Fishers, Indiana | |
|---|---|
 Fishers City Hall  Hamilton East Public Library  Fishers High School | |
 Flag  Logo | |
 Location of Fishers in Hamilton County, Indiana. | |
| Coordinates:39°57′22″N86°0′46″W / 39.95611°N 86.01278°W /39.95611; -86.01278 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Indiana |
| County | Hamilton |
| Townships | Fall Creek,Delaware |
| Platted | 1872 |
| Incorporated (town) | 1891 |
| Incorporated (city) | January 1, 2015 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Scott Fadness (R)[1] |
| Area | |
• Total | 38.15 sq mi (98.82 km2) |
| • Land | 35.92 sq mi (93.02 km2) |
| • Water | 2.24 sq mi (5.79 km2) |
| Elevation | 827 ft (252 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 98,977 |
| • Density | 2,760/sq mi (1,064/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (EST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| ZIP Codes | 46038, 46037, 46040 |
| Area code | 317 |
| FIPS code | 18-23278[4] |
| GNIS feature ID | 2396939[3] |
| Website | www |
Fishers is a city in theFall Creek andDelawaretownships inHamilton County,Indiana, United States. As of the2020 census the population was 98,677. A northsidesuburb ofIndianapolis, Fishers has grown rapidly in recent decades: about 350 people lived there in 1963, 2,000 in 1980, and only 7,500 as recently as 1990.
After the passage of a referendum on its status in 2012, Fishers transitioned from a town to a city on January 1, 2015. The firstmayor of Fishers, Scott Fadness, along with the city's first clerk and city council were sworn in on December 21, 2014.[5]
In 1802,William Conner settled what is now Fishers. Conner built a log cabin and a trading post along theWhite River.[6] The land that Conner settled is now known asConner Prairie and is preserved as a living history museum.[7]
Settlers started moving to the area after Indiana became a state in 1816 and theDelaware Indians gave up their claims in Indiana andOhio to the United States government in 1818 in theTreaty of St. Mary's. At the treaty William Conner served as an interpreter forChief William Anderson, his father-in-law. At the time William Conner was married toMekinges Conner, daughter of Chief William Anderson. In 1823, Hamilton County was chartered by the Indiana General Assembly andDelaware Township was established and surveyed.[8] After the state of Indiana moved its capital to Indianapolis fromCorydon in 1825, the community started to grow. After the move, John Finch established a horse-poweredgrinding mill, ablacksmith shop, and the area's first school.[8] The next year the area's firstwater mill was constructed.[8]
During 1826 theWest-Harris House, later nicknamed Ambassador House, was built near theWhite River at present-day 96th Street and Allisonville Road in Fishers. The home was moved to its present-day site at 106th Street and Eller Road in 1996.[9][10]Addison C. Harris (1840–1916), a prominentIndianapolis lawyer and former member of theIndiana Senate (1876 to 1880), acquired the property in 1880 and had the home remodeled and enlarged around 1895. Harris and wife,India Crago Harris (1848–1948), used the home as a summer residence. Its nickname of Ambassador House relates to Addison Harris's diplomatic service (1899 to 1901) asU.S. Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to Austria-Hungary duringPresidentWilliam McKinley's administration.[11][12] The restored Ambassador House is located on the grounds of Heritage Park at White River in Fishers and is operated as a local history museum and a site for community events and private rentals.[10][13]
In 1849, construction began on thePeru & Indianapolis Railroad, extending fromIndianapolis toChicago.[14] The railroad brought several people to the area then known as "Fisher's Switch". In 1872, Fisher's Switch, also known as "Fishers Station", was platted by Salathial Fisher at the present-day intersection of 116th Street and the railroad.[7] Indiana's General Assembly incorporated Fisher's Station in 1891.[8]
TheWilliam Conner House andWest-Harris House are listed on theNational Register of Historic Places.[15]
In 1908, the post office changed the name of Fishers Switch to "Fishers" by dropping "Switch."[8]
After William Conner's death in 1855, his family farm became a place of interest. The Hamilton County Historical Society placed a marker on the site of the William Conner farm in 1927.[8]Eli Lilly, then head ofEli Lilly and Company, purchased William Conner's farm in 1934 and began restoring it. In 1964, Lilly askedEarlham College to oversee the Conner farm, now known asConner Prairie.[16]
In 1943, the Indianapolis Water Company constructedGeist Reservoir in order to prevent a deficit in Indianapolis's water supply. They believed thatFall Creek and the White River would not keep up with the demand for water in Indianapolis. In the 1970s, the company wanted to triple the size of the lake, but the plan was rejected in 1978 and homes began to spring up around the reservoir.[17] Germantown, a small settlement, currently resides at the bottom of the reservoir.
The Fishers population grew slowly to 344 by the 1960 census when rail shipment declined. Per township referendums in 1961, the town provided planning services for Delaware and Fall Creek Townships and approved residential zoning for most of the undeveloped area in the two townships.[8]
The relocation ofState Road 37 to the east side of town and the connection withInterstate 69 ensured the future growth of Fishers as a commercial and residential center.[8] The town of Fishers would soon become a fast-growing suburb of Indianapolis. Fall Creek Township became the site of a consolidation of area schools whenHamilton Southeastern High School was formed in the 1960s.[8] In 1989 the town's population reached 7,000 and the first Freedom Festival was held. The festival has been held every year since then.
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The Thomas A. Weaver Municipal Complex opened as Fishers' civic and government center in 1992. The complex is home to the Fishers City Hall, the police and fire department headquarters buildings, the Fishers Post Office, the Hamilton County Convention and Visitor's Bureau, and the Fishers Chamber of Commerce. Eventually, a library and an office of the IndianaBureau of Motor Vehicles were added. This is still the center of government in Fishers.[8]
The 2000 census reported the population of Fishers at almost 38,000.[18] With the town's affordable homes, growing economy, and proximity to Indianapolis and Interstate 69, the growth in Fishers was tremendous. In 2003 the town of Fishers requested a special census from theU.S. Census Bureau to accurately measure the rapid population growth since 2000.[8] This census would put the town's population at 52,390, a 38 percent increase from the 2000 census.[8] Since then much of the government's resources have been devoted to building parks, maintaining roads, and managing the rapid growth of the town.
In 2005, after a controversy over alleged mismanagement,Conner Prairie formally split fromEarlham College, becoming an independent corporation.[19]
In January 2009, the Geist United Opposition conceded a four-year legal battle with Fishers over the involuntaryannexation of the contiguous, unincorporated area aroundGeist Reservoir. This allowed Fishers to annex and incorporate this area of 2,200 homes on January 2, 2010, and to begin taxing it in 2011. This increased Fishers' population by about 5,500, making the town the eighth-largest community in Indiana.[20]
In 2012, Fishers constructed a multipurpose trail in the downtown district and an amphitheater in the Thomas A. Weaver Municipal Complex.[21] That November, the town announced the details of a major development project in the heart of downtown. The $33 million pedestrian-oriented, mixed-use development on the north side of 116th Street, just west of Municipal Drive, broke ground in mid-2013 and was scheduled to be completed in 2015.[22]
In 1998, areferendum to change Fishers from a town to a city was rejected by 75% of the town's voters.[23]
In 2008, a group named "CityYes" began collecting petition signatures for a voter referendum on the question of whether or not to become a city.[24][25] The town appointed a 44-member citizen study committee to review the benefits and drawbacks of a change of government type.[26]
In December 2010, the Fishers Town Council approved two referendum questions: whether or not to become a traditional city with an elected mayor and traditional city council or a modified city with a mayor elected by and from the expanded nine-member city council. The latter would have also merged the governments of Fishers andFall Creek Township.[27][28] In the referendum held November 6, 2012, voters rejected the merger with Fall Creek Township to become a modified city with an appointed mayor 62% to 37%, while approving a change to a traditional "second-class city",[29] with an elected mayor 55% to 44%.[30]
Fishers is located in the southeast corner ofHamilton County along the West Fork of theWhite River. It is bordered to the west byCarmel, to the north byNoblesville, to the east by the town ofIngalls and unincorporated land inMadison County, to the southeast byFortville,McCordsville and unincorporated land inHancock County, and to the south by the city ofIndianapolis inMarion County. The center of Fishers is 16 miles (26 km) northeast ofdowntown Indianapolis.
According to the 2010 census, Fishers has a total area of 35.839 square miles (92.82 km2), of which 33.59 square miles (87.00 km2) (or 93.72%) is land and 2.249 square miles (5.82 km2) (or 6.28%) is water.[31]
Fishers has a humid continental climate (Köppen climate classification). Summers in Fishers are hot and humid with temperatures regularly in the 85 °F range. Autumns and springs in Fishers have very comfortable temperatures normally around 70 °F, but springs have much less predictable weather and drastic temperature changes are common. Winters are cold and filled with snow andice storms. Duringwinter, temperatures are normally around 35 °F and often dip below 20 °F at night.
| Climate data for Fishers | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 34 (1) | 39 (4) | 50 (10) | 62 (17) | 72 (22) | 81 (27) | 85 (29) | 83 (28) | 77 (25) | 65 (18) | 51 (11) | 38 (3) | 61 (16) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 17 (−8) | 20 (−7) | 29 (−2) | 39 (4) | 50 (10) | 60 (16) | 64 (18) | 62 (17) | 54 (12) | 42 (6) | 33 (1) | 23 (−5) | 43 (6) |
| Averageprecipitation inches (mm) | 2.42 (61) | 2.52 (64) | 3.28 (83) | 3.92 (100) | 4.86 (123) | 4.15 (105) | 4.49 (114) | 4.06 (103) | 3.32 (84) | 3.02 (77) | 3.77 (96) | 3.14 (80) | 42.95 (1,090) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 7 (18) | 5 (13) | 2 (5.1) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 1 (2.5) | 2 (5.1) | 17 (43.7) |
| Source: City-Data[32] | |||||||||||||
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1880 | 138 | — | |
| 1910 | 188 | — | |
| 1920 | 142 | −24.5% | |
| 1930 | 138 | −2.8% | |
| 1940 | 164 | 18.8% | |
| 1950 | 219 | 33.5% | |
| 1960 | 344 | 57.1% | |
| 1970 | 628 | 82.6% | |
| 1980 | 2,008 | 219.7% | |
| 1990 | 7,508 | 273.9% | |
| 2000 | 37,835 | 403.9% | |
| 2010 | 76,794 | 103.0% | |
| 2020 | 98,977 | 28.9% | |
| 2020 Census[33] | |||
| Race / Ethnicity(NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 2000[34] | Pop 2010[35] | Pop 2020[36] | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 34,400 | 64,058 | 74,625 | 90.92% | 83.42% | 75.40% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 1,096 | 4,228 | 6,556 | 2.90% | 5.51% | 6.62% |
| Native American orAlaska Native alone (NH) | 43 | 109 | 140 | 0.11% | 0.14% | 0.14% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 1,159 | 4,174 | 7,897 | 3.06% | 5.44% | 7.98% |
| Native Hawaiian orPacific Islander alone (NH) | 6 | 14 | 30 | 0.02% | 0.02% | 0.03% |
| Other race alone (NH) | 33 | 207 | 473 | 0.09% | 0.27% | 0.48% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | 334 | 1,366 | 4,244 | 0.88% | 1.78% | 4.29% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 764 | 2,638 | 5,012 | 2.02% | 3.44% | 5.06% |
| Total | 37,835 | 76,794 | 98,977 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
According to a 2007 estimate, themedian income for a household in the town was $86,518, and the median income for a family was $103,176.[37] Males had a median income of $58,275 versus $37,841 for females. The per capita income for the town was $31,891. 1.8% of the population and 1.1% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 1.6% of those under the age of 18 and 0.9% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.
The city'shomeownership rate was 81.9% with an average of 2.77 people per household. 14.1% of Fishers’ housing units were multi-unit structures. Residents had an average travel time of 23.1 minutes to work each day. Fishers also has one of the lowestunemployment rates in the state at 4.5%.[38]
As of thecensus[39] of 2010, there were 76,794 people, 27,218 households, and 20,404 families residing in the town. Thepopulation density was 2,286.2 inhabitants per square mile (882.7/km2). There were 28,511 housing units at an average density of 848.8 per square mile (327.7/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 85.6%White, 5.6%African American, 0.2%Native American, 5.5%Asian, 1.1% fromother races, and 2.1% from two or more races.Hispanic orLatino of any race were 3.4% of the population.
There were 27,218 households, of which 48.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.1% weremarried couples living together, 7.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.0% had a male householder with no wife present, and 25.0% were non-families. 19.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 3.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.82 and the average family size was 3.31.
The median age in the town was 33.2 years. 33% of residents were under the age of 18; 4.9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 34.4% were from 25 to 44; 22.1% were from 45 to 64; and 5.5% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 48.6% male and 51.4% female.
According to the city's 2020Annual Comprehensive Financial Report,[40] the top employers in the city are:
| # | Employer | # of employees |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hamilton Southeastern Schools | 2,626 |
| 2 | Navient | 1,650 |
| 3 | City of Fishers | 536 |
| 4 | Stratosphere Quality | 517 |
| 5 | Topgolf | 500 |
| 6 | Freedom Mortgage | 436 |
| 7 | Stanley Convergent Security Solutions, Inc. | 350 |
| 8 | Community Home Health Services | 330 |
| 9 | Conner Prairie | 337 |
| 10 | US Foods | 320 |
One attraction in Fishers isGeist Reservoir, offering activities likefishing andwaterskiing. The reservoir is located 5 miles (8 km) south of the Hamilton Town Center shopping complex. In 2023, the City opened Geist Waterfront Park, a 70-acre park[41] featuring a beach and water access to Geist Reservoir, a non-motorized boat launch and dock access for kayaks, canoes, and paddle boards There are many golf courses around Fishers. Fishers was named the second Best Under-rated Golf Community in U.S. by Livability in 2010.[42] Fishers is home to Symphony on the Prairie, a summer concert series that takes place atConner Prairie, presented by theIndianapolis Symphony Orchestra. The city also offers a free summer concert series at the Nickel Plate District Amphitheater behind the Fishers Municipal Center. Fishers Parks hosts outdoor festivals at the amphitheater as well as holiday events.[43] Fishers is located near theRuoff Home Mortgage Music Center inNoblesville, which hosts concerts.
Fishers annual festival is Spark!Fishers, which takes place every year on the last weekend in June, right beforeIndependence Day. A few annual traditions of the festival are a parade, a 5k run/walk and a fireworks show. There are art and food vendors and game booths. The festival is located in the Fishers Municipal Complex.
Fishers is home to 25 parks and nature preserve properties. The Fishers Trail & Greenway System has more than 131 miles (211 km) available for use.[44]
TheIndy Fuel, aminor league hockey team in theECHL, play their home games at theFishers Event Center, a $170 million facility in Fishers District that opened in November 2024.[62]
In 2023, Indy Fuel owner, Jim Hallett, purchased the rights to anIndoor Football League (IFL) team. In December 2023, the team name was revealed to be theFishers Freight.[63] The team will compete in the upcoming2025 season, playing eight home and eight away games.[64]
The Hoosier State Instigators of theAmerican Basketball Association have played at Best Choice Fieldhouse since 2024.
Fishers consistently receives strong marks for safety. It was recognized as the fourth safest city in the U.S. in a 2024 study by MoneyGeek.[65] The study based its selection on low crime costs, among other factors. The result aligns with findings of other studies. In June 2023,SmartAsset also listed Fishers as the fourth safestsuburb in thecountry.[66] Both studies used similar metrics to determine their rankings.
Despite its large size, Fishers, unlike nearbyNoblesville andCarmel, retained the status of atown for several years. Until 2012, Fishers used acouncil–manager government with a seven-membertown council and a clerk-treasurer, all elected at-large for four years. The town council held bothlegislative andexecutive powers while the clerk-treasurer was responsible for financial matters. The council elected a council president (the final president being John Weingardt) and vice president yearly. The council employed and oversaw atown manager responsible for municipal personnel, budget, and day-to-day operations of the town government.
After the changes approved in the November 2012referendum, the town became a "second-class city",[29] with anelected mayor,city clerk and nine-membercity council.[67] on January 1, 2015, following theelection of the new officers in the 2014 general election.[68]
The city is part of theHamilton Southeastern Schools, a district serving almost 21,000 students.
Fishers' quickly growing population has created a need for a similar growth in the number of schools within the Hamilton Southeastern Schools district. In 1996, there were four elementary schools, one middle school, one junior high school, and one high school.Riverside Intermediate School andFishers High School opened in the 2006–2007 school year and Thorpe Creek Elementary opened in the 2008–2009 school year. In the 2025–2026 school year, the district has twelve elementary schools, four intermediate schools, four junior high schools and two high schools.[69]
The city's two public high schools areHamilton Southeastern High School andFishers High School. An investment of $10,000,000 was made in Fishers High School and Hamilton Southeastern High School's state-of-the-art College and Career Academy additions, allowing students to experience a more relaxed, college campus-like experience. The glass classroom walls located in the new addition slide open to extend the classroom into the common area.
The twelve elementary schools are Brooks School Elementary, Cumberland Road Elementary, Deer Creek Elementary, Fall Creek Elementary, Fishers Elementary, Geist Elementary, Harrison Parkway Elementary, Hoosier Road Elementary, Lantern Road Elementary, New Britton Elementary, Sand Creek Elementary, Thorpe Creek Elementary, and Southeastern Elementary. Each school averages about 1,000 students in attendance.
The four intermediate schools, which students attend through fifth and sixth grade are Fall Creek Intermediate, Riverside Intermediate, Sand Creek Intermediate, and Hamilton Southeastern Intermediate.
The four junior highs, which students attend through seventh and eighth grade, are Fishers Junior High, Hamilton Southeastern Junior High, Riverside Junior High, and Fall Creek Junior High.[70]
Fishers also has severalprivate schools, includingCommunity Montessori School (PK-5), St. Louis de Montfort (PK-8), and Eman Schools (PK-12).[71] Additional private schools are located in surrounding communities.
Fishers is located alongInterstate 69. The city currently has four exits off the interstate. Fishers is 16 miles (26 km) northeast of downtownIndianapolis and 5 miles (8 km) from theInterstate 465 loop which connects Interstate 69 withInterstate 65, which runs northwest toChicago and southward toLouisville;Interstate 70, running east toColumbus and southwest toSt. Louis; andInterstate 74, running northwest towardsDanville, and southeast towardsCincinnati.State Road 37 runs directly through Fishers, connecting Fishers with several other Indiana cities and towns.
Fishers has a general aviation airport, theIndianapolis Metropolitan Airport (KUMP).Indianapolis International Airport is located on the opposite side of Indianapolis from Fishers, about 30 miles (48 km) distant.
Fishers does not have direct service fromIndyGo, the regional bus service.
The roads in Fishers are mostly new and well-maintained. 116th Street won the American Concrete Pavement Association Main Street Award in 2006.[42] A number of the town's four-way stops are being replaced byroundabouts.
On April 10, 2012, the town of Fishers announced a $20 million investment in the 2012 "Drive Fishers" initiative; an effort that will focus on areas in Fishers that have had a history of high-traffic volume, such as 96th Street and Allisonville Road,State Road 37, and Fall Creek Road in Geist.[72]
Former race car driverMichael Andretti and wifeJodi Ann Paterson reside in Fishers.
Notable athletes who currently live in Fishers includeGary Harris of theOrlando Magic; and NFL playersEvan Baylis; andJeremy Chinn of theWashington Commanders. Notable athletes who have lived in Fishers include formerIndiana Pacers playersReggie Miller,Austin Croshere,Malcolm Brogdon,Chris Duarte,Justin Holiday, andDahntay Jones;[73] Other notable athletes that have lived in Fishers includeGordon Hayward of theCharlotte Hornets;Zach Randolph of theMemphis Grizzlies; formerAtlanta Hawks playerAlan Henderson;Zak Irvin of theMichigan Wolverines;NFL playerRosevelt Colvin, formerly of theHouston Texans,Chicago Bears andNew England Patriots;Randy Gregory of theDallas Cowboys;Joe Reitz of theIndianapolis Colts; formerColts defensive line coachJohn Teerlinck; formerSan Diego Padres playerTony Gwynn;[74] former professional wrestlerKevin Fertig, andCleveland Guardians pitcherJustin Masterson.
Fishers istwinned with the town ofBillericay,Essex,United Kingdom.[75] Billericay Park[76] is named after thesister city.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)Online article:"Flat Fork Creek Park opens in Fishers". Blog; Things To Do.Indy's Child Magazine. Midwest Parenting Publications. December 3, 2015.Archived from the original on August 15, 2024. RetrievedFebruary 11, 2025.
Summary in print:"Welcoming Flat Fork Creek Park of Fishers". In Every Issue : Community Spotlight.Indy's Child (Parenting Magazine). Midwest Parenting Publications. January 2016. p. 8.
Fishers travel guide from WikivoyageMunicipalities and communities ofHamilton County, Indiana,United States | ||
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| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
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| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in counties outside of the MSA | |
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