New Castle, Indiana

New Castle is a city in Henry County, Indiana, 44 miles (71 km) east-northeast of Indianapolis, on the Big Blue River. The city is the county seat of Henry County.[6] New Castle is home to New Castle Fieldhouse, the largest high school gymnasium in the world. The city is surrounded by agricultural land. In the past, it was a manufacturing center for the production of sheet iron and steel, automobiles, caskets, clothing, scales, bridges, pianos, furniture, handles, shovels, lathes, bricks, and flour.[7] Starting in the early 20th century, it was known as the Rose City, at one point having 100 florists and numerous growers.[8]

City of New Castle
New Castle from the air, looking east.
Location of New Castle in Henry County, Indiana.
Coordinates: 39°55′25″N 85°21′54″W
CountryUnited States
StateIndiana
CountyHenry
Settled1822
Government
  MayorGreg York (D)
Area
  Total7.37 sq mi (19.10 km2)
  Land7.35 sq mi (19.04 km2)
  Water0.02 sq mi (0.06 km2)  0.27%
Elevation
1,070 ft (326 m)
Population
  Total18,114
  Estimate 
(2019)[3]
17,113
  Density2,327.67/sq mi (898.71/km2)
Time zoneUTC-5 (EST)
  Summer (DST)UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code
47362
Area code(s)765
FIPS code18-52740[4]
GNIS feature ID0440031[5]
Websitewww.cityofnewcastle.net/

According to the 2010 census, the population was 18,114.

New Castle Correctional Facility, with a capacity of over 3,500 inmates, is located just north of the city.

History

New Castle was platted in 1823, and named after New Castle, Kentucky.[9] A post office was established at New Castle in 1823.[10] The Maxwell automobile factory, later owned and operated by Chrysler Motor Corp. was, at the time of construction (1907), the largest automotive manufacturing plant in the nation.[11]

The Chrysler Enclosure, Gen. William Grose House, Henry County Courthouse, and New Castle Commercial Historic District are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[12]

Geography

New Castle is located at 39°55′25″N 85°21′54″W.[13]

According to the 2010 census, New Castle has a total area of 7.311 square miles (18.94 km2), of which 7.29 square miles (18.88 km2) (or 99.71%) is land and 0.021 square miles (0.05 km2) (or 0.29%) is water.[14]

Government

New Castle is a third class city and has a seven-member city council chaired by the mayor. One council member is elected from each of the city's five districts and two are elected at-large. The clerk-treasurer and city judge are also elected offices. City elections are held every four years in the year preceding presidential elections.

The mayor is elected by popular vote and appoints the police chief, fire chief, city attorney, and department heads of the various municipal agencies.

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.
1850666
1860417−37.4%
18701,556273.1%
18802,29947.8%
18902,69717.3%
19003,40626.3%
19109,446177.3%
192014,45853.1%
193014,027−3.0%
194016,62018.5%
195018,2719.9%
196020,34911.4%
197021,2154.3%
198020,056−5.5%
199017,753−11.5%
200017,7800.2%
201018,1141.9%
2019 (est.)17,113[3]−5.5%
Source: US Census Bureau

2010 census

As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 18,114 people, 7,769 households, and 4,660 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,481.4 inhabitants per square mile (958.1/km2). There were 9,002 housing units at an average density of 1,233.2 per square mile (476.1/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 95.1% White, 1.9% African American, 0.2% Native American, 0.4% Asian, 0.6% from other races, and 1.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.7% of the population.

There were 7,769 households, of which 30.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.0% were married couples living together, 16.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.9% had a male householder with no wife present, and 40.0% were non-families. 34.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 2.93.

The median age in the city was 39.5 years. 23.4% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.8% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 24.7% were from 25 to 44; 26.4% were from 45 to 64; and 16.7% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 46.7% male and 53.3% female.

2000 census

As of the census[4] of 2000, there were 17,780 people, 7,462 households, and 4,805 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,987.5 people per square mile (1,153.8/km2). There were 8,042 housing units at an average density of 1,351.3 per square mile (521.9/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 96.37% White, 1.85% African American, 0.22% Native American, 0.21% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.41% from other races, and 0.91% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.09% of the population.

There were 7,462 households, out of which 28.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.7% were married couples living together, 13.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.6% were non-families. Some 31.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.90.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 23.5% under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 24, 28.9% from 25 to 44, 21.8% from 45 to 64, and 17.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 88.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.3 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $30,688, and the median income for a family was $37,463. Males had a median income of $32,624 versus $20,554 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,587. About 10.6% of families and 12.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.7% of those under age 18 and 9.2% of those age 65 or over.

Education


The city has a public library, the New Castle-Henry County Public Library.[15]

Other attractions

Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame building.
  • Nine of the eleven largest high school gyms in the United States are in Indiana. The largest of these is the New Castle Fieldhouse at New Castle High School. The fieldhouse has a capacity of 9,325. The fieldhouse is notable for a 1961 State Sectional Game between New Castle and Lewisville (now part of South Henry School Corporation) in which the fans attending the game were snowed in. The next morning food was delivered to the Fieldhouse by a local bakery and a church service was piped into the gym. The gym has also played host to the 2006 Indiana Class 3A Basketball Champs and the 2007 Class 4A Volleyball Champions.[16]
  • Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame is located near New Castle High School.
  • Next to New Castle High School is a Native American mound dated to approximately 2000 BP. This mound contains depressions which align to sunrise/sunset during the equinoxes as well as aligning with depressions in similar mounds tens of miles away. A mound complex (from between 800 B.C. and A.D 1400) was discovered on Elliott Avenue,[17] and the more extensive "New Castle Site" is north of the city, on the east side of the Blue River [18]
  • Thornhaven Manor, built in 1845, is advertised as "a curious haunt" and featured on the Travel Channel's Ghost Adventures, Ghost Adventures Aftershocks, and Destination America's Ghost Brothers. Address is 2172 Spiceland Road, New Castle. Built in Italianate architectural style, it was thought to be a stop on the Underground Railroad.

International relations

The town attended a World Summit of towns called Newcastle held in Newcastle-under-Lyme in England for six days from 17 June 2006

Neuburg an der Donau, Germany
Neuchâtel, Switzerland
Neufchâteau, Vosges, France
New Castle, Delaware, USA
New Castle, Indiana, USA
New Castle, Pennsylvania, USA
Newcastle-under-Lyme, England
Newcastle upon Tyne, England
Newcastle, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Shinshiro, Japan

Notable people

Climate

Climate is designated as Humid continental, and this region typically has large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and cold (sometimes severely cold) winters. The Köppen Climate Classification subtype for this climate is "Dfa". (Hot Summer Continental Climate).[23]

Climate data for New Castle, Indiana
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average high °F (°C) 38
(3)
41
(5)
47
(8)
62
(17)
73
(23)
82
(28)
87
(31)
85
(29)
79
(26)
68
(20)
50
(10)
38
(3)
63
(17)
Average low °F (°C) 20
(−7)
23
(−5)
27
(−3)
39
(4)
49
(9)
59
(15)
62
(17)
59
(15)
50
(10)
40
(4)
28
(−2)
20
(−7)
40
(4)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 3.3
(84)
2.8
(71)
3.0
(76)
4.3
(110)
4.3
(110)
4.9
(120)
3.6
(91)
2.9
(74)
2.6
(66)
2.3
(58)
2.9
(74)
2.5
(64)
39.4
(1,000)
Average precipitation days 6.6 5.9 6.1 6.9 6.9 7.7 6.3 5.5 4.4 4.0 4.9 5.5 70.7
Source: Weatherbase [24]

References

  1. "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 16, 2020.
  2. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2012-12-11.
  3. "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". United States Census Bureau. May 24, 2020. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
  4. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  5. "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  6. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  7. For an overview of New Castle manufacturing in various historical periods (including the industries listed here), see Herbert L. Heller, Historic Henry County, 3 vols. (New Castle, Ind.: Courier-Times, 1982).
  8. Herbert L. Heller, Historic Henry County, vol. 3: 1880-early 1940s), pp. 329-331.
  9. Hazzard, George (1906). Hazzard's History of Henry County, Indiana, 1822-1906. G. Hazzard, author and publisher. pp. 949–950.
  10. "Henry County". Jim Forte Postal History. Retrieved 2 February 2015.
  11. Herbert L. Heller, 'Historic Henry County, vol. 3: 1800-early 1940s (New Castle, Ind.: Courier-Times, 1982), p. 528.
  12. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  13. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
  14. "G001 - Geographic Identifiers - 2010 Census Summary File 1". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on 2020-02-13. Retrieved 2015-07-29.
  15. "Indiana public library directory" (PDF). Indiana State Library. Retrieved 7 March 2018.
  16. News article, paragraph three, from USA Today, February 25, 2004.
  17. "Pre-Historic Indian Burial Mound Discovered in City," (New Castle) Courier-Times (April 26, 1967), p. 1
  18. Beth McCord, "1999 Excavations at Mounds State Park (12-M-2) and the New Castle Site (12-Hn-1) (Reports of Investigation, No. 73) (Muncie, Ind.: Applied Anthropology Publications, 2008) and Beth McCord, "The New Castle Site Revisited" (Reports of Investigation, No. 54) (Muncie, Ind.: 1999)--reports available at https://www.bsu.edu/academics/centersandinstitutes/applied-anthropology-laboratories/publications (accessed 2/12/2020).
  19. "Indianapolis Star". Indianapolis Star. Retrieved 22 June 2018.
  20. Thomas St. Myer, Muncie Star-Press (2013-03-05). "New Castle baseball star Trey Ball trades aluminum for wood at the plate". USA Today. Archived from the original on 2013-06-14. Retrieved 2013-05-29.
  21. "From Broke To Billionaire: How Fred Luddy Built The World's Most Innovative Company". Forbes. Retrieved 22 June 2018.
  22. "Peter Malnati". Pgatour.com. PGA. Retrieved 24 January 2016.
  23. "New Castle, Indiana Köppen Climate Classification (Weatherbase)". Weatherbase. Retrieved 22 June 2018.
  24. "Weatherbase.com". Weatherbase. 2013. Retrieved on June 15, 2013.

News and media

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.