Greensburg, Indiana

Greensburg is a city in Decatur County, Indiana, United States. The population was counted at 11,492 at the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of Decatur County.[6]

Greensburg, Indiana
City
Franklin Street in Downtown Greensburg
Nickname(s): 
Tree City
Location of Greensburg in Decatur County, Indiana.
Coordinates: 39°20′25″N 85°29′1″W
CountryUnited States
StateIndiana
CountyDecatur
Government
 • MayorJoshua Marsh
Area
 • Total9.31 sq mi (24.12 km2)
 • Land9.27 sq mi (24.00 km2)
 • Water0.04 sq mi (0.12 km2)
Elevation
958 ft (292 m)
Population
 • Total11,492
 • Estimate 
(2018)[3]
11,916
 • Density1,279.56/sq mi (494.02/km2)
Time zoneUTC-5 (EST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code
47240
Area code(s)812
FIPS code18-29718[4]
GNIS feature ID0449663[5]
Websitehttp://www.cityofgreensburg.com

History

Greensburg was laid out in 1822.[7] The founder, Thomas Hendricks Sr.'s wife being a native of Greensburg, Pennsylvania caused the name to be selected.[8]

The first post office at Greensburg opened in 1823, but the name of the post office was spelled Greensburgh until 1894.[9]

At the beginning of the twentieth century, race relations in Greensburg worsened, leading to the expulsion of African Americans from the city after race riots against them in 1906[10] and 1907.[11] According to James W. Loewen, Greensburg then was for decades a sundown town, a town that was purposely all-white.[12]

The Bromwell Wire Works, Decatur County Courthouse, Greensburg Carnegie Public Library, Greensburg Downtown Historic District, Bright B. Harris House, Jerman School, and Knights of Pythias Building and Theatre are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[13]

Tree on the Courthouse Tower
Tree on the Courthouse Tower in Greensburg, Indiana

The Decatur County Courthouse in Greensburg is known for a tree which grows from the top of the Courthouse Tower, giving Greensburg its nickname, "Tree City".

There have been one or more trees growing continually since the first tree was noticed in the early 1870s. Later, other small trees appeared on the clock tower.

County officials were initially concerned that the trees would cause damage to the roof, and a steeplejack was hired in the 1880s to remove some of them. Two trees were left, with one ultimately growing to a height of nearly 15 feet (4.6 m). By the time it died, another tree had appeared.

Today, there are two trees on the tower. During a recent tree trimming a piece of the tree was examined by several Purdue University foresters and they positively identified the tree as a mulberry tree.[14]

Geography

According to the 2010 census, Greensburg has a total area of 9.315 square miles (24.13 km2), of which 9.27 square miles (24.01 km2) (or 99.52%) is land and 0.045 square miles (0.12 km2) (or 0.48%) is water.[15]

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.%±
18501,202—
18601,2836.7%
18803,198—
18903,59612.4%
19005,03440.0%
19105,4207.7%
19205,345−1.4%
19305,7026.7%
19406,0656.4%
19506,6199.1%
19607,49213.2%
19708,62015.1%
19809,2547.4%
19909,2860.3%
200010,26010.5%
201011,49212.0%
Est. 201811,916[3]3.7%
Source: US Census Bureau

2010 census

As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 11,492 people, 4,661 households, and 2,927 families living in the city. The population density was 1,239.7 inhabitants per square mile (478.7/km2). There were 5,185 housing units at an average density of 559.3 per square mile (215.9/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 96.1% White, 0.4% African American, 0.2% Native American, 1.3% Asian, 0.9% from other races, and 0.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.4% of the population.

There were 4,661 households of which 32.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.2% were married couples living together, 13.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.8% had a male householder with no wife present, and 37.2% were non-families. 31.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 2.98.

The median age in the city was 37 years. 25% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.6% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 26.4% were from 25 to 44; 24.5% were from 45 to 64; and 15.6% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.9% male and 52.1% female.

2000 census

As of the census[4] of 2000, there were 10,260 people, 4,178 households, and 2,778 families living in the city. The population density was 2,140.4 people per square mile (827.0/km²). There were 4,420 housing units at an average density of 922.1 per square mile (356.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 97.57% White, 0.08% African American, 0.16% Native American, 1.39% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.10% from other races, and 0.69% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.62% of the population.

Greensburg from the air, looking north.

There were 4,178 households, out of which 31.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.7% were married couples living together, 12.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.5% were non-families. 28.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39, and the average family size was 2.92.

In the city, the population was spread out with 24.6% under the age of 18, 10.0% from 18 to 24, 28.9% from 25 to 44, 20.8% from 45 to 64, and 15.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.9 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $38,029, and the median income for a family was $45,439. Males had a median income of $31,662 versus $24,605 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,829. About 8.0% of families and 11.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.2% of those under age 18 and 12.1% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

Honda Motor Company operates an automobile manufacturing plant (Honda Manufacturing of Indiana, LLC) along Interstate 74 in Greensburg.[16] The company purchased 1,700 acres (6.9 km2) at the northwest edge of Greensburg in 2006. It took about 16 months to develop the site and construct the massive auto assembly facility. Mass production of the Honda Civic (eighth generation) sedan commenced at this plant on October 9, 2008. A second shift was added in fall 2011.[17] Production capacity was increased by 25% to accommodate the start of production of the Civic hybrid in early 2013.[17] In 2018, Honda invested US$32.5 million to expand its plant with a new 19,200 square-foot building for new in-house subassembly of vehicles’ front end module, including radiator and cooling fan.[18][19][20]

As of 2019, Honda Manufacturing of Indiana employs over 2,500 associates[21] and produces the tenth-generation Honda Civic,[22] the fifth-generation Honda CR-V,[23] and the third-generation Honda Insight.[24] The Acura ILX was also assembled at Honda Manufacturing of Indiana from 2012 to 2015 until production was transferred to Honda's plant in Marysville, Ohio.[25] The Acura ILX hybrid became the first hybrid model built by Honda in North America.[17] Honda has been exporting Civic made in Indiana to Mexico, Latin America, the Caribbean, and the U.S. territories of Puerto Rico, Guam and Saipan since 2009.[26]

Healthcare

Decatur County Memorial Hospital has served the community since 1922. The facility offers a full range of both inpatient and outpatient services including 24/7 Emergency services. Hyperbaric Oxygen Chambers are available in the Center for Wound Healing at DCMH and the Hospital was one of the first in the state to acquire a 128-slice CT scanner. The Hospital Foundation of Decatur County has served to provide financial support for the facility and its programs. Major capital campaigns in 1995 and 2003 helped fund significant growth in the facility. A vertical expansion will add two floors to the 2003 addition including a new medical/surgical unit with all private rooms.

In addition to the main campus the Hospital owns the Medical Arts Plaza at 955 N. Michigan Ave., Greensburg. The 40,000 sq ft (3,700 m2) facility houses the Occupational Health program - "Workwell" and contains a lab, x-ray and the Tree City Medical Partners Physician's Practice as well as space for other physicians.

Transportation

Greensburg is located adjacent to Interstate 74 halfway between Indianapolis and Cincinnati. U.S. Highway 421 links Greensburg with Indianapolis to the north and Lexington, Kentucky, to the south. State Road 3 connects Greensburg with Muncie and Fort Wayne to the north and the Indiana suburbs of Louisville, Kentucky, to the south. State Road 46 links the community with Columbus, Bloomington, and Terre Haute to the west and Batesville to the east. Recently a construction project, which has made going east on Interstate 74 from the ramp west of town possible, has been completed.

Greensburg is a likely train stop on the proposed high-speed rail line between Indianapolis and Cincinnati. This line is part of the Midwest Regional Rail Initiative, which is the master plan for a high-speed rail network throughout the midwestern United States.

The Greensburg-Decatur County Airport consists of a single runway measuring 3,343 ft (1,019 m). by 40 ft (12 m). There are tentative plans to either expand the current runway or build a new airport elsewhere in Decatur County.

Indianapolis International Airport is located 59 miles (95 km) from Greensburg, and Cincinnati Northern Kentucky International Airport is located 66 miles (106 km) away.

Media

Greensburg has one newspaper, the Greensburg Daily News, which is published Mondays through Saturdays. The paper is owned by Community Newspaper Holdings, Inc.

Greensburg is also home to 1330 AM 104.3 FM WTRE, a locally owned and operated 500-watt AM/FM radio station that plays country music, local news, and local sports from area high schools.

Notable people
  • Thomas Hendricks (1773–1835), veteran of War of 1812, founded Greensburg in 1821, which was named by his wife in 1822; served in Indiana House of Representatives and Indiana State Senate, was uncle of future U.S. Vice President Thomas Andrews Hendricks; buried in South Park Cemetery.
  • James Bradford Foley (1807–1886), moved to Greensburg in 1834, elected to Thirty-fifth Congress; interred in South Park Cemetery.
  • Gilbert Van Camp (1814–1900), businessman who founded Van Camp canning company; from 1845-60 worked as tinsmith around Greensburg, before moving to Indianapolis and founding company that became G. C. Van Camp & Son.
  • William Cumback (1829-1905), attorney, Civil War Army paymaster, U.S. Representative and 16th Lieutenant Governor of Indiana; lived in Greensburg for 52 years, buried at South Park Cemetery.
  • John T. Wilder (1830-1917), industrialist and Civil War Union General, known for commanding Lightning Brigade and for success at Battle of Chickamauga. As a young man, moved to Greensburg, where he married, raised a large family, and established a foundry.
  • Ezekiel J. Ingersoll (1838–1925), Illinois state representative and businessman was born in Greensburg.
  • John Goodnow (1858-1907), United States Consul General in Shanghai from 1897 to 1905 was born in Greensburg
  • Aldred Scott Warthin (1866-1931), pathologist, "father of cancer genetics"; born in Greensburg, buried in South Park Cemetery.
  • Carl G. Fisher (1874-1939), entrepreneur involved with starting Indianapolis Motor Speedway and developing Miami Beach; born in Greensburg and spent much of his childhood here.
  • Roy Henry Thorpe (1874-1951), Greensburg High School graduate, elected to 67th United States Congress in 1922 while living in Nebraska.
  • Oliver Kessing (1890-1963) was the third and last commissioner of the All-America Football Conference; born in Greensburg, attended Naval Academy, where he played football and baseball; reaching rank of Rear Admiral, served in World War I and World War II.
  • Rose McConnell Long (1892-1970), born in Greensburg, was a United States Senator and the wife of Huey Long. She was the third[27] woman to ever serve in the U.S. Senate.
  • Wilbur Shaw (1902-1954), three-time Indianapolis 500 winner, was president of Indianapolis Motor Speedway; lived in Greensburg during his teen years.
  • Alex Meyer (born in 1990), Former Major League Baseball player for Los Angeles Angels, born in Greensburg.
  • Bryant McIntosh (born November 20, 1994) is an American college basketball player for Northwestern Wildcats men's basketball where he has completed his senior season for the 2017–18 team. He holds the Northwestern career and single-season assist records, and is currently the Assistant Director of Operations for the Northwestern University Men's Basketball program. McIntosh led Greensburg to 2013 and 2014 IHSAA 3A state championship wins.

Climate

Climate is characterized by relatively high temperatures and evenly distributed precipitation throughout the year. Temperatures are high and can lead to warm, oppressive nights. Summers are usually somewhat wetter than winters, with much of the rainfall coming from convectional thunderstorm activity. The Köppen Climate Classification subtype for this climate is "Cfa" (Humid Subtropical Climate).[28]

Climate data for Greensburg, Indiana
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average high °F (°C) 37
(3)		 40
(4)		 51
(11)		 63
(17)		 73
(23)		 82
(28)		 86
(30)		 85
(29)		 79
(26)		 67
(19)		 52
(11)		 40
(4)		 63
(17)
Average low °F (°C) 20
(−7)		 22
(−6)		 32
(0)		 42
(6)		 52
(11)		 60
(16)		 64
(18)		 62
(17)		 55
(13)		 44
(7)		 34
(1)		 24
(−4)		 43
(6)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 3.1
(79)		 2.5
(64)		 3.9
(99)		 3.9
(99)		 4.4
(110)		 4.2
(110)		 4.0
(100)		 3.4
(86)		 3.1
(79)		 2.9
(74)		 3.2
(81)		 3.1
(79)		 41.8
(1,060)
Average precipitation days 10 8 10 12 12 10 9 8 8 8 9 10 114
Source: Weatherbase[29]

References
  1. "2016 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved Jul 28, 2017.
  2. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2012-12-11.
  3. "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". Retrieved August 8, 2019.
  4. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  5. "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  6. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on 2015-05-09. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  7. Harding, Lewis Albert (1915). History of Decatur County, Indiana: Its People, Industries and Institutions. B.F. Bowen. pp. 156.
  8. Baker, Ronald L. (October 1995). From Needmore to Prosperity: Hoosier Place Names in Folklore and History. Indiana University Press. p. 151. ISBN 978-0-253-32866-3. ...his wife with naming it for Greensburg, Pennsylvania...
  9. "Decatur County". Jim Forte Postal History. Retrieved 31 August 2014.
  10. Peter M. Bergman and Mort N. Bergman, The Chronological History of the Negro in America (NY: Mentor, 1969): 347.
  11. Fort Wayne Daily News. Fort Wayne, IN: 1 May 1907: 3.
  12. James Loewen. Sundown Towns: A Hidden Dimension of American Racism, New York: New Press, 2005.
  13. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  14. "Greensburg's Famous Tower Tree". in.gov. Retrieved 3 June 2015.
  15. "G001 - Geographic Identifiers - 2010 Census Summary File 1". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on 2020-02-13. Retrieved 2015-07-28.
  16. Administrator. "The facts and figures of what we do". honda.com. Archived from the original on 11 May 2015. Retrieved 3 June 2015.
  17. "Honda to build Civic Hybrid in Indiana, will boost plant capacity by 25%". Automotive News. 18 July 2012. Retrieved 27 September 2019.
  18. Perleberg, Mike (15 May 2018). "Honda Will Begin Manufacturing New Insight Hybrid In Greensburg". Eagle Country 99.3. Retrieved 27 September 2019.
  19. Eaton, Dan (15 May 2018). "Honda investing in Ohio as Insight production ramps up". Columbus Business First. www.bizjournals.com. Retrieved 27 September 2019.
  20. "Honda Launches All-New 2019 Insight Sedan into Production in Indiana (14 May 2018)". indiana.honda.com. Retrieved 27 September 2019.
  21. "Honda Reaches 2 Million Production Milestone in Indiana (31 May 2019)". indiana.honda.com. Retrieved 27 September 2019.
  22. "Honda Manufacturing of Indiana Begins Production of All-New 10th-Generation 2016 Honda Civic Sedan". American Honda. Retrieved 12 December 2015.
  23. "Honda Begins First Production of SUVs in Indiana with 2017 CR-V". American Honda. Retrieved 26 May 2017.
  24. http://hondanews.com/releases/honda-launches-all-new-2019-insight-sedan-into-production-in-indiana
  25. "Honda Worldwide - January 27, 2015 "New 2016 Acura ILX Begins Production as Brand Marks 20th Anniversary Of Manufacturing in America"". honda.com. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 3 June 2015.
  26. "Honda's Indiana Plant Begins Production of 2010 Civic Sedans for Export". indiana.honda.com. Retrieved 27 September 2019.
  27. Fairfield, Hannah; McLEAN, ALAN; Willis, Derek. "Women in the Senate". Retrieved 2016-09-21.
  28. Climate Summaryfor Greensburg, Indiana
  29. "Weatherbase.com". Weatherbase. 2013. Retrieved on June 21, 2013.
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