Greentown is a town in Liberty Township, Howard County, Indiana, United States. Located approximately 9 miles east of Kokomo on State Road 22 / US 35; it is home to the Howard County Fair Grounds. The town was platted in 1848, and incorporated as a town in 1873.[5] Known for its collectible glassware made for only a few years by a local factory destroyed in 1903,[6] it is home to the Greentown Glass Museum. As of the 2010 census, the town's population was 2,415.[7]
Geography
According to the 2010 census, Greentown has a total area of 1.37 square miles (3.55 km2), all land.[8]
It was the nearest town to the epicenter of the magnitude 3.8 Indiana earthquake of December 30, 2010.
History
Greentown was laid out in 1848 on the site of a former Native American village. Its inception was largely due to the need for a nearby trading post by people living in the area. First was a merchant, L. W. Bacon who built a log house on the northeast corner of Main and Merdian. Next was C. O. Fry who built on the southwest corner of the intersection. Just prior to the establishment of these local stores, around 1840 the Miami tribe of the Algonquin native peoples had a population in Howard county of about two hundred. There was an established village where South Kokomo is located, as well as villages south of present-day Cassville and Greentown. The frequently traveled paths were from Kokomo to Peru by way of the village of Cassville, and from Kokomo to Meshingomesia by way of a village south of Greentown.[9]
There are a few different versions of how Greentown received its name. One of the more obvious versions would be that Greentown was an area of luscious green grass.[10] Another version deals with the fact that before the town was incorporated that land was a part of a former township named Green Township. Green Township formed into both Liberty and Union Townships in 1860, and so even though Greentown wasn't incorporated until the 1870s people were still living there when it was Green Township, and may have possibly all opted to preserve Green Township in some way by naming their town after it. One other version is based on the idea of Greentown being an Indian settlement named after a Native American chief called Green.[10]
Greentown was incorporated some time between 1870 and 1880 as it first appeared on the US census in 1880. The population started out at just over 200, and quickly reached a thousand. Over the years since, Greentown's population numbers have seen notable gains every couple censuses followed by smaller drops between, which has enabled the town to slowly grow over time. The population has remained at nearly 2,500 since the 1990s. Greentown is expected to annex more area when the sewage treatment plant is updated, which is expected to bring another gain soon.[11]
In 2022, a large solar power plant was approved for development near Greentown. Some locals have contested this development, voicing concerns about noise and about the loss of farmland around a longtime farming community. Protesters have alleged that the County Administrators and company representatives violated the law by holding illegal closed-door meetings, locking the public out of deliberations.[13]
Greentown's first natural gas well came in 1877, and was located near the railroad on the west side of town. In years to come, D.C. Jenkins founded a glass manufacturing plant, Indiana Tumbler and Goblet Factory. The company was sold in 1899 to the National Glass Company. This company was fully operational until 1903 when a fire destroyed the building. The National Glass Company created glassware which is highly desirable today. The glass factory brought many jobs to the area and marked the town's main period of industrial activity. After the factory burned down and the natural gas supply drastically declined, Greentown's population dropped by about ten percent, and the town as a whole suffered severe loss of revenue. However, the town has since doubled in population from its industrial peak.[14]
Libraries
Greentown is home to two public libraries, one in the elementary building and the other in the local high school. The libraries host many events in the community to get Greentown residents involved and interested in reading.
Transportation
Roads
Following the passage of a law that permitted the seizure of lands for the purpose of building public roads, in 1869 the citizens undertook the building of two toll roads: the Kokomo and Greentown Gravel Road mostly on the south side of the Wildcat Creek finished in 1874 (today's 50 North), and the Kokomo- Greentown- Jerome Gravel Road on the north finished in 1871 (today's Sycamore Road). These two roads joined on 50 North and 780 East and came together into Greentown. By the early 1900s the toll gates were retired.[9]
In modern times Main Street carries several highways; Meridian Street is the main north and south road. That is where historic downtown Greentown is centered, and the Howard County Fair is down Meridian Street just north of Greentown. The Elementary School is on Walnut Street, and Harrison Street is the location of Eastern Junior & Senior High School. The football stadium is at the corner of Walnut and Harrison Streets.
Rail
The Interurban Railroad entered Greentown in 1902 and served the area until 1930.[15] It offered rail transportation to the citizens of Kokomo, Greentown, and Marion in neighboring Grant County. While the Interurban was running, many workers from Kokomo and Marion settled in Greentown for more rural living with urban jobs, and transformed Greentown into a suburban "bedroom" community and small business center. However, following the departure of the Interurban Greentown has not again seen modern public transportation.
Greentown first appeared on the census in 1880. In 1870 the only three towns listed in Howard County were Kokomo, Russiaville, and New London. In 1880 New London vanished and Greentown was listed instead. Soon after Greentown's incorporation, its population was rapidly double that of Russiaville's, and the population quickly rose to over a thousand people in just twenty years.
2010 census
As of the census[7] of 2010, there were 2,415 people, 964 households, and 645 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,762.8 inhabitants per square mile (680.6/km2). There were 1,069 housing units at an average density of 780.3 per square mile (301.3/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 97.1% White, 0.6% African American, 0.2% Native American, 1.0% Asian, 0.4% from other races, and 0.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.5% of the population.
There were 964 households, of which 34.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.5% were married couples living together, 14.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.1% had a male householder with no wife present, and 33.1% were non-families. 29.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.97.
The median age in the town was 41.4 years. 25.1% of residents were under the age of 18; 7% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 22.5% were from 25 to 44; 25.3% were from 45 to 64; and 20.1% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 46.0% male and 54.0% female.
2000 census
As of the census[4] of 2000, there were 2,546 people, 995 households, and 703 families residing in the town. The population density was 2,534.8 inhabitants per square mile (978.7/km2). There were 1,050 housing units at an average density of 1,045.4 per square mile (403.6/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 97.92% White, 0.47% African American, 0.31% Native American, 0.31% Asian, 0.27% from other races, and 0.71% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.98% of the population.
Greentown Historical Society, downtown Greentown.
There were 995 households, out of which 37.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.0% were married couples living together, 11.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.3% were non-families. 27.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 3.02.
In the town, the population was spread out, with 28.1% under the age of 18, 6.7% from 18 to 24, 27.8% from 25 to 44, 21.1% from 45 to 64, and 16.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 85.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 80.6 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $43,750, and the median income for a family was $52,310. Males had a median income of $42,132 versus $27,000 for females. The per capita income for the town was $20,057. About 6.5% of families and 9.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.4% of those under age 18 and 3.2% of those age 65 or over.
Eastern High School competes in the Hoosier Heartland Conference (HHC) for athletics.
Eastern's colors are green and gold. Eastern High School is home of the Mighty Comets.
