New Castle is a city inHenry County, Indiana, United States. Located 44 miles (71 km) east-northeast ofIndianapolis, on theBig Blue River, the city is thecounty seat ofHenry County.[5] New Castle is home toNew Castle Fieldhouse, the largest high school gymnasium in the world. The city is surrounded by agricultural land. In the past, it was a manufacturing center for the production of sheet iron and steel, automobiles, caskets, clothing, scales, bridges, pianos, furniture, handles, shovels, lathes, bricks, and flour.[6] Starting in the early 20th century, it was known as the Rose City, at one point having 100 florists and numerous growers.[7]
According to the 2020 census, the population was 17,396.
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New Castle wasplatted in 1823, and named afterNew Castle, Kentucky.[8] A post office was established at New Castle in 1823.[9]TheMaxwell automobile factory, later owned and operated by Chrysler Motor Corp. was, at the time of construction (1907), the largest automotive manufacturing plant in the nation.[10]
According to the 2010 census, New Castle has a total area of 7.311 square miles (18.94 km2), of which 7.29 square miles (18.88 km2) (or 99.71%) is land and 0.021 square miles (0.05 km2) (or 0.29%) is water.[12]
Climate is designated as Humid continental, and this region typically has large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and cold (sometimes severely cold) winters. TheKöppen Climate Classification subtype for this climate is "Dfa". (Hot Summer Continental Climate).[13]
Climate data for New Castle, Indiana, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1949–present
As of thecensus[16] of 2020, there were 17,396 people, 6,951 households, and 2,701 families living in the town. Thepopulation density was 2,375.20 inhabitants per square mile (917.1/km2). There were 8,606 housing units at an average density of 1,164.55 per square mile (449.6/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 92.1%White, 1.8%African American, 0.5%Asian, 0.03%Native Hawaiian orPacific Islander, 0.2%Native American orAlaska Native, 0.1% fromother races, and 0.4% from two or more races.Hispanic orLatino of any race were 0.3% of the population.
There were 6,951 households, 40.5% weremarried couples living together, 31.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 19.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 8.4% were non-families. 51.1% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 3.09.
30.5% of the population had never been married. 43.1% of residents weremarried and notseparated, 7.2% werewidowed, 17.7% weredivorced, and 1.6% were separated.
The median age in the city was 39.2. 5.8% of residents were under the age of 5; 23.9% of residents were under the age of 18; 76.1% were age 18 or older; and 17.9% were age 65 or older. 9.4% of the population wereveterans.
The most common language spoken at home wasEnglish with 98.8% speaking it at home, 0.6% spokeSpanish at home, 0.5% spoke otherIndo-European languages, 0.1% spoke other languages. 0.3% of the population wereforeign born.
The median household income in Henry County was $42,803, 23% less than the median average for the state ofIndiana. 20.7% of the population were in poverty, including 26.8% of residents under the age of 18. The poverty rate for the town was 7.8% higher than that of the state. 23.3% of the population weredisabled and 8.5% had nohealthcare coverage. 47.6% of the population had attained ahigh school or equivalent degree, 19.9% had attendedcollege but received no degree, 7.5% had attained anAssociate's degree or higher, 8.8% had attained aBachelor's degree or higher, and 5.4% had agraduate orprofessional degree. 10.8% had no degree. 51.6% of New Castle residents were employed, working a mean of 40.4 hours per week. The median gross rent in New Castle was $690 and the homeownership rate was 63.2%. 1,056 housing units were vacant at a density of 143.87 per square mile (55.5/km2).
As of thecensus[17] of 2010, there were 18,114 people, 7,769 households, and 4,660 families residing in the city. Thepopulation density was 2,481.4 inhabitants per square mile (958.1/km2). There were 9,002 housing units at an average density of 1,233.2 per square mile (476.1/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 95.1%White, 1.9%African American, 0.2%Native American, 0.4%Asian, 0.6% fromother races, and 1.8% from two or more races.Hispanic orLatino of any race were 1.7% of the population.
There were 7,769 households, of which 30.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.0% weremarried couples living together, 16.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.9% had a male householder with no wife present, and 40.0% were non-families. 34.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 2.93.
The median age in the city was 39.5 years. 23.4% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.8% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 24.7% were from 25 to 44; 26.4% were from 45 to 64; and 16.7% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 46.7% male and 53.3% female.
As of thecensus[4] of 2000, there were 17,780 people, 7,462 households, and 4,805 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,987.5 inhabitants per square mile (1,153.5/km2). There were 8,042 housing units at an average density of 1,351.3 per square mile (521.7/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 96.37%White, 1.85%African American, 0.22%Native American, 0.21%Asian, 0.02%Pacific Islander, 0.41% fromother races, and 0.91% from two or more races.Hispanic orLatino of any race were 1.09% of the population.
There were 7,462 households, out of which 28.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.7% weremarried couples living together, 13.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.6% were non-families. Some 31.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.90.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 23.5% under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 24, 28.9% from 25 to 44, 21.8% from 45 to 64, and 17.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 88.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $30,688, and the median income for a family was $37,463. Males had a median income of $32,624 versus $20,554 for females. Theper capita income for the city was $17,587. About 10.6% of families and 12.4% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 15.7% of those under age 18 and 9.2% of those age 65 or over.
New Castle is a third class city and has a seven-member city council chaired by the mayor. One council member is elected from each of the city's five districts and two are elected at-large. The clerk-treasurer and city judge are also elected offices. City elections are held every four years in the year preceding presidential elections.
The mayor is elected by popular vote and appoints the police chief, fire chief, city attorney, and department heads of the various municipal agencies.
Nine of the elevenlargest high school gyms in the United States are in Indiana. The largest of these is theNew Castle Fieldhouse at New Castle High School. The fieldhouse has a capacity of 9,325. The fieldhouse is notable for a 1961 State Sectional Game between New Castle andLewisville (now part ofSouth Henry School Corporation) in which the fans attending the game were snowed in. The next morning food was delivered to the Fieldhouse by a local bakery and a church service was piped into the gym. The gym has also played host to the 2006 Indiana Class 3A Basketball Champs and the 2007 Class 4A Volleyball Champions.[19]
Next to New Castle High School is aNative American mound dated to approximately 2000BP. This mound contains depressions which align to sunrise/sunset during theequinoxes as well as aligning with depressions in similar mounds tens of miles away. A mound complex (from between 800 B.C. and A.D 1400) was discovered on Elliott Avenue,[20] and the more extensive "New Castle Site" is north of the city, on the east side of the Blue River[21]
^"Find a County". National Association of Counties. RetrievedJune 7, 2011.
^For an overview of New Castle manufacturing in various historical periods (including the industries listed here), see Herbert L. Heller,Historic Henry County, 3 vols. (New Castle, Ind.: Courier-Times, 1982).
^Herbert L. Heller,Historic Henry County, vol. 3: 1880-early 1940s), pp. 329-331.
^"Pre-Historic Indian Burial Mound Discovered in City," (New Castle)Courier-Times (April 26, 1967), p. 1
^Beth McCord, "1999 Excavations at Mounds State Park (12-M-2) and the New Castle Site (12-Hn-1) (Reports of Investigation, No. 73) (Muncie, Ind.: Applied Anthropology Publications, 2008) and Beth McCord, "The New Castle Site Revisited" (Reports of Investigation, No. 54) (Muncie, Ind.: 1999)--reports available athttps://www.bsu.edu/academics/centersandinstitutes/applied-anthropology-laboratories/publications (accessed 2/12/2020).