Martinsville, Indiana
Encyclopedia
Martinsville is a city in and the county seat
of Morgan County
, Indiana
, United States
; the population was 11,828 at the 2010 census.
designed the courthouse. Mr. Hodgson designed six Indiana courthouses including Jennings County (1859), Morgan County (1857), Henry County, Bartholomew County (1871), and his largest in Marion County, in Indianapolis.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 4.5 square miles (11.7 km²), of which, 4.5 square miles (11.7 km²) of it is land and 0.22% is water.
of 2000, there were 11,698 people, 4,621 households, and 3,086 families residing in the city. The population density
was 2,620.6 people per square mile (1,012.7/km²). There were 4,880 housing units at an average density of 1,093.2 per square mile (422.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 98.62% White, 0.01% African American, 0.27% Native American, 0.18% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.25% from other races
, and 0.56% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.00% of the population.
There were 4,621 households out of which 32.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.8% were married couples
living together, 11.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.2% were non-families. 28.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 2.96.
In the city the population was spread out with 25.1% under the age of 18, 9.6% from 18 to 24, 29.3% from 25 to 44, 20.9% from 45 to 64, and 15.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 96.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.6 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $32,746, and the median income for a family was $40,304. Males had a median income of $31,215 versus $22,090 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $17,664. About 8.7% of families and 11.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.8% of those under age 18 and 16.4% of those age 65 or over.
Capital of the World,” today Martinsville has several large fisheries that sell fish to many parts of the world. Shireman's actions transformed the landscape of the Martinsville area forever, and his fisheries can be seen today throughout Shireman subdivision. Martinsville is also home to other fisheries.
From 1888 until 1968 visitors sought out the many artesian mineral water heath spas (called sanitariums then) of Martinsville for health benefits. Over the course of nearly 100 years, almost a dozen sanitariums were in operation for various periods of time, including the first black spa in Martinsville.
Albert Merritt (1871–1958), beloved founder of the Boy's Club in Martinsville, born near Bowling Green, was the son of former slaves. He came to Martinsville Mineral Springs Sanitarium in the 1890s from a job as a porter at the Sennings Hotel in Louisville, and lived at the sanitarium for the rest of his life, never marrying. He worked with the children of Martinsville for fifty years, building a clubhouse on North Marion Street. Merritt Park on the northwest end of town is named for Albert.
Visitors would travel by rail and road to bathe and refresh in the mineral springs and waters. Many luminaries visited Martinsville in the early 20th century to enjoy the mineral waters and spas for their perceived therapeutic and health restoring qualities. (Photographs of the sanitariums.) On top of what used to be the National Sanitarium a refurbished neon sign still displays "Martinsville City of Mineral Water " as it did so many years ago.
In 1892 the Old Hickory Furniture Company was formed. The Morgan County Public Library’s Digital Archive has a collection of photographs of Old Hickory furniture including some displays for Marshall Field & Co.
In recent years, Martinsville has an array of different businesses, with the court square district and downtown area being host to a number of locally-owned restaurants, bakeries, and shops, and areas like the Grand Valley Shopping Center and Artesian Square being host to a number of restaurants chains and retail shops.
. There is also Hammons off-campus community school. Martinsville has one private school, Tabernacle Christian School, which has classes for preschool through twelfth grade.
This murder contributed heavily to the image of Martinsville as a racist and corrupt town during the thirty-four years it remained unsolved.
In 2002 it was discovered that a Hendricks County man and his acquaintance were passing through Martinsville in 1968, saw Ms. Jenkins, and murdered her.
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Morgan County
Morgan County, Indiana
Morgan County is a county located in the U.S. state of Indiana. As of 2010, the population was 68,894. The county seat is Martinsville. Morgan is one of seven counties contiguous to Marion County, and is located between Indianapolis, in Marion County, and Bloomington, located in Monroe County...
, Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
; the population was 11,828 at the 2010 census.
History
The Morgan County courthouse, completed in 1859, still shines in its red brick and Italianate design. This is one of very few pre Civil-War courthouses existing in Indiana. Built by Perry Magnus Blankenship. Architect Isaac HodgsonIsaac Hodgson (architect)
Isaac Hodgson was an Irish-American architect who worked primarily in Indiana and Minnesota. He was born in Belfast, Ireland in 1826 and studied at the Royal Academy. He went to work for architect Sir Charles Lanyon at the age of 16...
designed the courthouse. Mr. Hodgson designed six Indiana courthouses including Jennings County (1859), Morgan County (1857), Henry County, Bartholomew County (1871), and his largest in Marion County, in Indianapolis.
Geography
Martinsville is located at 39°25′24"N 86°25′26"W (39.423339, -86.423779).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The 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...
, the city has a total area of 4.5 square miles (11.7 km²), of which, 4.5 square miles (11.7 km²) of it is land and 0.22% is water.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A 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. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 11,698 people, 4,621 households, and 3,086 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 2,620.6 people per square mile (1,012.7/km²). There were 4,880 housing units at an average density of 1,093.2 per square mile (422.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 98.62% White, 0.01% African American, 0.27% Native American, 0.18% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.25% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, 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 0.56% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.00% of the population.
There were 4,621 households out of which 32.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.8% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 11.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.2% were non-families. 28.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 2.96.
In the city the population was spread out with 25.1% under the age of 18, 9.6% from 18 to 24, 29.3% from 25 to 44, 20.9% from 45 to 64, and 15.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 96.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.6 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $32,746, and the median income for a family was $40,304. Males had a median income of $31,215 versus $22,090 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $17,664. About 8.7% of families and 11.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.8% of those under age 18 and 16.4% of those age 65 or over.
Businesses
In 1899 Eugene Shireman, a Martinsville entrepreneur, turned his swamp land into fisheries and started Grassyfork Fisheries. Once dubbed the “GoldfishGoldfish
The goldfish is a freshwater fish in the family Cyprinidae of order Cypriniformes. It was one of the earliest fish to be domesticated, and is one of the most commonly kept aquarium fish....
Capital of the World,” today Martinsville has several large fisheries that sell fish to many parts of the world. Shireman's actions transformed the landscape of the Martinsville area forever, and his fisheries can be seen today throughout Shireman subdivision. Martinsville is also home to other fisheries.
From 1888 until 1968 visitors sought out the many artesian mineral water heath spas (called sanitariums then) of Martinsville for health benefits. Over the course of nearly 100 years, almost a dozen sanitariums were in operation for various periods of time, including the first black spa in Martinsville.
Albert Merritt (1871–1958), beloved founder of the Boy's Club in Martinsville, born near Bowling Green, was the son of former slaves. He came to Martinsville Mineral Springs Sanitarium in the 1890s from a job as a porter at the Sennings Hotel in Louisville, and lived at the sanitarium for the rest of his life, never marrying. He worked with the children of Martinsville for fifty years, building a clubhouse on North Marion Street. Merritt Park on the northwest end of town is named for Albert.
Visitors would travel by rail and road to bathe and refresh in the mineral springs and waters. Many luminaries visited Martinsville in the early 20th century to enjoy the mineral waters and spas for their perceived therapeutic and health restoring qualities. (Photographs of the sanitariums.) On top of what used to be the National Sanitarium a refurbished neon sign still displays "Martinsville City of Mineral Water " as it did so many years ago.
In 1892 the Old Hickory Furniture Company was formed. The Morgan County Public Library’s Digital Archive has a collection of photographs of Old Hickory furniture including some displays for Marshall Field & Co.
In recent years, Martinsville has an array of different businesses, with the court square district and downtown area being host to a number of locally-owned restaurants, bakeries, and shops, and areas like the Grand Valley Shopping Center and Artesian Square being host to a number of restaurants chains and retail shops.
Festivals
- Fall Foliage Festival
- Martinsville on the Square
- Farmer's Market Day
- Morgan Country Fair
- Morgan County Relay for Life
Education
The Metropolitan School District of Martinsville administers the public schools of Martinsville. Elementary schools include Brooklyn Elementary, Centerton Elementary, Green Township Elementary, Paragon Elementary, Poston Road Elementary, Smith Elementary, and South Elementary. There are two middle schools that serve grades 6-8, Martinsville East and Martinsville West. Both feed into Martinsville High SchoolMartinsville High School (Indiana)
Martinsville High School is the only high school located in Martinsville, Indiana. It is part of the Metropolitan School District of Martinsville. Students from Martinsville West Middle School and Martinsville East Middle School all attend Martinsville High School.-Location:Martinsville High...
. There is also Hammons off-campus community school. Martinsville has one private school, Tabernacle Christian School, which has classes for preschool through twelfth grade.
Carol Jenkins Murder
On the night of Sept. 16, 1968, Carol Jenkins, a 21-year-old black woman, was murdered in Martinsville. Many assumed the murderer was a local person. Many reporters complained of locals refusing to talk about the case and there was speculation of a cover up.This murder contributed heavily to the image of Martinsville as a racist and corrupt town during the thirty-four years it remained unsolved.
In 2002 it was discovered that a Hendricks County man and his acquaintance were passing through Martinsville in 1968, saw Ms. Jenkins, and murdered her.
Notable natives and residents
- Emmett Forrest BranchEmmett Forrest BranchEmmett Forrest Branch was the 31st Governor of the U.S. state of Indiana from 1924 to 1925, serving the remainder of the term of Warren T. McCray after he resigned from office after being convicted for mail fraud...
, 13th governor of Indiana - Richard BrayRichard BrayRichard Bray is a Republican member of the Indiana Senate, representing Senate District 37, which includes all or parts of Morgan, Owen, Putnam, Clay, Johnson and Monroe counties. Bray was first elected to the Indiana Senate in 1992, and served in the Indiana House of Representatives 1974 to 1992...
, Indiana State SenatorIndiana SenateThe Indiana Senate is the upper house of the Indiana General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Indiana. The Senate is composed of 50 members representing an equal number of constituent districts. Senators serve four-year terms without term limits... - Glenn M. CurtisGlenn M. CurtisGlenn M. Curtis is a former Head Basketball Coach. He was the Head Coach at Indiana State University from 1938-1946. He won 120+ games and led the Sycamores to three NAIA Tournaments, reaching the National Finals in 1946. The Sycamores also won the Midwest Invitational Tourney in 1946...
, basketball coach - Charles E. FordCharles E. Ford-External links:* Charles E. Ford on the Internet Movie Database * Reviews of Jacare * *...
, newsreel and motion picture director - Joe W. KellyJoe W. KellyGeneral Joe William Kelly was a U.S. Air Force general and Commander, Military Air Transport Service . He was the first four-star commander of MATS, and was commander at the time the command was transitioning to jet aircraft...
, United States Air Force four star general - Jeff KottkampJeff KottkampJeffrey "Jeff" Kottkamp is an American politician from Florida, and served as the state's 17th Lieutenant Governor, from 2007 to 2011....
, sitting lieutenant governor of Florida - Paul V. McNuttPaul V. McNuttPaul Vories McNutt was an American politician who served as the 34th Governor of Indiana during the Great Depression, high commissioner to the Philippines, administrator of the Federal Security Agency, chairman of the War Manpower Commission and ambassador to the Philippines.-Family and...
, 34th governor of Indiana - Mel PaytonMel PaytonMelvin "Mel" E. Payton was an American professional basketball player. A 6'4 forward, Payton attended college at Tulane University. He played four years for the Tulane Green Wave, averaging 11.8 points per game...
, former professional basketball player - Jerry SichtingJerry SichtingJerry Lee Sichting is a retired American basketball player in the NBA.-1972-1975:Jerry Sichting, the 6'1", 175 lb guard, attended Martinsville High School, located in Martinsville, Indiana...
, former professional basketball player - John C. WetherbyJohn C. WetherbyJohn C. Wetherby was an Private in the United States Army and a posthumous Medal of Honor recipient for his actions in the Philippine-American War.-Medal of Honor citation:...
, recipient of the Medal of HonorMedal of HonorThe Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her... - John WoodenJohn WoodenJohn Robert Wooden was an American basketball player and coach. Nicknamed the "Wizard of Westwood", he won ten NCAA national championships in a 12-year period — seven in a row — as head coach at UCLA, an unprecedented feat. Within this period, his teams won a record 88 consecutive games...
, Naismith Hall of Fame college basketball player and coach - Albert Merritt, founder of the Boy's Club in Martinsville