Yorktown, Indiana Facts for Kids

Yorktown is a town located in Delaware County, Indiana, United States. It is part of Mount Pleasant Township. In 2020, about 11,548 people lived there. Yorktown is also part of the larger Muncie, Indiana area.

Yorktown from the air, looking east.

The History of Yorktown
Yorktown's Location
People of Yorktown
- Population in 2020
Schools in Yorktown
Famous People from Yorktown
See also

The History of Yorktown

Early Days and Native Americans

Long ago, during the Woodland period, Native Americans built a special earth structure east of where Yorktown is now. You can still see it today! Yorktown is located where the White River meets Buck Creek. Local stories say that the Miami Indians believed this spot was safe from tornadoes because of how the rivers met.

Founding and Growth

Yorktown was officially planned in 1837 by a man named Oliver H. Smith. He was important because he represented Indiana in the U.S. Senate for several years. Smith also worked in the railroad business. In the early 1850s, Yorktown became connected to Indianapolis by railroad. Yorktown's main street is named after Oliver H. Smith.

The Natural Gas Boom

In the 1880s, a lot of natural gas was found in the area. This helped Yorktown grow! Several glass factories were built there because gas was cheap. This gas boom also brought the Ball Brothers to nearby Muncie.

Transportation and Industry

Over the years, different railroads served Yorktown, including the Big Four Railroad. Electric train lines, called interurbans, also connected the town in the early 1900s.

In the middle of the 20th century, many people in Yorktown worked in car factories. These factories were in nearby Muncie and Anderson. Most of them were part of General Motors. Later, some of these factories closed, like the General Motors plant in Muncie in 2003 and Borg Warner in Yorktown in 2009. Yorktown was also once the main office for Marsh Supermarkets from 1952 to 1991.

Yorktown's Location

Yorktown covers an area of about 8.86 square miles (22.95 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a small part being water.

People of Yorktown

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1880	331	—
1920	797	—
1930	909	14.1%
1940	906	−0.3%
1950	1,109	22.4%
1960	1,137	2.5%
1970	1,673	47.1%
1980	3,945	135.8%
1990	4,106	4.1%
2000	4,785	16.5%
2010	9,405	96.6%
2020	11,548	22.8%
2022 (est.)	11,689	24.3%
U.S. Decennial Census

Population in 2020

In 2020, Yorktown had 11,548 people living there. Most residents were White (90.2%). Other groups included African American (1.9%), Asian (2.4%), and people of two or more races (4.6%). About 2.0% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

The average age in Yorktown was about 40.3 years old. About 25.1% of the people were under 18 years old. Most people (97.0%) spoke English at home. The average income for a household was $66,785.

Schools in Yorktown

Yorktown has several schools for different age groups:

Elementary Schools

Pleasant View Elementary (Kindergarten to 3rd Grade)
Yorktown Elementary School (4th to 5th Grade)

Middle School

Yorktown Middle School (6th to 8th Grade)

High School

Yorktown High School

The town also has a public library, the Yorktown Public Library, where you can borrow books for free.

Famous People from Yorktown

Ted Haggard: A well-known religious leader who grew up in Yorktown.
Jack Parkinson: A talented basketball player who was recognized as an All-American in college.
Jonathon Newby: A founding member of the music group Brazil.

Yorktown, Indiana facts for kids

Contents