Greensburg, Indiana

Infobox Settlement
official_name = City of Greensburg, Indiana
settlement_type = City
nickname = Tree City


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mapsize = 250x200px
map_caption = Location in the state of Indiana


mapsize1 =
map_caption1 =
subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = United States
subdivision_type1 = State
subdivision_name1 = Indiana
subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name2 = Decatur
government_type =
leader_title = Mayor
leader_name = Gary Herbert (R)
area_note =
established_date =
area_magnitude = 1 E7
area_total_km2 = 12.5
area_land_km2 = 12.4
area_water_km2 = 0.1
population_as_of = 2000
population_note =
population_total = 10260
population_density_km2 = 827.0
timezone = EST
utc_offset = -5
timezone_DST = EDT
utc_offset_DST = -4
area_total_sq_mi = 4.8
area_land_sq_mi = 4.8
area_water_sq_mi = 0.0
elevation_m = 292
elevation_ft = 958
latd = 39 |latm = 20 |lats = 25 |latNS = N
longd = 85 |longm = 29 |longs = 1 |longEW = W
website = www.cityofgreensburg.com
postal_code_type = ZIP code
postal_code = 47240
area_code = 812
blank_name = FIPS code
blank_info = 18-29718GR|2
blank1_name = GNIS feature ID
blank1_info = 0449663GR|3
footnotes =

Greensburg is a city in Decatur County, Indiana, United States. The population was set at 10,260 in the 2000 census. The city is the county seat of Decatur CountyGR|6.

Greensburg is located at 39°20′25″N, 85°29′1″W (39.340315, -85.483702)GR1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 4.8 square miles (12.5 km²). 4.8 square miles (12.4 km²) of it is land, and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km²) of it (0.83%) is water.

Tree On The Courthouse Tower

The Decatur County Courthouse in Greensburg, Indiana is famous for a tree which grows from the top of the Courthouse Tower, giving Greensburg its nickname of the "Tree City.”

There have been one or more trees growing continually since the first tree was noticed in the early 1870’s. Later, other small trees appeared on the clock tower.

County officials were initially concerned that the trees would cause damage to the roof, and a steeplejack was hired in the 1880's to remove some of them. Two trees were left, with one ultimately growing to a height of nearly 15 feet. By the time it died, another tree had appeared. Today, there are two trees on the tower, still drawing tourists more than a century later.

Visitors from across the country, and around the world, have stopped to see this amazing sight. Stories about the "Tower Tree" have been featured in many newspapers and magazines, and even on the television program, “Ripley’s Believe It Or Not.”

Demographics

As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 10,260 people, 4,178 households, and 2,778 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,140.4 people per square mile (827.0/km²). There were 4,420 housing units at an average density of 922.1/sq mi (356.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 97.57% White, 0.08% African American, 0.16% Native American, 1.39% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.10% from other races, and 0.69% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.62% of the population.

There were 4,178 households, out of which 31.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.7% were married couples living together, 12.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.5% were non-families. 28.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39, and the average family size was 2.92.

In the city, the population was spread out with 24.6% under the age of 18, 10.0% from 18 to 24, 28.9% from 25 to 44, 20.8% from 45 to 64, and 15.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.9 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $38,029, and the median income for a family was $45,439. Males had a median income of $31,662 versus $24,605 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,829. About 8.0% of families and 11.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.2% of those under age 18 and 12.1% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

Honda Motor Company operates an automobile manufacturing plant along Interstate 74 in Greensburg. Mass production of the Honda Civic sedan commenced at this plant on October 9, 2008. When the facility reaches full capacity, it will employ approximately 2,000 associates and produce 200,000 vehicles per year.

Government

Greensburg is an incorporated city governed by a mayor and a five member city council. Four of the five City Council members are elected from separate districts within the city, while the fifth member is an at-large member who is elected by the entire community. The mayor, the city council, and the city's clerk-treasurer serve four year terms. Municipal elections are held in November of the year immediately preceding a presidential election.

Education

Greensburg has one school corporation, the Greensburg Community School Corporation. The school district has three buildings. Greensburg Elementary School, a state-of-the-art kindergarten-through-5th-grade facility that opened in 2004, has 1000 students. Greensburg Community Junior High School, which opened in 1957 as the high school building, and underwent major renovations in 2008. It is home to approximately 470 students in grades 6-8. Current enrollment at Greensburg Community High School is 630 students in grades 9-12. The high school opened in 1971 and underwent major renovations in the early 2000s. Greensburg Community High School is one of six members of the Eastern Indiana Athletic Conference.

Greensburg is also home to one parochial school, St. Mary's School, which is a Pre-K-through-6th-grade facility.

In 2004, the Greensburg Community Learning Center opened in the former Rosenmund Elementary School, which was one of three primary schools that were closed when Greensburg Elementary School opened that year. Nearly 250 students attend a variety of post-secondary school classes at the Learning Center, e.g. Purdue University's College of Technology. Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana also offers courses there.

In 2006, part of the former Billings Elementary School became City Hall.

The former Washington Elementary School was converted in 2005 into a minimum-security jail.

Transportation

Greensburg is located adjacent to Interstate 74 halfway between Indianapolis and Cincinnati. U.S. Highway 421 links Greensburg with Indianapolis to the north and Lexington, Kentucky, to the south. State Road 3 connects Greensburg with Muncie and Fort Wayne to the north and the Indiana suburbs of Louisville, Kentucky, to the south. State Road 46 links the community with Columbus, Bloomington, and Terre Haute to the west and Batesville to the east. Recently a construction project, which has made going east on Interstate 74 from the ramp west of town possible has been completed.

Greensburg is a likely train stop on the proposed high-speed rail line between Indianapolis and Cincinnati. This line is part of the Midwest Regional Rail Initiative, which is the master plan for a high-speed rail network throughout the midwestern United States.

The Greensburg-Decatur County Airport consists of a single runway measuring 3343 ft. by 40 ft. There are tentative plans to either expand the current runway or build a new airport elsewhere in Decatur County.

Indianapolis International Airport is located 55 miles from Greensburg, and Cincinnati Northern Kentucky International Airport is located 70 miles away.

Media

Greensburg has one newspaper, the "Greensburg Daily News", which is published Mondays through Saturdays. The paper is owned by Community Newspaper Holdings, Inc. Greensburg also has a radio station, WTRE (1330 AM), a 500-watt AM station that plays country music, local news, and local sports from area high schools.

Notable Natives and Residents

* Carl G. Fisher, (January 12, 1874 – July 15, 1939) Entrepreneur involved with starting the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and developing Miami Beach

Matt Jarvis and Nathan Harmon led the 1996 Greensburg Tennis Team a top ten ranking in the state polls and an appearance in the semi-state finals against #1 ranked North Central.

External links

* [http://www.greensburgchamber.com Greensburg Chamber of Commerce]
* [http://www.cityofgreensburg.com City of Greensburg]
* [http://www.greensburg.k12.in.us Greensburg Community School Corporation]
* [http://www.greensburgdailynews.com Greensburg Daily News]
* [http://www.1330wtre.com AM 1330 WTRE]
* [http://www.greensburgdecaturcounty.com/Greensburg's%20Famous%20Tower%20Tree.htm Famous Tower Tree]
* [http://www.downtowngreensburg.com Greensburg's Historical Downtown]
* [http://www.visitgreensburg.com Travel Information]
* [http://www.greensburgneighbors.com Greensburg Neighbors]