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Kokomo, Indiana

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For the band, see Kokomo (band).
Kokomo, Indiana
Nickname: 
City of Firsts
Location of Kokomo in the state of Indiana
Location of Kokomo in the state of Indiana
CountryUnited States
StateIndiana
CountyHoward
Government
 • MayorGreg Goodnight (D)
Area
 • Total16.3 sq mi (42.1 km2)
 • Land16.2 sq mi (42.0 km2)
 • Water0.1 sq mi (0.2 km2)
Elevation
810 ft (247 m)
Population
 (2000)
 • Total46,113
 • Density2,846/sq mi (1,099.0/km2)
Time zoneUTC-5 (EST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP codes
46901-46904
Area code765
FIPS code18-40392Template:GR
GNIS feature ID0437425Template:GR
Websitewww.cityofkokomo.org

Kokomo (Template:PronEng) is the county seat of Howard CountyTemplate:GR, Indiana, United States, Indiana's 13th largest city. Kokomo's population was 46,113 at the 2000 census.

History

The Art Deco Howard County courthouse.

Kokomo was named after Miami Indian referred to as a chief, but later found to be local legend Ma-Ko-Ko-Mo, which is sometimes spelled as Koh-Koh-Mah or Kokomoko. His name translates to Black Walnut. There was a trading post for commerce between Native Americans and European-Americans here in the early 19th century. David Foster founded the first trading post in Howard County. In 1844, Foster donated forty acres of his land to create a county seat in Kokomo, which was a log courthouse, for use in the community. It was incorporated as a city in 1865.

On October 6, 1886, natural gas was discovered in Kokomo, leading to a "boom" in business. This discovery was directly responsible for Elwood Haynes' move to Kokomo, as he was a superintendent with a gas company with interests in Kokomo and Howard County.

The Diamond Plate Glass Company began in Kokomo in 1887, lured by the cheap and plentiful natural gas. This company later became part of Pittsburgh Plate Glass, or PPG.

Officially known as the "City of Firsts" for, among other achievements, Kokomo was a pioneer of United States automobile manufacturing, with Elwood Haynes test-driving his early internal combustion engine auto there on 4 July, 1894. Haynes and his associates built a number of other autos over the next few years; the Haynes-Apperson Automobile Company for mass-production of commercial autos was established in Kokomo in 1898. One Haynes associate, German immigrant and avid inventor Gene Schneiderman, developed both the first convertible top and windshield wiper for the automobile.

A more reluctant notoriety of Kokomo was the involvement of local citizens in the Ku Klux Klan. There had been large numbers of followers for years, which culminated on July 4, 1923, with the largest gathering of Ku Klux Klan members in history, which assembled at Malfalfa Park in Kokomo for a mighty Konklave. Attendance is estimated to have been 200,000 people.

Kokomo serves as the "City of Firsts" in the food industry as well. The first Ponderosa Steakhouse and the second Kentucky Fried Chicken opened there. Kokomo opened the first McDonald's with a diner inside, locally called "McDiner." This McDonald's theme failed nationally, but did well in Kokomo. The store became an ordinary McDonald's, but then returned to be a "McDiner". Kokomo also opened the first Cracker Barrel not built near an interstate highway as well as the first Starbucks Coffee not built in a metropolitan area.

Kokomo Nicknames: "City of Firsts", "Stop Light City" (given by truckers driving through Kokomo on US Highway 31, infamous for its many traffic stops).

Demographics

As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there were 46,113 people, 20,273 households, and 12,204 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,847.2 people per square mile (1,099.0/km²). There were 22,292 housing units at an average density of 1,376.4/sq mi (531.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 85.10% White, 10.34% African American, 0.38% Native American, 1.14% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.17% from other races, and 1.84% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.61% of the population.

There were 20,273 households out of which 28.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.2% were married couples living together, 14.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.8% were non-families. 35.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.24 and the average family size was 2.90.

In the city the population was spread out with 25.0% under the age of 18, 9.4% from 18 to 24, 29.0% from 25 to 44, 22.2% from 45 to 64, and 14.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 89.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.8 males.

The median income for a householde in the city was $36,258, and the median income for a family was $45,353. Males had a median income of $38,420 versus $24,868 for females. The per capita income for the city was $20,083. About 9.6% of families and 13.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.5% of those under age 18 and 9.3% of those age 65 or over.

Future Plans

Kokomo has plans to annex much of the surrounding areas just outside city limits which receive many benefits for being incorporated into the city boundaries. Once this plan comes into action, the communities of Alto, Darrough Chapel, and Indian Heights will reside inside of city limits. This plan will also make Kokomo move upward in rank by population. up

"City of Firsts" inventions

  • 1894 - Elwood Haynes makes the first successful trial run of his "horseless carriage" on Pumpkinvine Pike.
  • 1894 - The first pneumatic rubber tire was invented by D.C. Spraker at the Kokomo Rubber Tire Company.
  • 1895 - The first aluminum casting was developed by William "Billy" Johnson from the Ford and Donnelly Foundry.
  • 1902 - The first carburetor developed by George Kingston.
  • 1906 - The first Stellite cobalt-base alloy was discovered by Elwood Haynes.
  • 1912 - Stainless steel tableware was invented by Elwood Haynes as a response to his wife's desire for tableware that wouldn't tarnish.
  • 1918 - The Howitzer shell, used in World War I, was created by the Superior Machine Tool Company.
  • 1918 - The first aerial bomb with fins was first produced by the Liberty Pressed Metal Company.
  • 1920 - The mechanical corn picker was created by John Powell.
  • 1926 - Carl Molin developed Dirilyte golden-hued tableware.
  • 1928 - The first canned tomato juice was created by Walter Kemp from Kemp Brothers Canning Company in response to a physician's need for baby food.
  • 1938 - The first push-button car radio was created at Delco Radio Division of General Motors Corporation.
  • 1941 - Globe American Stove Company manufactured the first all-metal life boats and rafts.
  • 1947 - The first signal-seeking car radio was created by the Delco Radio Division of General Motors.
  • 1957 - Delco Radio Division of General Motors developed the first all transistor car radio.

Government

City Hall and Police Department building.

Mayor

Kokomo's current mayor is (Democrat) Greg Goodnight (2008-present). The two previous mayors have been (Republican) Matt McKillip (2004-2008)[1] and (Republican) Jim Trobaugh.

Media

Newspapers

Television

Radio

  • WFIU-FM[5], Jazz, Classical, NPR- 106.1 FM
  • WFRN-FM[6], Christian Radio- 93.7 FM
  • WIOU-AM, Talk, News and Sports- 1350 AM
  • WIWC-FM[7], Christian Radio- 91.7 FM
  • WMYK-FM[8], Classic Rock- 98.5 FM
  • WSHW-FM[9], Light Rock- 99.7 FM
  • WWKI-FM[10], Hit Country- 100.5 FM
  • WZWZ-FM, Adult Alternative- 92.5 FM

Education

Colleges/universities

School districts

Public

Private

  • Kokomo Christian School [20] (K-12)
  • Redeemer Lutheran School [21] (K-8)
  • St. Joan of Arc and St. Patrick Catholic School [22] (K-8)

Culture

Attractions

File:Old Ben.jpg
Old Ben - Born in 1902 and acclaimed as "The largest calf in the world"
The Vermont Covered Bridge - Another attraction to be found in Highland Park

Festivals

For more information visit Kokomo Main Street Association website

Sports teams

Sports venues

  • CFD Investments Stadium in Highland Park
  • Kokomo Speedway[2]
  • Memorial Gym

Major employers

Gas tower

The Kokomo Gas Tower had been a symbol of Kokomo since it was constructed in 1954. The tower was 115 m (378 ft) tall and had a capacity of 340,000 m³ (12 million cubic feet). Due to high maintenance costs of $75,000 a year to maintain and up to $1,000,000 to paint, the gas company decided to demolish it in 2003. Other ideas were reviewed before settling on this decision, including a plan to turn the tower into a giant Coca-Cola advertisement. On September 7, 2003, at approximately 7:30 a.m., the Gas Tower was demolished by Controlled Demolition, Inc. (CDI). Pieces of the tower were sold to the public for $20-30, and proceeds went to a planned Kokomo technology incubation center and Bona Vista.

Transportation

Airports

Highways

US 31 in Kokomo.

Railroads [3]

Notable people from Kokomo

Movies filmed in Kokomo

  • A Romance of Kokomo (1917), a silent film.
  • Terror Squad (1987), starring Chuck Connors and resident Michael W. Gordon
  • The Ryan White Story (1988), starring Judith Light and Lukas Haas

Other film references to Kokomo

  • In the animated movie Cats Don't Dance, the protagonist (Danny) hails from Kokomo.
  • The Blues Brothers (film) featured a fictitious Kokomo bar, Bob's Country Bunker, where patrons threw beer bottles at the band on a stage protected by a chicken wire cage.
  • In the movie series Band of Brothers part 3 Carentan in the end the poem read says "...he lunged he thrust both high and low and skewered the boy from Kokomo" as referenced to Floyd M. Talbert a native of Kokomo.
  • Also in the same series above referenced in part 1 Currahee then mention the Kokomo Police department when he receives the revolver seen in other parts.

References

  1. ^ City of Kokomo Indiana | Mayors Office
  2. ^ Kokomo Speedway
  3. ^ http://www.inaams.com/downloads/Indiana%20railroads%202005.pdf
  4. ^ RailAmerica ::: Railmaps

Template:Mapit-US-cityscale

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