Americans were not allowed to reside. The last Black person who lived in Salem was Alexander White. The minister of the Salem Methodist Episcopal church married Alexander White and his wife Eliza Jane Demars on May 5, 1830. White ran a hotel in Salem. He was murdered in Salem in 1867. The killers were not punished, although one of them, Harvey Zink, was tried for the crime.


Geography

Salem is primarily an agricultural community, surrounded by typical Indiana forests and farmland and small bodies of water. The primary crops grown in the area are corn and soybeans. Homes in the area are of a variety of styles, with a portion of residential homes having Victorian architectural design. According to the 2010 census, Salem has a total area of , of which (or 99.55%) is land and (or 0.45%) is water.


Climate

The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers, and generally mild to cool winters. According to the
Köppen Climate Classification The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, nota ...
system, Salem has a
humid subtropical climate A humid subtropical climate is a zone of climate characterized by hot and humid summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between latitudes 25° and 40° ...
, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.


Demographics

As of 2000 the median income for a household in the city was $29,256, and the median income for a family was $37,179. Males had a median income of $27,521 versus $21,952 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 $16,299. About 8.5% of families and 11.6% 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 14.6% of those under age 18 and 5.7% of those age 65 or over.


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 6,319 people, 2,622 households, and 1,599 families residing 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 2,932 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 97.5%
White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White ...
, 0.4%
African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 0.3% Native American, 0.6% Asian, 0.3% from
other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...
, and 0.9% 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 1.0% of the population. There were 2,622 households, of which 32.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.2% 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, 15.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 6.4% had a male householder with no wife present, and 39.0% were non-families. 33.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 29.1 The median age in the city was 38.3 years. 24% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.6% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 25.6% were from 25 to 44; 24.2% were from 45 to 64; and 17.6% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 46.5% male and 53.5% female and 22.3% Non-binary.


Arts and culture


Annual cultural events

Every September, Salem celebrates "Old Settler's Day" at the
John Hay Center __NOTOC__ The John Hay Center is on the eastern edge of the Salem Downtown Historic District in Salem, Indiana. It comprises: * Hay-Morrison House: birthplace and home of Abraham Lincoln's private secretary and Secretary of State under William ...
. Set in a village of authentic log structures, the festival features historical re-enactments, as well as local arts and crafts. Friday Night on the Square is the official kick-off to Old Settlers' Day weekend. The town square is barricaded from cars and the people of Salem meet to enjoy the festivities which include food booths, commercial booths and sometimes even scavenger hunts.


Museums and other points of interest

The downtown area is 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 ...
, as are several local buildings. The Carnegie Library in Salem was one of nearly 2,000 libraries built in the United States including 164 in Indiana in the early 20th century with funds donated by steel conglomerate
Andrew Carnegie Andrew Carnegie (, ; November 25, 1835August 11, 1919) was a Scottish-American industrialist and philanthropist. Carnegie led the expansion of the American steel industry in the late 19th century and became one of the richest Americans in ...
. Salem received the grant in February 1904, broke ground in August 1904 and opened in July 1905. Still in use today, the Carnegie Library in Salem is one of just one hundred in the state of Indiana still being used for its original purpose. Located in the center of Salem's town square, the Washington County Courthouse is generally known as Salem's most famous and recognizable landmark. The courthouse has historical place markers surrounding it, and at the southeastern corner of the grounds, there is a memorial to veterans killed in action during conflicts dating back to the Revolutionary War. The birthplace of
John Hay John Milton Hay (October 8, 1838July 1, 1905) was an American statesman and official whose career in government stretched over almost half a century. Beginning as a private secretary and assistant to Abraham Lincoln, Hay's highest office was U ...
has been a National Historic Site since 1971 and is located in Salem. The building was originally used as a school house and was built in 1824. It has been restored and furnished in the 1840 period.


Public art

In 2021,
Rafael Blanco (artist) Rafael Lopez de San Roman Blanco is a professional muralist based in the United States. He has been a studio artist since 2004 and has an extensive exhibition record both nationally and internationally. More recently, Blanco has been transformi ...
debuted the “Salem Heritage” mural. This 17-foot by 80-foot mural in Salem features portraits of six women who have made significant and historical contributions to the city. The women are Granny Lusk, Lula Desse Rudder, Bradie Shrum, Sarah Parke Morrison, Terry Hall, and Emma Christy-Baker. Each woman was born or lived in Salem. Granny Lusk's family arrived in Washington County in 1817 and she informally practiced medicine in the community. Lula Desse Rudder was the first woman in the state of Indiana to be licensed as a pharmacist. Bradie Shrum was an elementary school teacher in Salem after whom Salem's elementary school is named. Sarah Parke Morrison was born in Salem in 1833 and was the first woman student at Indiana University, the first woman to graduate from the institution, and later the first woman to be a member of the faculty. Terry Hall, who coached women athletes at both the high school and college level, is the "winningest coach in University of Kentucky basketball history." Emma Christy-Baker was born in 1865, "the great-grandaugher of freed slaves." She was one of the first women, and the first African American person, the Indianapolis Police Department hired.


Sports

Salem is also home to
Salem Speedway Salem Speedway is a long paved oval racetrack in Washington Township, Washington County, near Salem, Indiana, United States, approximately south of Indianapolis. The track has 33° degrees of banking in the corners. Major auto racing series ...
. It is a half mile high banked paved oval that was first built in 1947. Many of the most legendary drivers of the past 50 years have raced there including Ted Horn,
Parnelli Jones Rufus Parnell Jones (born August 12, 1933) is an American former professional racing driver and racing team owner. He is notable for his accomplishments while competing in the Indianapolis 500 and the Baja 1000 desert race. In 1962, he became the ...
,
A. J. Foyt Anthony Joseph Foyt Jr. (born January 16, 1935) is an American retired auto racing driver who has raced in numerous genres of motorsports. His open wheel racing includes United States Automobile Club Champ cars, sprint cars, and midget cars. H ...
,
Bobby Bobby or Bobbie may refer to: People * Bobby (given name), a list of names * Bobby (actress), from Bangladesh * Bobby (rapper) (born 1995), from South Korea * Bobby (screenwriter) (born 1983), Indian screenwriter * Bobby, old slang for a constabl ...
and
Al Unser Alfred Unser (May 29, 1939 – December 9, 2021) was an American automobile racing driver, the younger brother of fellow racing drivers Jerry and Bobby Unser, and father of Al Unser Jr. He was the second of four men ( A. J. Foyt, himself, Rick ...
,
Mario Andretti Mario Gabriele Andretti (born February 28, 1940) is an Italian-born American former racing driver. One of the most successful drivers in the history of motorsports, Andretti is one of only two drivers to have won races in Formula One, IndyCar, t ...
, Larry Dickson,
Darrell Waltrip Darrell Lee Waltrip (born February 5, 1947) is an American motorsports analyst, author, former national television broadcaster, and stock car driver. He raced from 1972 to 2000 in the NASCAR Cup Series (known as the NASCAR Winston Cup Series dur ...
and
Jeff Gordon Jeffery Michael Gordon (born August 4, 1971) is an American former professional stock car racing driver, who is the Vice Chairman for Hendrick Motorsports. He raced full-time from 1993 to 2015, driving the No. 24 Chevrolet for Hendrick M ...
. A. J. Foyt at one time held the world record for a half mile oval at the speedway. One of
ESPN ESPN (originally an initialism for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American international basic cable sports channel owned by ESPN Inc., owned jointly by The Walt Disney Company (80%) and Hearst Communications (20%). The ...
's first televised auto racing events was held there in 1979.


Parks and recreation

Unusual for a town of this size is a large children's playground, "Riley's Place" at DePauw Park. Named after Riley Jean Tomlinson, a local toddler who accidentally drowned in a swimming pool, the park was built in 2001 and contains two- and three- story wooden castles and other structures for children's play (along with swings, slides, and similar playground equipment).


Government

*
Mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well ...
– Justin Green *Clerk-Treasurer – Sally Hattabaugh *
City Council A municipal council is the legislative body of a municipality or local government area. Depending on the location and classification of the municipality it may be known as a city council, town council, town board, community council, rural coun ...
1st District – Danny R. Libka *
City Council A municipal council is the legislative body of a municipality or local government area. Depending on the location and classification of the municipality it may be known as a city council, town council, town board, community council, rural coun ...
2nd District – Warren Jones *
City Council A municipal council is the legislative body of a municipality or local government area. Depending on the location and classification of the municipality it may be known as a city council, town council, town board, community council, rural coun ...
3rd District – Steve Crane *
City Council A municipal council is the legislative body of a municipality or local government area. Depending on the location and classification of the municipality it may be known as a city council, town council, town board, community council, rural coun ...
4th District – Wally Terkhorn *
City Council A municipal council is the legislative body of a municipality or local government area. Depending on the location and classification of the municipality it may be known as a city council, town council, town board, community council, rural coun ...
At-Large At large (''before a noun'': at-large) is a description for members of a governing body who are elected or appointed to represent a whole membership or population (notably a city, county, state, province, nation, club or association), rather than ...
– *
Chief of Police Chief may refer to: Title or rank Military and law enforcement * Chief master sergeant, the ninth, and highest, enlisted rank in the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force * Chief of police, the head of a police department * Chief of the boa ...
- Tim Miller


Notable people

*
Newton Booth Newton Booth (December 30, 1825July 14, 1892) was an American entrepreneur and politician. Early life Born to Hannah (née Pitts) of North Carolina and Beebe Booth
, Governor of California and U.S. Senator there during the 19th Century, was born in Salem. * Edgar D. Bush, Lieutenant Governor Of Indiana, lived in Salem. * Arthur A. Denny, one of the founders of
Seattle, Washington Seattle ( ) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest region ...
, was born 20 June 1822 in Salem, Indiana. * Washington C. DePauw, successful businessman whom
DePauw University DePauw University is a private liberal arts university in Greencastle, Indiana. It has an enrollment of 1,972 students. The school has a Methodist heritage and was originally known as Indiana Asbury University. DePauw is a member of both the G ...
is named after. DePauw donated a large portion of his wealth shortly before his death to the now defunct Indiana Asbury University who renamed their school in his honor in January 1884. DePauw was born in Salem. * Flora Harrod Hawes, youngest woman postmaster in the US; born in Salem. *
John Hay John Milton Hay (October 8, 1838July 1, 1905) was an American statesman and official whose career in government stretched over almost half a century. Beginning as a private secretary and assistant to Abraham Lincoln, Hay's highest office was U ...
, private secretary to
President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) *President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ful ...
Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln ( ; February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was an American lawyer, politician, and statesman who served as the 16th president of the United States from 1861 until his assassination in 1865. Lincoln led the nation thro ...
and Secretary of State to Presidents
William McKinley William McKinley (January 29, 1843September 14, 1901) was the 25th president of the United States, serving from 1897 until his assassination in 1901. As a politician he led a realignment that made his Republican Party largely dominant in ...
and
Theodore Roosevelt Theodore Roosevelt Jr. ( ; October 27, 1858 – January 6, 1919), often referred to as Teddy or by his initials, T. R., was an American politician, statesman, soldier, conservationist, naturalist, historian, and writer who served as the 26t ...
, was born in Salem and is generally known as Salem's most prominent citizen. A variety of museums and local buildings make reference to Mr. Hay's connections to the town. * Robert H. Milroy, general in the
Union Army During the American Civil War, the Union Army, also known as the Federal Army and the Northern Army, referring to the United States Army, was the land force that fought to preserve the Union (American Civil War), Union of the collective U.S. st ...
during the Civil War, born in Salem. * John Pickler, member of the
United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the Lower house, lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the United States Senate, Senate being ...
; born in Salem.


1988 bomb scare

On July 5, 1988, 13 homemade bombs placed inside brown grocery bags were discovered near bridges and buildings around the town containing sticks of
dynamite Dynamite is an explosive made of nitroglycerin, sorbents (such as powdered shells or clay), and Stabilizer (chemistry), stabilizers. It was invented by the Swedish people, Swedish chemist and engineer Alfred Nobel in Geesthacht, Northern Germa ...
. However, due to faulty blasting caps, none of the bombs exploded. Had the explosives gone off, it would have severed the town from outside aid. Two men, John Hubbard and Jerry Conrad, were convicted on all counts in September and October 1989. Prosecutors allege that Hubbard had a long-standing rivalry with Democratic
State Representative A state legislature is a legislative branch or body of a political subdivision in a federal system. Two federations literally use the term "state legislature": * The legislative branches of each of the fifty state governments of the United Sta ...
Frank Newkirk Jr.Man guilty of planting 13 bombs in Indiana City
New York Times. 11 October 1989. Retrieved 17 December 2019.


References


Further reading

* Indiana Historical Commission. ''Archaeological and Historical Survey of Washington County'' (August 1924). Wm. B. Burford.


External links

* *
City website





The John Hay Center
{{authority control Cities in Indiana Populated places established in 1814 Cities in Washington County, Indiana County seats in Indiana Louisville metropolitan area 1814 establishments in Indiana Territory Sundown towns in Indiana