Otterbein, Indiana facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Otterbein, USA
|
|
|---|---|
The view north along Main Street.
|
|
| Nickname(s):
The Town Between Two Counties
|
|
Location of Otterbein in Tippecanoe County and Benton County, Indiana.
|
|
Map of Otterbein
|
|
 Otterbein, Indiana
Location in Benton County, Indiana
|
|
| Country | United States |
| State | Indiana |
| Counties | Tippecanoe, Benton |
| Townships | Shelby, Bolivar |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1.28 sq mi (3.33 km2) |
| • Land | 1.28 sq mi (3.32 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 705 ft (215 m) |
| Population
(2020)
|
|
| • Total | 1,144 |
| • Density | 891.66/sq mi (344.39/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (EST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code |
47970
|
| Area code(s) | 765 |
| FIPS code | 18-57258 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2396841 |
| Website | http://otterbein.in.gov/ |
Otterbein is a small town in Indiana, USA. It is special because it sits in two different counties: Tippecanoe County and Benton County. The town was named after William Otterbein Brown, who gave the land for it. In 2020, about 1,144 people lived there. Otterbein is also part of the larger Lafayette Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Contents
History of Otterbein
Founding and Early Days
Otterbein started as a place called Pond Grove. The first 60 building plots were set up on October 25, 1872, by John Levering and his wife. Later, Mary A. Clancey added more plots in 1883. The first house was built by Dr. John K. Thompson. Henry H. Moore opened the first business, which was a general store.
The town was named after William Otterbein Brown. He was a farmer and a stock-dealer. He also worked as the postmaster until he passed away in 1879.
Schools and Community Life
Otterbein High School was open from 1910 until 1966. After that, students went to the new Benton Community School Corporation. Sadly, the high school gym and most of the building burned down in a fire in 1975.
Today, Otterbein has two churches, a Catholic church and a United Methodist church. There are also four restaurants, two sporting goods stores, and a thrift shop. The town has an elementary school and a public library for its residents.
Railroads and Industry
Long ago, two sets of Nickel Plate Railroad tracks ran through Otterbein. One set of tracks has since been removed. The other set is now used by the Kankakee, Beaverville and Southern Railroad. Since late 2008, the old railroad path has been used for power poles. These poles carry electricity from wind turbines in western Benton County. The power goes to a substation in Montmorenci.
Two businesses, Kerkhoff Truss Plant and Rowe Trucking Inc, are located in the industrial park. This park is on the east side of town, actually in Tippecanoe County. The Otterbein post office has been serving the community since 1872.
Geography of Otterbein
Otterbein is mostly located on flat, open farmland. It sits on the eastern border of Benton County in Bolivar Township. Some parts of the town stretch into Tippecanoe County to the east.
U.S. Route 52 runs along the north side of Otterbein. The Kankakee, Beaverville and Southern Railroad tracks cut through the southern part of town.
According to the 2010 census, Otterbein covers about 0.61 square miles (1.58 square kilometers) of land. There is no water area within the town limits.
Oxford Street, which used to be part of US 52, is the main east-west street. The only blinking traffic light in town is where Oxford Street meets Main Street. Otterbein is known for its very wide Main Street. This street is so wide that it can fit two rows of parallel parking in the middle.
Population of Otterbein
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1910 | 652 | — | |
| 1920 | 702 | 7.7% | |
| 1930 | 616 | −12.3% | |
| 1940 | 570 | −7.5% | |
| 1950 | 641 | 12.5% | |
| 1960 | 788 | 22.9% | |
| 1970 | 916 | 16.2% | |
| 1980 | 1,118 | 22.1% | |
| 1990 | 1,291 | 15.5% | |
| 2000 | 1,312 | 1.6% | |
| 2010 | 1,262 | −3.8% | |
| 2020 | 1,144 | −9.4% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
2010 Census Information
In 2010, the town of Otterbein had 1,262 people living there. There were 502 households and 335 families. The population density was about 2,069 people per square mile (800 people per square kilometer). There were 550 homes in the town.
Most of the people living in Otterbein were White (96.8%). A small number were African American (0.7%), Native American (0.3%), or Asian (0.1%). About 3.1% of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino.
In terms of households, 38.4% had children under 18 living with them. About 46.4% were married couples. Some households had a female head with no husband (12.5%) or a male head with no wife (7.8%). About 27.1% of all households were single individuals. Of these, 11.8% were people aged 65 or older living alone. The average household had 2.51 people, and the average family had 3.04 people.
The average age of people in Otterbein was 32.4 years. About 28% of residents were under 18. Around 9.1% were between 18 and 24 years old. People aged 25 to 44 made up 28.8% of the population. Those aged 45 to 64 were 23.1%. Finally, 11.1% of residents were 65 years or older. The town had slightly more females (50.8%) than males (49.2%).
Notable People from Otterbein
- Richard Atha – A basketball player for Indiana State and in the NBA. He is in the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame.
- Adam Kennedy (1922–1997) – An actor, author, and painter.
- Neal Musser – A professional baseball player.
- Donald E. Williams (1942–2016) – A Commander for NASA space shuttle missions.
Education in Otterbein
Students in Otterbein attend Otterbein Elementary School. This school teaches children from kindergarten through sixth grade. After elementary school, students continue their education at Benton Central Junior-Senior High School. This high school is located in Atkinson.
