Terre Haute, Indiana

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City of Terre Haute, Indiana
Location of City of Terre Haute, Indiana

Location in the state of Indiana
County Vigo
Mayor Kevin Burke
Area
  –Land
  –Water
83.1 km²
80.9 km²
2.2 km²
Population
  –Total (2000)
  –Density

60,614
736.8/km²
Time zone
  –Summer (DST)
EST (UTC-5)
EST (UTC-5)
Latitude
Longitude
39°28'11" N
87°23'23" W
Official website: www.terrehaute.in.gov

Terre Haute is a city located in Vigo County, Indiana on the western border of Indiana. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 60,614. The city is the county seat of Vigo County6.The current Mayor of Terre Haute is Kevin Burke.

The ZIP Code for Terre Haute is 478xx.

Contents

Geography

Terre Haute is at 39°28'11" North, 87°23'23" West (39.469586, -87.389762)1, alongside the Wabash River in western Indiana.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 83.1 km² (32.1 mi²). 80.9 km² (31.2 mi²) of it is land and 2.2 km² (0.9 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 2.68% water.

The city of Terre Haute is called "The Crossroads of America" because it was at one point located on the intersection of the two major roadways: the National Road and U.S. 41 (the "Dixie Bee Highway"). In the early 1970s, Interstate 70 was built, and the major shopping area moved south to the interchange. U.S. 40 still runs through the downtown area.

In addition to the downtown business district and the South End, there are several other smaller business districts in the City. The first suburban shopping area was Twelve Points, on the northeast side of town; later, Idaho Station developed near Seventh Street and Lockport Road. In the post-WWII era, auto-centered shopping developed on the east side at Meadows. Plaza North is another important shopping area in the northern city neighborhoods.

The physical geography of the city is dominated by the Wabash River, which forms the western border of the city. The city itself lies on a high, flat plain that rarely floods. Small bluffs like in the east side of the city, marking the edge of the historic flood plain. Lost Creek and Honey Creek drain the northern and southern sections of the city, respectively. In the early 1800s, there were several oil and mineral wells in the center of the city, but those have not been tapped for many years.

History

The name Terre Haute (pronounced as /tɛɹ.ə.hoʊt/ in English and /ter.ot/ in French) is a French phrase meaning high land, and was used by the French explorers in the area in the mid 18th century to describe the plateau-like rise of the land next to the Wabash River (See French colonization of the Americas). During "Tecumseh's War" in 1811, the construction of Fort Harrison during an expedition led by William Henry Harrison marked the known beginning of a permanent population of European-Americans—a Wea village called Weautano (also known as "Rising Sun" and "Old Orchard Town") already existed near the fort. The orchards and meadows kept by the local Wea populations became the site of present-day Terre Haute, a few miles south of Fort Harrison. By the 1830, the few Wea had left under pressure from white settlement.

Terre Haute's first success as a city came as a port for steamboats and other river-craft, but was quickly overtaken by the railroads. The construction of the Wabash and Erie Canal, and the National Road also brought prosperity to the young community. When coal was discovered, Terre Haute became a mining and industry town and business boomed. This led to institutes of higher education, culture, and a tradition of strong union activity which produced leaders like Eugene V. Debs. The town also had a reputation for being "wide open", with gambling and a well-developed "Red Light District" that was not fully eliminated until urban renewal of the riverfront in the 1960s. Coupled with famously crooked politicians, at the turn of the century Terre Haute was labeled Sin City by the press. Although it has had different nicknames ("The Crossroads of America," for one), it was "Sin City" that stuck.

While the city was booming in the mid-1920s, the owners of a downtown hotel, the Terre Haute House, decided to demolish their existing building and erect a grand edifice befitting such a modern city as Terre Haute, and in 1928, the new Terre Haute House opened, attracting the wealthy—famous and infamous alike—to its luxurious splendor. No less of a figure than Al Capone is rumored to have been a guest in the new hotel's early years. The beloved hotel, which closed in 1970, has been the subject of repeated debate in the community. It was recently sold by a prominent local family to a local developer, who is currently in the process of having it demolished.

Eventually, however, the coal mines were spent, the importance of the railroads declined, the town was labeled a "bad labor town" and the city began a decline from which it never fully recovered. Although some remnants of its glory days remain and Terre Haute is home to some national events, it was recently called "A Model of Stagnation" by The Indianapolis Star, a moniker not easily disputed by its citizens and is best known today by the general public for the June 11, 2001, execution of Timothy McVeigh at the Terre Haute Federal Penitentiary for his role in the Oklahoma City bombing.

Historical figures who called Terre Haute their birthplace or home include: author Theodore Dreiser, his brother, songwriter Paul Dresser (On the Banks of the Wabash Far Away), actor Scatman Crothers, baseball pitcher Tommy John, Lawyer-poet Max Ehrmann (A Prayer and Desiderata), and left-wing politician and Socialist candidate for president Eugene V. Debs.

Terre Haute's history is the subject of a weekly public radio program based in Bloomington, Indiana, called "Hometown with Tom Roznowski," which describes various aspects of Terre Haute in the summer of 1926.

Demographics

As of the census2 of 2000, there are 60,614 people, 30,870 households, and 20,035 families residing in the city. The population density is 736.8/km² (1,908.4/mi²). There are 25,636 housing units at an average density of 316.8/km² (820.7/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 86.26% White, 9.77% African American, 5.34% Native American, 1.17% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.51% from other races, and 5.91% from two or more races. 10.58% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There are 22,870 households out of which 27.2% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.0% are married couples living together, 14.0% have a female householder with no husband present, and 43.0% are non-families. 34.9% of all households are made up of individuals and 14.1% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.28 and the average family size is 2.95.

In the city the population is spread out with 21.3% under the age of 18, 18.7% from 18 to 24, 26.6% from 25 to 44, 18.5% from 45 to 64, and 14.9% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 32 years. For every 100 females there are 97.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 95.4 males.

The median income for a household in the city is $28,018, and the median income for a family is $37,618. Males have a median income of $29,375 versus $21,374 for females. The per capita income for the city is $15,728. 19.2% of the population and 14.8% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 24.4% of those under the age of 18 and 11.4% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.

Education

Terre Haute is home to Indiana State University, which has about 11,000 students. Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, Ivy Tech State College, and Indiana Business College are also in the city. Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College, whose students are all female, is northwest of West Terre Haute, Indiana.

Other Facts

Terre Haute is noted for a distinct malodor which is the result of local industry, especially paper plants. Although its odor has significantly improved over the past decade, it is still notorious for its smell in and around the Midwest. Businessman Kevin Burke was elected the city's mayor in 2003 and vowed to make cleaning up the city's smell--and image--one of his administration's top priorities.

External links

The city

The history

College pages

Maps and aerial photos



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