Wabash, Indiana

City of Wabash
City
Wabash from the air, looking west.
Location in the state of Indiana
Coordinates:
Country	United States
State	Indiana
County	Wabash
Township	Noble
Government
• Mayor	Robert Vanlandingham (R), 2004-Present
Area
• Total	9.13 sq mi (23.65 km2)
• Land	8.89 sq mi (23.02 km2)
• Water	0.24 sq mi (0.62 km2)  2.63%
Elevation	712 ft (217 m)
Population (2010)
• Total	10,666
• Estimate (2012)	10,484
• Density	1,199.8/sq mi (463.2/km2)
Time zone	EST (UTC-5)
ZIP code	46992
Area code(s)	260
FIPS code	18-79370
GNIS feature ID	0445327
Website	www.cityofwabash.com

Wabash is a city in Noble Township, Wabash County, Indiana, United States. The population was 10,666 at the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of Wabash County.

Wabash is notable as being the first electrically lighted city in the world, which was inaugurated on March 31, 1880. It is also home to the historic Eagles Theater, Paradise Spring Treaty Grounds (1826), the Wabash and Erie Canal, Presbyterian Church (Wabash, Indiana) (1880), and Disciples of Christ Christian Church (Wabash, Indiana) (1865).

Geography

Wabash is located at (40.800799, -85.827163).

According to the 2010 census, Wabash has a total area of 9.128 square miles (23.64 km²), of which 8.89 square miles (23.02 km²) (or 97.39%) is land and 0.238 square miles (0.62 km²) (or 2.61%) is water.

Demographics

Wabash County Courthouse

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 10,666 people, 4,465 households, and 2,805 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,199.8 inhabitants per square mile (463.2/km²). There were 5,068 housing units at an average density of 570.1 per square mile (220.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 96.3% White, 0.4% African American, 1.0% Native American, 0.5% Asian, 0.6% from other races, and 1.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.0% of the population.

There were 4,465 households of which 29.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.7% were married couples living together, 12.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 37.2% were non-families. 32.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.88.

The median age in the city was 41.3 years. 22.5% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 24.7% were from 25 to 44; 26.4% were from 45 to 64; and 18.8% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.2% male and 52.8% female.

2000 census

Historical population
Census	Pop.		%±
1850	966		—
1860	1,520		57.3%
1870	2,881		89.5%
1880	3,800		31.9%
1890	5,105		34.3%
1900	8,618		68.8%
1910	8,687		0.8%
1920	9,872		13.6%
1930	8,840		−10.5%
1940	9,653		9.2%
1950	10,621		10.0%
1960	12,621		18.8%
1970	13,379		6.0%
1980	12,985		−2.9%
1990	12,127		−6.6%
2000	11,743		−3.2%
2010	10,666		−9.2%
Est. 2014	10,433		−2.2%
Source: US Census Bureau

As of the census of 2000, there were 11,743 people, 4,799 households, and 3,100 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,319.0 people per square mile (509.4/km²). There were 5,136 housing units at an average density of 576.9 per square mile (222.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 96.85% White, 0.37% African American, 1.06% Native American, 0.51% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.41% from other races, and 0.77% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.46% of the population.

There were 4,799 households out of which 29.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.6% were married couples living together, 11.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.4% were non-families. 30.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 2.95.

In the city the population was spread out with 24.3% under the age of 18, 9.0% from 18 to 24, 27.4% from 25 to 44, 22.9% from 45 to 64, and 16.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 91.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.3 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $12,000, and the median income for a family was $14000. Males had a median income of $18000 versus $12,000 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,210. About 7.9% of families and 9.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.5% of those under age 18 and 8.8% of those age 65 or over.

Gallery

• 

  Wabash County Courthouse

• 

  Paradise Spring Treaty Grounds (1826)

• 

  Old Warehouse, which backs up on the Wabash and Erie Canal

• 

  Presbyterian Church (Wabash, Indiana) 1880

• 

  Disciples of Christ Christian Church (Wabash, Indiana) 1865

Notable people

• Loren M. Berry – pioneer of the Yellow Pages telephone directory
• Dr. Rick Brandenburg – entomologist
• John W. Corso – Art director & production designer
• Jimmy Daywalt – race car driver
• Charles Dingle - actor
• Gus Dorais – American football player and coach of football, basketball, and baseball
• Crystal Gayle – country singer
• Keith O'Conner Murphy - Rockabilly Hall of Fame singer and songwriter
• Charles Franklin Hildebrand – journalist
• Mark Honeywell – founder of Honeywell Corporation & Honeywell Center
• Bobby Jones – National Football League guard
• George Mullin – Major League Baseball pitcher, nicknamed "Wabash George"
• John P. Costas – telecommunications engineer, noted for the Costas loop
• Margie Stewart – U.S. Army poster girl during the Second World War
• Joaquin Miller- American Poet And Frontiersman
• Ben Higgins - Star of ABC's dating series, "The Bachelor" - 2016

See also

• The Ford Meter Box Company, Prominent Manufacturer Headquartered in Wabash

External links

• City of Wabash, Indiana website
• About the Honeywell Center
• Wabash Carnegie Public Library