Velpen, Indiana facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Velpen, Indiana
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Country | United States |
State | Indiana |
County | Pike |
Township | Marion |
Elevation | 489 ft (149 m) |
Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
ZIP code |
47590
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Area code(s) | 812, 930 |
GNIS feature ID | 445242 |
Velpen is a small community located in Pike County, in the state of Indiana, United States. It's considered a census-designated place, which means it's a special area identified by the government for statistics. Velpen is found in southeastern Marion Township.
You can find Velpen along State Road 257. It's located southeast of Petersburg, which is the main town and county seat for Pike County. Even though Velpen isn't an official town, it has its own post office and a special ZIP code, 47590.
Velpen's Story: A Look Back
Velpen has a history that goes back many years. One of the first important things to happen was the opening of its post office. This post office has been helping people send and receive mail since 1881! That's a long time ago.
People think the community might have been named after a river in Europe called the Velp. It's interesting how places sometimes get their names from far-off locations.
Learning in Velpen: Schools and Education
If you live in Velpen, your schools are part of the Pike County School Corporation. This is the main school district for the whole county.
Velpen's Old High School
Before 1937, Velpen actually had its very own high school! Imagine going to a high school right in your community. The students at Velpen High School had green and white as their school colors. Their mascot was the Leopards, which sounds like a cool and fast animal!
However, things changed in 1937. Students from Velpen High School started going to Otwell High School instead. Later, in 1974, Otwell High School joined with another school to form Pike Central High School. So, even though Velpen's high school is gone, its history is part of the bigger school story in Pike County.