| Perry County, Indiana | |
Location in the state of Indiana |
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Indiana's location in the U.S. |
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| Founded | November 1, 1814 |
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| Named for | Oliver Hazard Perry |
| Seat | Tell City |
| Largest city | Tell City |
| Area - Total - Land - Water |
386.29 sq mi (1,000 km²) 381.73 sq mi (989 km²) 4.56 sq mi (12 km²), 1.18% |
| Population - (2010) - Density |
19,338 51/sq mi (19.58/km²) |
| Congressional district | 9th |
| Time zone | Central: UTC-6/-5 |
Footnotes:
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Perry County is a county located in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Indiana. As of 2010, the population was 19,338.[1] The county seat is Tell City[2]. It is the hilliest county as well as one of the most forested counties of in Indiana as it features more than 60,000 acres (240 km2) of Hoosier National Forest. The Ohio River Scenic Byway along Indiana State Road 66 runs along the southern border of the county while Interstate 64 traverses the northern portion of the county. Connecting the two is Indiana State Road 37, a Super-Two highway. [1]
The county features three incorporated communities: Tell City (2009 population 7,473), Cannelton (2009 population 1,130) and Troy (2009 population 379). Each is located in Troy Township which is situated along the south western corner of the county.
Business activity in Perry County is primarily manufacturing-based with activities focused in industries including automotive, aerospace, filtration and woodworking/furniture. Corporations from around the world (including Germany, Great Britain and Japan) have located their businesses in Perry County. The county’s largest employer, ThyssenKrupp Waupaca, currently employs more than 900.
As rural community, the Perry County’s leaders have established partnerships to initiate a progressive corporate attitude and sophisticated infrastructure typically found in larger metropolitan areas. The community features industrial park sites (two of which are designated as shovel ready by the Indiana Economic Development Corporation), advanced communications technology, low overall operating costs, superior quality of life and favorable business climate that have served to attract companies of various sizes to its business ranks.
The county’s primary economic development organization, the Perry County Development Corporation, has worked to further enhance the business climate by assisting companies with a variety of activities including new facilities, expansion projects and training opportunities. For one project, the corporation coordinated a six-month site preparation project that included moving 1.4 million cubic yards of dirt.
Coordinated efforts with County officials led to the acquisition of an abandoned rail line that has since been reactivated as the County-owned Hoosier Southern Rail Road. Managed by the Perry County Port Authority, the 22-mile (35 km) short-line rail road connects the Perry County River Port with the Norfolk Southern Rail Road.
Quality of life has been determined to be one of the county’s greatest features for residents. An abundance of rural hospitality is balanced with outdoor recreation, specialized shopping experiences, peaceful neighborhoods, unique dining experiences, a low crime rate and an abundance of history. These features were documented in the 2010 release of “The Art of Living” (Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3). This documentary film has also appeared on Evansville, Indiana’s PBS station, WNIN.
Contents |
| Tell City, Indiana | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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In recent years, average temperatures in Tell City have ranged from a low of 24 °F (−4 °C) in January to a high of 88 °F (31 °C) in July, although a record low of −17 °F (−27 °C) was recorded in January 1985 and a record high of 106 °F (41 °C) was recorded in September 1954. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 2.98 inches (76 mm) in October to 5.22 inches (133 mm) in May.[3]
The county government is a constitutional body, and is granted specific powers by the Constitution of Indiana, and by the Indiana Code.
County Council: The county council is the fiscal body of the county government and controls all the spending and revenue collection in the county. Representatives are elected from county districts. The council members serve four year terms. They are responsible for setting salaries, the annual budget, and special spending. The council also has limited authority to impose local taxes, in the form of an income and property tax that is subject to state level approval, excise taxes, and service taxes.[4][5]
Board of Commissioners: The executive and legislative body of the county is made of a board of commissioners. The commissioners are elected county-wide, in staggered terms, and each serves a four-year term. One of the commissioners, typically the most senior, serves as president. The commissioners are charged with managing the day-to-day functions of the county government.[4][5]
Court: The county maintains a small claims court that can handle some civil cases. The judge on the court is elected to a term of four years and must be a member of the Indiana Bar Association. The judge is assisted by a constable who is also elected to a four-year term. In some cases, court decisions can be appealed to the state level circuit court.[5]
County Officials: The county has several other elected offices, including sheriff, coroner, auditor, treasurer, recorder, surveyor, and circuit court clerk Each of these elected officers serves a term of four years and oversees a different part of county government. Members elected to county government positions are required to declare party affiliations and to be residents of the county.[5]
Perry County is part of Indiana's 9th congressional district and is represented in Congress by Republican Todd Young.
Perry County is represented in the Senate by Republican Dan Coats.
According to the 2010 census, the county has a total area of 386.29 square miles (1,000.5 km2), of which 381.73 square miles (988.7 km2) (or 98.82%) is land and 4.56 square miles (11.8 km2) (or 1.18%) is water.[6]
Interstate 64 cuts across the northern portion of the county. State Road 66, designated as the Ohio River Scenic Byway for most of its course in the county, is the most heavily traveled road by residents and visitors alike, adjacent to the three most populous towns in the county as well as most major tourist destinations. State Road 37 connects the county to Bloomington and Indianapolis. Other state roads in the county include State Road 62, which closely parallels I-64; State Road 145, which winds through the western parts of the county; State Road 166, which is little more than a road to and from the hamlet of Tobinsport; State Road 237, which connects Cannelton directly to State Road 37 (also the site of a bridge on the Ohio River); a short run of State Road 545 near Troy; and State Road 70 which connects State Road 37 with State Road 66.
Perry County was formed on November 1, 1814 (two years before the State of Indiana was admitted to the Union) from Warrick County. It was named for Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry who defeated the British squadron in the decisive Battle of Lake Erie in 1813.[7] The Ohio River made Perry County a focal point and settlers were drawn here due to plentiful supplies of natural resources and the area's scenic beauty.
| Historical populations | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1820 | 2,330 |
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| 1830 | 3,369 | 44.6% | |
| 1840 | 4,655 | 38.2% | |
| 1850 | 7,268 | 56.1% | |
| 1860 | 11,847 | 63.0% | |
| 1870 | 14,801 | 24.9% | |
| 1880 | 16,997 | 14.8% | |
| 1890 | 18,240 | 7.3% | |
| 1900 | 18,778 | 2.9% | |
| 1910 | 18,078 | −3.7% | |
| 1920 | 16,692 | −7.7% | |
| 1930 | 16,625 | −0.4% | |
| 1940 | 17,770 | 6.9% | |
| 1950 | 17,367 | −2.3% | |
| 1960 | 17,232 | −0.8% | |
| 1970 | 19,075 | 10.7% | |
| 1980 | 19,346 | 1.4% | |
| 1990 | 19,107 | −1.2% | |
| 2000 | 18,899 | −1.1% | |
| 2010 | 19,338 | 2.3% | |
| Sources: United States Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, Population Division[8] Census Quickfacts[1] |
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As of the census[9] of 2000, there were 18,899 people, 7,270 households, and 5,074 families residing in the county. The population density was 50 people per square mile (19/km²). There were 8,223 housing units at an average density of 22 per square mile (8/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 97.61% White, 1.45% Black or African American, 0.17% Native American, 0.12% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.13% from other races, and 0.50% from two or more races. 0.70% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 34.5% were of German, 19.7% American, 10.0% Irish, 9.3% French and 9.2% English ancestry according to Census 2000.
There were 7,270 households out of which 30.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.70% were married couples living together, 9.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.20% were non-families. 26.70% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.70% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 2.96.
In the county the population was spread out with 22.90% under the age of 18, 9.80% from 18 to 24, 29.20% from 25 to 44, 23.30% from 45 to 64, and 14.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 107.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 107.70 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $36,246, and the median income for a family was $43,743. Males had a median income of $31,554 versus $22,123 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,673. About 7.10% of families and 9.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.30% of those under age 18 and 8.90% of those age 65 or over.
| Dubois County | Crawford County | |||
| Spencer County | Meade County, Kentucky | |||
| Perry County, Indiana | ||||
| Hancock County, Kentucky | Breckinridge County, Kentucky |
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