Logansport, Indiana facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Logansport, Indiana
City
Buildings on Broadway in Logansport
Location of Logansport in Cass County, Indiana.
Country	United States
State	Indiana
County	Cass
Incorporated (city)	1838
Area
• Total	10.72 sq mi (27.77 km2)
• Land	10.49 sq mi (27.18 km2)
• Water	0.23 sq mi (0.59 km2)  2.45%
Elevation	604 ft (184 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	18,366
• Density	1,750.14/sq mi (675.73/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (EST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code	46947
Area code(s)	574
FIPS code	18-44658
GNIS feature ID	2395746
Website	http://www.cityoflogansport.org/

Logansport is a city in northern Indiana, United States. It is the county seat of Cass County, Indiana. In 2020, about 18,366 people lived there.

Logansport is special because it sits where two rivers meet: the Wabash and the Eel rivers. It is located northwest of Kokomo.

History of Logansport

Logansport was founded around 1826. It got its name from a Shawnee warrior named James Logan. He was also known as "Captain Logan" and helped U.S. forces during the War of 1812.

Fun Facts About Logansport's History

Logansport is home to a special old carousel. It is a Dentzel Carousel that has been fixed up. This carousel is one of the oldest and most complete ones made by the Dentzel Carousel Company.

You can find it in Riverside Park, right by the Eel River. When you ride, you can try to grab a brass ring! This fun game is even part of the city's slogan: “Logansport – Cass County: Grab the brass ring.” The carousel is so important that it is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Logansport Community High School has the oldest known high school mascot in Indiana. It is the cartoon character, Felix the Cat! Felix became part of the school's tradition between 1925 and 1926.

Logansport's Transportation Past

Logansport has a rich history with different ways of travel. The Wabash and Erie Canal reached Logansport in 1837. This is why "port" is in the city's name, meaning "Logan's port."

The historic Michigan Road also runs through Logansport. This was one of Indiana's first roads. It goes from Madison in the south to Michigan City in the north. Today, it has different names like State Road 29 and US 421.

Many passenger and freight trains also used to serve Logansport. Trains like the Wabash Cannon Ball and the Southland stopped here. Logansport still has two active railroads and a train yard. There is also a small, restored train station downtown.

Logansport's Early Inventions

In the early 1900s, Logansport was home to the Rutenber car company. It was later called the Western Motor Company. Edwin Rutenber started this company after inventing the first four-cylinder car engine. He was a great inventor with many patents. His inventions included the first four-cylinder engine and parts for electric home appliances we still use today.

Community Renewal and Growth

In 2009, Logansport was named a Preserve America Community. This special title was given by former First Lady Laura Bush. It means the city works to protect its history and use it for growth.

Communities get this title if they:

• Protect and celebrate their history.
• Use old buildings and places to help the economy.
• Encourage people to learn about local history through education and tourism.

Logan's Landing is a group that helps downtown Logansport grow. They focus on the area where the Eel River meets the Wabash River. Another group, the City of Logansport Economic Development Organization, helps with growth outside downtown. This includes industrial parks and other land. The Logansport – Cass County Chamber of Commerce helps local businesses connect with the community.

Geography and Climate

Logansport covers about 10.72 square miles (27.77 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a small part being water.

The land south of Logansport is mostly flat farmland. To the north and east, there are some small hills. These hills are similar to areas where large megawatt wind farms have been built, like the Fowler Ridge Wind Farm nearby.

Weather in Logansport

People of Logansport

In 2010, Logansport had 18,396 people living in the city. There were 6,877 households. About 34.6% of these households had children under 18.

Most people in Logansport were White (80.7%). About 21.6% of the population was Hispanic or Latino. The average age in the city was 34.2 years old.

Culture and Arts in Logansport

Logansport has a lively arts scene. The McHale Performing Arts Center is next to Logansport High School. It hosts many events, including the annual Winter Fantasy Production. This musical is put on by the high school's performing arts groups.

The center also holds other school events like the LHS Tony Awards. Many professional performers from outside Logansport also put on shows here.

Logansport Art Association

Logansport is home to the oldest art organization in Indiana. The Logansport Art Association (LAA) started in 1911. It began as a small art club in 1894. Today, it is an art center that offers classes and art supplies.

The LAA holds art shows and competitions every year. These events attract artists from Logansport and all over Indiana. Some of their shows include the Black & White Show and Youth Art Shows.

Festivals and Events

Logansport hosts an annual arts festival called Art on the Avenue every September. It is the biggest art festival in the area. Many festivals and events happen at Little Turtle Waterway. This is a public space and trail system along the Wabash River downtown.

Logansport also hosts the annual Med Flory Jazz Festival each spring. Med Flory was a famous jazz musician and actor from Logansport.

Other yearly festivals and events in Logansport include:

• Live music every Sunday evening at Little Turtle Waterway during the summer.
• The Med Flory Jazz and Blues Fest in July.
• The Taste Of Cass County every August in downtown Logansport.
• Art on the Avenue on the second Saturday of September.
• Downtown Spooktacular in October for Halloween.
• Light up Logansport & Downtown Christmas Open House, held the Friday after Thanksgiving.

Education in Logansport

The Logansport Community School Corporation serves most of Logansport. It has over 4,500 students in 8 different buildings:

• Columbia Elementary School
• Fairview Elementary School
• Landis Elementary School
• Logansport Intermediate School (grades 5-6)
• Logansport Junior High School (grades 7-8)
• Logansport High School
• Century Career Center

Logansport High School's sports teams are called the Berries. This is a fun play on the city's name, like the loganberry. The school's basketball gym is even called the Berry Bowl!

Logansport also has two colleges. Ivy Tech community college has a campus here, offering associate degrees and certificates. Trine University has a satellite campus, offering associate, bachelor's, and master's degrees.

The city also has a public library, which is part of the Cass County Public Library system.

Major Employers in Logansport

Here are some of the largest employers in the Logansport and Cass County area:

Transportation in Logansport

Logansport has several important roads. US 35 runs northwest to southeast through the city. US 24's business route goes east to west. Indiana State Road 25 runs northeast to southwest.

The city was once a major hub for trains. Trains from the Wabash Railroad and Pennsylvania Railroad passed through. The last passenger train on the Wabash line was the Wabash Cannon Ball in 1971.

The closest airport with commercial flights is Fort Wayne International Airport (FWA). For local travel, Cass Area Transit provides bus service in the city.

Notable People from Logansport

Many interesting people have come from Logansport, including:

• Phyllis A. Balch, a nutritionist and writer.
• Dai Buell, a pianist who grew up here.
• Samuel P. Bush, a railroad mechanic and ancestor of the Bush political family.
• Ann Christy, an actress.
• Gary Colson, a college basketball coach.
• Red Corriden, an MLB baseball player and manager.
• George Cuppy, a baseball pitcher.
• Med Flory, a jazz musician and actor.
• Aaron Heilman, a professional baseball pitcher.
• Joe Higgins, an actor known for commercials.
• Tony Hinkle, a Basketball Hall of Fame coach who invented the orange basketball.
• Clara Ingram Judson, a children's author.
• Greg Kinnear, an Oscar-nominated actor.
• Kenesaw Mountain Landis, a federal judge and the first Commissioner of Baseball.
• Edwin Rutenber, inventor of the first 4-cylinder automobile engine.
• Sir Henry Worth Thornton, a president of Canadian National Railways.
• John Tipton, a United States Senator.
• George Winter, a pioneer artist.
• Jamie Young, an NBA Coach.

See also

In Spanish: Logansport (Indiana) para niños