Centerville, Indiana facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Centerville, Indiana
|
|
|---|---|
 |
|
Location of Centerville in Wayne County, Indiana.
|
|
| Country | United States |
| State | Indiana |
| County | Wayne |
| Township | Center |
| Platted | 1814 |
| Area | |
| • Total | 3.54 sq mi (9.17 km2) |
| • Land | 3.52 sq mi (9.11 km2) |
| • Water | 0.02 sq mi (0.06 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,020 ft (310 m) |
| Population
(2020)
|
|
| • Total | 2,748 |
| • Density | 781.13/sq mi (301.60/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (EDT) |
| ZIP code |
47330
|
| Area code(s) | 765 |
| FIPS code | 18-11836 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2396637 |
| Website | http://www.town.centerville.in.us/ |
Centerville is a town located in Wayne County, Indiana, in the United States. In 2020, about 2,748 people lived there.
Contents
Where is Centerville?
Centerville is located in the eastern part of Indiana. A main road, U.S. Route 40, goes right through Centerville. This road is also known as Main Street in town.
The town covers an area of about 3.5 square miles (9.1 square kilometers).
How Many People Live Here?
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1850 | 920 | — | |
| 1860 | 960 | 4.3% | |
| 1870 | 1,077 | 12.2% | |
| 1880 | 875 | −18.8% | |
| 1890 | 864 | −1.3% | |
| 1900 | 785 | −9.1% | |
| 1910 | 1,019 | 29.8% | |
| 1920 | 917 | −10.0% | |
| 1930 | 993 | 8.3% | |
| 1940 | 1,162 | 17.0% | |
| 1950 | 1,386 | 19.3% | |
| 1960 | 2,378 | 71.6% | |
| 1970 | 2,380 | 0.1% | |
| 1980 | 2,284 | −4.0% | |
| 1990 | 2,398 | 5.0% | |
| 2000 | 2,427 | 1.2% | |
| 2010 | 2,552 | 5.2% | |
| 2020 | 2,748 | 7.7% | |
| US Decennial Census | |||
In 2010, there were 2,552 people living in Centerville. Most residents were White (96.1%). About 2.5% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.
The average age in Centerville was about 37 years old. About 27% of the people were under 18 years old.
A Look Back in Time: Centerville's History
Centerville was first planned out in 1814. The land was bought from the Miami Indians. Early settlers were Quakers from Delaware. They had moved to Indiana after living in North Carolina for a while.
The town was named Centerville because people thought it was in the middle of the county. However, it's not exactly in the center.
The County Seat Battle
Centerville used to be the county seat of Wayne County, starting in 1818. This meant it was where the main government offices were. But by 1870, another town nearby, Richmond, had grown much larger. Richmond had more businesses and people.
Because of this, Richmond wanted to become the new county seat. This led to a "county seat war" in 1873. It wasn't a real war, but a big argument. The fight happened in newspapers and courts. Richmond eventually won.
Richmond planned to move all the important records from Centerville's courthouse. But Centerville residents tried to stop them. First, they locked the gates. Then, they even used a small cannon called "Black Betty." They fired the cannon at their own courthouse door to keep Richmond's guards out! The door was blown off, and the guards had to leave.
The next day, soldiers came to move the records to Richmond. Centerville was no longer the county seat. You can still see the holes from the cannon shot above the door of the old courthouse. Today, it's the Center Township Library.
The National Road and Arches
The Centerville post office opened in 1818. Later, in 1828, the National Road was surveyed. This important road ran right along Centerville's Main Street. It was a major stop for travelers heading west. During the Gold Rush, many wagons passed through town each year.
Centerville is famous for its five main arches on the Old National Road. These arches were built between 1823 and 1836. The original road was very wide, but some buildings were built too close to it. The arches were a clever way to get behind these buildings and into backyards.
The five arches are called Backenstoes, Dill, Shortridge, Lantz, and Malone Archways. Every August, Centerville celebrates its history with "Archway Days."
-
Backenstoes Archway
-
Shortridge Archway
-
Malone Archway
-
Lantz Archway
-
Dill Archway
Some important places in Centerville are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. These include the Centerville Historic District (Centerville, Indiana), the Oliver P. Morton House, and the Westcott Stock Farm.
Schools and Library
Centerville has one high school, Centerville Senior High School. It also has a public library called the Centerville-Center Township Public Library.
Famous People from Centerville
Many notable people have come from Centerville, including:
- John A. Burbank (1827−1905), who was a governor of the Dakota Territory.
- Barry Jones (1963− ), a professional baseball pitcher.
- George Washington Julian (1817−1899), who served in the U.S. House of Representatives.
- Joseph Henry Kibbey (1853−1924), a governor of the Arizona Territory.
- Oliver Hazard Perry Morton (1823−1877), who was a governor of Indiana and a U.S. Senator.
See also
In Spanish: Centerville (Indiana) para niños
