Mooresville, Indiana
Mooresville, Indiana | |
---|---|
![]() Mooresville Government Center, formerly a Methodist church | |
Nickname: "Home of the State Flag" | |
![]() Location in Morgan County, Indiana | |
Coordinates: 39°36′29″N 86°22′9″W / 39.60806°N 86.36917°W | |
Country | United States |
State | Indiana |
County | Morgan |
Township | Brown |
Area | |
• Total | 6.76 sq mi (17.52 km2) |
• Land | 6.71 sq mi (17.37 km2) |
• Water | 0.06 sq mi (0.15 km2) |
Elevation | 659 ft (201 m) |
Population | |
• Total | 9,411 |
• Density | 1,403.37/sq mi (541.88/km2) |
Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
ZIP code | 46158 |
Area code(s) | 317, 463 |
FIPS code | 18-50976[4] |
GNIS feature ID | 2396780[2] |
Website | mooresville |
Mooresville is a town in Brown Township, Morgan County, in the U.S. state of Indiana.[2] As of the 2020 census, the town population was 9,411.[3]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/27/Mooresville_Indiana_Welcome_Sign.jpg/220px-Mooresville_Indiana_Welcome_Sign.jpg)
History[edit]
Mooresville was founded in 1824 by Samuel Moore after he had bought the area for $2 per acre. The town is named for him.[5] A post office has been in operation at Mooresville since 1826.[6]
The Mooresville Commercial Historic District, Mooresville Friends Academy Building, and Mooresville Gymnasium are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[7]
On April 8, 2020, an EF1 tornado hit downtown, with significant winds around 100 miles per hour (160 km/h). From this tornado, a building on the southeast corner of Indiana and Main streets had partially collapsed in on itself. There were no injuries from the event. The building sat ruined for several months before being torn down. Due to the building's old age, the damages could not have been repaired.[8]
On July 3, 2020, a group of 100 Black Lives Matter protesters, mostly people unfamiliarity to Mooresville, marched through the streets of the town. This protest was met with immediate counter protesting from a group of locals. The two groups of protesters stood at a face off across the road on 31 S Indiana Street. The situation escalated to the point where a small group of men camped out on a nearby roof of a business wielding multiple guns. Police at the scene were aware of the men with guns, but they couldn't do anything as the men were on their private property. The scene played out for several hours, only being held back by the dividing street and by the police on both sides of the road.[9]
Gray Brothers Cafeteria in Mooresville has been in operation since 1944. This cafeteria is considered by locals as being a tourist attraction as plenty of people travel to Mooresville solely to eat at the cafeteria.
Geography[edit]
Mooresville is in northeastern Morgan County; the northern border of the town follows the Hendricks County line. Indiana State Road 42 passes through the center of town on High Street. It leads west 6 miles (10 km) to Monrovia, and its eastern terminus is at State Road 67 on the east side of Mooresville. SR 67 is a four-lane highway that leads northeast 16 miles (26 km) to Indianapolis and south-southwest 15 miles (24 km) to Martinsville, the Morgan county seat. State Road 144 begins at the SR 42/SR67 intersection and leads southeast 19 miles (31 km) to Franklin.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Mooresville has a total area of 6.76 square miles (17.51 km2), of which 0.06 square miles (0.16 km2), or 0.84%, are water.[1] The center of Mooresville sits between White Lick Creek to the west and its East Fork to the east. White Lick Creek flows south to join the White River north of Martinsville.
Demographics[edit]
Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
---|---|---|---|
1850 | 550 | — | |
1860 | 780 | 41.8% | |
1870 | 1,229 | 57.6% | |
1880 | 864 | −29.7% | |
1890 | 891 | 3.1% | |
1900 | 974 | 9.3% | |
1910 | 1,608 | 65.1% | |
1920 | 1,781 | 10.8% | |
1930 | 1,910 | 7.2% | |
1940 | 1,979 | 3.6% | |
1950 | 2,264 | 14.4% | |
1960 | 3,856 | 70.3% | |
1970 | 5,800 | 50.4% | |
1980 | 5,349 | −7.8% | |
1990 | 5,541 | 3.6% | |
2000 | 9,273 | 67.4% | |
2010 | 9,326 | 0.6% | |
2020 | 9,411 | 0.9% | |
U.S. Decennial Census[10] |
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7c/Mooresville%2C_Indiana.jpg/220px-Mooresville%2C_Indiana.jpg)
2010 census[edit]
As of the census[11] of 2010, there were 9,326 people, 3,715 households, and 2,558 families living in the town. The population density was 1,482.7 inhabitants per square mile (572.5/km2). There were 3,930 housing units at an average density of 624.8 per square mile (241.2/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 97.5% White, 0.3% African American, 0.2% Native American, 0.5% Asian, 0.3% from other races, and 1.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.1% of the population.
There were 3,715 households, of which 36.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.0% were married couples living together, 14.2% had a female householder with no male present, 5.6% had a male householder with no female present, and 31.1% were non-families. 26.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 2.99.
The median age in the town was 38.6 years. 25.4% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.3% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 26.4% were from 25 to 44; 25.6% were from 45 to 64; and 14.3% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 47.1% male and 52.9% female.
2000 census[edit]
As of the census[4] of 2000, there were 9,273 people, 3,535 households, and 2,594 families living in the town. The population density was 1,675.0 inhabitants per square mile (646.7/km2). There were 3,688 housing units at an average density of 666.2 per square mile (257.2/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 98.52% White, 0.09% African American, 0.30% Native American, 0.40% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.18% from other races, and 0.49% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.72% of the population.
There were 3,535 households, out of which 39.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.5% were married couples living together, 12.4% had a female householder with no male present, and 26.6% were non-families. 22.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 3.05.
In the town, the population was spread out, with 28.5% under the age of 18, 8.5% from 18 to 24, 32.7% from 25 to 44, 19.3% from 45 to 64, and 11.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.5 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $47,292, and the median income for a family was $52,543. Males had a median income of $37,763 versus $26,520 for females. The per capita income for the town was $21,504. About 4.2% of families and 4.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.6% of those under age 18 and 3.3% of those age 65 or over.
Education[edit]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/75/MHS_Front_Entrance.jpg/220px-MHS_Front_Entrance.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/41/Newby_Elementary.jpg/220px-Newby_Elementary.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/df/Mooresville_Friends_Academy_Building.jpg/220px-Mooresville_Friends_Academy_Building.jpg)
Mooresville schools are part of the Mooresville Consolidated School Corporation.[12]
Elementary schools[edit]
- Northwood Elementary
- Newby Memorial Elementary
- Neil A. Armstrong Elementary
- North Madison Elementary
- Waverly Elementary[12]
Middle school[edit]
- Paul Hadley Middle School, named after the designer of the Indiana state flag[13]
High school[edit]
- Mooresville High School[12]
Private school[edit]
- Mooresville Christian Academy, founded in 1975[14]
Mooresville Friends Academy[edit]
The Mooresville school system began with the Friends Academy, which was built in 1861. The Academy Building, one of the first high schools in the state of Indiana, was a boarding school with students renting rooms from area residents. The school building sits on the Newby Memorial Elementary School campus, has been restored, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The building now serves as a local history museum as well as the offices of the Community Foundation of Morgan County, Inc. Also on the Newby campus is the "old Newby gym" or the "Newby Dome." The gym was built in the early 1900s with help from Mooresville residents who each contributed $100 to help build the facility. The campus also includes the Mooresville Veterans Memorial, which honors Mooresville's fallen soldiers from World War I and beyond. The Memorial also honors Sammy Lee Davis, who received the Medal of Honor for heroism in Vietnam. Davis is known as "The Real Forrest Gump" since his Vietnam story is mirrored in the movie Forrest Gump and his Medal of Honor ceremony footage is used in the movie.[12]
Public library[edit]
The town has a lending library, the Mooresville Public Library, located on 220 West Harrison street.[15] The library features a kids' section, a teens' section, a broader adult section, a community room, an Indiana room, and several displays around the library that feature local town treasures and history.
Infrastructure[edit]
Transportation[edit]
Mooresville is served by Indiana State Road 67. Indiana State Road 42 and Indiana State Road 144 end at SR 67 southeast of the town center.
Indianapolis International Airport is 10 miles (16 km) north of Mooresville.
Health care[edit]
Mooresville is served by Franciscan St. Francis Health-Mooresville, formerly known as Kendrick Hospital and St. Francis Hospital-Mooresville. The full-service hospital includes an emergency department, labor and delivery, cancer care, and it is home to the Joint Replacement Surgeons of Indiana Research Foundation.
Notable people[edit]
- William G. Bray, Republican, elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1950 and served from the 82nd to 93rd Congress.
- John Dillinger, gangster and bank robber.
- Paul Hadley, designer of the Indiana state flag.
- Julia D. Nelson, elected to the Indiana House of Representatives in 1921, the first woman elected to the Indiana General Assembly.[16]
- Amos Rusie, member of the Baseball Hall of Fame.
- Ruth Hinshaw Spray, peace activist.
- Nan Whaley, mayor of Dayton, Ohio.
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0d/Paul-Hadley.png/220px-Paul-Hadley.png)
Town Flag[edit]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/dc/Bonita_Marley.jpg/220px-Bonita_Marley.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0f/Flags_at_Bicentennial_Park_Mooresville.jpg/220px-Flags_at_Bicentennial_Park_Mooresville.jpg)
The official Mooresville town flag was designed by Bonita Marley in 1974 to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Mooresville's founding. Mrs. Marley worked as the librarian and director at the Mooresville Public Library from 1961 through 1984. In 1968, she was named "Mooresvillian of the Year." The town flag was intentionally designed to look similar to the Indiana state flag given that Mooresville is the home of the state flag. The flag consists of a yellow background with a circle of 19 blue stars with the top star being the largest. In the center of the flag is a blue cross with the date 1824 and a blue star in the lower left side of the cross. Below the cross is the name Mooresville with the letters curving. The circle of stars represents how Indiana was the 19th state of the union, with the large star representing Indiana's statehood. The cross in the center represents the state's motto, "the crossroads of America." The date refers to the year that the town of Mooresville was founded, 1824. The star on the cross represents Mooresville's position relative to Indianapolis. The town flag is on permanent display in the Mooresville Public Library Indiana Room, the Mooresville Government Center, and at the Mooresville Bicentennial Park.[17]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0a/MV_Town_Banner.jpg/220px-MV_Town_Banner.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/99/Unnofical_Mooresville_IN_Flag.png/220px-Unnofical_Mooresville_IN_Flag.png)
On April 6, 2024, an unofficial variant of the Mooresville flag was sold in stores in downtown Mooresville to celebrate the 200th anniversary of Mooresville's founding, coinciding with the celebration event that was taking place in downtown Mooresville all weekend long.
Nearby communities[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ a b "2022 U.S. Gazetteer Files: Indiana". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 26, 2023.
- ^ a b c U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Mooresville, Indiana
- ^ a b "P1. Race – Mooresville town, Indiana: 2020 DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171)". U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved April 26, 2023.
- ^ a b "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
- ^ Blanchard, Charles (1884). Counties of Morgan, Monroe and Brown, Indiana: Historical and Biographical. F.A. Battey & Company. pp. 106.
- ^ "Morgan County". Jim Forte Postal History. Retrieved September 8, 2015.
- ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
- ^ Gideon, Lance. "Mooresville Hit Hard: No personal injuries reported in Wednesday evening storm that brought damage from EF1 tornado".
- ^ "Mooresville protest in support of 'Black Lives Matter' brings out two groups with opposing points of view". Retrieved April 7, 2024.
- ^ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
- ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved December 11, 2012.
- ^ a b c d "Schools". Mooresville Consolidated School Corporation. Retrieved February 23, 2017.
- ^ "History and Heritage". Mooresville Consolidated School Corporation. Retrieved February 23, 2017.
- ^ "Home - Mooresville Christian Academy". Mooresville Christian Academy. Retrieved April 19, 2018.
- ^ "Indiana public library directory" (PDF). Indiana State Library. Retrieved March 10, 2018.
- ^ Stewart, J.A. (July 21, 1921). "Women of Today". The Journal of Education. 94 (3). Trustees of Boston University: 72. doi:10.1177/002205742109400306. JSTOR 42831071.
- ^ "Mooresville (Indiana) Local History Treasure Trove". Mooresville Public Library. Retrieved April 7, 2024.