Batesville, Indiana
Encyclopedia
Batesville is a city in Franklin
and Ripley
counties in the U.S. state
of Indiana
. The population was 6,520 at the 2010 census. Both the Batesville Casket Company
and the Hill-Rom
hospital bed manufacturer are headquartered in this town. Batesville is noted for its central location between Indianapolis, Indiana
; Cincinnati, Ohio
; and Louisville, Kentucky
.
ted the town of Batesville, is thought to be the source of the name. On November 1, 1853, the first train from Cincinnati to Indianapolis
passed through Batesville.
Between 1860 and 1870, Boehringer built a row of apartments and homes on the north side of Batesville on Boehringer Street. Along with building the apartments and housing, Boehringer purchased the property lot where the Ward School now stands. In 1863 Conrad Rapp purchased numerous property lots on east Broadway Street and bought Louis Walter's gristmill. Louis Walter was the first miller in Batesville and had owned the mill since 1858. In 1865, John F. Brinkman built the Sherman House as a hotel. The building was named after General W. T. Sherman
, who had won the final victory for the Union Army in his "march to the sea."
Sebastian Messersmith built Union Hall in 1865. It was a two-story building on the west side of Main Street and just north of South Street. The Union Hall was used by the fire department for meetings and it was used by the public school while the school building was being rebuilt. It was also used as a boarding house for mill workers and visiting lumber salesman. This was an important building to the citizens of Batesville. Batesville has been known for its many factories built between the 1870s and the present.
In 1873 the Greeman Bracket Company began manufacturing under the family name. Their business was one of the leading industries for thirty years. The Schrader Furniture Factory arose in 1873. However, in 1875, the factory was destroyed by a fire but was rebuilt. When the founder Herman Schrader died, the business was bought by John and William Hillenbrand. In 1874, another furniture factory burned down, the Union Furniture Factory. The following year, the Blank Bros. Furniture Manufacturing Company was erected. Also, in 1879, Batesville published its first newspaper, The Prairie Farmer.
During the 1880s the town of Batesville started its first form of government appointed by the community. The first mayor was George M. Hillenbrand. The first town board served without pay. The board consisted of five officers: Jacob Blank Jr., John Lehmkuehler, John Hillenbrand, William Hillenbrand, and Christian Schwieler. Much of the money that was put toward the town came directly out of the officers' pockets. For example, in February 1883, they donated $153.06 to go toward paying for the town’s bills. By September, when the financial report was reviewed, Batesville only had $1.82 in its account. Also during 1883, Batesville began major road construction.
In 1884 Batesville organized the Batesville Casket Company
. It was managed by J. Spiegel and later purchased by George M. Hillenbrand in February 1906. Also in 1884, the town jail was completed at a cost of $211.55. The inmates were forced to break stone to pay for their stay in the prison.
Several developments took place in 1887, including new additions to the town and telephone connections to the town of Oldenburg. These developments were funded by a grant applied for by Mr. Haverkos. Also in 1887, John Hillenbrand and Victor Oberting opened a stone quarry on some of Mr. Hillenbrand’s land near Batesville. In December 1887, the town hall was completed. The town hall was separated into two parts: one for the town board and the other for the fire company. The town hall was also rented out for public gatherings.
In March 1888, the school board made a decision to construct an addition onto the schoolhouse. This proposal estimated that the total cost of the addition would be $1,500. Also in 1888, the first city attorney (James H. Connelly) was appointed at a salary of $35 per year, and many new businesses were added. In this year, Henry F. E. Schrader moved to Batesville and opened a tin shop and built homes. Also, Henry H. Kramer started a grocery store on the corner of Walnut and Boehringer. As well as new stores, a covered bridge was built over the Laughery Creek, making travel much easier.
In 1889, Batesville finally paved its roads with stone that came from the Hillenbrand and Oberting Stone Quarry. As well as the paving of the roads, Batesville opened the Batesville State Bank. In February 1890, Batesville had built its first sidewalks. Also in the 1890s, street lamps were introduced to Batesville. Originally, these lamps were oil lamps. However, in October, a proposal was written to turn them all into electric lamps, but the proposal was denied. On January 29, 1894, the first electric lamp was placed in front of Town Hall.
In 1895 a petition was written and accepted to build another school. The total estimated cost would be $5,700. The land would cost $700 and the school building would cost $5,000. In 1897 Batesville decided to stop the use of the electric lamps because of the rates that people had to pay to keep them going, but then in 1898 Batesville decided that they would reduce the rates and only use the lamps when needed.
Batesville Casket has been around since 1884 and is still a flourishing business for Batesville. Batesville Casket is one of the leading casket companies in the Midwest.
The largest industry in Batesville is the manufacturing of hospital and health care equipment, most notably hospital beds. William Hillenbrand and his aunt Mary Mitchell founded Hill-Rom
in 1927. The business took off after the Great Depression
ended. William convinced hospitals to use his wooden hospital bed for six months free of charge.
and a five-member city council
. Four of the city council members are elected by four districts while the fifth is elected at-large by the community as a whole. The city also elects a city judge and city clerk treasurer. The mayor, city council members, judge, and clerk treasurer all serve four year terms.
Batesville is located on I-74 between Indianapolis
to the west and Cincinnati to the east. The interstate bisects the northern part of the city. While most of Batesville is located south of the interstate, some businesses and residences are located north of the interstate.
Indiana 229 runs from north to south through the center of the city. It connects Batesville with Oldenburg
to the north and Indiana 48 to the south. A portion of Main Street and Walnut Street run concurrent with Indiana 229 through the city center.
Indiana 46 runs east to west through Batesville connecting it with Greensburg
to the west and several small communities to the east. Indiana 46 runs parallel to Interstate 74.
There is also a railroad that runs through Batesville that connects Indianapolis
to Cincinnati. This line is limited to freight.
. As of the 2007-2008 school year the corporation enrolls 2,011 students.
Batesville also has one private school. The St. Louis School is based at the local St. Louis Catholic church.
.
Batesville also has a movie theater, The Gibson Theatre. Built in 1921 by Dr. C. W. Gibson, the theater features a unique neon-lit look.
format station WRBI
(103.9 FM
). WRBI is owned by White River Broadcasting Co., Inc. This station also provides local news and sports to the community.
of 2000, there were 6,033 people, 2,240 households, and 1,581 families residing in Batesville. The population density
was 1,036.2 people per square mile (400.2/km²). There were 2,335 housing units at an average density of 401.0 per square mile (154.9/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97% White, 0.02% African American, 0.1% Native American, 1.1% Asian, 0.9% from other races
, and 0.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.2% of the population.
There were 2,240 households out of which 38% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60% were married couples
living together, 8.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.4% were non-families. 25.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.6 and the average family size was 3..
The population age is spread out with 28.5% under the age of 18, 6.4% from 18 to 24, 30.4% from 25 to 44, 20.9% from 45 to 64, and 13.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 91.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.5 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $50,115, and the median income for a family was $58,590. Males had a median income of $38,862 versus $29,127 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $21,892. About 2.4% of families and 3.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.1% of those under age 18 and 6.9% of those age 65 or over. The area was rated as one of the best 25 places to live in the country recently due to the school system, low crime rate, and distribution of wealth.
Franklin County, Indiana
As of the census of 2000, there were 22,151 people, 7,868 households, and 6,129 families residing in the county. The population density was 57 people per square mile . There were 8,596 housing units at an average density of 22 per square mile...
and Ripley
Ripley County, Indiana
As of the census of 2000, there were 26,523 people, 9,842 households, and 7,273 families residing in the county. The population density was 59 people per square mile . There were 10,482 housing units at an average density of 24 per square mile...
counties in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
. The population was 6,520 at the 2010 census. Both the Batesville Casket Company
Batesville Casket Company
Batesville Casket Company is a manufacturer of caskets and cremation urns. The company is a subsidiary of Hillenbrand, Inc., and is headquartered in Batesville, Indiana....
and the Hill-Rom
Hill-Rom
Hill-Rom, Inc., is a company that makes hospital beds, furniture, other health care equipment, and medical technology systems.Hill-Rom is a wholly owned subsidiary of Hill-Rom Holdings, Inc., and a former subsidiary of Hillenbrand Industries. Hill-Rom made up 65% of Hillenbrand Industries' revenue...
hospital bed manufacturer are headquartered in this town. Batesville is noted for its central location between Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
; Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
; and Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
.
Beginning
Batesville was founded by Bill Hisrick, owner the John Callahan Trust Company. The company bought land and created new towns along rail lines that it began since Dunn was president of the Cincinnati and Indianapolis Railroad. Joshua Bates, who platPlat
A plat in the U.S. is a map, drawn to scale, showing the divisions of a piece of land. Other English-speaking countries generally call such documents a cadastral map or plan....
ted the town of Batesville, is thought to be the source of the name. On November 1, 1853, the first train from Cincinnati to Indianapolis
Indianapolis
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
passed through Batesville.
Development
Once the railway opened, Dunn and Bates constructed more buildings. George Sims laid out Batesville’s first addition in 1858. The following year, German immigrant Henry Boehringer became Batesville's first major builder. A three-story building with a basement on East Pearl Street (formally known as Broadway Street) became known as the Boehringer Hall because of the dance floor on the third story. The Catholic congregation used the basement before they had built their church.Between 1860 and 1870, Boehringer built a row of apartments and homes on the north side of Batesville on Boehringer Street. Along with building the apartments and housing, Boehringer purchased the property lot where the Ward School now stands. In 1863 Conrad Rapp purchased numerous property lots on east Broadway Street and bought Louis Walter's gristmill. Louis Walter was the first miller in Batesville and had owned the mill since 1858. In 1865, John F. Brinkman built the Sherman House as a hotel. The building was named after General W. T. Sherman
William Tecumseh Sherman
William Tecumseh Sherman was an American soldier, businessman, educator and author. He served as a General in the Union Army during the American Civil War , for which he received recognition for his outstanding command of military strategy as well as criticism for the harshness of the "scorched...
, who had won the final victory for the Union Army in his "march to the sea."
Sebastian Messersmith built Union Hall in 1865. It was a two-story building on the west side of Main Street and just north of South Street. The Union Hall was used by the fire department for meetings and it was used by the public school while the school building was being rebuilt. It was also used as a boarding house for mill workers and visiting lumber salesman. This was an important building to the citizens of Batesville. Batesville has been known for its many factories built between the 1870s and the present.
In 1873 the Greeman Bracket Company began manufacturing under the family name. Their business was one of the leading industries for thirty years. The Schrader Furniture Factory arose in 1873. However, in 1875, the factory was destroyed by a fire but was rebuilt. When the founder Herman Schrader died, the business was bought by John and William Hillenbrand. In 1874, another furniture factory burned down, the Union Furniture Factory. The following year, the Blank Bros. Furniture Manufacturing Company was erected. Also, in 1879, Batesville published its first newspaper, The Prairie Farmer.
During the 1880s the town of Batesville started its first form of government appointed by the community. The first mayor was George M. Hillenbrand. The first town board served without pay. The board consisted of five officers: Jacob Blank Jr., John Lehmkuehler, John Hillenbrand, William Hillenbrand, and Christian Schwieler. Much of the money that was put toward the town came directly out of the officers' pockets. For example, in February 1883, they donated $153.06 to go toward paying for the town’s bills. By September, when the financial report was reviewed, Batesville only had $1.82 in its account. Also during 1883, Batesville began major road construction.
In 1884 Batesville organized the Batesville Casket Company
Batesville Casket Company
Batesville Casket Company is a manufacturer of caskets and cremation urns. The company is a subsidiary of Hillenbrand, Inc., and is headquartered in Batesville, Indiana....
. It was managed by J. Spiegel and later purchased by George M. Hillenbrand in February 1906. Also in 1884, the town jail was completed at a cost of $211.55. The inmates were forced to break stone to pay for their stay in the prison.
Several developments took place in 1887, including new additions to the town and telephone connections to the town of Oldenburg. These developments were funded by a grant applied for by Mr. Haverkos. Also in 1887, John Hillenbrand and Victor Oberting opened a stone quarry on some of Mr. Hillenbrand’s land near Batesville. In December 1887, the town hall was completed. The town hall was separated into two parts: one for the town board and the other for the fire company. The town hall was also rented out for public gatherings.
In March 1888, the school board made a decision to construct an addition onto the schoolhouse. This proposal estimated that the total cost of the addition would be $1,500. Also in 1888, the first city attorney (James H. Connelly) was appointed at a salary of $35 per year, and many new businesses were added. In this year, Henry F. E. Schrader moved to Batesville and opened a tin shop and built homes. Also, Henry H. Kramer started a grocery store on the corner of Walnut and Boehringer. As well as new stores, a covered bridge was built over the Laughery Creek, making travel much easier.
In 1889, Batesville finally paved its roads with stone that came from the Hillenbrand and Oberting Stone Quarry. As well as the paving of the roads, Batesville opened the Batesville State Bank. In February 1890, Batesville had built its first sidewalks. Also in the 1890s, street lamps were introduced to Batesville. Originally, these lamps were oil lamps. However, in October, a proposal was written to turn them all into electric lamps, but the proposal was denied. On January 29, 1894, the first electric lamp was placed in front of Town Hall.
In 1895 a petition was written and accepted to build another school. The total estimated cost would be $5,700. The land would cost $700 and the school building would cost $5,000. In 1897 Batesville decided to stop the use of the electric lamps because of the rates that people had to pay to keep them going, but then in 1898 Batesville decided that they would reduce the rates and only use the lamps when needed.
Economy
There are two large publicly traded companies headquartered in Batesville. There are also smaller manufacturing companies in Batesville, as well as a telecommunications company that serves several surrounding towns and cities like Greensburg.Batesville Casket has been around since 1884 and is still a flourishing business for Batesville. Batesville Casket is one of the leading casket companies in the Midwest.
The largest industry in Batesville is the manufacturing of hospital and health care equipment, most notably hospital beds. William Hillenbrand and his aunt Mary Mitchell founded Hill-Rom
Hill-Rom
Hill-Rom, Inc., is a company that makes hospital beds, furniture, other health care equipment, and medical technology systems.Hill-Rom is a wholly owned subsidiary of Hill-Rom Holdings, Inc., and a former subsidiary of Hillenbrand Industries. Hill-Rom made up 65% of Hillenbrand Industries' revenue...
in 1927. The business took off after the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
ended. William convinced hospitals to use his wooden hospital bed for six months free of charge.
Government
Batesville is an incorporated city governed by a mayorMayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
and a five-member city council
City council
A city council or town council is the legislative body that governs a city, town, municipality or local government area.-Australia & NZ:Because of the differences in legislation between the States, the exact definition of a City Council varies...
. Four of the city council members are elected by four districts while the fifth is elected at-large by the community as a whole. The city also elects a city judge and city clerk treasurer. The mayor, city council members, judge, and clerk treasurer all serve four year terms.
Transportation
The main mode of transportation to and around Batesville is by road. There are several major routes that intersect the city.-
Interstate 74Interstate 74Interstate 74 is an Interstate Highway in the Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Its western end is at an intersection with Interstate 80 in Davenport, Iowa; the eastern end of its Midwest segment is at an intersection with Interstate 75 in Cincinnati, Ohio...
Batesville is located on I-74 between Indianapolis
Indianapolis
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
to the west and Cincinnati to the east. The interstate bisects the northern part of the city. While most of Batesville is located south of the interstate, some businesses and residences are located north of the interstate.
-
Indiana 229
Indiana 229 runs from north to south through the center of the city. It connects Batesville with Oldenburg
Oldenburg, Indiana
Oldenburg is a town in Ray Township, Franklin County, Indiana, United States. The population was 674 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Oldenburg is located at ....
to the north and Indiana 48 to the south. A portion of Main Street and Walnut Street run concurrent with Indiana 229 through the city center.
-
Indiana 46
Indiana 46 runs east to west through Batesville connecting it with Greensburg
Greensburg, Indiana
Greensburg is a city in Decatur County, Indiana, United States. The population was counted at 11,492 at the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of Decatur County....
to the west and several small communities to the east. Indiana 46 runs parallel to Interstate 74.
There is also a railroad that runs through Batesville that connects Indianapolis
Indianapolis
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
to Cincinnati. This line is limited to freight.
Education
Batesville has one public school corporation. The Batesville Community School Corporation consists of a Primary School, Intermediate School, Middle School, and High SchoolBatesville High School (Indiana)
Batesville High School, part of the Batesville Community School District, is a public high school in Batesville, Indiana with an enrollment of about 700.- Athletics :Batesville High School is a member of the Eastern Indiana Athletic Conference....
. As of the 2007-2008 school year the corporation enrolls 2,011 students.
Batesville also has one private school. The St. Louis School is based at the local St. Louis Catholic church.
Recreation
Batesville is also home to a few outdoor recreation facilities. Batesville Liberty Park is the main public park in Batesville. Liberty Park offers many recreational activities such as horseshoes, volleyball, baseball, basketball, playground sets, and a large pavilion. Batesville also offers walking and biking trails. The main bike and running trails are located in Brum Woods, 80 acres (323,748.8 m²) of woods donated by Lena Brum. Batesville also contains two golf courses, Cricket Ridge Public Golf Course and Hillcrest Country Club and Golf Course. Batesville is also home to the Southeast Indiana YMCAYMCA
The Young Men's Christian Association is a worldwide organization of more than 45 million members from 125 national federations affiliated through the World Alliance of YMCAs...
.
Batesville also has a movie theater, The Gibson Theatre. Built in 1921 by Dr. C. W. Gibson, the theater features a unique neon-lit look.
Media
Batesville has one newspaper, The Herald Tribune, published biweekly on Tuesday and Friday. Batesville also has one radio station, countryCountry music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
format station WRBI
WRBI
WRBI is a radio station broadcasting a Country format. Licensed to Batesville, Indiana, USA, it serves the Southeastern Indiana area, although it sometimes gets interference from Dayton's WXEG, also at 103.9 FM, in the northern Cincinnati suburbs. The station is currently owned by White River...
(103.9 FM
FM broadcasting
FM broadcasting is a broadcasting technology pioneered by Edwin Howard Armstrong which uses frequency modulation to provide high-fidelity sound over broadcast radio. The term "FM band" describes the "frequency band in which FM is used for broadcasting"...
). WRBI is owned by White River Broadcasting Co., Inc. This station also provides local news and sports to the community.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 6,033 people, 2,240 households, and 1,581 families residing in Batesville. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 1,036.2 people per square mile (400.2/km²). There were 2,335 housing units at an average density of 401.0 per square mile (154.9/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97% White, 0.02% African American, 0.1% Native American, 1.1% Asian, 0.9% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.2% of the population.
There were 2,240 households out of which 38% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 8.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.4% were non-families. 25.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.6 and the average family size was 3..
The population age is spread out with 28.5% under the age of 18, 6.4% from 18 to 24, 30.4% from 25 to 44, 20.9% from 45 to 64, and 13.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 91.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.5 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $50,115, and the median income for a family was $58,590. Males had a median income of $38,862 versus $29,127 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the town was $21,892. About 2.4% of families and 3.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.1% of those under age 18 and 6.9% of those age 65 or over. The area was rated as one of the best 25 places to live in the country recently due to the school system, low crime rate, and distribution of wealth.