Seymour, Indiana

Infobox Settlement
official_name = City of Seymour
native_name =
settlement_type = City
nickname =
motto =


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


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subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = United States
subdivision_type1 = State
subdivision_name1 = Indiana
subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name2 = Jackson
government_type =
leader_title = Mayor
leader_name = Craig A. Luedeman (R)
leader_title1 =
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established_title =
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area_magnitude = 1 E7
area_total_km2 = 28.1
area_total_sq_mi = 10.8
area_land_km2 = 28.1
area_land_sq_mi = 10.8
area_water_km2 = 0
area_water_sq_mi = 0
area_water_percent = 0
area_urban_km2 =
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population_as_of = 2000
population_note =
population_total = 18101
population_density_km2 = 644.7
population_density_sq_mi = 1670.3
population_metro =
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timezone = EST
utc_offset = -5
timezone_DST = EDT
utc_offset_DST = -4
latd = 38 |latm = 57 |lats = 23 |latNS = N
longd = 85 |longm = 53 |longs = 24 |longEW = W
elevation_m = 184
elevation_ft = 604
postal_code_type = ZIP code
postal_code = 47274
website =
area_code = 812
blank_name = FIPS code
blank_info = 18-68832GR|2
blank1_name = GNIS feature ID
blank1_info = 0443233GR|3
footnotes = Seymour is a city in Jackson County, Indiana, United States. The population was 18,101 at the 2000 census. Seymour is called the "Crossroads of America" because the North/South and East/West railroads cross in downtown.

The North/South line, the Jeffersonville, Madison and Indianapolis Railroad, was built in the 1840s connecting Indianapolis to the Ohio River at Jeffersonville. It ran through the Shields farm at the area that is now Seymour.

In 1852 when the East/West railroad, the Ohio and Mississippi Railroad, was going to be built, Capt. Meedy Shields who was the cousin of General John Tipton talked the surveyor, John Seymour, into putting it through his land. In return he named the town Seymour. All trains had to stop at a crossroad, making Seymour a bustling community.

Seymour is the birthplace of singer John Mellencamp and Robert Shields (diarist) whose personal diary earned him a place in the Guinness Book of World Records. Robert William Shields was a distant cousin of Seymour founder Meedy Shields.

Geography

Seymour is located at coor dms|38|57|23|N|85|53|24|W|city (38.956350, -85.890068)GR|1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 10.8 square miles (28.1 km*), all land.

Demographics

As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 18,101 people, 7,231 households, and 4,743 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,670.3 people per square mile (644.7/km²). There were 7,709 housing units at an average density of 711.4/sq mi (274.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 93.40% White, 1.02% African American, 0.30% Native American, 1.43% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 2.93% from other races, and 0.86% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.85% of the population.

There were 7,231 households out of which 32.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.4% were married couples living together, 11.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.4% were non-families. 28.5% 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 2.46 and the average family size was 2.99.

In the city the population was spread out with 25.5% under the age of 18, 10.2% from 18 to 24, 31.4% from 25 to 44, 19.4% from 45 to 64, and 13.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 95.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.0 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $36,883, and the median income for a family was $43,357. Males had a median income of $30,638 versus $22,265 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,222. About 8.0% of families and 10.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.7% of those under age 18 and 11.6% of those age 65 or over.

Local Media

*WQKC
*WZZB
*WJAA
*WJCP
*WJLR
*Seymour Times
*The TribuneWJAA 96.3

Early companies

* [http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/in/jackson/directories/business/1868/seymour318gms.txt 1868 Seymour Businesses and Owners per Chandler & Co.]
*Blish Milling Company (aka Blish Mill or Blish Flour) Involved in a 1916 SCOTUS decision setting a Precedent. Sales Manager and Secretary Elbridge Blish Thompson who was a Hanover College and Yale University Alumni lost his life in the sinking of the RMS Lusitania.

History

Seymour was the site of the World's First Train Robbery, committed by the local Reno Gang, on October 6th, 1866 just east of town. Vigilantes from the town hunted down and eventually hung all but one of the Reno brothers in the gang.

The Freeman Field Mutiny occurred in 1945, in which African-American members of the 477th Bombardment Group attempted to integrate an all-white officers' club at Freeman Army Air Corps Base. The mutiny later led to the integration of United States Military.

Annual Events of Note

*Victory over Japan Day Parade
*Oktoberfest

Nearby Points of Interest

* Muscatatuk National Wildlife Preserve [http://midwest.fws.gov/Muscatatuck/ Muscatatuck National Wildlife Preserve]
* Brown County, Indiana
* [http://www.soinart.com/ Southern Indiana Center for the Arts (including gallery of John Mellencamp oil paintings)]
*Springhill Camps

References

External links

* [http://www.seymourcity.com/ Seymour City Website]
* [http://www.seymour.org/ Seymour Community Network]
* [http://www.japl.lib.in.us/ Jackson County Public Library]
* [http://www.tribtown.com/ The Tribune (local newspaper)]
* [http://www.thebanner.com/ The Banner (local newspaper)]
* [http://www.jacksonredcross.org/ Jackson County Red Cross]
* [http://www.seymourtimes.com/ Seymour Times(local alternative weekly)]