Fowler, Indiana

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Coordinates: 40°37′6″N, 87°19′9″W
Town of Fowler, Indiana
Location in the state of Indiana
County	Benton
Area
- City	3.6 km²
- Land	3.6 km²
- Water	0.0 km²
Population
- City (2000)	2,415
- Density	666.0/km²
Time zone	EST (UTC-5)
- Summer (DST)	EST (UTC-5)
Website: www.townoffowler.com

Fowler is a town in Benton County, Indiana, United States, and is Benton's county seat.^GR6 The population was 2,415 at the 2000 census. Fowler is named after Moses Fowler of Lafayette, who donated land and money to help establish the town.

1 History
2 Geography
3 Demographics
4 References
5 External links

[edit] History

Fowler was platted by Moses Fowler and his wife on October 26, 1872, and originally consisted on 583 lots, though a re-platting on April 8, 1875 expanded it to 1,602 lots and 20 blocks. Several more additions were made to the town over subsequent years.

The town's first home was erected in March 1871 by Scott Shipman, and its first business opened in June of that year, a small general store run by Henry D. Clark. Many more businesses followed over the next few years, including the Henry Jacobs & Son grocery, grain elevators built by L. Templeton, and blacksmith John E. Mitchell, who was also the town's first postmaster (succeeded by grocer Henry Jacobs). In 1874, Fowler became the county seat, which until that time had occupied nearby Oxford.

The town was incorporated in 1875, and its rapid growth is clear from the following list, printed in an 1883 history of Benton County:

"In September, 1875, the town of Fowler contained ten lawyers, one minister, three doctors, one dentist, one baker, two barber shops, three billiard saloons, two blacksmith shops, one wagon shop, three boot and shoe stores, one grain elevator, two dry goods stores, twenty carpenters, one furniture store, two stove and tin stores, one hardware store, one hotel, three restaurants, two drug stores, three millinery establishments, two saloons, two livery stables, three retail groceries, one clothing store, one merchant tailor, one graded school, two printing offices, two lumber yards, two churches and about 1,200 inhabitants."

[edit] Geography

Fowler is located at 40°37′6″N, 87°19′9″W (40.618204, -87.319124)^GR1, in Center Township. U.S. Route 52 and Indiana State Roads 18 and 55 pass through town, and U.S. Route 41 intersects 52 four miles to the northwest.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 3.6 km² (1.4 mi²). 3.6 km² (1.4 mi²) of it is land and 0.71% is water.

[edit] Demographics

As of the census^GR2 of 2000, there were 2,415 people, 948 households, and 623 families residing in the town. The population density was 666.0/km² (1,730.6/mi²). There were 1,020 housing units at an average density of 281.3/km² (730.9/mi²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.14% White, 0.29% African American, 0.08% Asian, 0.41% from other races, and 1.08% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.87% of the population.

There were 949 households out of which 32.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.7% were married couples living together, 9.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.2% were non-families. 30.9% 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 2.43 and the average family size was 3.04.

In the town the population was spread out with 27.0% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 27.0% from 25 to 44, 21.0% from 45 to 64, and 18.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 96.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.1 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $40,396, and the median income for a family was $50,586. Males had a median income of $29,889 versus $21,781 for females. The per capita income for the town was $17,881. About 4.5% of families and 5.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.1% of those under age 18 and 2.7% of those age 65 or over.

[edit] References

Mossman, Ed (1883), "History of Benton County: Past Events -- Present Condition" in Counties of Warren, Benton, Jasper and Newton, Indiana: Historical and Biographical, Chicago: F. A. Battey & Co.