Thorntown, Indiana facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Thorntown, Indiana
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Main Street during the Festival of the Turning Leaves
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| Nickname(s):
Kawiakiungi
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Location of Thorntown in Boone County, Indiana.
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| Country | United States |
| State | Indiana |
| County | Boone |
| Township | Sugar Creek |
| Area | |
| • Total | 0.61 sq mi (1.59 km2) |
| • Land | 0.61 sq mi (1.59 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 856 ft (261 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 1,432 |
| • Density | 2,336.05/sq mi (901.82/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code |
46071
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| Area code(s) | 765 |
| FIPS code | 18-75626 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2397695 |
| Website | http://www.bccn.boone.in.us/thorntown/ |
Thorntown is a small town in Boone County, Indiana. It is located in the northwestern part of the county. Thorntown is about halfway between the cities of Lafayette and Indianapolis. In 2020, about 1,432 people lived there.
Contents
Discovering Thorntown's Past
The first people to settle permanently in Thorntown arrived in 1827. A post office was opened in the town in 1830. Thorntown was officially planned and mapped out in 1831. The name "Thorntown" is actually an English translation. It comes from the name of an older Native American village that used to be in the same spot.
The Thorntown Public Library is a special building. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1986. This means it is recognized as an important historical site in the United States.
Where is Thorntown?
Thorntown is located in Sugar Creek Township, Boone County, Indiana. The town covers a total area of about 0.6 square miles (1.59 square kilometers). All of this area is land, with no large bodies of water inside the town limits.
Who Lives in Thorntown?
The population of Thorntown has changed over many years. Here is a look at how many people have lived in the town during different census years:
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1860 | 1,016 | — | |
| 1870 | 1,526 | 50.2% | |
| 1880 | 1,515 | −0.7% | |
| 1890 | 1,530 | 1.0% | |
| 1900 | 1,511 | −1.2% | |
| 1910 | 1,508 | −0.2% | |
| 1920 | 1,432 | −5.0% | |
| 1930 | 1,325 | −7.5% | |
| 1940 | 1,226 | −7.5% | |
| 1950 | 1,380 | 12.6% | |
| 1960 | 1,486 | 7.7% | |
| 1970 | 1,399 | −5.9% | |
| 1980 | 1,468 | 4.9% | |
| 1990 | 1,506 | 2.6% | |
| 2000 | 1,562 | 3.7% | |
| 2010 | 1,520 | −2.7% | |
| 2020 | 1,432 | −5.8% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
Thorntown's Population in 2010
In 2010, a census counted 1,520 people living in Thorntown. These people lived in 556 households, and 422 of these were families. The town had about 2,533 people per square mile. This is called the population density. There were also 622 homes or housing units.
Most of the people in Thorntown were White (99.1%). A very small number were African American or Native American. About 0.7% of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino.
Many households (37.1%) had children under 18 living there. More than half (51.4%) were married couples living together. About 20.7% of all households were made up of people living alone.
The average age of people in Thorntown was 37.5 years. About 26% of residents were under 18 years old. About 13% were 65 years or older. The town had slightly more females (52.2%) than males (47.8%).
Famous People from Thorntown
Some notable people have connections to Thorntown:
- William La Follette was born in Thorntown. He became a member of the United States House of Representatives.
- Paul Hutchens was an author. He is well-known for his Sugar Creek Gang book series.
- Anson Mills was a general. He also helped found the city of El Paso, Texas.
- William W. Rogers was a major general in the Marine Corps. He served during World War II.
