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Connersville, Indiana

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City of Connersville, Indiana
City
Location in the state of Indiana
Location in the state of Indiana
CountryUnited States
StateIndiana
CountyFayette
Government
 • MayorLeonard E. Urban (R)
Area
 • Total8.1 sq mi (21.1 km2)
 • Land8.1 sq mi (21.1 km2)
 • Water0.0 sq mi (0.0 km2)
Elevation
823 ft (251 m)
Population
 (2010)
 • Total13,481
 • Density1,896/sq mi (731.9/km2)
Time zoneUTC-5 (EST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code
47331
Area code765
FIPS code18-14932Template:GR
GNIS feature ID0432888Template:GR
Websitehttp://www.connersvillein.gov

Connersville is a city in Fayette County, Indiana, United States. The population was 13,481 at the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of and the only incorporated community wholly in Fayette CountyTemplate:GR. The East Central Education Service Center is located in Connersville.

Geography

Connersville is located at 39°39′14″N 85°8′16″W / 39.65389°N 85.13778°W / 39.65389; -85.13778 (39.653931, -85.137709)Template:GR.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 8.1 square miles (21.1 km²), of which, 8.1 square miles (21.1 km²) of it is land and 0.12% is water.

History

Connersville is named for settler John Conner, brother of William Conner, an early Indiana settler and politician. In the early 20th century, the town became known as "Little Detroit" because of its importance to the automobile industry. Automobiles manufactured in Connersville include Auburn, Cord, Duesenberg, Ansted, Empire, Lexington and McFarlan.

The Roots blower was manufactured in Connersville for many years.

Elmhurst, an estate south of town on St. Rd. 121, was the home of Caleb Blood Smith, who served in Abraham Lincoln's cabinet.

The Connersville High School Spartans boys' basketball team won the state tournament in 1972 and 1983. The girls' gymnastics team won state in 1987, 1988, and 1989.

On July 29, 2009, Carbon Motors Corporation announced plans to relocate their headquarters to Connersville and to invest $350 million to re-use a former Visteon plant there.[1][2]

MusicFest

The Heritage MusicFest takes place in June at a campground by the Whitewater River. Local bands ranging in style from bluegrass to rock perform. The Connersville/Fayette County Chamber of Commerce sponsors the event, which began in 2005.

First high school marching band

During the school year 1906-07, Dr. W. Otto Miessner established the first high school marching band in the U.S. at Connersville High School[3].

Demographics

Connersville from the air, looking west. The Whitewater River is in the foreground, and Roberts Park Grandstand and Race Track are at the bottom right. The Park is home to the Fayette County Free Fair, one of the last free fairs remaining in the state.
Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1840596—
18501,396134.2%
18602,11951.8%
18702,49617.8%
18803,22829.3%
18904,54840.9%
19006,83650.3%
19107,73813.2%
19209,90128.0%
193012,79529.2%
194012,8980.8%
195015,55020.6%
196017,69813.8%
197017,604−0.5%
198017,023−3.3%
199015,550−8.7%
200015,411−0.9%
201013,481−12.5%
Source: US Census Bureau

At the 2000 censusTemplate:GR, there were 15,411 people, 6,382 households and 4,135 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,894.5 per square mile (731.9/km²). There were 6,974 housing units at an average density of 857.3/sq mi (331.2/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 96.10% White, 2.48% African American, 0.12% Native American, 0.29% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.13% from other races, and 0.86% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.65% of the population.

There were 6,382 households, of which 28.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.8% were married couples living together, 12.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.2% were non-families. 30.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34, and the average family size was 2.90.

Age distribution was 23.3% under the age of 18, 9.6% from 18 to 24, 26.5% from 25 to 44, 23.5% from 45 to 64, and 17.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 89.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.1 males.

The median household income was $33,911, and the median family income was $40,833. Males had a median income of $31,239 versus $21,836 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,839. About 7.9% of families and 10.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.6% of those under age 18 and 9.7% of those age 65 or over.

Rail Transportation

See also: Connersville (Amtrak station)

Amtrak, the national passenger rail system, provides service to Connersville.

Amtrak Train 51, the westbound Cardinal, is scheduled to depart Connersville at 3:05 a.m. on Monday, Thursday and Saturday with a service to Indianapolis, Crawfordsville, Lafayette, Rensselaer, Dyer and Chicago Union Station.

Amtrak Train 50, the eastbound Cardinal, is scheduled to depart Connersville at 1:26 a.m. on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday with a service to Cincinnati, Maysville, South Portsmouth, Ashland, Huntington, Charleston, Montgomery, Thurmond, Prince, Hinton, Alderson, White Sulphur Springs, Clifton Forge, Staunton, Charlottesville, Culpeper, Manassas, Alexandria and Washington, DC, and continuing on to New York City.

Media

Connersville has a daily newspaper called The News Examiner.

Radio station WIFE-AM 1580 also operates with local programming. For many years Connersville simulcast AM/FM WCNB/WIFE radio. The FM which was located at 100.3 was sold to Radio One Communications for $18 million in 2006 and re-located to Cincinnati, Ohio. There is now a new FM radio station (94.3), whose tower is located in Rush County, Indiana, and barely reaches Connersville, but is considered to be Connersville's FM radio station.

Connersville High School's daily TV news program, CHS Today, was the first student-produced TV news program in the United States[4]. It began in 1970 with presenters Dennis Sullivan and Ron Stevens. At first, it was broadcast only to the school via closed-circuit TV. Later it expanded; it now airs live at 11:00 a.m. weekdays to the community and re-airs twice in the evening at 6:45 & 10:45pm via TV3 on local cable. Teacher Joseph Glowacki started and still runs the program.

Notable people

  • Rusty Ammerman is a 1986 graduate of Connersville High School. Rusty is an accomplished live entertainer, focusing his talents in the arena of comedy-magic. He has performed in 43 states and 9 countries, including The Bob & Tom Show and The World Famous Magic Castle in Hollywood, CA.
  • Brace Beemer was the voice of the Lone Ranger from 1941 to 1954.
  • Freddie Bunz, hip-hop artist, has worked with members of Wu-Tang, C-Rayz Walz, Keith Murray, Canibus, Paul Wall, is also half of Gifted Myndz.
  • Sean Compton, Tribune Company President and former Clear Channel radio talent and executive, graduated from Connersville High School in 1992.
  • Phil Cox was Indiana's Mr. Basketball in 1972. Cox lead the Connersville High School Basketball Team to their first IHSAA State Basketball Championship. He was inducted into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame in 2009.
  • Howard Garns, creator of the logic game Sudoku, was born in Connersville on March 2, 1905.
  • Finly H. Gray was a US Congressman elected to represent Indiana's 6th and 10th Districts in the United States House of Representatives, serving from 1911 to 1917 and 1933 to 1939. He also served as Mayor of Connersville from 1904 to 1910. Gray is buried in Dale Cemetery, located on Gray Road in Connersville.
  • Scott Halberstadt, television actor, was born in Connersville in 1976 and graduated from Connersville High School in 1994.
  • Tom T. Hall, country singer and Grand Ole Opry member, spent time in Connersville early in his career and wrote "Thank You, Connersville" about the experience.
  • Cody Hauri, a 2010 graduate of Connersville High School, was the last inductee into the SaveSurge.Org Hall of Fame for his "dedication to the cause" and is an independent pro wrestler known around the Indiana and Ohio circuits.
  • Matt Howard, a three-time Academic All-American starting forward for Butler University's men's basketball team, is a graduate of Connersville High School. He played in the 2010 NCAA Championship game.[5] In February 2011 Howard was selected as the top Academic All-American in the University category (chosen from all twelve Academic All-America teams, including football).[6]
  • James N. Huston, Treasurer of the United States 1889-91
  • April McDivitt was Indiana's Miss Basketball in 1999. She played college basketball for Pat Summit and the Lady Vols of Tennessee before transferring to the University of California at Santa Barbara; she also enjoyed a brief career in the WNBA.
  • Betsy M. Ross, former ESPN presenter, is also a graduate of Connersville High School.
  • Danielle Slone, 1999 Indianapolis 500 Festival Queen, graduated from Connersville High School in 1995.
  • Caleb Blood Smith was congressman and Secretary of the Interior in the Lincoln administration.
  • Greg Stotelmyer, is currently the "Voice of the Colonels" for the Eastern Kentucky University's mens basketball and football teams. He also works for WTVQ news station of Richmond, KY, and has received four Emmy awards for A Year on Kentucky's Backroads (2003), He Loves to Beat People (2005), The Avon Lady (2007), and Marina's Story (2008)[7]
  • Joey Sturgis, music producer, focusing mainly on metalcore bands. Clients include The Devil Wears Prada, MyChildren MyBride and Miss May I.
  • Josiah R. Whitehead, 1950 Connersville High School Graduate. 1954 Pharmacy degree, Butler University and 1960 MBA, Xavier University. Distinguished career in business with Burroughs Wellcome Co. and in academia with the Campbell University School of Pharmacy. Numerous awards and honors, including the Mortar & Pestle Award, North Carolina Pharmaceutical Association (1999), honorary Doctorate, Campbell University (2008)[8], and The American College of Apothecaries Laskoff Award (2009)[9].
  • Robert Wise, one of Hollywood's most acclaimed directors and producers, graduated from Connersville High School in 1932. The CHS auditorium, the Robert E. Wise Center for Performing Arts, was named in his honor.

See also

References

  1. ^ John Russell (July 29, 2009). "Connersville successfully woos police car maker". Indianapolis Star. Retrieved 29 July 2009. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help) [dead link]
  2. ^ "Carbon Motors E7: Proudly Made in Indiana". Carbon Motors. July 29, 2009. Retrieved 31 July 2009.
  3. ^ http://fayette.k12.in.us/chs/fame/meissner.html
  4. ^ http://fayette.k12.in.us/chs/fame/chstoday.html
  5. ^ http://www.butlersports.com/sports/m-baskbl/mtt/howard_matt00.html
  6. ^ "Matt Howard of Butler, Austin Meier of MSOE lead Capital One Academic All-America® Men's Basketball Teams". College Sports Information Directors of America. 2011-02-22. Retrieved 2011-03-23.
  7. ^ http://www.wtvq.com/news/70-greg-stotelmyer.pdf
  8. ^ http://www.campbell.edu/content/744/fall-08.pdf
  9. ^ http://www.americancollegeofapothecaries.com/Default.aspx?tabid=80
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