Pendleton, Indiana facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids Pendleton, Indiana
Town
Downtown Pendleton
Motto(s): "Strong roots empower healthy growth."
Location in Madison County, Indiana
Country	United States
State	Indiana
County	Madison
Township	Fall Creek
Platted	1830
Government
• Type	Town council
Area
• Total	13.43 sq mi (34.79 km²)
• Land	13.36 sq mi (34.61 km²)
• Water	0.07 sq mi (0.18 km²)
Elevation	876 ft (267 m)
Population (2020)
• Total	4,717
• Density	352.99/sq mi (136.29/km²)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code	46064
Area code(s)	765
FIPS code	18-58662
GNIS feature ID	2396852

Pendleton is a town located in Fall Creek Township, within Madison County, Indiana, in the United States. In 2020, about 4,717 people lived there. This was an increase from 4,253 people in 2010. The town's motto is "Strong roots empower healthy growth."

History of Pendleton

Pendleton was first planned out in 1830. It became an official town in 1854. The town was named after its founder, Thomas Pendleton.

The Fall Creek Massacre Event

A very important event in history, known as the Fall Creek Massacre, happened near Pendleton. On March 22, 1824, a group of Native Americans were killed. This event led to a significant trial. The trials for the people involved took place in 1824 and 1825.

This case was historic because it was the first time in the United States that white men were executed for killing Native Americans. This helped establish that Native Americans had civil rights. A special marker in Falls Park shows where the executions happened.

Frederick Douglass's Visit and Attack

In 1843, the famous speaker Frederick Douglass visited Pendleton. He was speaking about ending slavery, a movement called Abolition. While he was speaking in a nearby forest, a group of people attacked him and his party.

Douglass was badly hurt and even knocked unconscious. He was cared for by a kind Quaker couple, Neal Hardy and his wife. Douglass recovered, but he never fully regained the use of his injured hand.

The 2019 Tornado in Pendleton

On May 27, 2019, a strong tornado hit Pendleton. This was part of a larger series of tornadoes that happened that month. The tornado caused moderate damage to the town.

Rescue teams started working right away that night. Experts later rated the tornado as a high-end EF-2. This means its winds reached about 130 miles per hour (209 km/h).

Geography of Pendleton

Pendleton is located in the southern part of Madison County. To the north, it shares a border with Anderson, which is the county seat. To the west, it borders the town of Lapel, and to the southwest, it borders Ingalls.

Major Roads and Waterways

Interstate 69 runs through the western side of Pendleton and along its northern edge. You can get on I-69 from Exits 219 and 222. This highway connects Pendleton to Indianapolis (about 30 miles southwest) and Fort Wayne (about 91 miles north-northeast).

Other important roads include:

U.S. Route 36: Passes through the southeast, leading to Indianapolis and Greenville, Ohio.
Indiana State Road 9: Goes through the east side, connecting to Anderson and Greenfield.
State Road 38: Runs through the center as State Street, leading to New Castle and Noblesville.
State Road 132 (Lapel Road): Leads northwest to Lapel.

Pendleton covers about 13.43 square miles (34.78 square kilometers) in total. A small part of this area, about 0.07 square miles (0.18 square kilometers), is water. Fall Creek flows through the western part of the town. It eventually joins the White River in Indianapolis.

Population and People

Pendleton is part of the larger Indianapolis–Carmel–Anderson metropolitan area. This means it's connected to the economy and culture of the bigger cities nearby.

Population Changes Over Time

The number of people living in Pendleton has changed over many years. Here's how the population has grown:

1850: 389 people
1900: 1,512 people
1950: 2,082 people
2000: 3,873 people
2020: 4,717 people

Who Lives in Pendleton?

According to the 2010 census, there were 4,253 people living in Pendleton. Most residents (96.6%) were White. About 1% were African American, and smaller percentages were Native American, Asian, or from other backgrounds. About 1% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

The average age in Pendleton was about 37.6 years old.

About 26.4% of residents were under 18.
About 27.4% were between 25 and 44.
About 15% were 65 or older.

There were slightly more females (52.7%) than males (47.3%) in the town.

Arts and Culture

Pendleton has several interesting places to visit.

Historical Sites and Attractions

The Pendleton Historic District is an important area. It includes many historic buildings and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's recognized for its historical value. Another historic site is Madison County Bridge No. 149.

Education in Pendleton

The town of Pendleton is home to the schools of the South Madison Community School Corporation.

Local Schools

The school district has three elementary schools:

Pendleton Elementary (also known as South Elementary)
East Elementary
Maple Ridge Elementary

Pendleton Heights High School is located on a hill on the east side of town. It serves as the main high school for the area. A new Pendleton Heights Middle School opened in 2009, right across from the high school. The old middle school building is now used as Pendleton Elementary School - Intermediate.

Pendleton also has a public library called the Pendleton Community Public Library.

Local Media

Newspaper: The Times-Post is a weekly newspaper that covers news for Pendleton and nearby communities. It was once known as The Pendleton Times. This paper was the first to publish early comic strips by Jim Davis, who later created the famous Garfield comic.
Radio: WEEM (91.7 FM) is a radio station run by students at Pendleton Heights High School. It's a non-commercial station that broadcasts over about 20 miles (32 km). Students have been running WEEM since 1970, playing contemporary rock music.

Transportation and Services

Pendleton has important transportation routes and emergency services.

Highways and Roads

Major roads that serve Pendleton include:

I-69
State Road 9
State Road 38
State Road 67
U.S. Route 36

Ambulance Service

Pendleton Emergency Ambulance provides important medical services to the town. It is one of only two volunteer Advanced Life Support (ALS) ambulance services in Indiana. This means they can provide a high level of medical care before a patient reaches a hospital.

Prisons Near Pendleton

Three facilities of the Indiana Department of Corrections are located in Fall Creek Township, close to Pendleton. These facilities include:

Pendleton Correctional Facility
Correctional Industrial Facility
Pendleton Juvenile Correctional Facility

The Pendleton Correctional Facility is a maximum-security prison located on the south edge of town.

Notable People from Pendleton

Many interesting people have connections to Pendleton:

George Daugherty (born 1955) – An Emmy Award-nominated director for the ABC television network.
Dick Dickey (1926–2006) – A basketball player who played for the Boston Celtics.
Kellen Dunham (born 1993) – A professional basketball player.
Don Hankins (1902–1963) – A Major League Baseball pitcher for the 1927 Detroit Tigers.
Joseph Swain (1857–1927) – A former president of Indiana University and Swarthmore College.
Walter Dorwin Teague (1883–1960) – A well-known industrial designer and architect.
William Walker (1896–1992) – An actor, known for his role as Reverend Sykes in the 1962 film To Kill a Mockingbird.
Fred Wilt (1920–1994) – An athlete who set a world record in the two-mile run in 1952.

Images for kids

Photo from Small Town Indiana survey
Falls Park