Petersburg, Indiana facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Petersburg, Indiana
City
City of Petersburg
Location of Petersburg in Pike County, Indiana.
Country	United States
State	Indiana
County	Pike
Township	Washington
Area
• Total	1.47 sq mi (3.81 km2)
• Land	1.47 sq mi (3.80 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation	449 ft (137 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	2,304
• Density	1,569.48/sq mi (605.91/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (EST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code	47567
Area code(s)	812
FIPS code	18-59364
GNIS feature ID	2396192
Interstate Highways
Major State Roads
Website	http://www.petersburg.in.gov/

Petersburg is a city located in Pike County, Indiana, in the U.S. state of Indiana. It is the main town, also known as the county seat, for Pike County. In 2020, about 2,304 people lived there.

Petersburg is part of the larger Jasper area, which is a region that includes several towns and cities.

History of Petersburg

Petersburg was first established in 1817. The city was named after Peter Brenton, who was one of the first owners of the land where the town was built. A post office has been open in Petersburg since 1823, helping people send and receive mail for a very long time.

Geography and Location

Petersburg covers an area of about 1.47 square miles (3.8 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with only a tiny bit of water. The lower part of the White River flows through the city, which is an important natural feature.

Petersburg's Climate

The weather in Petersburg has hot and humid summers. Winters are usually mild to cool. This type of weather is called a humid subtropical climate. It means the area gets plenty of rain and has warm temperatures for much of the year.

Population and People

In 2010, there were 2,383 people living in Petersburg. Most of the people living in the city were White (97.7%). Other groups included African American, Native American, and Asian residents. A small percentage of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

There were 1,025 households in the city. About 25.8% of these households had children under 18 living there. Many households were married couples living together. The average age of residents was 43.8 years old.

Local Industry

Petersburg is home to important energy facilities. The Indianapolis Power & Light (IPL)'s Petersburg Generating Station is a large power plant located close to the city. This plant uses coal to create electricity. There are also two coal mines nearby. Another power plant, Hoosier Energy's Frank E. Ratts Generating Station, was taken down between 2016 and 2017.

Education in Petersburg

All schools in Pike County are part of the Pike County School Corporation.

Petersburg used to have its own high school before 1974. Its school colors were red and white, and their mascot was the Indians. In 1974, this high school joined with others to form Pike Central High School.

The city also has a public library. It is a branch of the Pike County Public Library system, offering books and resources to the community.

Notable People from Petersburg

Many interesting people have connections to Petersburg:

• Jody Davis – A guitarist for the band Newsboys.
• Samuel Hugh Dillin – A judge.
• John W. Foster – A journalist and diplomat who served as the U.S. Secretary of State.
• Thomas L. Hisgen – He was a candidate for President of the United States in 1908.
• Gil Hodges – A famous baseball player and manager who is in the Hall of Fame.
• Clyde Lovellette – A professional basketball player.
• Melba Phillips – A physicist and science educator.
• John Wesley Posey – An abolitionist, someone who worked to end slavery.
• Joe Wyatt – A professional baseball player.
• Derek Lunsford – A bodybuilder who won Mr. Olympia in 2023.