Lafayette is a city in
Tippecanoe CountyTippecanoe County is a county located in the U.S. state of Indiana. As of 2000, the population was 148,955. The county seat is Lafayette.Tippecanoe County is part of the Lafayette, Indiana, Metropolitan Statistical Area.- History :...
,
IndianaIndiana is a U.S. state, the 19
th admitted to the Union. It is located in the Great Lakes region, and with approximately 6.3 million residents, is ranked 16
th in population and 17
th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38
th in land area, and is the...
,
U.S.The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, 63 miles (101 km) northwest of
IndianapolisIndianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. The United States Census estimated the city's population, excluding the included towns, at 798,382 in 2008...
. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 56,397. The city is the
county seatA county seat is a term for an administrative center for a county or civil parish, primarily used in the United States. In the Northeast United States, the statutory term often is shire town, but colloquially county seat is the term in use there...
of
Tippecanoe CountyTippecanoe County is a county located in the U.S. state of Indiana. As of 2000, the population was 148,955. The county seat is Lafayette.Tippecanoe County is part of the Lafayette, Indiana, Metropolitan Statistical Area.- History :...
.
West LafayetteWest Lafayette is a city in Tippecanoe County, Indiana, United States, 65 miles northwest of Indianapolis. Named in honor of General Lafayette, a French military hero who fought with and significantly aided the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War...
, on the other side of the
Wabash RiverThe Wabash River is a -long river in the Midwestern United States that flows southwest from northwest Ohio near Fort Recovery, Ohio across northern Indiana to Illinois where it forms the southern Illinois-Indiana border before draining into the Ohio River, of which it is the largest northern...
, is home to
Purdue UniversityPurdue University, located in West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S., is the flagship university of the six campuses within the Purdue University System...
, which has a large impact on both communities. Together, Lafayette and West Lafayette form the core of the Lafayette, IN
Metropolitan Statistical AreaThe Lafayette, Indiana Metropolitan Statistical Area, as defined by the United States Census Bureau, is an area consisting of three counties in Indiana, anchored by the city of Lafayette...
, which, as of the 2000 census, had a total population of 183,340, the 215th largest metropolitan area in the
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
The area around what is now Tippecanoe County was inhabited by a tribe of
MiamiThe Miami are a Native American tribe originally found in Indiana, southwest Michigan and Ohio, and now living also in Oklahoma.-Name:The name 'Miami' derives from the tribe's name for themselves in their own Algonquian language, Myaamia , which appears to have come from an older term meaning...
Indians known as the Ouiatenon or
WeaThe name Wea is used today as the a shortened version of the many recorded names, it is suggested and written that waayaahtanwa, is derived from waayaahtanonki, 'place of the whirlpool', their name where they were first recorded being seen and is where they were living at that time...
s.
Lafayette is a city in
Tippecanoe CountyTippecanoe County is a county located in the U.S. state of Indiana. As of 2000, the population was 148,955. The county seat is Lafayette.Tippecanoe County is part of the Lafayette, Indiana, Metropolitan Statistical Area.- History :...
,
IndianaIndiana is a U.S. state, the 19
th admitted to the Union. It is located in the Great Lakes region, and with approximately 6.3 million residents, is ranked 16
th in population and 17
th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38
th in land area, and is the...
,
U.S.The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, 63 miles (101 km) northwest of
IndianapolisIndianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. The United States Census estimated the city's population, excluding the included towns, at 798,382 in 2008...
. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 56,397. The city is the
county seatA county seat is a term for an administrative center for a county or civil parish, primarily used in the United States. In the Northeast United States, the statutory term often is shire town, but colloquially county seat is the term in use there...
of
Tippecanoe CountyTippecanoe County is a county located in the U.S. state of Indiana. As of 2000, the population was 148,955. The county seat is Lafayette.Tippecanoe County is part of the Lafayette, Indiana, Metropolitan Statistical Area.- History :...
.
West LafayetteWest Lafayette is a city in Tippecanoe County, Indiana, United States, 65 miles northwest of Indianapolis. Named in honor of General Lafayette, a French military hero who fought with and significantly aided the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War...
, on the other side of the
Wabash RiverThe Wabash River is a -long river in the Midwestern United States that flows southwest from northwest Ohio near Fort Recovery, Ohio across northern Indiana to Illinois where it forms the southern Illinois-Indiana border before draining into the Ohio River, of which it is the largest northern...
, is home to
Purdue UniversityPurdue University, located in West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S., is the flagship university of the six campuses within the Purdue University System...
, which has a large impact on both communities. Together, Lafayette and West Lafayette form the core of the Lafayette, IN
Metropolitan Statistical AreaThe Lafayette, Indiana Metropolitan Statistical Area, as defined by the United States Census Bureau, is an area consisting of three counties in Indiana, anchored by the city of Lafayette...
, which, as of the 2000 census, had a total population of 183,340, the 215th largest metropolitan area in the
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
History
The area around what is now Tippecanoe County was inhabited by a tribe of
MiamiThe Miami are a Native American tribe originally found in Indiana, southwest Michigan and Ohio, and now living also in Oklahoma.-Name:The name 'Miami' derives from the tribe's name for themselves in their own Algonquian language, Myaamia , which appears to have come from an older term meaning...
Indians known as the Ouiatenon or
WeaThe name Wea is used today as the a shortened version of the many recorded names, it is suggested and written that waayaahtanwa, is derived from waayaahtanonki, 'place of the whirlpool', their name where they were first recorded being seen and is where they were living at that time...
s. The French government established
Fort OuiatenonFort Ouiatenon was the first fortified European settlement in what is now called Indiana. It was a French trading post at the joining of the Tippecanoe River and the Wabash River located approximately three miles southwest of modern-day West Lafayette...
in 1717 across the
Wabash RiverThe Wabash River is a -long river in the Midwestern United States that flows southwest from northwest Ohio near Fort Recovery, Ohio across northern Indiana to Illinois where it forms the southern Illinois-Indiana border before draining into the Ohio River, of which it is the largest northern...
and three miles (5 km) south of the location of present-day Lafayette. The fort became the center of trade for fur trappers, merchants and Indians. An annual
reenactmentHistorical reenactment is a type of roleplay in which participants attempt to recreate some aspects of a historical event or period. This may be as narrow as a specific moment from a battle, such as the reenactment of Pickett's Charge at the Great Reunion of 1913, or as broad as an entire...
and festival known as
The Feast of the Hunters' Moon- Description :The Feast of the Hunters’ Moon is an annual celebration re-creating the fall festival started by French settlers and Native Americans...
takes place there each fall.
Lafayette was
platA plat consists of a map, drawn to scale, showing the divisions of a piece of land. U.S. General Land Office surveyors drafted township plats of Public Lands Surveys to show the distance and bearing between section corners, sometimes including topographic or vegetation information. City, town or...
ted by the river trader William Digby, in May 1825. The town was made county seat for the newly formed
Tippecanoe CountyTippecanoe County is a county located in the U.S. state of Indiana. As of 2000, the population was 148,955. The county seat is Lafayette.Tippecanoe County is part of the Lafayette, Indiana, Metropolitan Statistical Area.- History :...
soon after in 1826. Like many small frontier towns, Lafayette was officially named for General Lafayette, a French military hero who fought with and significantly aided the American Army during the
American Revolutionary WarThe American Revolutionary War , also sometimes known as the American War of Independence, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen united former British colonies in North America, and concluded in a global war between several European great powers...
(September 6, 1757—May 20, 1834).
In its earliest days Lafayette was a shipping center on the Wabash River. The
Wabash and Erie CanalThe Wabash and Erie Canal was a shipping canal that linked the Great Lakes to the Ohio River via a man-made waterway. The canal provided traders with access from the Great Lakes all the way to the Gulf of Mexico...
in the 1840s further cemented Lafayette's regional prominence, which was also escalated by the arrival of the
railroadsRail transport is the conveyance of passengers and goods by means of wheeled vehicles running along railways or railroads. Rail transport is part of the logistics chain, which facilitates international trade and economic growth...
in the 1850s. The
Monon RailroadThe Monon Railroad , also known as the Chicago, Indianapolis and Louisville Railway from 1897-1956, operated almost entirely within the state of Indiana...
connected Lafayette with other sections of Indiana.
Lafayette was the site of the first official air mail delivery in the United States, which took place on August 17, 1859, when
John WiseJohn Wise was a pioneer in the field of ballooning. He made over 400 flights during his lifetime and was responsible for several innovations in balloon design.-Early career:...
piloted a balloon starting on the Lafayette courthouse grounds. Wise hoped to reach
New YorkNew York is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous. The state is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
; however, weather conditions forced the balloon down near
Crawfordsville, IndianaCrawfordsville is a city in Montgomery County, Indiana, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city had a population of 15,243. The city is the county seat of Montgomery County....
, and the mail reached its final destination by train. In 1959, the U.S. Postal Service issued a 7¢
airmail stampAn airmail stamp is a postage stamp intended to pay either an airmail fee that is charged in addition to the surface rate, or the full airmail rate, for a piece of mail to be transported by air....
commemorating the centennial of the event.
Modern history owes a fair debt to Robert Kriebel, a reporter since retired from the Journal & Courier newspaper. By way of his books and columns the curious are provided a convenient, accessible, and even colorful way to grasp the events around and preceding him.
Old Lafayette in two volumes is highly recommended. For further reading, the curious might look into some other notable historians of Lafayette appearing below. These were compiled by Kriebel for his "short list" as provided in the Lafayette Bank & Trust's
The Best of Lafayette (2000):
Sandford C. Cox, Richard P. DeHart, Sallie Sample, Sarah M. Crockett, Thomas B. Helm, Jesse Henderson Levering, Paul K. Mavity, Logan Esarey, and Herbery H. Heimlich.
Geography
Lafayette is located at (40.410585, -86.874681) and lies in Fairfield and Wea Townships. Elevation at the court house is , but city elevations range from a little over at the Wabash River to approximately in the areas of Murdock Park and Columbian Park.
According to the
United States Census BureauThe United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data. As part of the United States Department of Commerce, the Census Bureau serves as the leading source of quality data about...
, the city has a total area of 20.1 square miles (52.0 km
2), all of it land.
Demographics
Lafayette is the larger principal city of the Lafayette-Frankfort CSA, a
Combined Statistical AreaThe United States Office of Management and Budget defines micropolitan and metropolitan statistical areas. Metropolitan and micropolitan statistical areas consist of one or more counties...
that includes the
Lafayette metropolitan areaThe Lafayette, Indiana Metropolitan Statistical Area, as defined by the United States Census Bureau, is an area consisting of three counties in Indiana, anchored by the city of Lafayette...
(
BentonBenton County is a county located in the U.S. state of Indiana. As of 2000, the population was 9,421. The county seat is Fowler.Benton County is part of the Lafayette, Indiana Metropolitan Statistical Area.- History :...
,
CarrollCarroll County is a county located in the U.S. state of Indiana. As of 2000, the population was 20,166. The county seat is Delphi.Carroll County is part of the Lafayette, Indiana Metropolitan Statistical Area.- History :...
, and Tippecanoe counties) and the
Frankfort micropolitan areaClinton County is a county located in the U.S. state of Indiana. As of 2000, the population was 33,866. The county seat is Frankfort.-History:...
(
Clinton CountyClinton County is a county located in the U.S. state of Indiana. As of 2000, the population was 33,866. The county seat is Frankfort.-History:...
), which had a combined population of 212,408 at the
2000 censusThe Twenty-Second United States Census, known as Census 2000 and conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2% over the 248,709,873 persons enumerated during the 1990 Census...
.
As of the
censusA "census" is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population.In other words every 10 years...next one would be in 2010 The term is used mostly in connection with...
of 2000, there were 56,397 people, 24,060 households, and 13,666 families residing in the city. The
population densityPopulation density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans. It is a key term used in geography....
was 2,806.5 people per square mile (1,083.9/km
2). There were 25,602 housing units at an average density of 1,274.1/sq mi (492.0/km
2). The racial makeup of the city was 88.91% White, 3.22% African American, 0.37% Native American, 1.22% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 4.61% from
other racesRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.62% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 9.11% of the population.
There were 24,060 households out of which 27.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.5% were
married couplesMarriage is a social union or legal contract between individuals that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged by a variety of ways, depending on the culture or demographic...
living together, 10.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 43.2% were non-families. 33.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.4% 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 2.98.
In the city the population was spread out with 23.2% under the age of 18, 14.2% from 18 to 24, 31.3% from 25 to 44, 19.3% from 45 to 64, and 12.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 97.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $35,859, and the median income for a family was $45,480. Males had a median income of $32,892 versus $23,049 for females. The
per capita incomePer capita income means how much each individual receives, in monetary terms, of the yearly income generated in the country. This is what each citizen is to receive if the yearly national income is divided equally among everyone. Per capita income is usually reported in units of currency per year...
for the city was $19,217. About 8.0% of families and 12.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.8% of those under age 18 and 4.6% of those age 65 or over.
Colleges
Public
K-12 public education in the Lafayette area is provided by the
Lafayette School CorporationThe Lafayette School Corporation administers one high school, two middle schools and ten elementary schools in Lafayette, Indiana. Its administrative offices are at 2300 Cason Street in Lafayette.-History:...
.
New Community School is a tuition-free elementary
charter schoolCharter schools are elementary or secondary schools in the United States that receive public money but have been freed from some of the rules, regulations, and statutes that apply to other public schools in exchange for some type of accountability for producing certain results, which are set forth...
(sponsored by
Ball State UniversityBall State University is a state-run research university located in Muncie, Indiana, U.S. Located on the northwest side of the city, Ball State's campus spans more than 1,000 acres...
) located in downtown Lafayette.
Private
News and Media
Newspaper
- Journal & Courier. The newspaper serves the Greater Lafayette area. The newsroom and offices are located on the East side of Lafayette.
- Purdue Exponent
The Purdue Exponent is one of a handful of daily independent student newspapers, with most other college newspapers being owned by the university or operated by the journalism school. The college newspaper serves Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana...
. Purdue University's daily independent student newspaper serving Purdue, West Lafayette, and Lafayette. Newsroom and offices located just off campus on Northwestern Avenue in West Lafayette.
- The Lafayette Leader
Television
- WLFI-TV
WLFI-TV News Channel 18 is the CBS television affiliate in West Lafayette, Indiana that serves the Lafayette, Indiana metropolitan area. It operates on digital channel 11. Its transmitter is located in Rossville, Indiana...
- W51DU
Commercial Radio Stations
- WASK
WASK, "ESPN 1450" is an AM radio station licensed to the city of Lafayette, Indiana. The station operates on the AM radio frequency of 1450 kHz. . The studios and tower are located at 3575 McCarty Lane in Lafayette, Indiana.-History:...
- WASK-FM
WASK-FM, "98.7 WASK" is an FM radio station licensed to the city of Battleground, Indiana. The station operates on the FM radio frequency of 98.7 MHz, FM channel 254. . The studios are located at 3575 McCarty Lane in Lafayette, Indiana...
- WAZY-FM
- WKHL-FM
- WKHY-FM
WKHY, "Lafayette's Rock Station" is an FM radio station licensed to the city of Lafayette, Indiana. The station operates on the FM radio frequency of 93.5 MHz, FM channel 228. . The studios are located at 3575 McCarty Lane in Lafayette, Indiana.-History:...
- WKOA-FM
WKOA , known as "K 105", is a radio station licensed to the city of Lafayette, Indiana. The station operates on the FM radio frequency of 105.3 MHz, FM channel 287.. The studios are located at 3575 McCarty Lane in Lafayette, Indiana...
- WBPE-FM
WBPE is a radio station owned by Artistic Media Partners in Lafayette, Indiana. The station's studios are located at 3824 South 18th Street in Lafayette, Indiana. WBPE's programming is simulcasted on sister station WSHY ....
- WSHP-FM
WSHP, "95-7 The Rocket" is an FM radio station owned by Artistic Media Partners in Lafayette, Indiana. The station operates on FM Channel 239, 95.7 MHz....
- WSHY-AM
- WXXB-FM
WXXB, "The New B102-9" is an FM radio station licensed to the city of Delphi, Indiana. The station operates on the FM radio frequency of 102.9 MHz, FM channel 275. . The studios are located at 3575 McCarty Lane in Lafayette, Indiana...
Non-commercial Radio Stations
- WBAA-AM/FM
WBAA is the callsign for two radio stations owned by Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana--an AM station at 920 kHz and an FM station at 101.3 MHz. Both broadcast from studios in the Edward C...
- WHPL-FM
WHPL is a radio station licensed to West Lafayette, Indiana located at 89.9 MHz, channel 210, on the FM dial. WHPL broadcasts at an effective radiated power of 2,000 watts directional with a tower located off U.S. Route 231 in rural south-central Tippecanoe county...
- WJEF-FM
WJEF is a non-commercial radio station licensed to the Lafayette School Corporation in Lafayette, Indiana. It is located at 91.9MHz on the FM dial. WJEF broadcasts in stereo at an effective radiated power of 250 watts. The station's studio and offices are located at Jefferson High School's...
- WQSG-FM
WQSG is a radio station licensed to Lafayette, Indiana, located at 90.7 MHz on the FM dial. WQSG broadcasts at an effective radiated power of 17,000 watts with a tower located in rural northern Clinton County approximately half-way between Lafayette and Kokomo...
- WTGO-LP FM
WTGO-LP is a low-powered, non-commercial radio station licensed to Lafayette, Indiana. WTGO-LP broadcasts at an effective radiated power of 100 watts...
- WWCC-LP FM
WWCC-LP is a radio station licensed to the Triangle Foundation, based in Lafayette, Indiana. WWCC broadcasts at an effective radiated power of 14 watts. The station office is located 101 N...
Transportation
Airports
- Purdue University Airport
Purdue University Airport is a public airport in West Lafayette.It is two miles southwest of the central business district of Lafayette, a city in Tippecanoe County, Indiana, United States....
(LAF), West Lafayette. Currently no commercial flights.
Highways
-
Interstate 65Interstate 65 is a major Interstate Highway in the United States. The southern terminus is located at an intersection with Interstate 10 in Mobile, Alabama, and its northern terminus is at a traffic light with U.S. Route 12 and U.S...
to Gary, IndianaGary is a city in Lake County, Indiana, United States. The city is in the southeastern portion of the Chicago metropolitan area and is 25 miles from downtown Chicago. The population was 102,746 at the 2000 census, making it the fifth largest city in the state. Gary was once the second largest city...
(near ChicagoChicago is the largest city in the U.S. state of Illinois, and with more than 2.8 million people, the 3rd largest city in the United States...
) and IndianapolisIndianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. The United States Census estimated the city's population, excluding the included towns, at 798,382 in 2008...
-
US 52U.S. Route 52 is a United States highway that runs across the northern, eastern and southeastern regions of the United States. Contrary to most other even-numbered U.S...
to Joliet, IllinoisJoliet is a city in Will County and Kendall County in the U.S. state of Illinois, located southwest of Chicago. It is the county seat of Will County. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 106,221. Its estimated population in 2008 was 146,125. It continues to be Illinois'...
(also near Chicago) and Indianapolis
-
US 231U.S. Route 231 is a spur of U.S. Route 31. It currently runs for 912 miles from St. John, Indiana at U.S. Route 41 to south of U.S. Route 98 in Downtown Panama City, Florida.One of its most notable landmarks is the William H...
-
State Road 25State Road 25 is a highway in the U. S. state of Indiana. Although it is designated a north-south road, in practice it travels generally northeast from its southern terminus at State Road 32 to its northern terminus at State Road 15 in Warsaw.-Route description:Except in certain urban areas,...
-
State Road 26State Road 26 is an east-west road in central Indiana in the United States that crosses the entire state from east to west, covering a distance of about .-Route description:...
-
State Road 38State Road 38 in the U.S. State of Indiana serves as a connection between Lafayette in the west and Richmond in the east.-Route description:...
-
State Road 43-Southern section:This winding, two-lane section of State Road 43 connects Indiana State Road 46 in Owen County near McCormick's Creek State Park with Indiana State Road 54 in eastern Greene County. It covers a distance of .
-Major intersections:...
Railroads
AmtrakThe National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971 to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a blend of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union Station...
, the national passenger rail system, provides passenger rail service to Lafayette through the
CardinalThe Cardinal is a 1,147-mile congressionally-mandated passenger train route operated by Amtrak, connecting New York Penn Station with Chicago Union Station three days a week via Philadelphia, Wilmington, Delaware, Washington, D.C., Charlottesville, Virginia, Cincinnati, Ohio, and Indianapolis,...
to Chicago, Washington D.C., and
New York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States, and the center of the New York metropolitan area, which is among the most populous urban areas in the world. A leading global city, New York exerts a powerful influence over worldwide commerce, finance, culture, fashion and entertainment...
. Norfolk Southern,
CSXCSX Transportation is a Class I railroad in the United States, owned by the CSX Corporation and headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida. It is one of the three Class I railroads serving most of the East Coast, the other two being the Norfolk Southern Railway and Canadian Pacific Railway...
,
Kankakee, Beaverville and Southern RailroadThe Kankakee, Beaverville and Southern Railroad Company is a Class III railroad serving agricultural communities in east-central Illinois and west-central Indiana.-History:...
, and
Toledo, Peoria and Western RailwayThe Toledo, Peoria and Western Railway is currently a short-line railroad that operates from Mapleton, Illinois through Peoria across Illinois to Logansport, Indiana and includes a branch line between Logansport to Winamac, Indiana...
(
RailAmericaRailAmerica, Inc. based in Jacksonville, Florida, is a holding company of several short-line railroads and regional railroads in the United States and Canada....
) provide freight rail service. Many of the rails lines that originally passed through the downtown were redirected in the mid-1990s to a rail corridor near the Wabash River.
Bus Service
- CityBus local bus service by the Greater Lafayette Public Transportation Corporation
The Greater Lafayette Public Transportation Corporation is a municipal corporation founded in 1971 to provide bus services in Tippecanoe County, Indiana.-History:...
- Greyhound
Greyhound Lines, Inc., based in Dallas, Texas, USA, is an intercity common carrier of passengers by bus serving over 3,700 destinations in the United States and Canada, operating under the well-known logo of a leaping greyhound. It was founded in Hibbing, Minnesota, USA, in 1914 and incorporated...
intercity bus service
- Lafayette Limo shuttle service to the Indianapolis International Airport
Indianapolis International Airport is a public airport located seven miles southwest of the central business district of Indianapolis, a city in Marion County, Indiana, United States. It is owned and operated by the Indianapolis Airport Authority...
Economy
Much of the economy of the city of Lafayette and the surrounding area is centered around the academic and industrial activities of
Purdue UniversityPurdue University, located in West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S., is the flagship university of the six campuses within the Purdue University System...
. The university and its associated businesses employ the largest portion of the Lafayette workforce. However, private industry and commerce independent of the university also exist in the community. Some notable examples include:
- Alcoa
the river: Alcoa RiverAlcoa, Inc. is the world's third largest producer of aluminum, behind Rio Tinto Alcan and Rusal. From its operational headquarters in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Alcoa conducts operations in 44 countries...
, a producer of aluminum extrusions and tubes.
- Caterpillar
Caterpillar Inc. is a United States-based corporation headquartered in Peoria, Illinois. Caterpillar is, according to their corporate website, "the world's largest manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas engines, and industrial gas turbines."Famous for their...
Large Engine Division, producer of large diesel and natural gas engines.
- Fairfield Manufacturing, producer of gears.
- Wabash National
Wabash National is one of the world's largest manufacturers of semi-truck trailers. Founded in 1985 and publicly traded since 1991, the company had annual sales for 2006 of approximately $1.3 billion USD.-Partnerships:...
, world's largest manufacturer of semi-truck trailers
- Subaru of Indiana Automotive, producer of Subaru
is the automobile manufacturing division of Japanese transportation conglomerate Fuji Heavy Industries Group .Subaru is internationally known for their use of boxer engines in most of their vehicles. The company decided to use all wheel drive in most international markets as standard equipment in...
and now, Toyota vehicles.
- Eli Lilly and Company
Eli Lilly and Company is a global pharmaceutical company. Eli Lilly's global headquarters is located in Indianapolis, Indiana, in the United States...
(Tippecanoe Laboratories) pharmaceuticals.
- Lafayette Life Insurance CompanyThe Lafayette Life Insurance Company, insurance and annuity services
- Tate & Lyle
Tate & Lyle plc is a UK-based multinational agri-processor. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index as of 23 March 2009.-History:...
, manufacturer of Splenda(R) and other sweeteners
- TRW
TRW Automotive Holdings , based in Livonia, MI, is a supplier of automotive parts to manufacturers and aftermarket dealers. . It was created out of a sell-off of parts of the former TRW corporation.-Contributions:...
Commercial Steering Systems
- Landis+Gyr, manufacturer of electric meters for global ANSI markets
- Alorica, call center services
- Lafayette Community Bank, private bank part of the FDIC
Notable residents and natives
For notable residents associated with Purdue UniversityPurdue University, located in West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S., is the flagship university of the six campuses within the Purdue University System...
see List of Purdue University people
Entertainment
- Karen Black
Karen Black is an American actress, screenwriter, singer and songwriter. She is noted for films such as Easy Rider, Five Easy Pieces, The Great Gatsby, The Day of the Locust, Nashville, Family Plot and Firecracker in a career that has spanned five decades.-Early life:Black was born Karen Blanche...
- Actress
- Jeremy Camp
Jeremy Thomas Camp is a contemporary Christian musician from Lafayette, Indiana. Camp has released six albums, three of them RIAA-certified as Gold, and 17 number-one hit songs. His original music is a mixture of ballads and rock....
- Christian recording artist
- Embeth Davidtz
Embeth Jean Davidtz is an American-born South African actress.-Early life:Davidtz was born in Lafayette, Indiana, while her father was studying chemical engineering at Purdue University. Her parents, John and Jean, later moved to Trenton, New Jersey, and then back to their native South Africa when...
- Actress
- Louise Fazenda
Louise Fazenda was an American film actress, appearing chiefly in silent comedy films.-Early life:She was born in Lafayette, Indiana. Her father, Joseph Fazenda, was a merchandise broker. After moving west Louise attended Los Angeles High School and St. Mary's Convent...
- Silent film comic actress, character actress in the "talkies"
- Kevin Galbraith - Professional Dancer on MTV's "The Grind" and "Prince" (also former guitarist of "Rattail Grenadier")
- Mass Giorgini
Mass Giorgini is an Italian-American bassist and record producer, who rose to fame when several of the bands he produced experienced huge gains in popularity during the pop-punk boom on the mid-90's. Among these bands was Giorgini's own Squirtgun, which received minor MTV rotation and several...
- Record producer (Alkaline TrioAlkaline Trio is an American punk rock band from McHenry, Illinois consisting of Matt Skiba , Dan Andriano and Derek Grant...
, Anti-FlagAnti-Flag is an American punk rock band from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania known for their outspoken views on American government. Most recently, the band has focused criticism on the United States bailouts.-Early years :...
, Rise AgainstRise Against is an American punk rock band from Chicago, Illinois, formed in 1999. Their current lineup consists of Tim McIlrath , Joe Principe , Brandon Barnes , and Zach Blair , all of whom are straight edge PETA supporters and strict vegetarians/vegans...
) and bassist of Screeching WeaselScreeching Weasel is an American punk band from Chicago, Illinois. They were formed in 1986 by Ben Weasel and John Jughead. The band gained prominence in the early 1990s after signing a record deal with the East Bay punk label, Lookout! Records....
, bassist and vocalist of SquirtgunSquirtgun are an American punk rock band from Lafayette, Indiana formed by record producer Mass Giorgini in 1993.-1993-1998:Squirtgun originally consisted of Mass Giorgini , Matt Hart , Flav Giorgini , and Dan Lumley .The band signed to Lookout! Records and their first release was the EP...
, and bassist and saxophonist of Common RiderCommon Rider were a ska punk band, formed in 1999 by Jesse Michaels , Mass Giorgini and Dan Lumley . The band had a much softer edge than that of Michaels' first group, Operation Ivy, but still contained the same amount of energy and passion.The band's name is taken from a 1970s Japanese TV show,...
- Troy Hickman
Troy Hickman is an American comic book writer. He received two Eisner Award nominations for Common Grounds and in 2008 was one of the winners of the Top Cow Pilot Season competition for his comic, Twilight Guardian.-Biography:...
- Writer best known for his comic book work, including the Eisner-nominated Common Grounds, Twilight Guardian, City of Heroes, Witchblade, Turok, and others.
- Shannon Hoon
Richard Shannon Hoon was an American singer-songwriter and musician. He rose to fame as frontman and lead singer of the band Blind Melon until his death from a drug overdose in 1995.- Early life :...
- Former singer of Blind MelonBlind Melon is an American rock band that originally existed from 1989 to 1995, and ceased with the death of lead vocalist Shannon Hoon shortly after the release of the band's second album. The band reformed with a new lead vocalist, Travis Warren in 2006. However, Warren announced his departure...
- John Korty
John Korty is an American film director and animator, best known for the television film The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman and the documentary Who Are the DeBolts? And Where Did They Get Nineteen Kids?, as well as the theatrical animated feature Twice Upon a Time...
- Director, screenwriter, best known for Oliver's StoryOliver's Story is the sequel to the novel Love Story by Erich Segal, turned into a movie of the same name in 1978. It was directed by John Korty and starred Ryan O'Neal and Candice Bergen. The original music score was composed by Lee Holdridge and Francis Lai. Unlike the original film, Oliver's...
- Tammy Lynn Michaels
Tammy Lynn Michaels , also known by the surname Etheridge after marrying Melissa Etheridge, is an American actress....
- Actress - Partner of Melissa Etheridge http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005582/
- Zachariah Nagy - Musician, producer, and guitar technician for Joan Jett
Joan Jett is an American rock guitarist, singer, songwriter, producer and actress.She is best known for her work with Joan Jett & the Blackhearts including their hit cover "I Love Rock N' Roll", which was #1 on the Billboard charts from March 20 to May 1, 1982, as well as for their other popular...
- Sydney Pollack
Sydney Irwin Pollack was an American film director, producer and actor. Born in Lafayette, Indiana to Russian Jewish immigrants, Pollack studied with Sanford Meisner at the Neighborhood Playhouse in New York City, where he later taught acting...
- Actor, director, and producer
- Victor Potel
Victor Potel was an American film character actor who began in the silent era and appeared in over 430 films in his 38 year career.-Career:...
- Silent film actor, worked for Mack Sennett and was "Slippery Slim" in the "Snakeville" series http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0693055/
- Axl Rose
W. Axl Rose is an American musician, best known as the lead vocalist of rock band Guns N' Roses....
- Guns N' RosesGuns N' Roses is an American rock band that was formed in Los Angeles, California in 1985. The band, led by frontman and co-founder Axl Rose, has gone through numerous line-up changes and controversies since its formation...
co-founder and vocalist - Bill Bailey
- Peter Sattler - graphic designer
A graphic designer is a professional within the graphic design and graphic arts industry who assembles together images, typography or motion graphics to create a piece of design. A graphic designer creates the graphics primarily for published, printed or electronic media, such as brochures and...
for the feature film Walk the LineWalk the Line is a 2005 American biographical drama film, directed by James Mangold and based on the life of country singer-songwriter Johnny Cash...
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0972104/
- Julia Scheeres
Julia Scheeres , is a journalist, nonfiction author and novelist. Born February 12, 1967 in Lafayette, Indiana, Scheeres received a bachelor's degree in Spanish from Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and a master's in journalism from the University of Southern California...
- Author, best known for ALA Alex Award winning memoir Jesus Land
- Izzy Stradlin
Jeffery Dean Isbell , more widely known by his stage name Izzy Stradlin, is an American musician, best known as one of the lead songwriters and rhythm guitarist of the hard rock band Guns N' Roses from 1985 to 1991.-Early life:...
- Guns N' RosesGuns N' Roses is an American rock band that was formed in Los Angeles, California in 1985. The band, led by frontman and co-founder Axl Rose, has gone through numerous line-up changes and controversies since its formation...
rhythm guitarist
Sports
- Bob Friend
Robert Bartmess Friend is a former right-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who pitched primarily for the Pittsburgh Pirates , joining the New York Yankees and New York Mets in his final season of...
RHP for Pittsburgh Pirates
- Ray Ewry
Raymond "Ray" Clarence Ewry was an American track and field athlete who won 8 gold medals at the Olympic Games and 2 gold medals at the "Intercalated Games" . This puts him among the most successful Olympians of all time.Ewry was born in Lafayette, Indiana, and contracted polio as a young boy...
- Ten-time OlympicThe Olympic Games are a major international event of summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes compete in a wide variety of events. The Games are currently held every two years, with Summer and Winter Olympic Games alternating. Originally, the ancient Olympic Games were held in...
champion
- Bernard "Bernie" Flowers - Purdue All American and NFL Baltimore Colts 1950s, born in the Cleveland area, made Lafayette home
- Dustin Keller
Dustin Kendall Keller is an American football tight end for the New York Jets of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Jets 30th overall in the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at Purdue. His nickname is Donkey Kong, referring to his initials, DK.-Early years:He played...
- New York JetsThe New York Jets are a professional American football team based in the Northeastern New Jersey part of the tri-state New York metropolitan area. They are members of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays its home games in East...
NFL Tight end and Lafayette Jefferson High School graduate
- Chuckie Nwokorie - NFL defensive player and Lafayette Jefferson High School graduate
- George Souders
George Souders won the 1927 Indianapolis 500.Born in Lafayette, Indiana, George Souders led the last 51 laps of the 1927 race after starting in 22nd position as a race rookie.-Indy 500 results:- External links :...
- Won the Indianapolis 500The Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, often shortened to Indianapolis 500 or Indy 500 or sometimes known simply as The 500, is an American automobile race, held annually over the Memorial Day weekend at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana...
during his rookie season in 1927
- William Fritz Afflis
William Fritz Afflis , best known as Dick the Bruiser, was an American football player and professional wrestler.-Early life:...
- Wrestled as Dick the Bruiser from 1950s to 1980s and Lafayette Jefferson High School graduate
- Eric Bruntlett
Eric Kevin Bruntlett is a utility player for the Philadelphia Phillies in Major League Baseball. He is known for his defensive versatility; he usually plays second base or shortstop, but has also played left field. Bruntlett has played every position except for catcher and pitcher...
- Philadelphia Phillies infielder
- Clayton Richard
Clayton C. Richard is a left-handed pitcher for the San Diego Padres. He is 6 feet and 5 inches tall, and weighs 240 pounds.-High School:Richard was awarded Indiana's Mr. Football and Mr...
- San Diego Padres pitcher
- Erik Sabel
Erik Sabel is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played for three seasons. He played for the Arizona Diamondbacks in 1999 and 2001 and the Detroit Tigers in 2002....
- Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher
- Todd Dunwoody
Todd Franklin Dunwoody is a former Major League Baseball player, currently serving as hitting coach for the South Bend Silver Hawks in the Arizona Diamondbacks organization....
- MLB player for The Florida Marlins, The Chicago Cubs, The Kansas City Royals, and The Cleveland Indians. He is currently a batting coach for The Arizona Diamondbacks.
Business, law, politics
- Roger D. Branigin
Roger Douglas Branigin was a Democrat Governor of the U.S. state of Indiana from January 11, 1965 to January 13, 1969...
- Governor of IndianaThe Governor of Indiana is the chief executive officer of the government of Indiana. Elected to a four year term, the Governor is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day management of the functions of many of state government agencies and shares power in other agencies with publicly elected state...
1965-1969
- Steve Carter
Steve Carter is a former attorney general of the state of Indiana, United States, elected 2000, reelected 2004. He previously served as the Chief of Staff to Indiana Lt. Governor John M. Mutz. Succeeded by Greg Zoeller.A.G...
- Indiana Attorney GeneralThe Indiana Attorney General is the chief legal officer of the State of Indiana in the United States. Attorneys General are chosen by a statewide general election to serve for a four-year term...
- Clara Shortridge Foltz (1849-1934) - first woman lawyer on the Pacific coast.
- Brian Lamb
Brian Patrick Lamb is the founder and chief executive officer of C-SPAN, a television network dedicated to coverage of government proceedings and public affairs. Born and raised in Lafayette, Indiana, Lamb earned a degree from Purdue University before joining the United States Navy...
- Host of "Booknotes" TV series, 1989. C-SPANC-SPAN , an abbreviation of Cable-Satellite Public Affairs Network, is an American cable television network dedicated to airing non-stop coverage of government proceedings and public affairs programming...
founder
- John Purdue
John Purdue was a famous industrialist based in Lafayette, Indiana and the primary original benefactor of Purdue University.-Early life:...
- Purdue Block, Tippecanoe County founder, founding benefactor of Purdue UniversityPurdue University, located in West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S., is the flagship university of the six campuses within the Purdue University System...
- Alvah Curtis Roebuck - founded Sears, Roebuck and Company
Sears, officially named Sears, Roebuck and Co., is an American mid-range chain of international department stores which was founded by Richard Warren Sears and Alvah Roebuck in the late 19th century...
Academic, science, technology
- Daniel X Freedman
Daniel X Freedman was a psychiatrist and educator, pioneer in biological psychiatry.Born in Lafayette, Indiana, he performed pioneering studies in the relationship between drugs and behavior. Researching brain mechanism in allergy, he discovered the link of hallucinogens to brain transmitters...
- pioneer in biological psychiatry, discovered link of hallucinogens to brain transmitters.
- Donald E. Williams
Captain Donald Edward Williams is a former NASA astronaut. He has logged a total of 287 hours and 35 minutes in space....
- astronaut
Floyd Loop, MD - Former President and CEO of the Cleveland Clinic
Local civic organizations
Points of interest
- Purdue University
Purdue University, located in West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S., is the flagship university of the six campuses within the Purdue University System...
, located in West Lafayette
- Jerry E. Clegg Botanic Garden
The Jerry E. Clegg Botanic Garden is a botanical garden located at 1782 North 400 East, Lafayette, Indiana. It is open to the public, free of charge, every day of the year....
- Horticulture Gardens
The Purdue University Horticulture Gardens are botanical gardens located on the Purdue University campus, adjacent to the Horticulture Building at 625 Agriculture Mall Drive, West Lafayette, Indiana...
at Purdue UniversityPurdue University, located in West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S., is the flagship university of the six campuses within the Purdue University System...
- Lafayette Farmer's Market in historic downtown (May through October)
- Ninth Street Hill Historic District
- Tippecanoe Battlefield (in Battle Ground, IN), see also Battle of Tippecanoe
The Battle of Tippecanoe was fought on November 7, 1811, between United States forces led by Governor William Henry Harrison of the Indiana Territory and forces of Tecumseh's growing American Indian confederation led by his brother, Tenskwatawa...
- Farmer's Institute (Friends Meeting House)
- Wolf Park (Battle Ground, IN)
- Prophetstown State Park (Battle Ground, IN)
- Columbian Park and Zoo
Notable buildings
- The old Temple Israel (Lafayette, Indiana)
Temple Israel is a synagogue in Lafayette, Indiana. Its 1867 building is one of the ten oldest synagogue buildings in the United States. The congregation, which was formed in 1849, was the second Jewish congregation organized in Indiana. In 1874 it became a founding member of the Union of...
building at 17 South 7th St. is one of the ten oldest synagogueThe designation of the oldest synagogue in the United States requires careful use of definitions, and must be divided into two parts, the oldest in the sense of oldest surviving building, and the oldest in the sense of oldest congregation...
buildings surviving in the United States.
- Trinity United Methodist Church of Lafayette, Indiana
Trinity United Methodist Church may refer to:* Trinity United Methodist Church , listed on the NRHP in Denver, Colorado* Trinity United Methodist Church...
(formerly Trinity Methodist Episcopal ChurchThe Methodist Episcopal Church, sometimes referred to as the M.E. Church, was a development of the first expression of Methodism in the United States. It officially began at the Baltimore Christmas Conference in 1784, with Francis Asbury and Thomas Coke as the first bishops. Through a series of...
, until 1969) is the first church to have been started in the Lafayette, Indiana area. Its current building was erected in 1869 by William Heath and has remained intact to this day.
Community Events
- The Feast of the Hunters' Moon
- Description :The Feast of the Hunters’ Moon is an annual celebration re-creating the fall festival started by French settlers and Native Americans...
(Mid to Late September or Early October)
- A Taste of Tippecanoe
A Taste of Tippecanoe is a one-day summer festival held in downtown Lafayette, Indiana in early summer. The festival, which generally draws around 30,000 people, focuses on providing visitors a wide selection of foods from community restaurants, plus live musical entertainment...
(Mid June)
- Colt World Series (August)
- Indiana Fiddlers' Gathering (in Battle Ground
Battle Ground is a town in Tippecanoe Township, Tippecanoe County in the U.S. state of Indiana. The population was 1,323 at the 2000 census. It is near the site of the Battle of Tippecanoe....
in June)
- First Edition's Haunted Feargrounds (October)
- Lafayette Citizens Band concerts (Thursdays in the summer)
- Round The Fountain Art Fair (Saturday of Memorial Day Weekend - celebrating 35 years in 2008!)
- Long Center for the Performing Arts Historical theater providing Lafayette's not-for-profits and other with vibrant venue.
- BMF Wrestling Alliance featuring some of the Midwest's best professional wrestling (usually once a month all year round)
External links