Centerville, Indiana
Encyclopedia
Centerville is a town in Center Township
, Wayne County
, Indiana
, United States
. The population was 2,552 at the 2010 census.
runs east and west through town along Main Street.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the town has a total area of 1 square miles (2.6 km²), all of it land.
of 2000, there were 2,427 people, 944 households, and 676 families residing in the town. The population density
was 2,421.5 people per square mile (937.1/km²). There were 1,001 housing units at an average density of 998.7 per square mile (386.5/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.48% White, 0.21% African American, 0.04% Native American, 0.29% Asian, 0.74% from other races
, and 0.25% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.07% of the population.
There were 944 households out of which 36.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.8% were married couples
living together, 15.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.3% were non-families. 26.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.1% 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 2.95.
In the town the population was spread out with 27.3% under the age of 18, 7.5% from 18 to 24, 28.8% from 25 to 44, 18.9% from 45 to 64, and 17.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 84.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 77.7 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $32,219, and the median income for a family was $37,566. Males had a median income of $31,875 versus $22,450 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $15,526. About 5.3% of families and 6.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.7% of those under age 18 and 3.5% of those age 65 or over.
. A little-known county seat war
was fought in Wayne County, Indiana
in 1873 between Centerville and Richmond
. The county seat was originally located in Centerville (Center Township). By 1870, Richmond (Wayne Township) had surpassed Centerville in business, population, and tax revenue. These factors led the population of Wayne Township to demand the county seat be moved to Richmond. The dispute was played out in the newspapers, courts, and petitions with Richmond the eventual winner.
A new courthouse was erected in Richmond and preparations were made to move records from Centerville to Richmond. Centerville stopped Richmond’s officials’ efforts to move the records twice. Once with locked gates with guards and the second by firing on their own courthouse with a three-pound cannon
nicknamed “Black Betty.” The cannon was used when Richmond guards were brought in to protect the records. The cannon had been loaded with iron scraps. A crowd demanded the guard come out of the Centerville courthouse. When they refused, the cannon was fired, the door blown off its hinges, and the guards were forced to beat a hasty retreat.
Soldiers were brought in the next day to move the records to Richmond. Centerville’s tenure as county seat had come to an end.
The holes from the cannon shot are still visible over the door of the old courthouse, now the Center Township Library.
In 1828, the National Road, Main Street, was surveyed and later became the first improved section of the trail in 1850 by a Special Act of the U.S. Congress.
Centerville's cobblestone
street
was a major stop along the trail to the West. During the height of the Gold Rush
, 49,000 wagons would travel along the street each year.
Centerville is known as the “City of Arches” due to the five main arches
it has located on the Old National Road. The road used to be 100 feet wide, but was shortened to 65 feet due to the people of Centerville adding on to the front of the businesses and houses. The arches were used as a way to get behind the buildings and into the backyards of the houses. The five arches that are located in Centerville are the Backenstoes Archway, Dill Archway, Shortridge Archway, Lantz Archway, and Malone Archway. They were all built between 1823 and 1836. They are all located on National Road
in Centerville. In August, Centerville has Archway Days, which is held in celebration and honor of the historical archways. They have food, games, and prizes, which attracts people from all over the state.
Center Township, Wayne County, Indiana
Center Township is one of fifteen townships in Wayne County, Indiana, USA. As of the 2000 census, its population was 7,331.-Geography:Center Township covers an area of ; of this, or 0.16 percent is water...
, Wayne County
Wayne County, Indiana
Wayne County is a county located in the U.S. state of Indiana. As of the 2010 census, the population was 68,917. The county seat is Richmond.-History:...
, Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 2,552 at the 2010 census.
Geography
Centerville is located at 39°48′58"N 84°59′44"W (39.816141, -84.995420), at an altitude of 1,014 feet (309 m). U.S. Route 40U.S. Route 40
U.S. Route 40 is an east–west United States highway. As with most routes whose numbers end in a zero, U.S. 40 once traversed the entire United States. It is one of the original 1920s U.S. Highways, and its first termini were San Francisco, California, and Atlantic City, New Jersey...
runs east and west through town along Main Street.
According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the town has a total area of 1 square miles (2.6 km²), all of it land.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 2,427 people, 944 households, and 676 families residing in the town. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 2,421.5 people per square mile (937.1/km²). There were 1,001 housing units at an average density of 998.7 per square mile (386.5/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.48% White, 0.21% African American, 0.04% Native American, 0.29% Asian, 0.74% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.25% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.07% of the population.
There were 944 households out of which 36.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.8% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 15.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.3% were non-families. 26.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.1% 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 2.95.
In the town the population was spread out with 27.3% under the age of 18, 7.5% from 18 to 24, 28.8% from 25 to 44, 18.9% from 45 to 64, and 17.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 84.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 77.7 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $32,219, and the median income for a family was $37,566. Males had a median income of $31,875 versus $22,450 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the town was $15,526. About 5.3% of families and 6.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.7% of those under age 18 and 3.5% of those age 65 or over.
History
Centerville was platted in 1814 on land that once belonged to the Miami Indians and was settled by Quakers from Carolina and VirginiaVirginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
. A little-known county seat war
County seat war
A county seat war is a phenomenon that occurred in the American West as it was being settled, although incidences elsewhere, such as in West Virginia, have been also been recorded. As new towns sprang up and county lines were drawn, there was intense competition for the status and tax benefits...
was fought in Wayne County, Indiana
Wayne County, Indiana
Wayne County is a county located in the U.S. state of Indiana. As of the 2010 census, the population was 68,917. The county seat is Richmond.-History:...
in 1873 between Centerville and Richmond
Richmond, Indiana
Richmond is a city largely within Wayne Township, Wayne County, in east central Indiana, United States, which borders Ohio. The city also includes the Richmond Municipal Airport, which is in Boston Township and separated from the rest of the city...
. The county seat was originally located in Centerville (Center Township). By 1870, Richmond (Wayne Township) had surpassed Centerville in business, population, and tax revenue. These factors led the population of Wayne Township to demand the county seat be moved to Richmond. The dispute was played out in the newspapers, courts, and petitions with Richmond the eventual winner.
A new courthouse was erected in Richmond and preparations were made to move records from Centerville to Richmond. Centerville stopped Richmond’s officials’ efforts to move the records twice. Once with locked gates with guards and the second by firing on their own courthouse with a three-pound cannon
Cannon
A cannon is any piece of artillery that uses gunpowder or other usually explosive-based propellents to launch a projectile. Cannon vary in caliber, range, mobility, rate of fire, angle of fire, and firepower; different forms of cannon combine and balance these attributes in varying degrees,...
nicknamed “Black Betty.” The cannon was used when Richmond guards were brought in to protect the records. The cannon had been loaded with iron scraps. A crowd demanded the guard come out of the Centerville courthouse. When they refused, the cannon was fired, the door blown off its hinges, and the guards were forced to beat a hasty retreat.
Soldiers were brought in the next day to move the records to Richmond. Centerville’s tenure as county seat had come to an end.
The holes from the cannon shot are still visible over the door of the old courthouse, now the Center Township Library.
In 1828, the National Road, Main Street, was surveyed and later became the first improved section of the trail in 1850 by a Special Act of the U.S. Congress.
Centerville's cobblestone
Cobblestone
Cobblestones are stones that were frequently used in the pavement of early streets. "Cobblestone" is derived from the very old English word "cob", which had a wide range of meanings, one of which was "rounded lump" with overtones of large size...
street
Street
A street is a paved public thoroughfare in a built environment. It is a public parcel of land adjoining buildings in an urban context, on which people may freely assemble, interact, and move about. A street can be as simple as a level patch of dirt, but is more often paved with a hard, durable...
was a major stop along the trail to the West. During the height of the Gold Rush
Gold rush
A gold rush is a period of feverish migration of workers to an area that has had a dramatic discovery of gold. Major gold rushes took place in the 19th century in Australia, Brazil, Canada, South Africa, and the United States, while smaller gold rushes took place elsewhere.In the 19th and early...
, 49,000 wagons would travel along the street each year.
Centerville is known as the “City of Arches” due to the five main arches
Arches
-Places:* Arches National Park in the U.S. state of Utah* Arches, Cantal, a commune of the Cantal département, in France* Arches, Vosges, a commune of the Vosges département, in France-Other:* Arches of the foot...
it has located on the Old National Road. The road used to be 100 feet wide, but was shortened to 65 feet due to the people of Centerville adding on to the front of the businesses and houses. The arches were used as a way to get behind the buildings and into the backyards of the houses. The five arches that are located in Centerville are the Backenstoes Archway, Dill Archway, Shortridge Archway, Lantz Archway, and Malone Archway. They were all built between 1823 and 1836. They are all located on National Road
National Road
The National Road or Cumberland Road was the first major improved highway in the United States to be built by the federal government. Construction began heading west in 1811 at Cumberland, Maryland, on the Potomac River. It crossed the Allegheny Mountains and southwestern Pennsylvania, reaching...
in Centerville. In August, Centerville has Archway Days, which is held in celebration and honor of the historical archways. They have food, games, and prizes, which attracts people from all over the state.
Notable natives
- John A. BurbankJohn A. BurbankJohn Albyne Burbank was an American businessman and the fourth Governor of Dakota Territory.Burbank was born at Centerville, Wayne County, Indiana. After finishing school, he entered into the merchandising business with his father. In 1853, Burbank laid out the site of Falls City, Nebraska, and...
, Governor of Dakota Territory - Barry JonesBarry Jones (baseball)Barry Louis Jones is a retired Major League Baseball pitcher. He played during eight seasons at the major league level for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Chicago White Sox, Montreal Expos, Philadelphia Phillies, and New York Mets. He was drafted by the Pirates in the 3rd round of the 1984 amateur draft...
, pitcherPitcherIn baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
in Major League BaseballMajor League BaseballMajor League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League... - George Washington JulianGeorge Washington JulianGeorge Washington Julian was a nineteenth century politician, lawyer and writer who served in Congress from Indiana. He was the son-in-law of Joshua Reed Giddings.-Biography:...
, stateIndiana House of RepresentativesThe Indiana House of Representatives is the lower house of the Indiana General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Indiana. The House is composed of 100 members representing an equal number of constituent districts. House members serve two-year terms without term limits...
and U.S.United States House of RepresentativesThe United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
Representative - Joseph Henry KibbeyJoseph Henry KibbeyJoseph Henry Kibbey was an American politician, who most notably served as Governor of Arizona Territory from 1905 to 1909.-Early life:...
, Governor of the Arizona Territory - Oliver Hazard Perry MortonOliver Hazard Perry MortonOliver Hazard Perry Throck Morton , commonly known as Oliver P. Morton, was a U.S. Republican Party politician from Indiana. He served as the 14th Governor of Indiana during the American Civil War, and was a stalwart ally of President Abraham Lincoln. During the war, Morton suppressed the...
, Governor of IndianaGovernor of IndianaThe Governor of Indiana is the chief executive of the state of Indiana. The governor is elected to a four-year term, and responsible for overseeing the day-to-day management of the functions of many agencies of the Indiana state government. The governor also shares power with other statewide...
and U.S. SenatorUnited States SenateThe United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
from Indiana