Rochester, Indiana facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
City of Rochester, Indiana
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Rochester business district
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| Motto(s):
"The City of Friendship and Pride"
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Location of Rochester in Fulton County, Indiana
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| Country | United States |
| State | Indiana |
| County | Fulton |
| Settled | 1835 |
| Incorporated Town | June 11, 1853 |
| Incorporated City | October 11, 1909 |
| Area | |
| • Total | 5.68 sq mi (14.71 km2) |
| • Land | 4.57 sq mi (11.84 km2) |
| • Water | 1.11 sq mi (2.87 km2) 19.14% |
| Elevation | 784 ft (239 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 6,270 |
| • Density | 1,311.02/sq mi (506.19/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (EST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code |
46975
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| Area code | 574 |
| FIPS code | 18-65214 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2396394 |
| Website | http://www.rochester.in.us/ |
Rochester is a city located in Fulton County, Indiana, in the United States. It is also the county seat, which means it's where the main government offices for the county are. In 2020, about 6,270 people lived in Rochester.
Contents
A Look Back in Time: Rochester's History
Rochester was first planned out in 1835. A person named Alexander Chamberlain founded the city. He named it after his old hometown, Rochester, New York. The first post office in Rochester opened in 1836.
An important historical event, the Potawatomi Trail of Death, passed through the town in 1838. Rochester officially became a city in 1853.
Many historic buildings in Rochester are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. These include the Lyman M. Brackett House and the Fulton County Courthouse. The Rochester Downtown Historic District and the John W. Smith House are also on this list.
In 1967, a very special discovery was made in a cornfield near Rochester. Scientists found the most complete skeleton ever of an extinct bear called Arctodus. This bear was much larger than bears we see today.
In 1974, a very strong tornado hit the Rochester area. It was part of a huge storm system that affected many states. The tornado caused damage to homes and a local school.
Rochester's Location and Climate
Rochester covers an area of about 5.8 square miles (14.7 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, but about 19% of it is water.
What's the Weather Like in Rochester?
Rochester experiences a range of weather throughout the year. Summers are generally warm, and winters are cold. The city gets a good amount of rain and some snow each year.
| Climate data for Rochester, Indiana (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1904–1916, 1924–present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 69 (21) |
73 (23) |
86 (30) |
93 (34) |
96 (36) |
105 (41) |
109 (43) |
102 (39) |
103 (39) |
91 (33) |
81 (27) |
70 (21) |
109 (43) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 54.8 (12.7) |
57.2 (14.0) |
70.7 (21.5) |
79.8 (26.6) |
87.7 (30.9) |
92.2 (33.4) |
92.7 (33.7) |
91.6 (33.1) |
89.8 (32.1) |
82.3 (27.9) |
68.2 (20.1) |
57.3 (14.1) |
94.7 (34.8) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 31.9 (−0.1) |
35.8 (2.1) |
47.1 (8.4) |
60.0 (15.6) |
71.3 (21.8) |
80.2 (26.8) |
83.2 (28.4) |
81.5 (27.5) |
76.0 (24.4) |
63.5 (17.5) |
48.9 (9.4) |
37.0 (2.8) |
59.7 (15.4) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 24.6 (−4.1) |
27.7 (−2.4) |
37.7 (3.2) |
49.3 (9.6) |
60.6 (15.9) |
70.1 (21.2) |
73.0 (22.8) |
71.2 (21.8) |
64.6 (18.1) |
53.0 (11.7) |
40.5 (4.7) |
30.1 (−1.1) |
50.2 (10.1) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 17.3 (−8.2) |
19.7 (−6.8) |
28.3 (−2.1) |
38.6 (3.7) |
49.9 (9.9) |
59.9 (15.5) |
62.8 (17.1) |
61.0 (16.1) |
53.3 (11.8) |
42.5 (5.8) |
32.2 (0.1) |
23.2 (−4.9) |
40.7 (4.8) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | −3.8 (−19.9) |
1.0 (−17.2) |
12.4 (−10.9) |
24.6 (−4.1) |
35.7 (2.1) |
46.0 (7.8) |
50.8 (10.4) |
50.5 (10.3) |
40.1 (4.5) |
29.1 (−1.6) |
18.8 (−7.3) |
5.3 (−14.8) |
−7.3 (−21.8) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −24 (−31) |
−21 (−29) |
−7 (−22) |
8 (−13) |
24 (−4) |
35 (2) |
36 (2) |
35 (2) |
28 (−2) |
14 (−10) |
−4 (−20) |
−30 (−34) |
−30 (−34) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 2.83 (72) |
2.28 (58) |
2.62 (67) |
3.87 (98) |
4.40 (112) |
4.27 (108) |
4.44 (113) |
4.13 (105) |
3.20 (81) |
3.20 (81) |
3.08 (78) |
2.43 (62) |
40.75 (1,035) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 10.7 (27) |
8.0 (20) |
3.3 (8.4) |
0.5 (1.3) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
1.3 (3.3) |
6.3 (16) |
30.1 (76) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 9.7 | 7.8 | 9.3 | 10.7 | 11.4 | 10.0 | 8.7 | 8.7 | 7.8 | 9.4 | 9.1 | 9.4 | 112.0 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) | 4.6 | 3.2 | 1.4 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.6 | 2.7 | 12.7 |
| Source: NOAA | |||||||||||||
People of Rochester: Demographics
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1850 | 283 | — | |
| 1860 | 651 | 130.0% | |
| 1870 | 1,528 | 134.7% | |
| 1880 | 1,869 | 22.3% | |
| 1890 | 2,467 | 32.0% | |
| 1900 | 3,421 | 38.7% | |
| 1910 | 3,364 | −1.7% | |
| 1920 | 3,720 | 10.6% | |
| 1930 | 3,518 | −5.4% | |
| 1940 | 3,835 | 9.0% | |
| 1950 | 4,673 | 21.9% | |
| 1960 | 4,883 | 4.5% | |
| 1970 | 4,631 | −5.2% | |
| 1980 | 5,050 | 9.0% | |
| 1990 | 5,969 | 18.2% | |
| 2000 | 6,414 | 7.5% | |
| 2010 | 6,218 | −3.1% | |
| 2020 | 6,270 | 0.8% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
In 2010, there were 6,218 people living in Rochester. Most residents were White (95.9%). Other groups included African American, Native American, and Asian people. About 3.4% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.
The average age of people in Rochester was about 41.6 years old. About 22.5% of the residents were under 18 years old.
Fun and Learning in Rochester
Parks and Recreation
On the east side of Rochester, you'll find Lake Manitou. This lake is a popular spot in the summer for boating and other water activities. City Park is located on the western side of Rochester, close to the high school.
Education Opportunities
Rochester has a public library that is part of the Fulton County Public Library system. The city is also home to the Rochester Community School Corporation. This school system includes two elementary schools, a middle school, and Rochester Community High School.
Historic Buildings to See
Rochester has several buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places. These are important places that help tell the story of the city.
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Fulton County, Indiana
- Rochester Downtown Historic District
- Fulton County Courthouse (Indiana)
- Lyman M. Brackett House
- John W. Smith House
Famous People from Rochester
Many interesting people have connections to Rochester!
- Nicole Gale Anderson: An actress.
- Otis R. Bowen: He was a very important person in the U.S. government, serving as the Secretary of Health and Human Services. He was born nearby.
- John Angus Chamberlain: A well-known sculptor.
- Gene DeWeese: A science fiction writer who was born in Rochester.
- Elmo Lincoln: A film actor famous for being the original Tarzan.
See also
In Spanish: Rochester (Indiana) para niños
