Fishers, Indiana facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Fishers, Indiana
City
Fishers City Hall Hamilton East Public Library Fishers High School
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Location of Fishers in Hamilton County, Indiana.
Country	United States
State	Indiana
County	Hamilton
Townships	Fall Creek, Delaware
Platted	1872
Incorporated (town)	1891
Incorporated (city)	January 1, 2015
Area
• Total	38.15 sq mi (98.82 km2)
• Land	35.92 sq mi (93.02 km2)
• Water	2.24 sq mi (5.79 km2)
Elevation	827 ft (252 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	98,977
• Density	2,755.71/sq mi (1,064.00/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (EST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
ZIP Codes	46038, 46037, 46040
Area code(s)	317
FIPS code	18-23278
GNIS feature ID	2396939

Fishers is a city in Hamilton County, Indiana, United States. It is located in the Fall Creek and Delaware townships. Fishers is a northern suburb of Indianapolis. It has grown very quickly in recent years. In 1963, only about 350 people lived there. By 2020, the population had grown to 98,677 people.

Fishers used to be a town. After people voted in 2012, it officially became a city on January 1, 2015. Scott Fadness became the first mayor of Fishers. He was sworn in on December 21, 2014, along with the city's first clerk and city council members.

History of Fishers

Early Settlement and Growth

In 1802, a person named William Conner settled in the area that is now Fishers. He built a log cabin and a trading post near the White River. This land is now a living history museum called Conner Prairie.

Conner House at Conner Prairie

More settlers started to arrive after Indiana became a state in 1816. The Delaware Indians gave up their land claims in Indiana and Ohio to the U.S. government in 1818. This happened through the Treaty of St. Mary's. William Conner helped as an interpreter during this treaty. He was married to Mekinges Conner, who was the daughter of Chief William Anderson.

In 1823, Hamilton County was officially created. Delaware Township was also set up and mapped out. The community began to grow after Indiana's capital moved to Indianapolis in 1825. After the move, John Finch built a grinding mill, a blacksmith shop, and the area's first school. The first water mill was built the next year.

In 1826, the West-Harris House was built near the White River. This house is now known as Ambassador House. It was moved in 1996 to its current spot at Heritage Park. Addison C. Harris, a lawyer, bought the house in 1880. He used it as a summer home. The house is called Ambassador House because Addison Harris was a U.S. diplomat to Austria-Hungary from 1899 to 1901. Today, the restored Ambassador House is a local history museum. It is also used for community events.

Railroad and Town Formation

In 1849, work began on the Peru & Indianapolis Railroad. This railroad connected Indianapolis to Chicago. The railroad brought many people to the area, which was then called "Fisher's Switch." In 1872, Salathial Fisher officially mapped out "Fisher's Switch." It was also known as "Fishers Station." This area is where 116th Street and the railroad cross today. Indiana's government officially made Fisher's Station a town in 1891.

The William Conner House and West-Harris House are important historical places. They are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

20th Century Growth

In 1908, the post office changed the town's name from "Fishers Switch" to simply "Fishers."

After William Conner passed away in 1855, his family farm became a special place. In 1927, the Hamilton County Historical Society put a marker at the farm. Eli Lilly, who led Eli Lilly and Company, bought the farm in 1934. He started to restore it. In 1964, Lilly asked Earlham College to manage the Conner farm, which became Conner Prairie.

In 1943, the Indianapolis Water Company built Geist Reservoir. This was to make sure Indianapolis had enough water. In the 1970s, there was a plan to make the lake much bigger. However, this plan was stopped in 1978. After that, many homes started to be built around the reservoir.

Fishers grew slowly, reaching 344 people by 1960. This was when shipping by rail became less common. In the 1960s, Hamilton Southeastern High School was formed. This brought together schools from the area. In 1989, the town's population reached 7,000. The first Freedom Festival was held that year. This festival has been held every year since.

The Thomas A. Weaver Municipal Complex opened in 1992. This became Fishers' main government center. It includes Fishers City Hall, police and fire department buildings, and the Fishers Post Office. A library and a Bureau of Motor Vehicles office were added later. This complex is still the center of government in Fishers.

Becoming a City in the 21st Century

By the year 2000, Fishers' population was almost 38,000. The town grew a lot because homes were affordable, the economy was strong, and it was close to Indianapolis and Interstate 69. In 2003, Fishers asked for a special census. This showed the population had jumped to 52,390. This was a 38% increase since 2000. Since then, the government has focused on building parks, keeping roads in good shape, and managing the town's fast growth.

In 2005, Conner Prairie became an independent organization. It had previously been managed by Earlham College.

In 2009, Fishers won a legal case. This allowed the city to add the area around Geist Reservoir to its boundaries. This added about 5,500 people to Fishers' population. It made Fishers the eighth-largest community in Indiana.

In 2012, Fishers built a new trail in its downtown area. It also built an amphitheater at the Thomas A. Weaver Municipal Complex. That November, the town announced a big development project for downtown. This project was completed in 2015.

The Vote to Become a City

In 1998, people in Fishers voted on whether to change from a town to a city. Most voters (75%) said no.

In 2008, a group called "CityYes" started gathering signatures. They wanted another vote on becoming a city. The town created a committee of 44 citizens. This group looked at the good and bad points of changing the government type.

In December 2010, the Fishers Town Council approved two questions for voters. One was about becoming a traditional city with an elected mayor. The other was about becoming a modified city. This modified city would have a mayor chosen by the city council. It would also combine the governments of Fishers and Fall Creek Township.

On November 6, 2012, voters rejected combining with Fall Creek Township. They also rejected the modified city idea. However, they approved changing to a traditional "second-class city" with an elected mayor. This vote passed with 55% in favor.

Geography and Climate

Location of Fishers

Fishers is in the southeast part of Hamilton County. It is located along the West Fork of the White River. To the west, it borders Carmel. To the north, it borders Noblesville. To the east, it borders Ingalls and land in Madison County. To the southeast, it borders Fortville, McCordsville, and land in Hancock County. To the south, it borders Indianapolis in Marion County. The center of Fishers is about 16 miles (26 km) northeast of downtown Indianapolis.

Fishers covers a total area of about 38.15 square miles (98.82 km²). Most of this area, about 35.92 square miles (93.02 km²), is land. The rest, about 2.24 square miles (5.79 km²), is water.

Fishers Climate

Fishers has a humid continental climate. This means it has hot, humid summers. Temperatures often reach around 85 °F (29 °C). Autumns and springs are usually comfortable, with temperatures around 70 °F (21 °C). However, spring weather can change quickly. Winters are cold and bring snow and ice storms. Winter temperatures are usually around 35 °F (2 °C). They often drop below 20 °F (-7 °C) at night.

Population and People

Population in 2020

Map of racial distribution in Fishers, 2020 U.S. census. Each dot is one person: ⬤ White ⬤ Black ⬤ Asian ⬤ Hispanic ⬤ Multiracial ⬤ Native American/Other

In 2007, the average income for a household in Fishers was $86,518. For families, it was $103,176. The average income per person was $31,891. Only a small number of people lived below the poverty line. This included 1.6% of those under 18 and 0.9% of those 65 and older.

Most homes in Fishers (81.9%) are owned by the people who live in them. On average, there are 2.77 people in each household. About 14.1% of homes are in buildings with multiple living units. People in Fishers spend about 23.1 minutes traveling to work each day. Fishers also has one of the lowest unemployment rates in Indiana, at 4.5%.

In 2010, there were 76,794 people living in Fishers. There were 27,218 households and 20,404 families. The population density was about 2,286 people per square mile (882 per km²). There were 28,511 housing units.

The racial makeup of the town was mostly White (85.6%). There were also African American (5.6%), Native American (0.2%), and Asian (5.5%) residents. About 1.1% were from other races, and 2.1% were from two or more races. People of Hispanic or Latino background made up 3.4% of the population.

In 27,218 households, 48.1% had children under 18. Most households (64.1%) were married couples. About 7.9% had a female head of household with no husband. About 3.0% had a male head of household with no wife. About 25.0% were non-families. The average household size was 2.82 people, and the average family size was 3.31 people.

The average age in Fishers was 33.2 years. About 33% of residents were under 18. About 34.4% were between 25 and 44 years old. The population was 48.6% male and 51.4% female.

Economy and Jobs

Major Employers in Fishers

Here are the top employers in Fishers, based on a 2020 report:

Culture and Recreation

Fun Things to Do

One popular spot in Fishers is Geist Reservoir. Here, you can enjoy activities like fishing and waterskiing. The reservoir is about 5 miles (8 km) south of the Hamilton Town Center shopping area. In 2023, the city opened Geist Waterfront Park. This park has a beach and water access for swimming. It also has a launch for non-motorized boats like kayaks and paddleboards.

Fishers has many golf courses. In 2010, Livability named Fishers the second Best Under-rated Golf Community in the U.S. Fishers is also home to Symphony on the Prairie. This is a summer concert series held at Conner Prairie. The Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra performs there. The city also has free summer concerts at the Nickel Plate District Amphitheater. Fishers Parks hosts outdoor festivals and holiday events at the amphitheater. Fishers is also close to the Ruoff Home Mortgage Music Center in Noblesville, which hosts many concerts.

Festivals and Events

Parade in Freedom Festival (now Spark!Fishers), in 2011.

Fishers' main yearly festival is Spark!Fishers. It happens every year on the last weekend in June, just before Independence Day. Some traditions of the festival include a parade, a 5k run/walk, and a fireworks show. You can find art and food vendors, plus game booths. The festival takes place in the Fishers Municipal Complex.

Parks and Nature

Fishers has 25 parks and nature preserves. The Fishers Trail & Greenway System offers more than 131 miles (211 km) of trails for people to use.

• Billericay Park is named after Fishers' sister city, Billericay in England. The park has eight youth baseball fields, a trail through Billericay Woods, a playground, and a splash pad.
• Brooks School Park is a 16.5-acre (6.7 ha) park. It has a playground for children that is accessible for everyone. It also has a trail, a large athletic field, and a basketball court. In 2024, Fishers Parks worked with NBA player Gary Harris to create murals on the basketball courts. The park also has a Fitness Court with seven workout stations.
• Cheeney Creek Natural Area includes a greenway, a natural area, a trail, and a fishing dock.
• Cumberland Park has soccer fields, a trail along the Mud Creek Greenway, and a disc golf course.
• Cyntheanne Park has five multipurpose athletic fields, natural areas, two playgrounds, pickleball courts, and trails. It is very popular for Pickleball.
• Fishers Heritage Park at White River is home to the Historic Ambassador House and Heritage Gardens. The Ambassador House was built over 170 years ago. It was moved to its current location in Heritage Park in 1996.
• Flat Fork Creek Park opened in December 2015. It has a sledding hill, observation treehouses, trails, and a mountain bike course.
• Hamilton Proper Park is a 19-acre (7.7 ha) park.
• Harrison Thompson Park is a multi-use park. It has three baseball fields, three soccer fields, a playground, and a 3/4-mile trail.
• Hoosier Woods is a small forest.
• Mudsock Fields has three lighted football fields.
• Olio Fields is home to several softball fields.
• Ritchey Woods Nature Preserve is about 127 acres (51 ha). Part of it is an Indiana State Designated Nature Preserve. The preserve has five trails that are 2 miles (3.2 km) long in total. Cheeney Creek flows through the north end of the property.
• Roy G. Holland Memorial Park has fields for soccer, baseball, and softball. It also has pickleball and sand volleyball courts, basketball courts, woods, a picnic area, a splash pad, and a community building.
• Wapihani Nature Preserve is a 77-acre (31 ha) nature preserve along the White River. It is used by students from Riverside Intermediate School as an outdoor learning area.

Sports Teams

Fishers Event Center during an Indy Fuel hockey game in 2025.

The Indy Fuel, a minor league hockey team in the ECHL, play their home games at the Fishers Event Center. This is a large facility that opened in November 2024.

The owner of the Indy Fuel also bought the rights to an Indoor Football League (IFL) team in 2023. In December 2023, the team was named the Fishers Freight. This team will start playing in the 2025 season. They will play eight home games and eight away games.

The Hoosier State Instigators, a team in the American Basketball Association, have played at Best Choice Fieldhouse since 2024.

Safety in Fishers

Fishers is known for being a very safe city. In a 2024 study by MoneyGeek, it was named the fourth safest city in the U.S. This study looked at factors like low crime costs. This result matches other studies. In June 2023, SmartAsset also listed Fishers as the fourth safest suburb in the country. Both studies used similar ways to decide their rankings.

Government and Education

How Fishers is Governed

Even though Fishers is a large city, it was a town for many years. Unlike nearby Noblesville and Carmel, Fishers used a council–manager government until 2012. This meant a seven-member town council and a clerk-treasurer were elected. The town council made laws and managed the town. The clerk-treasurer handled money matters. The council also hired a town manager to run daily operations.

After the changes approved in November 2012, Fishers became a "second-class city." This change happened on January 1, 2015. Now, Fishers has an elected mayor, a city clerk, and a nine-member city council. These new officers were elected in 2014.

Schools in Fishers

The city is part of the Hamilton Southeastern Schools district. This district serves almost 21,000 students.

Because Fishers' population has grown so fast, the school district has also needed to grow. In 1996, there were four elementary schools, one middle school, one junior high, and one high school. Riverside Intermediate School and Fishers High School opened in the 2006–2007 school year. Thorpe Creek Elementary opened in the 2008–2009 school year. As of the 2025-2026 school year, the district has twelve elementary schools, four intermediate schools, four junior high schools, and two high schools.

The city's two public high schools are Hamilton Southeastern High School and Fishers High School. Both high schools have received large investments to add College and Career Academies. These additions help students get a more college-like experience. The glass walls in the new classrooms can even open up to common areas.

Aerial of Fishers High School in 2006

The twelve elementary schools are: Brooks School Elementary, Cumberland Road Elementary, Deer Creek Elementary, Fall Creek Elementary, Fishers Elementary, Geist Elementary, Harrison Parkway Elementary, Hoosier Road Elementary, Lantern Road Elementary, New Britton Elementary, Sand Creek Elementary, Thorpe Creek Elementary, and Southeastern Elementary. Each school has about 1,000 students.

The four intermediate schools are for fifth and sixth graders. They are Fall Creek Intermediate, Riverside Intermediate, Sand Creek Intermediate, and Hamilton Southeastern Intermediate.

The four junior high schools are for seventh and eighth graders. They are Fishers Junior High, Hamilton Southeastern Junior High, Riverside Junior High, and Fall Creek Junior High.

Fishers also has several private schools. These include Community Montessori School (for grades PK-5), St. Louis de Montfort (for grades PK-8), and Eman Schools (for grades PK-12). Other private schools are in nearby communities.

Transportation in Fishers

Fishers is located along Interstate 69. The city has four exits off this interstate. Fishers is about 16 miles (26 km) northeast of downtown Indianapolis. It is also about 5 miles (8 km) from the Interstate 465 loop. This loop connects Interstate 69 with other major interstates. These include Interstate 65, which goes to Chicago and Louisville. It also connects to Interstate 70, which goes to Columbus and St. Louis. And it connects to Interstate 74, which goes towards Danville and Cincinnati. State Road 37 also runs directly through Fishers.

Fishers has a small airport for private planes, called the Indianapolis Metropolitan Airport (KUMP). The main airport, Indianapolis International Airport, is on the other side of Indianapolis. It is about 30 miles (48 km) from Fishers.

Fishers does not have direct bus service from IndyGo, which is the regional bus service.

The roads in Fishers are generally new and well-kept. In 2006, 116th Street won an award for its concrete pavement. Many four-way stops in town are being changed into roundabouts.

In April 2012, Fishers announced a $20 million plan called "Drive Fishers." This plan focused on improving roads in high-traffic areas. These areas included 96th Street and Allisonville Road, State Road 37, and Fall Creek Road in Geist.

Notable People from Fishers

Some famous people live or have lived in Fishers. Former race car driver Michael Andretti and his wife Jodi Ann Paterson live there.

Athletes who currently live in Fishers include Gary Harris of the Orlando Magic. NFL players Evan Baylis and Jeremy Chinn of the Washington Commanders also live there. Many former Indiana Pacers players have lived in Fishers, such as Reggie Miller, Austin Croshere, Malcolm Brogdon, Chris Duarte, Justin Holiday, and Dahntay Jones. Other notable athletes who have lived in Fishers include Gordon Hayward of the Charlotte Hornets, Zach Randolph of the Memphis Grizzlies, and former Atlanta Hawks player Alan Henderson. Also, Zak Irvin of the Michigan Wolverines, NFL player Rosevelt Colvin, Randy Gregory of the Dallas Cowboys, and Joe Reitz of the Indianapolis Colts. Former Colts coach John Teerlinck, former San Diego Padres player Tony Gwynn, former professional wrestler Kevin Fertig, and Cleveland Guardians pitcher Justin Masterson have also lived in Fishers.

Sister City

Fishers is twinned with the town of Billericay in Essex, United Kingdom. Billericay Park in Fishers is named after this sister city.

See also

In Spanish: Fishers (Indiana) para niños