Noblesville, Indiana
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Noblesville is a city located in Hamilton County, Indiana. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 28,590. The city is the county seat of Hamilton CountyTemplate:GR.
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Geography
Noblesville is located at 40°2'60" North, 86°1'17" West (40.049935, -86.021462)Template:GR.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 49.4 km² (19.1 mi²). 46.4 km² (17.9 mi²) of it is land and 3.0 km² (1.1 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 6.03% water.
Demographics
As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there are 28,590 people, 10,576 households, and 7,879 families residing in the city. The population density is 616.0/km² (1,595.8/mi²). There are 11,294 housing units at an average density of 243.3/km² (630.4/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 96.34% White, 1.14% African American, 0.20% Native American, 0.80% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.63% from other races, and 0.83% from two or more races. 1.39% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race. There are at least 6 Russians.
There are 10,576 households out of which 40.8% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.0% are married couples living together, 9.2% have a female householder with no husband present, and 25.5% are non-families. 21.3% of all households are made up of individuals and 6.5% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.64 and the average family size is 3.08.
In the city the population is spread out with 29.5% under the age of 18, 7.3% from 18 to 24, 34.5% from 25 to 44, 20.2% from 45 to 64, and 8.5% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 33 years. For every 100 females there are 96.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 93.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city is $61,455, and the median income for a family is $70,914. Males have a median income of $48,734 versus $31,769 for females. The per capita income for the city is $28,813. 5.4% of the population and 4.3% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 6.6% of those under the age of 18 and 5.4% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
History
Potters_Bridge.jpg
Noblesville is home to the beautiful Hamilton County, Indiana courthouse, built in 1879, and Potter's Bridge, a historic covered bridge, but much of Noblesville's history is less attractive.
In 1995, a large trunk was discovered in an abandoned barn. The trunk contained over 1,000 membership cards and dues receipts revealing the names of citizens of the local chapter of the Invisible Empire of the Ku Klux Klan, as well as hoods, sashes and other equipment, according to Allen Safianow, professor of history at Indiana University's Kokomo campus.
In the lead article in the June issue of the Indiana Magazine of History, Safianow describes in detail the effects of the discovery. They ranged from calls for public disclosure of the names to comments that the finder of the trunk, a local building contractor named Don Roberts, should have burned its contents and kept his discovery secret. Instead, Roberts donated all of the Klan materials to the Hamilton County Historical Society, where they are preserved as a valuable resource for those seeking a better understanding of the Klan's operations in Indiana.
"You can't burn history," Roberts said later in explaining his decision. "That's what is wrong today. Too many people are trying to bury history, and history is history. You may have liked to change it, but it's gone, it's behind us."
Despite the strong KKK presence in Noblesville from the 1910's through 1930's, the Noblesville Courthouse was the site of the 1925 trial of KKK Grand Dragon D.C. Stephenson, a prominent political figure who kidnapped and raped an Indianapolis State House secretary. He was found guilty and given the maximum prison sentence. Upon realizing his political allies would not come to his aid, he started revealing everyone's dirty laundry. The scandal resulted in the indictment of many Indiana politicians, including governor Ed Jackson.
Today, there are thankfully no active white supremacy groups in Noblesville.