Dunkirk, Indiana facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Dunkirk, Indiana
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Aerial view of Dunkirk, Indiana
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| Nickname(s):
Glass capitol of Indiana
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Location of Dunkirk in Blackford County and Jay County, Indiana.
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| Country | United States |
| State | Indiana |
| Counties | Jay, Blackford |
| Townships | Richland, Jackson |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1.19 sq mi (3.07 km2) |
| • Land | 1.18 sq mi (3.04 km2) |
| • Water | 0.01 sq mi (0.03 km2) |
| Elevation | 951 ft (290 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 2,164 |
| • Density | 1,841.70/sq mi (711.12/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (EST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code |
47336
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| Area code(s) | 765 |
| FIPS code | 18-19054 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2394576 |
Dunkirk is a small city located in the state of Indiana, USA. It's mostly in Jay County, but a small part is also in Blackford County. In 2020, about 2,164 people lived there.
Dunkirk is famous for its history with glass factories. It was once known as the "Glass Capital of Indiana."
Contents
History of Dunkirk
Dunkirk was first planned out in 1853. It was originally named Quincy. However, when the first post office opened, people found out there was already another town called Quincy, Indiana. To avoid confusion, the town was renamed Dunkirk.
The Dunkirk Post Office has a special painting called Preparations for Autumn Festival, Dunkirk. This mural was painted in 1941 by an artist named Frances Foy. Many murals like this were created across the United States during the 1930s and 1940s. They were part of a government project to support artists during tough economic times.
Dunkirk was once home to 23 glass factories! Some of these factories were quite small. Over time, many of them closed down. Today, only one large glass factory remains in Dunkirk. This factory is very modern and uses computers to make about 2.5 million beer bottles every day for Budweiser. It employs around 400 people.
Dunkirk also has a large Glass Museum. Here, you can see glass items from all over the world. The city hosts fun events like the "Feel The Warmth" downtown event and a "Mainstreet USA Festival." They also have a big Fourth of July fireworks show and an annual event at the City Park.
Parks and Recreation
Dunkirk has one of the biggest city parks in Jay County. There's also a "Depot Park" downtown. This park hosts summer concerts and weekend farmer's markets.
The large Municipal Park offers many things to do. It has two baseball fields and a big enclosed shelter house. There's also a smaller open shelter building. Kids can enjoy various playground equipment. The park also has a basketball court, a modern community center, and a community swimming pool.
Geography and Climate
Dunkirk is mainly in Jay County. However, a small part of the city is in nearby Blackford County. This part is west of Main Street and north of Blackford Avenue. The city also touches Delaware County to the southwest.
The total area of Dunkirk is about 1.26 square miles (3.26 square kilometers). All of this area is land.
Dunkirk's Weather
Dunkirk has a typical Midwestern climate. This means it has four clear seasons. Winters are cold and get some snow. Summers can be warm and humid.
The warmest month is usually July, with an average high temperature of 84°F (29°C). January is the coldest month, with an average low of 15°F (−9.0°C). Sometimes, summer temperatures can go above 90°F (32°C). In winter, temperatures can drop below 0°F (−17°C).
Dunkirk gets about 2 to 4 inches (5 to 10 cm) of rain or snow each month. The most rain usually falls in May, June, and July. The hottest temperature ever recorded was 110°F (43.3°C) in July 1936. The coldest was −40°F (−31.7°C) in January 1985.
| Climate data for Dunkirk, Indiana | |||||||||||||
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| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 32 (0) |
37 (3) |
48 (9) |
60 (16) |
71 (22) |
80 (27) |
84 (29) |
82 (28) |
76 (24) |
64 (18) |
50 (10) |
38 (3) |
60 (16) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 15 (−9) |
18 (−8) |
28 (−2) |
38 (3) |
49 (9) |
58 (14) |
62 (17) |
59 (15) |
50 (10) |
39 (4) |
31 (−1) |
21 (−6) |
39 (4) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 1.89 (48) |
1.84 (47) |
2.69 (68) |
3.50 (89) |
4.06 (103) |
4.42 (112) |
4.40 (112) |
3.65 (93) |
3.02 (77) |
2.62 (67) |
3.23 (82) |
2.58 (66) |
37.9 (964) |
| Source: The Weather Channel | |||||||||||||
Population Information
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1880 | 662 | — | |
| 1890 | 1,024 | 54.7% | |
| 1900 | 3,187 | 211.2% | |
| 1910 | 3,031 | −4.9% | |
| 1920 | 2,532 | −16.5% | |
| 1930 | 2,583 | 2.0% | |
| 1940 | 2,942 | 13.9% | |
| 1950 | 3,048 | 3.6% | |
| 1960 | 3,117 | 2.3% | |
| 1970 | 3,465 | 11.2% | |
| 1980 | 3,180 | −8.2% | |
| 1990 | 2,739 | −13.9% | |
| 2000 | 2,646 | −3.4% | |
| 2010 | 2,362 | −10.7% | |
| 2020 | 2,164 | −8.4% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
In 2010, about 2,362 people lived in Dunkirk. There were 960 households, which are groups of people living together. The city had about 1,171 housing units.
The average age of people in Dunkirk in 2010 was 37.2 years old. About 26.3% of the people were under 18 years old. About 14.2% were 65 years or older. There were slightly more females (51.4%) than males (48.6%) living in the city.
Education in Dunkirk
Dunkirk has a public library called the Dunkirk Public Library. It's a great place to borrow books and learn new things.
The town also has an elementary school, Westlawn Elementary. There is also a middle school, West Jay Middle School. Both schools are within the city limits. They are part of the Jay County School Corporation. West Jay Middle School was planned to close in 2020, with middle school students moving to the high school.
Images for kids
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Preparations for Autumn Festival, Dunkirk (1941), a study by Frances Foy for the Dunkirk post office mural.
See also
In Spanish: Dunkirk (Indiana) para niños
