Crawfordsville, Indiana
Encyclopedia
Crawfordsville is a city in Union Township
, Montgomery County
, Indiana
, United States
. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 15,915. The city is the county seat
of Montgomery County. It is home to Wabash College
, ranked #12 in the United States
for undergraduate studies.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 8.4 square miles (21.8 km²), all of it land.
Crawfordsville is located in west central Indiana, about an hour west-northwest of Indianapolis
, the state's capital and largest city. While the Crawfordsville Micropolitan Area is not yet formally a part of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Area, it is considered a part of the wider Indianapolis Consolidated Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Indianapolis marketing area.
had built a cabin on a little creek, later to be known as Offield Creek, four miles southwest of the future site of Crawfordsville.
Major Whitlock laid out the town in March 1823. Crawfordsville was named in honor of Colonel William H. Crawford
, who was the cabinet officer who had issued Whitlock's commission as Receiver of Public Lands.
According to a diary of Sanford C. Cox, one of the first schoolmasters in the area, in 1824: "Crawfordsville is the only town between Terre Haute and Fort Wayne... Maj. Ristine keeps tavern in a two-story log house and Johnathan Powers has a little grocery. There are two stores, Smith's near the land office, and Issac C. Elston's, near the tavern... David Vance [is the] sheriff.
It was successfully incorporated as a town in 1834, following a failed attempt three years earlier.
In November 1832, Wabash College
was founded in Crawfordsville as "The Wabash Teachers Seminary and Manual Labor College".
Today, it is one of only three remaining all-male liberal arts colleges in the country, and has a student body of around 900.
On December 18, 1833, the Crawfordsville Record carried a paid announcement of the opening of Crawfordsville High School.
Crawfordsville grew in size and amenities, adding such necessities as a bank and fire department. It gained status as a city in 1865, when Indiana granted its charters.
In 1880, prominent local citizen Lew Wallace
produced Crawfordsville's most famous literary work, Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ, a historical novel dealing with the beginnings of the Christianity in the Mediterranean world.
Perhaps more crucial for Indiana's basketball-oriented culture, both the first official basketball game in the state (Crawfordsville versus Lafayette, March 16, 1894) and the first official intercollegiate basketball game (Wabash versus Purdue, also in 1894) occurred at the city's YMCA.
In 1882, one of the first Rotary Jail
s in the country opened. It served from 1882 until 1972. The jail is now a museum and listed on the National Register of Historic Places
.
. The Carnegie Library is being converted into a local museum and the public library has since moved across the street. In 1911, Crawfordsville High School (motto: Enter to Learn, Go Forth to Serve) was founded, and promptly won the state's first high school basketball title. Crawfordsville's major employer for much of the century, commercial printer RR Donnelley, began operations in Crawfordsville in 1922.
Recent history has held few nationally noteworthy events for the city, but much internal change. Nucor
Steel, Alcoa
CSI, Raybestos
Products Company, Pace Dairy Foods, and Random House
have all created factories in or near Crawfordsville which provided employment to much of the population. Manpower has taken over as the primary employer in the city and has allowed most of the local companies to reduce employees. In 2008, Raybestos laid off the majority of its workforce with less than 100 employees left. Wabash College
won the Division III NCAA basketball title in 1982. The college plays an annual football game against Depauw University
for the Monon Bell
, one of the oldest rivalries in all college sports. In 1998, the state began a proposed project to widen U.S. Route 231
, in an attempt to ease intrastate travel flow.
One person, Leslie Eric Largent, died in the fire. The fire was covered by the press statewide. Two buildings, built circa 1882, were completely destroyed: one that housed the Silver Dollar Bar (formerly Tommy Kummings' Silver Dollar Tavern); the other contained the New York Shoe Repair and Bargain Center at the corner of Pike and Washington streets. Above the shoe store were several apartments where residents were sleeping.
On May 22, the fire was ruled to have been an act of arson.
was seen here in the late 19th century that became known as the Crawfordsville monster
. It was described to be made of a cloud with red glowing eyes. It is now believed to have been a flock of birds huddled together in confusion due to the town's newly installed electric street lights. The story was featured in The History Channel
's television series Monster Quest
, in an episode featuring unidentified flying creatures.
, there were 15,243 people, 6,117 households, and 3,664 families residing in the city. The population density
was 1,819.4 people per square mile (702.3/km²). There were 6,623 housing units at an average density of 790.5 per square mile (305.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 94.02% White, 1.61% African American, 0.31% Native American, 0.70% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 2.39% from other races
, and 0.91% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.25% of the population.
There were 6,117 households out of which 29.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.0% were married couples living together, 11.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.1% were non-families. 33.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.30 and the average family size was 2.94.
In the city, the population was spread out with 23.3% under the age of 18, 13.4% from 18 to 24, 27.3% from 25 to 44, 19.6% from 45 to 64, and 16.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 98.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.1 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $34,571, and the median income for a family was $43,211. Males had a median income of $32,834 versus $22,093 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $16,945. About 10.0% of families and 12.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.9% of those under age 18 and 7.0% of those age 65 or over.
provides service to Crawfordsville.
Amtrak Train 51, the westbound Cardinal, is scheduled to depart Crawfordsville at 7:28 am on Monday, Thursday, and Saturday; Amtrak Train 851, the westbound Hoosier State
, is scheduled to depart Crawfordsville at 7:28 am on Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday. Both trains go to Lafayette
, Rensselaer
, Dyer
and Chicago Union Station
to connect with other trains.
Amtrak Train 50, the eastbound Cardinal, is scheduled to depart Dyer at 10:30 pm on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday with service to Indianapolis
, Connersville
, Cincinnati
, Maysville
, South Portsmouth
, Ashland
, Huntington
, Charleston
, Montgomery
, Thurmond
, Prince
, Hinton
, Alderson
, White Sulphur Springs
, Clifton Forge
, Staunton
, Charlottesville
, Culpeper
, Manassas
, Alexandria
, and Washington, DC and continuing on to New York City.
Amtrak Train 850, the eastbound Hoosier State, is scheduled to depart Dyer at 10:30 pm on Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday with service to Indianapolis.
Until 1967, passenger service was provided by the Monon Railroad
, providing service to Chicago, Lafayette, Greencastle and Bloomington, Indiana.
The Monon railroad was merged into the Louisville and Nashville Railroad in 1971.
Union Township, Montgomery County, Indiana
Union Township is one of eleven townships in Montgomery County, Indiana, USA. As of the 2000 census, its population was 23,837. Wabash College is located in Crawfordsville in this township.-Geography:...
, Montgomery County
Montgomery County, Indiana
Montgomery County is a county located in the U.S. state of Indiana. As of 2010, the population was 38,124. The county seat is Crawfordsville-Early history and settlement:...
, 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...
. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 15,915. The city is the county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Montgomery County. It is home to Wabash College
Wabash College
Wabash College is a small, private, liberal arts college for men, located in Crawfordsville, Indiana. Along with Hampden-Sydney College and Morehouse College, Wabash is one of only three remaining traditional all-men's liberal arts colleges in the United States.-History:Wabash College was founded...
, ranked #12 in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
for undergraduate studies.
Geography
Crawfordsville is located at 40°2′20"N 86°53′48"W (40.038831, -86.896755).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 city has a total area of 8.4 square miles (21.8 km²), all of it land.
Crawfordsville is located in west central Indiana, about an hour west-northwest of Indianapolis
Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
, the state's capital and largest city. While the Crawfordsville Micropolitan Area is not yet formally a part of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Area, it is considered a part of the wider Indianapolis Consolidated Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Indianapolis marketing area.
Beginnings
In 1813, Williamson Dunn, Henry Ristine, and Major Ambrose Whitlock noted that the site of present-day Crawfordsville was ideal for settlement, surrounded by deciduous forest and potentially arable land, with water provided by a nearby creek, later named Sugar Creek. They returned a decade later to find at least one cabin built. In 1821, William and Jennie OffieldWilliam Offield
In 1821, William Offield built a cabin on a creek, , four miles southwest of the future site of Crawfordsville, Indiana in an area now known as Balhinch...
had built a cabin on a little creek, later to be known as Offield Creek, four miles southwest of the future site of Crawfordsville.
Major Whitlock laid out the town in March 1823. Crawfordsville was named in honor of Colonel William H. Crawford
William H. Crawford
William Harris Crawford was an American politician and judge during the early 19th century. He served as United States Secretary of War from 1815 to 1816 and United States Secretary of the Treasury from 1816 to 1825, and was a candidate for President of the United States in 1824.-Political...
, who was the cabinet officer who had issued Whitlock's commission as Receiver of Public Lands.
According to a diary of Sanford C. Cox, one of the first schoolmasters in the area, in 1824: "Crawfordsville is the only town between Terre Haute and Fort Wayne... Maj. Ristine keeps tavern in a two-story log house and Johnathan Powers has a little grocery. There are two stores, Smith's near the land office, and Issac C. Elston's, near the tavern... David Vance [is the] sheriff.
It was successfully incorporated as a town in 1834, following a failed attempt three years earlier.
In November 1832, Wabash College
Wabash College
Wabash College is a small, private, liberal arts college for men, located in Crawfordsville, Indiana. Along with Hampden-Sydney College and Morehouse College, Wabash is one of only three remaining traditional all-men's liberal arts colleges in the United States.-History:Wabash College was founded...
was founded in Crawfordsville as "The Wabash Teachers Seminary and Manual Labor College".
Today, it is one of only three remaining all-male liberal arts colleges in the country, and has a student body of around 900.
On December 18, 1833, the Crawfordsville Record carried a paid announcement of the opening of Crawfordsville High School.
Crawfordsville grew in size and amenities, adding such necessities as a bank and fire department. It gained status as a city in 1865, when Indiana granted its charters.
Late 19th century
In 1862, Joseph F. Tuttle, after whom Tuttle Grade School was named in 1906 and Tuttle Junior High School (now Tuttle Middle School) was named in 1960, became President of Wabash College and served for 30 years. "He was an eloquent preacher, a sound administrator and an astute handler of public relations." Joseph Tuttle, together with his administrators, worked to improve relations in Crawfordsville between "Town and Gown".In 1880, prominent local citizen Lew Wallace
Lew Wallace
Lewis "Lew" Wallace was an American lawyer, Union general in the American Civil War, territorial governor and statesman, politician and author...
produced Crawfordsville's most famous literary work, Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ, a historical novel dealing with the beginnings of the Christianity in the Mediterranean world.
Perhaps more crucial for Indiana's basketball-oriented culture, both the first official basketball game in the state (Crawfordsville versus Lafayette, March 16, 1894) and the first official intercollegiate basketball game (Wabash versus Purdue, also in 1894) occurred at the city's YMCA.
In 1882, one of the first Rotary Jail
Rotary Jail
A Rotary jail was an architectural design for some prisons in the US Midwest during the late 19th century. Cells in the jails were arranged so that they rotated in a carousel fashion; allowing only one cell at a time to be accessible from the single opening per level.-Design and patent:The rotary...
s in the country opened. It served from 1882 until 1972. The jail is now a museum and listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
.
1900-2010
The beginning of the 20th century marked important steps for Crawfordsville, as Culver Union Hospital and the Carnegie Library were built in 1902. Culver operated as a not-for-profit, municipally-owned facility for 80 years, was then sold to for-profit American Medical International, and in 1984 was relocated from its original location near downtown to a new campus north of the city. The hospital's ownership was transferred to Sisters of St. Francis Health Services, Inc. in 2000, and it was renamed St. Clare Medical CenterSt. Clare Medical Center
St. Clare Medical Center, located in Crawfordsville, Indiana, is a member of the Franciscan Alliance, Inc. hospital system. St. Clare was formerly known as Culver Union Hospital before joining what was at that time called the Sisters of St. Francis Network in 2000.St...
. The Carnegie Library is being converted into a local museum and the public library has since moved across the street. In 1911, Crawfordsville High School (motto: Enter to Learn, Go Forth to Serve) was founded, and promptly won the state's first high school basketball title. Crawfordsville's major employer for much of the century, commercial printer RR Donnelley, began operations in Crawfordsville in 1922.
Recent history has held few nationally noteworthy events for the city, but much internal change. Nucor
Nucor
Nucor Corporation , a Fortune 300 company headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, is one of the largest steel producers in the United States, and the largest of the "mini-mill" operators...
Steel, Alcoa
Alcoa
Alcoa Inc. is the world's third largest producer of aluminum, behind Rio Tinto Alcan and Rusal. From its operational headquarters in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Alcoa conducts operations in 31 countries...
CSI, Raybestos
Raybestos
Raybestos is a brand of automotive brakes begun in 1902 by Arthur H. Raymond and Arthur F. Law of Bridgeport, Connecticut. In 1906 Raymond and Law invented the woven brake lining, an important innovation in automotive brakes. From 1919-1989 Raybestos brand was manufactured by Raymark Industries,...
Products Company, Pace Dairy Foods, and Random House
Random House
Random House, Inc. is the largest general-interest trade book publisher in the world. It has been owned since 1998 by the German private media corporation Bertelsmann and has become the umbrella brand for Bertelsmann book publishing. Random House also has a movie production arm, Random House Films,...
have all created factories in or near Crawfordsville which provided employment to much of the population. Manpower has taken over as the primary employer in the city and has allowed most of the local companies to reduce employees. In 2008, Raybestos laid off the majority of its workforce with less than 100 employees left. Wabash College
Wabash College
Wabash College is a small, private, liberal arts college for men, located in Crawfordsville, Indiana. Along with Hampden-Sydney College and Morehouse College, Wabash is one of only three remaining traditional all-men's liberal arts colleges in the United States.-History:Wabash College was founded...
won the Division III NCAA basketball title in 1982. The college plays an annual football game against Depauw University
DePauw University
DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana, USA, is a private, national liberal arts college with an enrollment of approximately 2,400 students. The school has a Methodist heritage and was originally known as Indiana Asbury University. DePauw is a member of both the Great Lakes Colleges Association...
for the Monon Bell
Monon Bell
The Monon Bell is the trophy awarded to the victor of the annual college football matchup between the DePauw University Tigers and the Wabash College Little Giants in the United States. The Bell is a 300-pound locomotive bell from the Monon Railroad...
, one of the oldest rivalries in all college sports. In 1998, the state began a proposed project to widen U.S. Route 231
U.S. Route 231
U.S. Route 231 is a parallel route of U.S. Route 31. It currently runs for 912 miles from St. John, Indiana, at U.S. Route 41 to south of U.S. Route 98 in Downtown Panama City, Florida.One of its most notable landmarks is the William H...
, in an attempt to ease intrastate travel flow.
Silver Dollar fire
On May 8, 2007, approximately a quarter-block of historic buildings in the 100 block of South Washington Street was burned in a major fire. A woman in one of the buildings reported the fire.One person, Leslie Eric Largent, died in the fire. The fire was covered by the press statewide. Two buildings, built circa 1882, were completely destroyed: one that housed the Silver Dollar Bar (formerly Tommy Kummings' Silver Dollar Tavern); the other contained the New York Shoe Repair and Bargain Center at the corner of Pike and Washington streets. Above the shoe store were several apartments where residents were sleeping.
On May 22, the fire was ruled to have been an act of arson.
Local Legend
A monsterMonster
A monster is any fictional creature, usually found in legends or horror fiction, that is somewhat hideous and may produce physical harm or mental fear by either its appearance or its actions...
was seen here in the late 19th century that became known as the Crawfordsville monster
Crawfordsville monster
The Crawfordsville monster refers to an alleged creature reported by residents of Crawfordsville, Indiana, in 1891 and subsequently identified as a flock of killdeer.-History:...
. It was described to be made of a cloud with red glowing eyes. It is now believed to have been a flock of birds huddled together in confusion due to the town's newly installed electric street lights. The story was featured in The History Channel
The History Channel
History, formerly known as The History Channel, is an American-based international satellite and cable TV channel that broadcasts a variety of reality shows and documentary programs including those of fictional and non-fictional historical content, together with speculation about the future.-...
's television series Monster Quest
Monster Quest
MonsterQuest is an American television series that originally aired from October 31, 2007 to March 24, 2010 on the History channel...
, in an episode featuring unidentified flying creatures.
Industry
Crawfordsville is the home of the world's first thin-slab casting minimill (steel manufacturing plant that recycles scrap steel using an electric arc-furnace). Nucor Steel broke ground on its first sheet steel mill and first galvanizing line at its $1 B Crawfordsville facility in 1987.Demographics
As of the 2000 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...
, there were 15,243 people, 6,117 households, and 3,664 families residing in the city. 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 1,819.4 people per square mile (702.3/km²). There were 6,623 housing units at an average density of 790.5 per square mile (305.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 94.02% White, 1.61% African American, 0.31% Native American, 0.70% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 2.39% 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 0.91% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.25% of the population.
There were 6,117 households out of which 29.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.0% were married couples living together, 11.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.1% were non-families. 33.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.30 and the average family size was 2.94.
In the city, the population was spread out with 23.3% under the age of 18, 13.4% from 18 to 24, 27.3% from 25 to 44, 19.6% from 45 to 64, and 16.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 98.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.1 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $34,571, and the median income for a family was $43,211. Males had a median income of $32,834 versus $22,093 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 city was $16,945. About 10.0% of families and 12.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.9% of those under age 18 and 7.0% of those age 65 or over.
Notable natives and residents
- Joseph P. Allen - mission specialist on the first fully operational flight of the Space Shuttle in 1982
- Steven BarnesSteven BarnesSteven Barnes is an African American science fiction writer, lecturer, creative consultant, and human performance technician....
- head swimming and diving coach for Wabash College (2009–present) - "Curly Bill" BrociusWilliam BrociusWilliam "Curly Bill" Brocius was a gunman, rustler and an outlaw Cowboy in the Cochise County area of Arizona Territory during the early 1880s. He had a number of conflicts with the lawmen of the Earp family, and he was named as one of the individuals who participated Morgan Earp's assassination....
- Old WestAmerican Old WestThe American Old West, or the Wild West, comprises the history, geography, people, lore, and cultural expression of life in the Western United States, most often referring to the latter half of the 19th century, between the American Civil War and the end of the century...
outlaw - evidence stating his birthplace as Crawfordsville is tenuous - Edward Richard Sprigg Canby - Union general in the American Civil WarAmerican Civil WarThe American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
- Henry Beebee Carrington - Union general during the Civil War
- Joseph Stephen CraneJoseph Stephen CraneJoseph Stephen Crane was an American actor and restaurateur. A Columbia Pictures actor in the early 1940s, Crane opened the Luau, a popular celebrity restaurant, in 1953 and established a successful 25-year career in the restaurant industry...
- famed restaurateur of the Luau and Kon Tiki restaurants; Columbia Pictures actor; husband to actresses Lana TurnerLana TurnerLana Turner was an American actress.Discovered and signed to a film contract by MGM at the age of sixteen, Turner first attracted attention in They Won't Forget . She played featured roles, often as the ingenue, in such films as Love Finds Andy Hardy...
(1942–44) and Martine CarolMartine Carol-Biography:Born Marie-Louise Jeanne Nicolle Mourer in Saint-Mandé, Val-de-Marne, , she studied acting under René Simon , making her stage debut in 1940 and her first motion picture in 1943. One of the most beautiful women in film, she was frequently cast as an elegant blonde seductress...
(1948–53) - SidneySidney De ParisSidney De Paris was an American jazz trumpeter.He was the son of Sidney G. and Fannie Paris and the brother of Wilbur de Paris....
& Wilbur de ParisWilbur de ParisWilbur de Paris was a trombone player and band leader, especially known for mixing New Orleans jazz style with Swing.De Paris was born in Crawfordsville, Indiana, where his father, Sidney G...
- brothers and famous Jazz musicians - Dick van DykeDick Van DykeRichard Wayne "Dick" Van Dyke is an American actor, comedian, writer, and producer with a career spanning six decades. He is the older brother of Jerry Van Dyke, and father of Barry Van Dyke...
- actor, starred in The Dick Van Dyke ShowThe Dick Van Dyke ShowThe Dick Van Dyke Show is an American television sitcom that initially aired on the Columbia Broadcasting System from October 3, 1961, until June 1, 1966. The show was created by Carl Reiner and starred Dick Van Dyke and Mary Tyler Moore. It was produced by Reiner with Bill Persky and Sam Denoff....
, Mary PoppinsMary Poppins (film)Mary Poppins is a 1964 musical film starring Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke, produced by Walt Disney, and based on the Mary Poppins books series by P. L. Travers with illustrations by Mary Shepard. The film was directed by Robert Stevenson and written by Bill Walsh and Don DaGradi, with songs by...
, and Chitty Chitty Bang BangChitty Chitty Bang Bang (film)Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is a 1968 musical film with a script by Roald Dahl and Ken Hughes, and songs by the Sherman Brothers, loosely based on Ian Fleming's novel Chitty Chitty Bang Bang: The Magical Car. It starred Dick Van Dyke as Caractacus Potts and Sally Ann Howes as Truly Scrumptious. The... - Bill HolmanBill Holman (cartoonist)Bill Holman was an American cartoonist who drew the classic comic strip Smokey Stover from 1935 until he retired in 1973. Distributed through the Chicago Tribune, it had the longest run of any strip in the screwball genre...
- creator of Smokey StoverSmokey StoverSmokey Stover is an American comic strip written and drawn by cartoonist Bill Holman, from 1935 until he retired in 1973. Distributed through the Chicago Tribune, it features the wacky misadventures of the titular fireman, and had the longest run of any comic strip in the "screwball comics"... - Kent KesslerKent KesslerKent Kessler is an American jazz double-bassist, best known for his work in the Chicago jazz and avant garde music scene.Kessler, born in Crawfordsville, IN, grew up on Cape Cod and began playing trombone at age ten. He and his family moved to Chicago when he was 13, and a few years later Kessler...
- avant garde jazz bassist - Eleanor LambertEleanor LambertEleanor Lambert Berkson -Background:Born in Crawfordsville Indiana. She attended the John Herron School of Art and the Chicago Art Institute to study Fashion. She started at an advertising agency in Manhattan New York, dealing mostly with artists and art galleries...
- head of NYC Fashion Institute, sister of Ward LambertWard LambertWard Louis "Piggy" Lambert was an American college men's basketball coach. He was born in Deadwood, South Dakota. In 1890, Lambert and his family moved to Crawfordsville, Indiana. He played basketball at Crawfordsville High School and Wabash College, both under coach Ralph Jones, who himself... - Janet LambertJanet LambertJanet Lambert was an actress and author of 54 books of young adult fiction for girls from 1941 to 1969. Lambert's works, best known as the Penny and Tippy Parrish series, focused on the lives and the coming of age choices of the wives and children, especially daughters, of U.S...
- author of numerous young adult fiction books - Ward LambertWard LambertWard Louis "Piggy" Lambert was an American college men's basketball coach. He was born in Deadwood, South Dakota. In 1890, Lambert and his family moved to Crawfordsville, Indiana. He played basketball at Crawfordsville High School and Wabash College, both under coach Ralph Jones, who himself...
- Purdue UniversityPurdue UniversityPurdue University, located in West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S., is the flagship university of the six-campus Purdue University system. Purdue was founded on May 6, 1869, as a land-grant university when the Indiana General Assembly, taking advantage of the Morrill Act, accepted a donation of land and...
's basketball coach from 1916–1917, 1918–1946, brother of Eleanor LambertEleanor LambertEleanor Lambert Berkson -Background:Born in Crawfordsville Indiana. She attended the John Herron School of Art and the Chicago Art Institute to study Fashion. She started at an advertising agency in Manhattan New York, dealing mostly with artists and art galleries... - Henry S. Lane - United States Senator, 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 pallbearer for Abraham LincolnAbraham LincolnAbraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and... - Stephen A. LoveStephen A. LoveStephen A. Love is a professional musician, singer, songwriter, producer, real estate broker, and CEO of the Vallartamex S.C. construction firm. He is also the owner of Blue Jeans Music BMI and lives in Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico.Stephen A...
- musician - James W. MarshallJames W. MarshallJames Wilson Marshall was an American carpenter and sawmill operator, whose discovery of gold in the American River in California on January 24, 1848 set the stage for the California Gold Rush. The mill property was owned by Johan Sutter who employed Marshall to build his mill...
- gold miner who set off the California Gold RushCalifornia Gold RushThe California Gold Rush began on January 24, 1848, when gold was found by James W. Marshall at Sutter's Mill in Coloma, California. The first to hear confirmed information of the gold rush were the people in Oregon, the Sandwich Islands , and Latin America, who were the first to start flocking to...
. - Pete MetzelaarsPete MetzelaarsPeter Henry Metzelaars is a former American football tight end who played for the Seattle Seahawks, Buffalo Bills, Carolina Panthers, and Detroit Lions in a sixteen-year career in the National Football League...
- professional football player and coach - James Atwell Mount - 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...
from 1897–1901 - Meredith NicholsonMeredith NicholsonMeredith Nicholson was a best-selling author from Indiana, United States, a politician, and a diplomat.-Biography:...
- best-selling author (The House of a Thousand Candles, A Hoosier Chronicle, etc.), politician, and diplomat - Ferdinand Louis Schlemmer - artist
- Will ShortzWill ShortzWill Shortz is an American puzzle creator and editor, and currently the crossword puzzle editor for The New York Times.-Early life and education:...
- The New York TimesThe New York TimesThe New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
puzzle writer - Maurine Dallas WatkinsMaurine Dallas WatkinsMaurine Dallas Watkins was an American journalist and playwright.She was born in Louisville, Kentucky, and attended Crawfordsville High School, followed by five colleges...
- author of Chicago; Hollywood screenwriter - William Wheeler ThorntonWilliam Wheeler ThorntonWilliam Wheeler Thornton was an Indiana lawyer, Attorney General, judge, and author. He was born in Logansport, Indiana, to John Allen and Elizabeth B. Thomas Thornton, members of respectable farming families...
- author, State Supreme Court librarian, Indiana Deputy Attorney General, Crawfordsville City Attorney - Randal TurnerRandal Turner- Early years and training :Randal Turner was born and raised on a farm near Crawfordsville, Indiana. After studying music and ballet at the Interlochen Arts Academy in Michigan, studied voice at Oberlin and at Indiana University...
- Professional opera singer; baritone - Lew WallaceLew WallaceLewis "Lew" Wallace was an American lawyer, Union general in the American Civil War, territorial governor and statesman, politician and author...
- Union general in the Civil War and author of Ben-Hur - Susan WallaceSusan WallaceSusan Arnold Elston Wallace was an American author and poet.-Biography:Susan Wallace was born in Crawfordsville, Indiana to wealthy and influential parents, Isaac Compton and Maria Eveline Elston on December 25, 1830. She was educated in Crawfordsville and Poughkeepsie, New York...
- author and poet; wife of Lew Wallace - WarriorWarrior (wrestler)Also see Warrior .Warrior is an American retired professional wrestler who notably performed under the ring names The Ultimate Warrior and Warrior...
- former professional wrestler, best known as The Ultimate Warrior - Rev. Dr. Benjamin Franklin West (1858–1933), famous missionary doctor in Singapore and Penang
- Howdy WilcoxHowdy WilcoxHoward Samuel Wilcox was an American racecar driver active in formative years of auto racing.Born in Crawfordsville, Indiana, Howdy Wilcox led the last 98 laps of the 1919 Indianapolis 500 after starting in the 2nd position. He died in a wreck in 1923 at the Altoona Speedway board track in Tyrone,...
- Indy 500 racing pioneer and winner of the 1919 Indy 500 - Henry Lane WilsonHenry Lane WilsonHenry Lane Wilson was an American diplomat.-Biography:He was born in Crawfordsville, Montgomery County, Indiana to Indiana congressman James Wilson and his wife, Emma Wilson; he was the younger brother of John L. Wilson, and had been named for Henry Smith Lane...
- second son of James Wilson, U.S. diplomat and Ambassador to MexicoMexicoThe United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of... - James Wilson - United States Representative from Indiana and United States Ambassador to VenezuelaVenezuelaVenezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
- John L. WilsonJohn L. WilsonJohn Lockwood Wilson was an American lawyer and politician from the U.S. states of Indiana and Washington. He served in the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate...
- elder son of James Wilson; United States Representative and Senator from Washington
Rail transportation
Currently, AmtrakAmtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
provides service to Crawfordsville.
Amtrak Train 51, the westbound Cardinal, is scheduled to depart Crawfordsville at 7:28 am on Monday, Thursday, and Saturday; Amtrak Train 851, the westbound Hoosier State
Hoosier State (passenger train)
The Hoosier State is a passenger train that provides service on a 196-mile route from Chicago to Indianapolis. It runs on the four days each week that the Cardinal does not run...
, is scheduled to depart Crawfordsville at 7:28 am on Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday. Both trains go to Lafayette
Lafayette, Indiana
Lafayette is a city in and the county seat of Tippecanoe County, Indiana, United States, northwest of Indianapolis. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 67,140. West Lafayette, on the other side of the Wabash River, is home to Purdue University, which has a large impact on...
, Rensselaer
Rensselaer, Indiana
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 5,294 people, 2,158 households, and 1,404 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,824.8 people per square mile . There were 2,296 housing units at an average density of 791.4 per square mile...
, Dyer
Dyer, Indiana
As of the census of 2010, there were 16,390 people residing in the town. The population density was 2,731.67 people per square mile . There were 6,125 housing units at an average density of 1,020.83 per square mile...
and Chicago Union Station
Union Station (Chicago)
Union Station is a major train station that opened in 1925 in Chicago, replacing an earlier 1881 station. It is now the only intercity rail terminal in Chicago, as well as being the city's primary terminal for commuter trains. The station stands on the west side of the Chicago River between Adams...
to connect with other trains.
Amtrak Train 50, the eastbound Cardinal, is scheduled to depart Dyer at 10:30 pm on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday with service to Indianapolis
Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
, Connersville
Connersville, Indiana
At the 2000 census, there were 15,411 people, 6,382 households and 4,135 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,894.5 per square mile . There were 6,974 housing units at an average density of 857.3 per square mile...
, Cincinnati
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
, Maysville
Maysville, Kentucky
Maysville is a city in and the county seat of Mason County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 8,993 at the 2000 census, making it the fiftieth largest city in Kentucky by population. Maysville is on the Ohio River, northeast of Lexington. It is the principal city of the Maysville...
, South Portsmouth
South Shore, Kentucky
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,226 people, 539 households, and 335 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,916.9 people per square mile . There were 605 housing units at an average density of 945.9 per square mile...
, Ashland
Ashland, Kentucky
Ashland, formerly known as Poage Settlement, is a city in Boyd County, Kentucky, United States, nestled along the banks of the Ohio River. The population was 21,981 at the 2000 census. Ashland is a part of the Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH, Metropolitan Statistical Area . As of the 2000 census, the...
, Huntington
Huntington, West Virginia
Huntington is a city in Cabell and Wayne counties in the U.S. state of West Virginia, along the Ohio River. Most of the city is in Cabell County, for which it is the county seat. A small portion of the city, mainly the neighborhood of Westmoreland, is in Wayne County. Its population was 49,138 at...
, Charleston
Charleston, West Virginia
Charleston is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of West Virginia. It is located at the confluence of the Elk and Kanawha Rivers in Kanawha County. As of the 2010 census, it has a population of 51,400, and its metropolitan area 304,214. It is the county seat of Kanawha County.Early...
, Montgomery
Montgomery, West Virginia
Montgomery is a city in West Virginia, along the Kanawha River. Most of the city is in Fayette County, with the remainder in Kanawha County. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 1,942 ....
, Thurmond
Thurmond, West Virginia
Thurmond was incorporated in 1900 and was most likely named for Captain W. D. Thurmond, who settled here in 1844. He served in the Confederate Army and died in 1910 at age 90. Thurmond post office was established in 1888 and discontinued in 1995...
, Prince
Prince, West Virginia
Prince is an unincorporated census-designated place in Fayette County, West Virginia, United States. As of the 2010 census, its population was 116. Located at an altitude of 1,263 feet , it is served by an Amtrak station.-External links:...
, Hinton
Hinton, West Virginia
Hinton is a city in Summers County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 2,880 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Summers County. Hinton was established in 1873 and chartered in 1897. Hinton was named for John "Jack" Hinton, a prominent lawyer of Summers County and husband of...
, Alderson
Alderson, West Virginia
Alderson, a town in the US State of West Virginia, is split geographically by the Greenbrier River, with portions in both Greenbrier and Monroe Counties. Although split physically by the river, the town functions as one entity, including that of town government...
, White Sulphur Springs
White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia
White Sulphur Springs is a city in Greenbrier County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 2,444 at the 2010 census.-Geography:White Sulphur Springs is located at ....
, Clifton Forge
Clifton Forge, Virginia
Clifton Forge is a town in Alleghany County, Virginia, United States which is part of the Roanoke Region. The population was 3,884 at the 2010 census. The Jackson River flows through the town, which as a result was once known as Jackson's River Station....
, Staunton
Staunton, Virginia
Staunton is an independent city within the confines of Augusta County in the commonwealth of Virginia. The population was 23,746 as of 2010. It is the county seat of Augusta County....
, Charlottesville
Charlottesville, Virginia
Charlottesville is an independent city geographically surrounded by but separate from Albemarle County in the Commonwealth of Virginia, United States, and named after Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, the queen consort of King George III of the United Kingdom.The official population estimate for...
, Culpeper
Culpeper, Virginia
Culpeper is an incorporated town in Culpeper County, Virginia, United States. The population was 9,664 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Culpeper County. Culpeper is part of the Culpeper Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Culpeper County. Both the Town of Culpeper and...
, Manassas
Manassas, Virginia
The City of Manassas is an independent city surrounded by Prince William County and the independent city of Manassas Park in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. Its population was 37,821 as of 2010. Manassas also surrounds the county seat for Prince William County but that county...
, Alexandria
Alexandria, Virginia
Alexandria is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2009, the city had a total population of 139,966. Located along the Western bank of the Potomac River, Alexandria is approximately six miles south of downtown Washington, D.C.Like the rest of northern Virginia, as well as...
, and Washington, DC and continuing on to New York City.
Amtrak Train 850, the eastbound Hoosier State, is scheduled to depart Dyer at 10:30 pm on Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday with service to Indianapolis.
Until 1967, passenger service was provided by the Monon Railroad
Monon Railroad
The Monon Railroad , also known as the Chicago, Indianapolis and Louisville Railway from 1897–1956, operated almost entirely within the state of Indiana...
, providing service to Chicago, Lafayette, Greencastle and Bloomington, Indiana.
The Monon railroad was merged into the Louisville and Nashville Railroad in 1971.