Salem, Indiana
Encyclopedia
Salem is a city in Washington Township
, Washington County
, Indiana
, United States
. Salem serves as the county seat
, and its downtown area is on the National Register of Historic Places
(as are several local buildings). The population was 6,172 at the 2000 census.
of 2000, there were 6,172 people, 2,555 households, and 1,635 families residing in the city. The population density
was 1,586.8 inhabitants per square mile (612.6/km²). There were 2,745 housing units at an average density of 705.7 per square mile (272.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 98.74% White, 0.03% African American, 0.21% Native American, 0.24% Asian, 0.08% from other races
, and 0.70% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.42% of the population.
There were 2,555 households out of which 29.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.4% were married couples
living together, 12.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.0% were non-families. 32.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 2.84.
In the city the population was spread out with 22.4% under the age of 18, 9.8% from 18 to 24, 27.1% from 25 to 44, 21.2% from 45 to 64, and 19.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 86.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $29,256, and the median income for a family was $37,179. Males had a median income of $27,521 versus $21,952 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $16,299. About 8.5% of families and 11.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.6% of those under age 18 and 5.7% of those age 65 or over.
cavalry
under John Hunt Morgan
had departed Tennessee
on what would later became known as Morgan's Raid
. Traveling through Tennessee and into Kentucky, Morgan eventually crossed into Indiana; he reached Salem on July 10, 1863, coming north from Corydon
. Upon entering Salem at approximately 9 a.m., Morgan immediately took possession of the town and placed guards over the stores and streets. The cavalrymen burned the large, brick railroad depot, along with all the train cars on the track and the railroad bridges on each side of the town. Morgan demanded taxes from the two flour mills that belonged to DePauw and Knight, and from the Allen Wollen Mill. Morgan's men looted stores and took about $500 from the area before departing about 3 p.m.
Of the brief action at Salem, Col.
Basil W. Duke
, Morgan's second-in-command and brother-in-law, later said:
"They did not pillage with any sort of method or reason; it seemed to be a mania, senseless and purposeless. One man carried for two days a bird cage containing three canaries
. Another rode with a huge chafing dish on the pommel of his saddle. Although the weather was intensely warm, another slung seven pairs of skates around his neck. I saw very few articles of real value taken; they pillaged like boys robbing an orchard
."
in Salem was one of nearly 2,000 libraries built in the United States including 164 in Indiana in the early 20th century with funds donated by steel conglomerate Andrew Carnegie
. Salem received the grant in February 1904, broke ground in August 1904 and opened in July 1905. Still in use today, the Carnegie Library in Salem is one of just one hundred in the state of Indiana still being used for its original purpose.
. However, due to faulty blasting caps, none of the bombs exploded. Had the explosives gone off, it would have severed the town from outside aid. Two men, John M. Hubbard and Jerry A. Conrad were convicted on all counts in the fall of 1989. Prosecutors allege that Mr. Hubbard had a long standing rivalry with Democratic State Representative Frank Newkirk Jr. whose father Frank Newkirk Sr. was mayor
of Salem at the time. Salem's radio station, WSLM, broke the story across several wire services that day and reported live on various radio and TV networks.
, private secretary to President
Abraham Lincoln
and Secretary of State
to Presidents William McKinley
and Theodore Roosevelt
, was born in Salem and is generally known as Salem's most prominent citizen. A variety of museums and local buildings make reference to Mr. Hay's connections to the town.
Washington C. DePauw
, successful businessman whom DePauw University
is named after. DePauw donated a large portion of his wealth shortly before his death to the now defunct Indiana Asbury University who renamed their school in his honor in January 1884.
Unusual for a town of this size is a large children's playground, "Riley's Place" at DePauw Park. Named after Riley Jean Tomlinson, a local toddler who accidentally drowned in a swimming pool, the park was built in 2001 and contains two- and three- story wooden castles and other structures for children's play (along with swings, slides, and similar playground equipment).
Every September, Salem celebrates "Old Settler's Day" at the John Hay Center
. Set in a village of authentic log structures, the festival features historical re-enactments, as well as local arts and crafts.
Recently, Lake Salinda in Salem has been rumored to be home to the Salinda Serpent after reports were made about sightings of a giant snake in the lake. This information was reported by the Salem Leader in early June 2010.
Salem is also home to the legendary Salem Speedway. It is a half mile high banked paved oval that was first built in 1947. Many of the most legendary drivers of the past 50 years have raced there including Ted Horn, Parnelli Jones, AJ Foyt, Bobby and Al Unser, Mario Andretti, Larry Dickson, Darrell Waltrip and Jeff Gordon. AJ Foyt at one time held the world record for a half mile oval at the speedway. One of ESPN's first televised auto racing events was held there in 1979.
Washington Township, Washington County, Indiana
Washington Township is one of thirteen townships in Washington County, Indiana, USA. As of the 2000 census, its population was 9,955.-Geography:...
, Washington County
Washington County, Indiana
Washington County is a county located in the U.S. state of Indiana. As of 2010, the population was 28,262. The county seat is Salem.Washington County is part of the Louisville/Jefferson County, KY–IN Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Early settlers:...
, 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...
. Salem serves as 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....
, and its downtown area is 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...
(as are several local buildings). The population was 6,172 at the 2000 census.
Geography
Salem is primarily an agricultural community, surrounded by typical Indiana forests and farmland and small bodies of water. The primary crop grown in the area is corn and soybeans. Homes in the area are of a variety of styles, with a portion of residential homes having Victorian architectural design.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 6,172 people, 2,555 households, and 1,635 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 1,586.8 inhabitants per square mile (612.6/km²). There were 2,745 housing units at an average density of 705.7 per square mile (272.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 98.74% White, 0.03% African American, 0.21% Native American, 0.24% Asian, 0.08% 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 0.70% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.42% of the population.
There were 2,555 households out of which 29.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.4% 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, 12.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.0% were non-families. 32.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 2.84.
In the city the population was spread out with 22.4% under the age of 18, 9.8% from 18 to 24, 27.1% from 25 to 44, 21.2% from 45 to 64, and 19.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 86.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $29,256, and the median income for a family was $37,179. Males had a median income of $27,521 versus $21,952 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
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 $16,299. About 8.5% of families and 11.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.6% of those under age 18 and 5.7% of those age 65 or over.
Government
- MayorMayorIn many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
- David Bower - Clerk-Treasurer - Patricia Persinger
- City CouncilCity councilA city council or town council is the legislative body that governs a city, town, municipality or local government area.-Australia & NZ:Because of the differences in legislation between the States, the exact definition of a City Council varies...
1st District - Mark W. Hobson - City CouncilCity councilA city council or town council is the legislative body that governs a city, town, municipality or local government area.-Australia & NZ:Because of the differences in legislation between the States, the exact definition of a City Council varies...
2nd District - Pete D. Brown - City CouncilCity councilA city council or town council is the legislative body that governs a city, town, municipality or local government area.-Australia & NZ:Because of the differences in legislation between the States, the exact definition of a City Council varies...
3rd District - Ginger B. Morris - City CouncilCity councilA city council or town council is the legislative body that governs a city, town, municipality or local government area.-Australia & NZ:Because of the differences in legislation between the States, the exact definition of a City Council varies...
4th District - Wally Terkhorn - City CouncilCity councilA city council or town council is the legislative body that governs a city, town, municipality or local government area.-Australia & NZ:Because of the differences in legislation between the States, the exact definition of a City Council varies...
At-LargeAt-LargeAt-large is a designation for representative members of a governing body who are elected or appointed to represent the whole membership of the body , rather than a subset of that membership...
- Nancy E. Fultz
Morgan's Raid
In June 1863, the ConfederateConfederate States Army
The Confederate States Army was the army of the Confederate States of America while the Confederacy existed during the American Civil War. On February 8, 1861, delegates from the seven Deep South states which had already declared their secession from the United States of America adopted the...
cavalry
Cavalry
Cavalry or horsemen were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback. Cavalry were historically the third oldest and the most mobile of the combat arms...
under John Hunt Morgan
John Hunt Morgan
John Hunt Morgan was a Confederate general and cavalry officer in the American Civil War.Morgan is best known for Morgan's Raid when, in 1863, he and his men rode over 1,000 miles covering a region from Tennessee, up through Kentucky, into Indiana and on to southern Ohio...
had departed Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
on what would later became known as Morgan's Raid
Morgan's Raid
Morgan's Raid was a highly publicized incursion by Confederate cavalry into the Northern states of Indiana and Ohio during the American Civil War. The raid took place from June 11–July 26, 1863, and is named for the commander of the Confederates, Brig. Gen...
. Traveling through Tennessee and into Kentucky, Morgan eventually crossed into Indiana; he reached Salem on July 10, 1863, coming north from Corydon
Corydon, Indiana
Corydon is a town in Harrison Township, Harrison County, Indiana, United States, founded in 1808, and is known as Indiana's First State Capital. After Vincennes, Corydon was the second capital of the Indiana Territory from May 1, 1813, until December 11, 1816. After statehood, the town was the...
. Upon entering Salem at approximately 9 a.m., Morgan immediately took possession of the town and placed guards over the stores and streets. The cavalrymen burned the large, brick railroad depot, along with all the train cars on the track and the railroad bridges on each side of the town. Morgan demanded taxes from the two flour mills that belonged to DePauw and Knight, and from the Allen Wollen Mill. Morgan's men looted stores and took about $500 from the area before departing about 3 p.m.
Of the brief action at Salem, Col.
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
Basil W. Duke
Basil W. Duke
Basil Wilson Duke was a Confederate general officer during the American Civil War. His most noted service in the war was as second-in-command for his brother-in-law John Hunt Morgan; Duke would later write a popular account of Morgan's most famous raid: 1863's Morgan's Raid...
, Morgan's second-in-command and brother-in-law, later said:
"They did not pillage with any sort of method or reason; it seemed to be a mania, senseless and purposeless. One man carried for two days a bird cage containing three canaries
Domestic Canary
The Domestic Canary, often simply known as the canary, is a domesticated form of the wild Canary, a small songbird in the finch family originating from the Macaronesian Islands ....
. Another rode with a huge chafing dish on the pommel of his saddle. Although the weather was intensely warm, another slung seven pairs of skates around his neck. I saw very few articles of real value taken; they pillaged like boys robbing an orchard
Orchard
An orchard is an intentional planting of trees or shrubs that is maintained for food production. Orchards comprise fruit or nut-producing trees which are grown for commercial production. Orchards are also sometimes a feature of large gardens, where they serve an aesthetic as well as a productive...
."
Carnegie Library
The Carnegie LibraryCarnegie Library
Carnegie Library, Carnegie Public Library, Carnegie Free Library, Carnegie Free Public Library, Andrew Carnegie Library, Andrew Carnegie Free Library or Carnegie Library Building may refer to any of the following Carnegie libraries:- California :*Carnegie Library , listed on the National Register...
in Salem was one of nearly 2,000 libraries built in the United States including 164 in Indiana in the early 20th century with funds donated by steel conglomerate Andrew Carnegie
Andrew Carnegie
Andrew Carnegie was a Scottish-American industrialist, businessman, and entrepreneur who led the enormous expansion of the American steel industry in the late 19th century...
. Salem received the grant in February 1904, broke ground in August 1904 and opened in July 1905. Still in use today, the Carnegie Library in Salem is one of just one hundred in the state of Indiana still being used for its original purpose.
1988 Bomb Scare
On July 5th, 1988, Salem garnered national attention when 13 homemade bombs placed inside brown grocery bags were discovered near bridges and buildings around the town containing 278 sticks of dynamiteDynamite
Dynamite is an explosive material based on nitroglycerin, initially using diatomaceous earth , or another absorbent substance such as powdered shells, clay, sawdust, or wood pulp. Dynamites using organic materials such as sawdust are less stable and such use has been generally discontinued...
. However, due to faulty blasting caps, none of the bombs exploded. Had the explosives gone off, it would have severed the town from outside aid. Two men, John M. Hubbard and Jerry A. Conrad were convicted on all counts in the fall of 1989. Prosecutors allege that Mr. Hubbard had a long standing rivalry with Democratic State Representative Frank Newkirk Jr. whose father Frank Newkirk Sr. was mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Salem at the time. Salem's radio station, WSLM, broke the story across several wire services that day and reported live on various radio and TV networks.
Famous residents
John HayJohn Hay
John Milton Hay was an American statesman, diplomat, author, journalist, and private secretary and assistant to Abraham Lincoln.-Early life:...
, private secretary to President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham 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...
and Secretary of State
United States Secretary of State
The United States Secretary of State is the head of the United States Department of State, concerned with foreign affairs. The Secretary is a member of the Cabinet and the highest-ranking cabinet secretary both in line of succession and order of precedence...
to Presidents William McKinley
William McKinley
William McKinley, Jr. was the 25th President of the United States . He is best known for winning fiercely fought elections, while supporting the gold standard and high tariffs; he succeeded in forging a Republican coalition that for the most part dominated national politics until the 1930s...
and Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States . He is noted for his exuberant personality, range of interests and achievements, and his leadership of the Progressive Movement, as well as his "cowboy" persona and robust masculinity...
, was born in Salem and is generally known as Salem's most prominent citizen. A variety of museums and local buildings make reference to Mr. Hay's connections to the town.
Washington C. DePauw
Washington C. DePauw
Washington Charles DePauw was an American businessman. DePauw University is named in his honor.DePauw was born in Salem, Indiana, on January 4, 1822. He was grandson of Charles DePauw, who came to the Americas with LaFayette, and the son of John and Elizabeth Battist DePauw. John DePauw had...
, successful businessman whom 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...
is named after. DePauw donated a large portion of his wealth shortly before his death to the now defunct Indiana Asbury University who renamed their school in his honor in January 1884.
Local Attractions
Located in the center of Salem's town square, the Washington County Courthouse is generally known as Salem's most famous and recognizable landmark. The courthouse has historical placemarkers surrounding it, and at the southeastern corner of the grounds, there is a memorial to veterans killed in action during conflicts dating back to the Revolutionary War.Unusual for a town of this size is a large children's playground, "Riley's Place" at DePauw Park. Named after Riley Jean Tomlinson, a local toddler who accidentally drowned in a swimming pool, the park was built in 2001 and contains two- and three- story wooden castles and other structures for children's play (along with swings, slides, and similar playground equipment).
Every September, Salem celebrates "Old Settler's Day" at the John Hay Center
John Hay Center
The John Hay Center is on the eastern edge of the Salem Downtown Historic District in Salem, Indiana. It comprises:* Hay-Morrison House: birthplace and home of Abraham Lincoln's private secretary and Secretary of State under William McKinley and Theodore Roosevelt, John Hay, and is on the...
. Set in a village of authentic log structures, the festival features historical re-enactments, as well as local arts and crafts.
Recently, Lake Salinda in Salem has been rumored to be home to the Salinda Serpent after reports were made about sightings of a giant snake in the lake. This information was reported by the Salem Leader in early June 2010.
Salem is also home to the legendary Salem Speedway. It is a half mile high banked paved oval that was first built in 1947. Many of the most legendary drivers of the past 50 years have raced there including Ted Horn, Parnelli Jones, AJ Foyt, Bobby and Al Unser, Mario Andretti, Larry Dickson, Darrell Waltrip and Jeff Gordon. AJ Foyt at one time held the world record for a half mile oval at the speedway. One of ESPN's first televised auto racing events was held there in 1979.
Further reading
- Indiana Historical Commission. Archaeological and Historical Survey of Washington County (August 1924). Wm. B. Burford