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Greenville, Indiana
Town of Greenville
Simpson Memorial Methodist Church in Greenville.jpg
Flag of Greenville, Indiana
Flag
Location of Greenville in Floyd County, Indiana.
Location of Greenville in Floyd County, Indiana.
Country United States
State Indiana
County Floyd
Township Greenville
Area
 • Total 0.90 sq mi (2.34 km2)
 • Land 0.90 sq mi (2.34 km2)
 • Water 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation
827 ft (252 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 1,365
 • Density 1,509.96/sq mi (582.88/km2)
Time zone UTC-5 (EST)
 • Summer (DST) UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code
47124
Area code(s) 812 & 930
FIPS code 18-29844
GNIS feature ID 0435458
U.S. Highway US 150.svg
Major State Roads Indiana 335.svg
Website http://www.visitgreenvillein.com

Greenville is an incorporated town in Floyd County, Indiana. The population was 595 at the 2010 census. Greenville is located in the greater Louisville metropolitan area.

History

Early in Floyd County's history, Greenville was initially to be the county seat. A New Albany resident offered to provide a bell for the courthouse, on the condition that the courthouse were built in New Albany; thus, it was built there instead.

Captain John Baptiste Ford found his way to Greenville as a 14-year-old runaway from Danville, Kentucky. Ford began as an apprentice with his future father-in-law in the local saddle shop which led him into his first business venture. Ford purchased the Old Mill and saddle shop from its owner, added a grocery and began making tin pie safes which he sold throughout the country. Later, Ford moved to New Albany and established several businesses, and became the first man to succeed in making plate glass in the United States. That success was the precursor to several glass companies, most notably the Pittsburgh Plate Glass Company now known as PPG. Ford became the father of American plate glass.

That original building that housed the mill, saddle shop and grocery still stands today. Historically referred to as the Old Mill and Ford's Flour Mill, the Greenville Station is believed to be the oldest commercial building in Greenville. Construction on the original wooden structure began in 1810 and finished in 1812. In 1840, Ford helped to erect the present brick structure. Besides housing Ford's grocery and the saddle shop, the Old Mill was the Greenville Post Office from 1823 until the early 1940s when it was relocated to H. Miller's house at the corner of East First Street and Hwy 150. The Station was a stop for the 104-mile stagecoach route that ran from Falls Cities to the Wabash River. The building also served as a stop along the Pony Express route from 1861 to 1867. The Greenville Station served as lodge hall for two civil organizations: the fraternal order of the Free and Accepted Masons and the International Order of Oddfellows. Through a majority of the early 20th century, the Greenville Station was referred to by the townspeople as the "lodge building" or the "lodge."

On March 26, 1908 a fire destroyed most of the town's original buildings. Today, the Station stands just two doors from one of the city's oldest home (rebuilt in 1908), which still boasts some of John B. Ford's original plate glass works.

The Simpson Memorial United Methodist Church was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2004.

Geography

Greenville is located at 38°22′22″N 85°59′19″W / 38.37278°N 85.98861°W / 38.37278; -85.98861 (38.372768, -85.988685).

According to the 2010 census, Greenville has a total area of 0.78 square miles (2.02 km2), all land.

The township is situated such that, clockwise, it borders the township of Jackson Township, Washington County to the northwest, Wood Township, Clark County to the northeast, Laffayette Township in Floyd County to the east, Georgetown Township to the south, Jackson Township, Harrison County to the southwest, and Morgan Township, Harrison County to the west.

Big and Little Indian Creeks meander through the township, which are tributaries in the Ohio River watershed.

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop.
1880 394
1890 313 −20.6%
1900 309 −1.3%
1910 227 −26.5%
1920 225 −0.9%
1930 257 14.2%
1940 285 10.9%
1950 298 4.6%
1960 453 52.0%
1970 611 34.9%
1980 537 −12.1%
1990 508 −5.4%
2000 591 16.3%
2010 595 0.7%
2020 1,365 129.4%
U.S. Decennial Census

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 595 people, 219 households, and 162 families residing in the town. The population density was 762.8 inhabitants per square mile (294.5/km2). There were 241 housing units at an average density of 309.0 per square mile (119.3/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 95.5% White, 1.5% African American, 0.8% Native American, 0.8% Asian, 0.5% from other races, and 0.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.0% of the population.

There were 219 households, of which 40.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.6% were married couples living together, 11.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.5% had a male householder with no wife present, and 26.0% were non-families. 18.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.72 and the average family size was 3.12.

The median age in the town was 40.3 years. 77% of residents were over the age of 18; 6.4% were between the ages of 20 and 24; 26.5% were from 25 to 44; 25.7% were from 45 to 64; and 14.7% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 46.8% male and 53.2% female.

Education

The community is within the New Albany-Floyd County Consolidated School Corporation. Greenville is within the attendance boundaries of Greenville Elementary School, Highland Hills Middle School, and Floyd Central High School.

Greenville Elementary School is located within the town limits.

Notable residents

  • John Baptiste Ford lived in Greenville from 1825 to 1854 and pursued several business ventures while living in Greenville. After leaving Greenville, Ford went on to become an influential industrialist, eventually establishing Pittsburgh Plate Glass Company (now PPG Porter) and Michigan Alkali Company (went on to become BSAF).
  • Norman Jay Colman In 1850, Colman became the first principal in Greenville when the Floyd County Seminary opened in town at the same location as the present day school. He went on to a successful political career including becoming the 1st Secretary of Agriculture appointed by President Grover Cleveland in 1889. In 2018, the Greenville Town Council named a road after Colman to honor his contributions to the community and to the agriculture industry.
  • Roscoe Miller was a pitcher in MLB who played four seasons in 1901 - 1904 with the Detroit Tigers, New York Giants, and Pittsburgh Pirates. His rookie season was his best finishing 23–13 with 35 complete games which is still an American League rookie record.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Greenville (Indiana) para niños

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