Spencer is a town in Washington Township, Owen County, in the U.S. state of

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

. The population was 2,217 at the 2010 census. It is the

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US ...

of Owen County. Spencer is part of the

Bloomington, Indiana Bloomington is a city in and the county seat of Monroe County in the central region of the U.S. state of Indiana. It is the seventh-largest city in Indiana and the fourth-largest outside the Indianapolis metropolitan area. According to the Mo ...

Metropolitan Statistical Area In the United States, a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) is a geographical region with a relatively high population density at its core and close economic ties throughout the area. Such regions are neither legally incorporated as a city or tow ...

History

Spencer was

plat In the United States, a plat ( or ) (plan) is a cadastral map, drawn to scale, showing the divisions of a piece of land. United States General Land Office surveyors drafted township plats of Public Lands Surveys to show the distance and bea ...

ted in 1820, and named for Captain Spier Spencer, who fell at the Battle of Tippecanoe, after whom Spencer County is also named. A post office has been in operation at Spencer since 1821. The current building was constructed with New Deal funds in 1938. The

Allison-Robinson House Allison-Robinson House, also known as the John C. Robinson House, is a historic home located at Spencer, Owen County, Indiana. It was built between about 1855 and 1860, and is a two-story, "L"-plan, frame vernacular Greek Revival style I-house ...

David Enoch Beem House David Enoch Beem House, also known as the "Beem Mansion" and "The Hill", is a historic home located in Spencer, Owen County, Indiana Owen County is a county in the U.S. state of Indiana. In 1920 the United States Census Bureau calculated the ...

, Owen County Courthouse,

Spencer Public Library The old Spencer Public Library is a former public library and historic Carnegie library located at Spencer, Owen County, Indiana. It was built in 1912, and is a one-story, three bay, American Craftsman American Craftsman is an American domes ...

, and

Spencer Town Hall and Fire Station Spencer Town Hall and Fire Station is a historic town hall and fire station located at Spencer, Owen County, Indiana. It was built in 1897–1898, and is a two-story, rectangular, Romanesque Revival style limestone building with a corner bell ...

are listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...

. Downtown events include Christmas at the Square, Spencer Pride Festival, and the Rev20 Christian Music Festival.

Geography

According to the 2010 census, Spencer has a total area of , all land.

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, Spencer 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

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 2,217 people, 1,008 households, and 554 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 1,123 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 98.1%

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 ...

, 0.1%

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, 0.2% Native American, 0.5% Asian, 0.2% from other races, 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 2.1% of the population. There were 1,008 households, of which 24.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.4% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between ...

living together, 12.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.8% had a male householder with no wife present, and 45.0% were non-families. 40.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.12 and the average family size was 2.81. The median age in the town was 41.8 years. 20.1% of residents were under the age of 18; 9.4% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 24.2% were from 25 to 44; 26.3% were from 45 to 64; and 19.8% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 47.2% male and 52.8% female.

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, there were 2,508 people, 1,090 households, and 659 families living in the town. The population density was . There were 1,193 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 98.52%

, 0.20%

, 0.40% Asian, 0.24% from other races, and 0.64% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 0.60% of the population. There were 1,090 households, out of which 27.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.1% were

living together, 12.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.5% were non-families. 35.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.23 and the average family size was 2.88. In the town, the population was spread out, with 23.0% under the age of 18, 10.1% from 18 to 24, 26.7% from 25 to 44, 20.3% from 45 to 64, and 20.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 83.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.9 males. The median income for a household in the town was $28,664, and the median income for a family was $36,921. Males had a median income of $29,679 versus $21,531 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 $15,843. About 8.4% of families and 9.5% 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 13.2% of those under age 18 and 8.8% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Owen Valley Community High School Owen Valley Community High School, also known as "OVHS", is a public high school located in Spencer, Indiana. History Built in 1971, OVHS is the result of a consolidation of several smaller schools located within Owen County. The three schools ...

(OVHS) is located in Spencer with 980 students and more than 100 faculty members. Built in 1971, OVHS is the result of a consolidation of several smaller schools located within Owen County. Owen Valley's mascot is the Patriot, and the school's colors are red, white and blue. The school's yearbook is the ''Triad'', Tri- representing the three schools that were merged to create Owen Valley High School. The town has a lending library, the Owen County Public Library.

Notable people

References

External links

* {{authority control Towns in Owen County, Indiana Towns in Indiana County seats in Indiana Bloomington metropolitan area, Indiana