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Greenwood, Indiana
City
Greenwood City Hall
Greenwood City Hall
Location of Greenwood in Johnson County, Indiana
Location of Greenwood in Johnson County, Indiana
Country United States
State Indiana
County Johnson
Townships Pleasant, White River, Clark
Area
 • Total 27.91 sq mi (72.28 km2)
 • Land 27.91 sq mi (72.28 km2)
 • Water 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation
813 ft (248 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 63,830
 • Density 2,287.24/sq mi (883.12/km2)
Time zone UTC−5 (EST)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−4 (EDT)
ZIP codes
46142-46143
Area code(s) 317
FIPS code 18-29898
GNIS feature ID 0435464

Greenwood is a city in Johnson County, Indiana, United States. The population was 63,830 at the 2020 Census. Greenwood is located between Indiana State Road 37 and Interstate 65. The city shares a border with Indianapolis and is the most populous suburban municipality in the southern portion of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Area.

History

Early history and founding

The first inhabitants of the area currently known as Greenwood were the Delaware Indians (Lenape). In 1818, the Treaty of St. Mary's opened central Indiana to European American settlement, and by 1823 the first cabin in northern Johnson County was erected by settlers John B. and Isaac Smock on land currently occupied by Greenwood Park Mall. Greenwood was first known as "Smocktown" or "Smock's Settlement" in honor of the Smock brothers, and became "Greenfield" in 1825. Since this clashed with another Greenfield located in Hancock County, the name of the settlement was changed to Greenwood. Some claim the town's name was in honor of Samuel Greenwood, who platted the community in 1872.

J.T. Polk Canning Company

The Polk Canning Company was essential to Greenwood's early growth. The cannery was a major employer and canned a variety of vegetables grown in Indiana. Later, the company expanded into the dairy market and provided milk delivery to customers. At one point the cannery was the largest canning operation west of Baltimore. The cannery was eventually purchased by the Stokely-Van Camp company and retained operations in Greenwood until the 1950s. Portions of the cannery are still standing on Main Street and have been repurposed for professional office space.

Indianapolis Interurban

Greenwood was an early and key cog in the Electric Indianapolis Interurban Railway System. In 1895, Henry L. Smith proposed and organized the Indianapolis, Greenwood & Franklin Company and graded the line to Greenwood. The Indianapolis, Greenwood & Franklin Railway was opened between Indianapolis and Greenwood on January 1, 1900 and, according to Indianapolis historian Jacob Piatt Dunn, was the Hoosier capital's first real interurban electric railway. The railway followed what is now Madison Avenue.

Incorporation

Greenwood was incorporated as a town under Indiana law in 1864 and became a fifth-class city in 1960. In 2010, the Greenwood City Council approved a measure to change the official status of Greenwood to second class city in accordance with Indiana Code Title 36, Article 4, Chapter 1.

Historic District

Greenwood Commercial Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1991. This district encompasses 25 buildings and 32 acres (13 hectares).

Transportation

Road and Street Network

According to Greenwood's most recent Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, there were 209.6 miles (337.3 km) of public streets within the city limits as of 2015.

Major east-west arterial routes in Greenwood are not numbered and include County Line Road, Fry Road, Main Street, Smith Valley Road, Stop 18 Road, and Worthsville Road. Greenwood's system of east-west streets and roads link residents and businesses in White River Township with the business and neighborhoods adjacent to Interstate 65.

Most major north-south corridors in Greenwood are numbered and are not property of the city. U.S. 31, State Road 135, and Interstate 65 serve as the major north-south routes in the city. Greenwood owns and maintain three secondary corridors east of U.S. 31: Madison Avenue connects the Greenwood Park Mall to the Old Town Historic District; Emerson Avenue serves as a major commercial and business corridor and connects St. Francis Hospital in Indianapolis to Smith Valley Road; and Graham Road, located east of Interstate 65, connects County Line Road to Worthsville Road and serves several large distribution centers.

Interstate Access

As of 2019, three exits connect Greenwood to Interstate 65. The most recently constructed interchange, Exit 97 (Worthsville Road), features a diverging diamond traffic design. It is one of two such installations in Indiana. The remaining two interchanges, Exit 99 (Main Street) and Exit 101 (County Line Road), use conventional diamond and parclo A4 configurations, respectively. All three interchanges serve major commercial and industrial zones in the city.

Airport

  • KHFY – Indy South Greenwood Airport

Railroad

Freight rail service is provided by the Louisville and Indiana Railroad (LIRC). The LIRC line traverses Greenwood from north to south and roughly parallels U.S. 31 and Interstate 65.

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop.
1880 448
1890 862 92.4%
1900 1,503 74.4%
1910 1,608 7.0%
1920 1,907 18.6%
1930 2,377 24.6%
1940 2,499 5.1%
1950 3,066 22.7%
1960 7,169 133.8%
1970 11,869 65.6%
1980 19,327 62.8%
1990 26,265 35.9%
2000 36,037 37.2%
2010 49,791 38.2%
2020 63,830 28.2%
U.S. Decennial Census

2010 Census

As of the census of 2010, there were 49,791 people, 19,615 households, and 12,845 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,345.3 inhabitants per square mile (905.5/km2). There were 21,339 housing units at an average density of 1,005.1 per square mile (388.1/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 91.1% White, 1.7% African American, 0.3% Native American, 3.7% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 2.1% from other races, and 2.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.0% of the population.

There were 19,615 households, of which 35.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.2% were married couples living together, 11.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.8% had a male householder with no wife present, and 34.5% were non-families. 27.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 3.09.

The median age in the city was 34 years. 26.6% of residents were under the age of 18; 9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 29.8% were from 25 to 44; 23.1% were from 45 to 64; and 11.6% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.4% male and 51.6% female.

Economic Environment

Top Employment Sectors

According to the Johnson County Chamber of Commerce's Labor Force Report, in 2020 Greenwood had a total of 2,803 business establishments, employing 27,865 individuals. The principal employers in the city by NAICS category are:

Rank NAICS Category # of employees % of total employment
1 Food Services and Drinking Places 3,818 13.70%
2 General Merchandise Stores 1,850 6.64%
3 Physician Offices 1,234 4.43%
4 Health and Personal Care Stores 1,209 4.34%
5 Clothing and Clothing Accessories 993 3.56%
6 Elementary and Secondary Schools 961 3.45%
7 Personal Care Services 951 3.41%
8 General Construction 812 2.91%
9 Motor Vehicle and Parts Dealers 785 2.82%
10 Food and Beverage Stores 696 2.50%

Notable Businesses

Greenwood is home to the headquarters or other major facilities for several large businesses. The U.S. headquarters for Swiss process automation company Endress+Hauser is located in the southern portion of the city, immediately east of US 31 between Worthsville Road and Pushville Road. In 2014, the company completed construction of a new 80,000,000 square feet (7,400,000 m2) customer center on its Greenwood Campus. Nachi Fujikoshi's subsidiary Nachi America Inc., a producer of machine tools, maintains its corporate campus and manufacturing facilities on Pushville Road in Greenwood. Amazon operates a fulfillment center near Worthsville Road and Interstate 65 that employs around 1,000 people. In late 2020, power tool manufacturer Milwaukee Electric Tool established its second U.S. service hub at Greenwood's Southtech Business Park; the facility commenced operations in May 2021.

Craft Breweries

Four craft breweries are located within Greenwood. Oaken Barrel Brewing Co. has called Greenwood home since its opening in 1994. Oaken Barrel is the second oldest brewpub in Indiana. Planetary Brewing established a production center and tasting room for Greenwood customers in 2013. The city is also home to Mashcraft Brewing Company. Mashcraft operates a taproom on State Road 135. Hoosier Brewing Company is located on South Madison Avenue in Old Town.

City parks

Westside Park- Pleasant Run Creek
Creek in Westside park

City Center Park

Located at 415 Lincoln Street, City Center Park sits on 5 acres just east of the City Center Building. City Center Park was formerly known as Pool Park. After redevelopment in 2013, the park was renamed after its proximity to the Greenwood City Center Building. The park contains the only splash pad in Greenwood. City Center Park also features handicap accessible playgrounds, a basketball court, and a shelter.

Community Garden

The Greenwood Community Garden is located on the north side of Fry Road. For a fee, residents can rent a 20 x 20-foot plot to grow plants, flowers, fruits, and vegetables.

Craig Park

Located at 10 East Smith Valley Road, Craig Park is the largest park in Old Town Greenwood. The park spans 27 acres and is located between Smith Valley Road and Main Street. Craig Park has two shelters and one gazebo. Major amenities include playgrounds, tennis courts, pathways, and three nature themed play pockets. Craig Park is home to WAMM Fest and Freedom Festival.

Freedom Park

Located at 850 West Stop 18 Road, Freedom Park covers 79 acres and offers multiple amenities to patrons. Freedom Park is the largest park in Greenwood. Key attractions include: soccer fields, football fields, tennis courts, basketball courts, walking trails, a sledding hill, playgrounds, and Freedom Springs Aquatic Center.

Northeast Park

Located at 100 Crestview Drive, Northeast Park covers 19 acres and sits adjacent to Northeast Elementary School. Key attractions include: soccer fields, a softball diamond, a basketball court, two picnic shelters, and the only skateboarding park in the city.

Old City Park

Located at 304 South Meridian Street, Old City Park follows Pleasant Creek from Meridian Street to Madison Avenue. The park spans 5 acres. Major amenities include a playground, a football field, and a shelter. The Greenwood Public Library is directly south of the park and overlooks the football field.

University Park

Located at 200 Legacy Blvd., University Park covers 40 acres of land on the eastside of the city. University Park is interegrated into the design of Homecoming at University Park- a large residential development east of Interstate 65. Major features of the park include: a picnic shelter, a playground, a basketball court, walking trails, Four Paws Dog park, and Reflections Plaza Pavilion.

Westside Park

Located at 820 West Main Street, Westside Park covers 27 acres of land. Pleasant Run Creek runs through the park and is the defining feature of the landscape. Other major features include:a softball diamond, a picnic shelter, tennis courts, playgrounds, and walking trails.

Education

Educational Attainment

91.1% of Greenwood residents are high school graduates or higher. 31.1% of residents have attained a bachelor's degree or higher.

Public Schools

Three public school corporations serve Greenwood residents: Greenwood Community School Corporation, Clark-Pleasant Community School Corporation, and Center Grove Community School Corporation.

Greenwood Community School Corporation

High School

  • Greenwood Community High School

Middle School

  • Greenwood Community Middle School

Elementary Schools

  • Southwest Elementary School
  • Northeast Elementary School
  • V.O. Isom Elementary School
  • Westwood Elementary School

Clark-Pleasant Community School Corporation

High School

  • Whiteland Community High School

Middle School

  • Clark-Pleasant Middle School

Elementary Schools

  • Clark Elementary School
  • Grassy Creek Elementary School
  • Pleasant Crossing Elementary School

Center Grove Community School Corporation

High School

  • Center Grove High School

Middle Schools

  • Center Grove Middle School Central
  • Center Grove Middle School North

Elementary Schools

  • Center Grove Elementary School
  • North Grove Elementary School
  • Pleasant Grove Elementary School
  • Sugar Grove Elementary School
  • Maple Grove Elementary School
  • Walnut Grove Elementary School

Private Schools

  • Our Lady of Greenwood – Preschool – 8th grade
  • St. Francis and Clare Catholic School – Preschool – 8th grade
  • Greenwood Christian Academy – K-12
  • Suburban Christian School – Preschool – 12th grade

Colleges and Universities

  • Indiana Baptist College
  • Indiana Institute of Technology (regional campus)
  • Indiana Wesleyan University (regional education and conference center)

Public Library

The city is served by the Greenwood Public Library. The Johnson County Public Library also operates a separate branch within Greenwood city limits.

See also

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