Fairmount, Indiana facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Fairmount, Indiana
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Town
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| Town of Fairmount | |
Downtown Fairmount
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Location of Fairmount in Grant County, Indiana.
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| Country | United States |
| State | Indiana |
| County | Grant |
| Township | Fairmount |
| Government | |
| • Type | Town council |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1.59 sq mi (4.11 km2) |
| • Land | 1.59 sq mi (4.11 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 866 ft (264 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 2,682 |
| • Density | 1,691.05/sq mi (652.90/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (EST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EST) |
| ZIP code |
46928
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| Area code(s) | 765 |
| FIPS code | 18-22432 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2396931 |
| Website | http://www.fairmount-in.com/ |
Fairmount is a town in Indiana, a state in the United States. It's located in Grant County, in the east central part of the state. In 2020, about 2,682 people lived there.
Fairmount is about 55 miles (88 km) northeast of Indianapolis, a big city in Indiana. Many people who live in Fairmount travel to work in nearby Marion. Fairmount is famous because the actor James Dean grew up there. He is also buried in Fairmount.
Contents
History of Fairmount
Fairmount was first settled in the 1830s. Most of the early settlers were Quakers who came from North Carolina. The town was planned in 1850. It was named after Fairmount Park in Philadelphia. Fairmount officially became a town in 1870.
Natural Gas Boom
In 1887, a lot of natural gas was found nearby. This started the Indiana Gas Boom. Fairmount became an important center for making glass. But around 1900, the natural gas started to run out.
Soon after, car factories opened in bigger cities nearby. Fairmount then became a "bedroom community." This means many people lived in Fairmount but worked in other towns. This helped the town become successful again.
James Dean's Connection
In the 1940s, the famous actor James Dean lived on a farm north of Fairmount. He lived with his aunt and uncle, Ortense and Marcus Winslow. James Dean went to Fairmount High School and finished in 1949.
After he passed away in 1955, Dean was buried in Park Cemetery in Fairmount. In 1996, a small park was opened in his memory. It has a bronze statue of him made by artist Kenneth Kendall.
Growth and School Changes
The 1960s were a good time for Fairmount. New buildings were built, like a town hall, water works, post office, and elementary school.
Later in the 1960s, the local school district joined with a neighboring one. They formed the Madison-Grant United School Corporation. A new high school was built for this new district. Fairmount High School then became a middle school. In 1986, a new junior high school opened, and the old Fairmount High School building closed for good.
Historic Places
Some buildings and areas in Fairmount are very old and important. They are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. These include the Baldwin Addition Historic District, the Fairmount Commercial Historic District, and the J.W. Patterson House.
Geography of Fairmount
Fairmount covers an area of about 1.58 square miles (4.11 square kilometers). All of this area is land.
People of Fairmount
Population Changes Over Time
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1870 | 337 | — | |
| 1880 | 563 | 67.1% | |
| 1890 | 1,462 | 159.7% | |
| 1900 | 3,205 | 119.2% | |
| 1910 | 2,506 | −21.8% | |
| 1920 | 2,155 | −14.0% | |
| 1930 | 2,056 | −4.6% | |
| 1940 | 2,382 | 15.9% | |
| 1950 | 2,646 | 11.1% | |
| 1960 | 3,080 | 16.4% | |
| 1970 | 3,427 | 11.3% | |
| 1980 | 3,286 | −4.1% | |
| 1990 | 3,130 | −4.7% | |
| 2000 | 2,992 | −4.4% | |
| 2010 | 2,954 | −1.3% | |
| 2020 | 2,682 | −9.2% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
Fairmount in 2010
In 2010, there were 2,954 people living in Fairmount. There were 1,241 households, which are groups of people living together. About 837 of these were families.
Most people in Fairmount (98.6%) were White. A small number of people were from other racial backgrounds. About 0.9% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.
The average age in Fairmount was 40.3 years old. About 23.9% of the people were under 18 years old. About 16.5% were 65 years or older.
Education in Fairmount
The Madison-Grant United School Corporation runs the public schools that serve Fairmount.
Schools that serve students in Fairmount include:
- Park Elementary School (in Fairmount)
- Madison-Grant Junior High School (outside of town)
- Madison-Grant High School (outside of town)
The town also has a public library called the Fairmount Public Library.
Famous People from Fairmount
Many interesting people have connections to Fairmount:
- Jim Davis is a cartoonist. He created the famous comic strip Garfield. Jim Davis grew up in Fairmount and finished Fairmount High School in 1963.
- James Dean was a well-known actor. He grew up in Fairmount and graduated from Fairmount High School in 1949. He is buried in Fairmount.
- David L. Payne was a politician. He is known as the "Father of Oklahoma." Payne County, Oklahoma is named after him.
- Olive Rush was an artist and painter. She was a Quaker and her family helped found the town. She also helped start an art community in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
- Robert Sheets used to be the director of the National Hurricane Center. He graduated from Fairmount High School in 1955.
- Mary Jane Ward was an author. She wrote several books, including The Snake Pit. This book was made into a movie.
Images for kids
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Downtown Fairmount
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Location of Fairmount in Grant County, Indiana.
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Fairmount from the air, looking southwest.
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Abandoned Fairmount High School building in 2003. The building was torn down in 2015.
See also
In Spanish: Fairmount (Indiana) para niños
