Kokomo, Indiana
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Kokomo ( ) is a
city A city is a human settlement of notable size.Goodall, B. (1987) ''The Penguin Dictionary of Human Geography''. London: Penguin.Kuper, A. and Kuper, J., eds (1996) ''The Social Science Encyclopedia''. 2nd edition. London: Routledge. It can be def ...
in
Indiana Indiana () is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States. It is the 38th-largest by area and the 17th-most populous of the 50 States. Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis. Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th ...
and the
county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US ...
of
Howard County, Indiana Howard County is one of 92 counties in the U.S. state of Indiana. As of the 2020 census, the population was 83,658. The county seat is Kokomo. Originally named Richardville County, it was renamed in 1844 to commemorate General Tilghman Ashu ...
, United States. It is the principal city of the Kokomo, Indiana
Metropolitan Statistical Area In the United States, a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) is a geographical region with a relatively high population density at its core and close economic ties throughout the area. Such regions are neither legally incorporated as a city or tow ...
, which includes all of Howard County, the Kokomo-Peru CSA, which includes Howard and
Miami Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a coastal metropolis and the county seat of Miami-Dade County in South Florida, United States. With a population of 442,241 at ...
counties, as well as the North Central Indiana region consisting of six counties anchored by the city of Kokomo. Kokomo's population increased from 45,468 at the 2010 census to 59,604 in th
2020 census
Named for the
Miami Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a coastal metropolis and the county seat of Miami-Dade County in South Florida, United States. With a population of 442,241 at ...
Ma-Ko-Ko-Mo who was called "Chief Kokomo", Kokomo first benefited from the legal business associated with being the county seat. Before the Civil War, it was connected with Indianapolis and then the Eastern cities by railroad, which resulted in sustained growth. Substantial growth came after the discovery of large natural gas reserves, which produced an economic boom in the mid-1880s. Among the businesses which the boom attracted was the fledgling automobile industry. A significant number of technical and engineering innovations were developed in Kokomo, particularly in automobile production, and, as a result, Kokomo became known as the "City of Firsts." A substantial portion of Kokomo's employment still depends on the automobile industry.


History


Historic Buildings in Kokomo, Indiana

The following is a list of all the buildings in Kokomo, Indiana, that are listed in the
National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...
: * Elwood Haynes House *
Kokomo City Building Kokomo City Building is a historic municipal building located at Kokomo, Indiana. It was designed by the architecture firm of Wing & Mahurin and built about 1893. It is a two-story, Richardsonian Romanesque style brick and limestone building on a ...
* Kokomo Country Club Golf Course *
Kokomo Courthouse Square Historic District Kokomo Courthouse Square Historic District is a national historic district located at Kokomo, Howard County, Indiana. The district includes 60 contributing buildings, 1 contributing structure, and 1 contributing object in the central business ...
*
Kokomo High School and Memorial Gymnasium The Kokomo High School and Memorial Gymnasium is a historic high school and gymnasium located at Kokomo, Indiana, United States. It is a work of architect Elmer Dunlap and others, in Late Gothic Revival and Streamline Moderne architectural styles ...
*
Lake Erie and Western Depot Historic District Lake Erie and Western Depot Historic District is a national historic district located at Kokomo, Indiana. The district includes seven contributing buildings and three contributing structures associated with the Lake Erie and Western Railroad t ...
*
Learner Building Learner Building is a historic commercial building located in Kokomo, Indiana. It was built by John Wesley Learner around 1904, and is a two-story, red brick building with a sloping flat roof. Learner was a prominent businessman in Kokomo, though ...
*
Old Silk Stocking Historic District The Old Silk Stocking Neighborhood is the historic district near downtown Kokomo, Indiana, and the Westside Business District. In 1886, natural gas was discovered in north central Indiana. The area exploded with people, who then developed the ne ...
* Seiberling Mansion


Early history and incorporation

The city of Kokomo was named after the
Miami Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a coastal metropolis and the county seat of Miami-Dade County in South Florida, United States. With a population of 442,241 at ...
man Ma-Ko-Ko-Mo, said to have been one of the four sons of Chief Richardville, last of the chiefs of the Miami people. Tradition holds that David Foster, the "Father of Kokomo," named the town Kokomo after the "ornriest Indian on earth" because Kokomo was "the ornriest town on earth." Kokomo is thought to have been born in 1775 and died in 1838. Morrow, p. 48. The only documentary proof of his existence is a trading post record of a purchase of a barrel of flour for $12 for his "squaw." His remains (with those of others) were reportedly discovered during the construction of a saw mill in 1848 and re-interred in the "north-east corner" of the Pioneer Cemetery. The tradition of the Peru Miami is that the town was named after a Thorntown Miami named Ko-kah-mah, whose name is rendered Co-come-wah in the Treaty at the Forks of the Wabash in 1834. That name was translated as "the diver" (an animal that could swim under water). As a result of various removals, by 1840 the Miami population in Howard County (until 1846 known as Richardville County) was reduced to about 200. The principal settlement was the Village of Kokomo, on the south side of Wildcat Creek. Indian paths connected Kokomo with Frankfort and Thorntown (along the Wildcat) and led to
Peru , image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg , image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg , other_symbol = Great Seal of the State , other_symbol_type = National seal , national_motto = "Firm and Happy f ...
by way of Cassville, and to Meshingomesia by way of Greentown. At the time David Foster had a trading post in Howard County, near the intersection of the reservation boundary line and Wildcat pike, where he engaged in both legitimate trade and illegal sale of alcohol to the Miamis on government property. Morrow, p. 202. Shortly after Richardville County was organized in 1844 the commissioners appointed to establish the
county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US ...
approached Foster for a donation from his substantial holdings. (In 1846 tax records show that he owned of farmland and as well as 67 divided lots in the business district.) At the time of the request the only improvements in what is now Kokomo were Foster's log house and log barn and several Miami huts. The commissioners sought a donation of the more fertile lands south of Wildcat Creek, but Foster refused, donating instead north of the creek—land which was thickly forested and "swampy." The terms of the donation required that Foster build a courthouse on the land, but he was later excused and Rufus L. Blowers was promised $28 to build it. He was penalized $2 for construction delays. The log courthouse was completed in 1845. In June 1855 Henry A. Brouse petitioned the board of Howard county commissioners to incorporate the town of Kokomo. The original election was not held (for unspecified reasons), but another took place on October 1, 1855. After a vote of 62–3 in favor of incorporation, the board so ordered it. On March 31, 1865, an election was held for Kokomo to assume a city government. The resolution was passed, and Nelson Purdum was elected the first mayor.


Early growth

In anticipation of business that the court would bring, Kokomo began a fairly quick growth from the time that lots were first sold on October 18, 1844. David Foster was granted the first license to sell merchandise in Kokomo at the December 1844 commissioners meeting. Two more merchants were licensed in March 1845. Pollard, p. 326. John Bohan, who would become a major shop owner, merchant, justice of the peace and investor, moved to Kokomo in December 1844, and erected the first two-story frame house, not only in Kokomo, but in all the county. After the enactment of the 1846 pre-emption law, settlers rapidly attempted to secure homesteads in the surrounding lands. In 1848 Stonebreaker's Mill, west of Kokomo, began operations. By 1850 Kokomo had a newspaper, when James Beard purchased the printing equipment of the New London ''Pioneer'' and set up the Howard ''Tribune''. By 1851 county business was so brisk that the county ordered the construction of two more court buildings, both one story brick affairs, . The county auditor and treasurer occupied one building, and the clerk and recorder occupied the other. On April 1, 1854, Kokomo's first bank, the Indian Reserve Bank, was organized with David Foster, John Bohan and Harless Ashly the principal shareholders. (It only lasted a few years until a robbery impaired its capital. The loss substantially injured Foster's fortune.)


Railroads

1854 saw the first railroad stop at Kokomo. The New London ''Pioneer'' had long advocated for a rail line to connect Kokomo with
Indianapolis Indianapolis (), colloquially known as Indy, is the state capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the seat of Marion County. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the consolidated population of Indianapolis and Marion ...
. Colonel C.D. Murray was the agent at Kokomo for stock subscriptions in support of the railroad. In 1852 the construction of the Peru and Indianapolis Railroad commenced. In Kokomo Samuel C. Mills and Dr. Corydon Richmond, commercial competitors of David Foster, donated several lots to the railroad in order to secure the location of the rail depot near their commercial property. The route was laid along Buckeye Street at the insistence of the merchants who hoped to reduced drayage expenses. Samuel Mills built a large frame structure at the Howard flouring mills, which served as a warehouse for the company's freight and a passenger depot. For some time after 1854 Kokomo was the terminus of the line, but eventually the line was extended to Peru and then to Michigan City. A short time after the construction of the Peru and Indianapolis Railroad began, the
Pennsylvania Railroad The Pennsylvania Railroad (reporting mark PRR), legal name The Pennsylvania Railroad Company also known as the "Pennsy", was an American Class I railroad that was established in 1846 and headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was named ...
announced that one of its lines would pass through Kokomo. By 1853 a line was commenced between Kokomo and Logansport (which was intended to become the hub of a network of lines for the company). Railroad service was inaugurated on that line on July 4, 1855. The most important rail line for Kokomo became the standard-gauge Clover Leaf line. This railroad would eventually link Kokomo with both the West Coast and the Eastern Seaboard. It began as a short line linking Frankfort and Kokomo, the Frankfort and Kokomo Railroad. Henry Y. Morrison of Frankfort was the principal promoter, and A.Y. Comstock acted for him in Kokomo. A failure of the proposed subsidy caused the promoters to turn all assets over to the contractors, who promised to complete the line. Construction began in 1873 and was completed the following year. Limited freight between the two cities made the line unprofitable. After a series of acquisitions by other railroads, the line became part of the Toledo, St. Louis and Kansas City Railroad. A line connecting it to the east reached Kokomo on January 1, 1881.


Mayor Cole

In 1881, one of the most remarkable and controversial events in Kokomo's history took place. Mayor Henry C. Cole was shot to death by a sheriff's posse. Dr. Cole had a curious history and had stirred up a great deal of passion in the previous fifteen years. He was reputed to have been a gifted surgeon, who served in the Union Army during the Civil War and when afterwards he settled in Kokomo, he became a prominent physician. In Kokomo he married a woman, Natalie Cole, of whom he became intensely jealous. He became suspicious of one Allen, whom he warned away from Kokomo. When he discovered Allen leaving the post office one day in October 1866, he shot him dead. The fact that the killing both took place in broad daylight and showed cold-blooded rage (Cole continued shooting after Allen was down) caused the crime to receive national attention. Cole's case was venued to Tipton County, where he retained
Daniel W. Voorhees Daniel Wolsey Voorhees (September 26, 1827April 10, 1897) was an American lawyer and politician who served as a United States Senator from Indiana from 1877 to 1897. He was the leader of the Democratic Party and an anti-war Copperhead during th ...
of Terre Haute to represent him. Voorhees obtained a not guilty verdict on a plea of emotional insanity. Pollard, p. 293. Cole divorced his wife thereafter. Cole's reputation for violent instability, and the cowardice in the way he killed Allen, created many enemies for him, but his generosity toward poor patients and a promise to "clean up" the town won him enough support to win a bitter election for Mayor in 1881. Shortly thereafter, on September 19, 1881, he was shot dead by a sheriff's posse at Old Spring Mills at West Jefferson Street. According to the coroner's inquest, he died from shotgun wounds inflicted by Deputy George Bennett (father of New York stage idol Richard Bennett).Booher, Ned and Linda Ferries, ''Kokomo: A Pictorial History'' (St. Louis: G. Bradley: 1989), p. 28. The sheriff claimed that an informant had advised him that Cole was planning to rob a flour mill, possibly to incriminate his enemies. The posse was forced to fire on Cole in self-defense (the sheriff claimed he had two revolvers) and to prevent his escape, although his injuries seemed inconsistent with that version. Cole's supporter's argued that no revolvers or burglary tools were produced and that the motive was implausible. Nevertheless, no action was taken against Bennett or the other members of the posse.


Natural gas boom

Natural gas had been developed in Pennsylvania and Canada for some time, and had most recently been developed around Findlay, Ohio. In March 1886, a group of citizens, led principally by A.Y. Comstock (who had promoted the Frankfort and Kokomo Railroad) and D.C. Spraker (later President of Kokomo Rubber Company), circulated a memorandum seeking subscribers (at $100 each) for the purpose of boring for gas at a distance of at least below ground. It took until September to obtain the necessary 22 subscribers. The first rig was built south of Wildcat Creek. and on October 6, 1886, natural gas erupted forth and the well was capped. Together with the well in
Eaton Eaton may refer to: Buildings Canada * Eaton Centre, the name of various shopping malls in Canada due to having been anchored by an Eaton's store * Eaton's / John Maryon Tower, a cancelled skyscraper in Toronto * Eaton Hall (King City), a conferen ...
, which began producing slightly before Kokomo's, the discovery led to the Indiana Gas Boom. This discovery was directly responsible for Elwood Haynes' move to Kokomo, as a superintendent with a gas company with interests in Kokomo and Howard County. The Diamond Plate Glass Company (now part of
PPG Industries PPG Industries, Inc. is an American Fortune 500 company and global supplier of paints, coatings, and specialty materials. With headquarters in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, PPG operates in more than 70 countries around the globe. By revenue it is ...
) began in Kokomo in 1887, lured by the cheap and plentiful natural gas. The Kokomo Opalescent Glass Works started making
stained glass Stained glass is coloured glass as a material or works created from it. Throughout its thousand-year history, the term has been applied almost exclusively to the windows of churches and other significant religious buildings. Although tradition ...
in Kokomo in 1888 and has been in continuous operation ever since.


"City of Firsts"

As a result of the natural gas boom, Kokomo attracted an increasing number of industries, which resulted in significant technological innovations. For these industrial and technical achievements, Kokomo is officially known as the "City of Firsts." Among other achievements, Kokomo was a pioneer of the United States automobile manufacturing, with Elwood Haynes test-driving his early internal combustion engine auto there on July 4, 1894. Haynes and his associates built a number of other autos over the next few years; the Haynes-Apperson Automobile Company for mass-production of commercial autos was established in Kokomo in 1898. Haynes went on to invent Stainless Steel flatware in 1912 to give his wife tarnish-free dinnerware. In 1938, the Delco Radio Division of General Motors (now
Aptiv Aptiv PLC is an Irish- American automotive technology supplier with headquarters in Dublin. Aptiv grew out of the now-defunct American company, Delphi Automotive Systems, which itself was formerly a component of General Motors. History The co ...
) developed the first push button car radio. Kokomo serves as the "City of Firsts" in the food industry as well. In 1928 Walter Kemp, Kemp Brothers Canning Co. developed the first canned tomato juice because of a request by a physician in search for baby food for his clinic. Kokomo is also home to the first mechanical corn picker which was developed by John Powell in the early 1920s. Kokomo was home to the first Ponderosa Steakhouse, which opened in 1965. Kokomo opened the first
McDonald's McDonald's Corporation is an American multinational fast food chain, founded in 1940 as a restaurant operated by Richard and Maurice McDonald, in San Bernardino, California, United States. They rechristened their business as a hambur ...
with a diner inside, locally called "McDiner." This McDonald's theme failed nationally. Eventually, the "McDiner" closed and was converted back to a regular McDonald's restaurant. The following inventions are associated with Kokomo: * 1894 – Elwood Haynes makes the first successful trial run of his "horseless carriage" on Pumpkinvine Pike, which is now Boulevard east of Indiana 931 (formerly U.S.31.) * 1894 – The first pneumatic rubber tire in the US was created by D.C. Spraker at the Kokomo Rubber Tire Company. * 1895 – The first aluminum casting was developed by William "Billy" Johnson from the Ford and Donnelly Foundry. * 1902 – Kingston carburetor developed by George Kingston. * 1906 – The first Stellite cobalt-base alloy was discovered by Elwood Haynes. * 1912 –
Stainless steel Stainless steel is an alloy of iron that is resistant to rusting and corrosion. It contains at least 11% chromium and may contain elements such as carbon, other nonmetals and metals to obtain other desired properties. Stainless steel's r ...
tableware was invented by Elwood Haynes as a response to his wife's desire for tableware that wouldn't tarnish. * 1918 – The Howitzer shell, used in
World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...
, was created by the Superior Machine Tool Company. * 1918 – The first aerial bomb with fins was produced by the Liberty Pressed Metal Company. * 1920 – The mechanical corn picker was created by John Powell. * 1923 – William Swern Sr. developed the first tire-building machine for mass production of auto tires * 1928 – The first canned tomato juice was created by Walter Kemp from Kemp Brothers Canning Company in response to a physician's need for baby food. * 1938 – The first push-button car radio was created at Delco Radio Division of
General Motors The General Motors Company (GM) is an American Multinational corporation, multinational Automotive industry, automotive manufacturing company headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, United States. It is the largest automaker in the United States and ...
Corporation. * 1941 – Globe American Stove Company manufactured the first all-metal life boats and rafts, known as Kokomo Kids in the US Navy. * 1947 – The first signal-seeking car radio was created by the Delco Radio Division of
General Motors The General Motors Company (GM) is an American Multinational corporation, multinational Automotive industry, automotive manufacturing company headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, United States. It is the largest automaker in the United States and ...
. * 1956 – Delco Radio Division of
General Motors The General Motors Company (GM) is an American Multinational corporation, multinational Automotive industry, automotive manufacturing company headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, United States. It is the largest automaker in the United States and ...
produced a transistorized signal-seeking car (hybrid) radio, which used both vacuum tubes and transistors in its radio's circuitry. This transistorized car radio was available as an option on the 1956 Chevrolet Corvette car models. * 1957 – Delco Radio Division of
General Motors The General Motors Company (GM) is an American Multinational corporation, multinational Automotive industry, automotive manufacturing company headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, United States. It is the largest automaker in the United States and ...
produced an all-transistor car radio, as standard equipment for the Cadillac Eldorado Brougham car model.


1913 Flood

On March 21–26, 1913 Kokomo suffered severe flooding when of rainfall occurred. The '' Kokomo Tribune'' reported at the time that the Wildcat Creek over-topped its levee to reach nearly wide after rising at a rate of per hour. Damage was widespread, including loss of electrical power due to the power plant being flooded. On March 26, flooding was declared over after the water level dropped in a 24-hour period.


Ku Klux Klan

In the summer of 1923, record numbers attended rallies of the Ku Klux Klan in Indiana. On June 16, 1923, a crowd of 75,000 attended a Klan rally in Terre Haute. On June 21 Argos held the largest rally it had ever seen. On June 26 a large Klan rally was held in
Alexandria Alexandria ( or ; ar, ٱلْإِسْكَنْدَرِيَّةُ ; grc-gre, Αλεξάνδρεια, Alexándria) is the second largest city in Egypt, and the largest city on the Mediterranean coast. Founded in by Alexander the Great, Alexandri ...
. All of this was merely a prelude to the rally planned for Kokomo. Conceived as a "monster tristate conclave," it was intended to charter 93 Indiana klans representing more than 300,000 members. Some doubted the prospect of 200,000 attendees, claiming it would be "without parallel in history"; others predicted attendance of 300,000. Extensive preparations for that number were made, including the scheduling of 1,000 interurban cars from around Indiana to Kokomo. The
Union Traction Company The Union Traction Company was a trolley line that ran from Hackensack through Carlstadt to Rutherford, New Jersey. The line was conceived by Delos E. Culver. Originally the line was to run from Hackensack to Kearny, New Jersey but the compan ...
, in addition to supplying 50 cars, transported three cars of white horses to Kokomo for the parade. The Kokomo Klan rented the fields surrounding its own large lot for parking, and electric amplifiers were obtained to allow the large crowd to hear the speeches. According to historian Robert Coughlan, "literally half" of Kokomo residents were members of the
Ku Klux Klan The Ku Klux Klan (), commonly shortened to the KKK or the Klan, is an American white supremacist, right-wing terrorist, and hate group whose primary targets are African Americans, Jews, Latinos, Asian Americans, Native Americans, and Cat ...
during its height in the 1920s and 1930s. On July 4, 1923, Kokomo achieved national notoriety when it hosted the largest Ku Klux Klan gathering in history. An estimated 200,000 Klan members and supporters gathered in Malfalfa Park for a massive Konklave in which D. C. Stephenson was elevated to the position of Grand Dragon of the Indiana Klan. Other estimates say the crowd was only 10,000. A huge flag was used that day to collect a reported $50,000 for construction of a local "Klan hospital" so that Klan members would not have to be treated at the only local hospital, which was Catholic. Both men's and women's Klans held weekly rallies and initiations in Malfalfa Park, and Kokomo's Klanswomen held meetings at the armory, the local headquarters of the Women of the Ku Klux Klan, and churches. A speech at a Baptist church was attended by 1,000 Klanswomen. The Kokomo rally sent shockwaves through the national GOP, which had come to believe that the re-election of President Warren G. Harding depended on the vote of Indiana. According to the Washington correspondent of the ''
New York World The ''New York World'' was a newspaper published in New York City from 1860 until 1931. The paper played a major role in the history of American newspapers. It was a leading national voice of the Democratic Party. From 1883 to 1911 under pub ...
'', Republicans feared that the Klan had "obliterated party lines" and "virtually swallowed" the Indiana Republican Party. Since the Republicans held only a 25,000 vote plurality in the state, any serious defection of African-Americans would tip the state to the Democrats. In the event, Harding died within a month and Republican
Calvin Coolidge Calvin Coolidge (born John Calvin Coolidge Jr.; ; July 4, 1872January 5, 1933) was the 30th president of the United States from 1923 to 1929. Born in Vermont, Coolidge was a Republican lawyer from New England who climbed up the ladder of Ma ...
succeeded him with a substantial electoral majority (including Indiana) against a divided opposition. The Klan, however, continued to dominate state politics especially after the election of
Edward L. Jackson Edward L. Jackson (December 27, 1873 – November 18, 1954) was an American attorney, judge and politician, elected the 32nd governor of the U.S. state of Indiana from January 12, 1925, to January 14, 1929. He had also been elected as Secreta ...
as governor.


1965 tornado

On April 11, 1965, the southern part of Kokomo was struck by one of the 47 tornadoes that erupted over six Midwestern states, an event now known as the Palm Sunday outbreak. The F4 tornado that swept through Kokomo was wide and killed 25 people in the surrounding area. Significant damage was done to the Chrysler transmission plant. Windows were broken and the framework cracked throughout, and sections of the west wall were leveled. The Maple Crest elementary and junior high schools suffered extensive damage. The roof collapsed on the junior high school, and the framework of both schools was substantially wrecked. The Maple Crest Shell Station at the intersection of Lincoln and Washington was torn from its foundation and scattered about. Mills Drug Store at the same intersection was demolished. A house on Holly Lane was uprooted, and one on James Drive was demolished. The Maple Crest Shopping Center was extensively damaged, with Woolworth's suffering the most damage. The front and back of the one-story structure were caved in and merchandise was strewn about. Numerous homes in the Maple Crest area were flattened, and the top floor of the Maple Crest apartments was blown off. The only thing left standing on the nearby Church of the Brethren was the steeple. The force of the wind on the flat earth near Kokomo was so great that
Ted Fujita was a Japanese-American meteorologist whose research primarily focused on severe weather. His research at the University of Chicago on severe thunderstorms, tornadoes, hurricanes, and typhoons revolutionized the knowledge of each. Although ...
was able to make aerial photographs of the spiral scoring on the ground.


Ryan White

Kokomo served to symbolize the nation's early misunderstanding and ignorance of
AIDS Human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is a spectrum of conditions caused by infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), a retrovirus. Following initial infection an individual ma ...
in the mid-to-late 1980s when Ryan White was expelled from school due to his illness. White was a teenage hemophiliac who had been infected with HIV through contaminated blood products (Factor 8). At the time blood products were often collected through state prison systems. Factor 8 was made from pooled plasma of thousands of donors. Later the plasma was screened for HIV and Hepatitis and heat treated to inactive HIV and Hepatitis. The teen had been attending Western Middle School (which is actually in Russiaville) but was ostracized by his classmates, and forced to eat lunch alone and use a separate restroom. Many parents and teachers in Kokomo rallied in support of banning White from attending the school. A lengthy administrative appeal process with the school system ensued, followed by death threats and violence against White and his family, including a bullet being fired through the window of their Kokomo home. Media coverage of the case made White into a national celebrity and spokesman for AIDS research and public education. In 1987, the White family left Kokomo for
Cicero, Indiana Cicero is a town in Jackson Township, Hamilton County, Indiana, United States, north of Indianapolis. The population was 4,812 at the 2010 census. Cicero is notable for welcoming teenaged AIDS activist Ryan White to its community in 1987. Whit ...
. Ryan attended Hamilton Heights High School in nearby Arcadia, where he was welcomed by faculty and students.


Gas tower

The Kokomo Gas Tower had been a symbol of Kokomo since it was constructed in 1954. The tower was tall and had a capacity of . Due to high maintenance costs of $75,000 a year, and up to $1,000,000 to paint it, the gas company decided to demolish it in 2003. Other ideas were reviewed before settling on this decision, including a plan to turn the tower into a giant
Coca-Cola Coca-Cola, or Coke, is a carbonated soft drink manufactured by the Coca-Cola Company. Originally marketed as a temperance bar, temperance drink and intended as a patent medicine, it was invented in the late 19th century by John Stith Pembe ...
advertisement. On September 7, 2003, at approximately 7:30 a.m., the Gas Tower was demolished by
Controlled Demolition, Inc. Controlled Demolition, Inc. (CDI) is a controlled demolition firm headquartered in Phoenix, Maryland. The firm was founded by Jack Loizeaux who used dynamite to remove tree stumps in the Baltimore, Maryland area, and moved on to using explosives t ...
(CDI). Pieces of the tower were sold to the public for $20–$30, and proceeds went to a planned Kokomo technology incubation center and Bona Vista.


2016 tornado

On August 24, 2016, a strong EF3 tornado caused major damage in the southern part of Kokomo. 1,000 homes were damaged, 170 of which sustained major damage. 80 of these homes were destroyed, some sustaining loss of roofs and exterior walls. Many large trees and power poles were snapped along the path, and the Park Place Apartments were heavily damaged as well. Vehicles were also damaged, including a large truck that was moved 10 feet from the driveway of a house and flipped over. A
Starbucks Starbucks Corporation is an American multinational chain of coffeehouses and roastery reserves headquartered in Seattle, Washington. It is the world's largest coffeehouse chain. As of November 2021, the company had 33,833 stores in 80 cou ...
was completely destroyed, and several people were left trapped inside the still standing bathroom and had to be rescued. Many sheds and detached garages were destroyed as well, and a receipt from Kokomo was found 30 miles away in Marion. The storm followed a path very close to that of another tornado which hit on November 17, 2013. Scientists have noticed that nearly every tornado in Kokomo has struck the southern part of the city.


Geography and climate

File:Kokomo indiana weather 1.jpg, Weather of Kokomo during December 2016 File:Kokomo indiana weather 2.jpg, Weather of Kokomo during December 2016 File:Kokomo indiana weather 3.jpg, U.S. 31 during winters near Kokomo According to the 2010 census, Kokomo has a total area of , of which (or 99.68%) is land and (or 0.32%) is water. Kokomo has a
humid continental climate A humid continental climate is a climatic region defined by Russo-German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1900, typified by four distinct seasons and large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and freez ...
( Köppen ''Dfa'').


Notable tornadoes

Kokomo has been struck by 18 tornadoes between 1950 and 2015, some of which were strong enough to claim lives. On March 6, 1961, two F3 tornadoes struck the southern part of Kokomo, killing one person and injuring three others. On April 11, 1965, an F4 tornado tore through portions of Russiaville, Alto, southern Kokomo, and Greentown killing 25 people and injuring hundreds of more. On April 20, 2004, Two tornadoes struck the Northern part of Kokomo. The first tornado was rated F0 and caused little damage to homes and trees. The second tornado was rated F1 and caused a roof to collapse at the local skating rink, and damaged three other homes and a truck stop. Both tornadoes caused 1 injury and no fatalities. This was the first time ever a tornado has struck the Northern part of Kokomo. On November 17, 2013, two EF2 tornadoes tore through the southern part of Kokomo. The first tornado Damaged over 300 homes/businesses. The second tornado touched down briefly and caused damage to the local golf course and other businesses. In all, The two tornadoes caused 0 fatalities and only five injuries. On August 24, 2016, an EF3 tornado caused significant damage to the Southern part of Kokomo damaging over 1,000 homes and businesses. 80 of these homes were destroyed, 176 had their walls blown in and roofs torn off, and over 700 were damaged badly. No fatal injuries were recorded during this tornado.


Environmental problems


Continental Steel Corporation

From 1914 through 1986, the Continental Steel Corporation facility produced nails, wire and wire fence from scrap steel on a facility in Kokomo. Manufacturing operations in the steel plant and on other portions of the property included the use, handling, storage and disposal of hazardous materials. Steel-making operations had included reheating, casting rolling, drawing, pickling, galvanizing, tinning and tempering. After the company filed for bankruptcy in 1986, EPA and the Indiana Department of Environmental Management investigated the plant and property and found soil, sediments, surface water and ground water contaminated with volatile organic compounds (PCBs) and several metals, including lead, arsenic, cadmium, and chromium. Lead contamination was also detected in soils on nearby residential properties. The site was proposed to the
National Priorities List The National Priorities List (NPL) is the priority list of hazardous waste sites in the United States eligible for long-term remedial investigation and remedial action (cleanup) financed under the federal Superfund program. Environmental Protec ...
as a
Superfund Superfund is a United States federal environmental remediation program established by the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA). The program is administered by the Environmental Protection Agency ...
site in 1988 and formally added in 1989. In April 2009, EPA received almost $6 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to complete needed cleanup at two problems at the Continental Steel Superfund site: the former Slag Processing Area and the site's contaminated ground water. The ARRA funding helped accelerate the cleanup of hazardous waste on the site. In the process, total of 15 Indiana contractors or subcontractors were involved in the ARRA-funded work, creating at least 45 temporary jobs. In August 2010, using the ARRA funds, EPA completed the cleanup of the former slag processing area of the Superfund Site. Approximately of slag were moved to the site's acid lagoon area for use as fill on that portion of the site. of clean soil were used to cap the former slag processing area, leaving it suitable for potential redevelopment. ARRA funds were also used to address contaminated groundwater at the site. This work included extensive groundwater sampling to determine the contaminated plume area and installation of groundwater extraction and monitoring wells. Three wind turbines will be used to generate much of the power needed to operate the groundwater extraction system. Site cleanup was completed in August 2011. In 2016 the former site was approved as the location of a
Solar farm Solar may refer to: Astronomy * Of or relating to the Sun ** Solar telescope, a special purpose telescope used to observe the Sun ** A device that utilizes solar energy (e.g. "solar panels") ** Solar calendar, a calendar whose dates indicate ...
with installation of panels beginning in August 2016. The estimated cost of the project is $10M. The solar energy park began operating on December 29, 2016.


Groundwater contamination

In 1995 the Indiana American Water treatment facility found groundwater beneath the city contaminated with trace amounts of
vinyl chloride Vinyl chloride is an organochloride with the formula H2C=CHCl. It is also called vinyl chloride monomer (VCM) or chloroethene. This colorless compound is an important industrial chemical chiefly used to produce the polymer polyvinyl chloride (PVC ...
. In 2007, the Indiana Department of Environmental Management found groundwater at four municipal wells containing vinyl chloride at levels exceeding the EPA maximum contaminant level in raw water. In 2011, it found one of the monitoring wells, not owned or used by Indiana American Water, had amounts of vinyl chloride that were more than 2,500 times the maximum level for drinking water. IDEM has identified fourteen facilities that handle chlorinated solvents and could be sources to the contamination plume. Some of these potential sources are currently being managed under other authorities but there is no cleanup approach focusing on the ground water plume. Water from several well fields in Kokomo are blended and treated prior to distribution. A water treatment system has been successfully removing the vinyl chloride from the finished drinking water, but this is not a permanent solution to address the contaminated ground water plume. The site was proposed to the National Priorities List and added to the Superfund in March 2015. No cleanup plan is yet in effect.


Neighborhoods

These are neighborhoods in Kokomo according to the city transportation map: * Wynterbrook


Demographics

Kokomo is the larger principal city of the Kokomo-Peru CSA, a
Combined Statistical Area Combined statistical area (CSA) is a United States Office of Management and Budget (OMB) term for a combination of adjacent metropolitan statistical area, metropolitan (MSA) and micropolitan statistical areas (µSA) across the 50 US states and ...
that includes the Kokomo metropolitan area (Howard and Tipton counties) and the Peru micropolitan area ( Miami County). The three counties had a total population of 133,061 in 2018, however the Kokomo-Peru CSA listed population of 117,933 suggest that Tipton County was dropped from the Kokomo MSA by the US Census Bureau. As of 2000 the median income for households in the city was $36,258, and the median income for a family was $45,353. Males had a median income of $38,420 versus $24,868 for females. The
per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...
for the city was $20,083. About 9.6% of families and 13.0% of the population were below the
poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...
, including 18.5% of those under age 18 and 9.3% of those age 65 or over.


2010 census

As of the
census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses inc ...
of 2010, there were 45,468 people, 19,848 households, and 11,667 families residing in the city. The
population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopu ...
was . There were 23,010 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 83.5%
White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White ...
, 10.7%
African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 0.4% Native American, 1.0% Asian, 1.1% from other races, and 3.3% from two or more races.
Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties for ...
or Latino of any race were 3.3% of the population. There were 19,848 households, of which 30.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.4% were
married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between ...
living together, 16.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.8% had a male householder with no wife present, and 41.2% were non-families. 35.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.25 and the average family size was 2.90. The median age in the city was 38.2 years. 24% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.8% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 25.2% were from 25 to 44; 26.2% were from 45 to 64; and 15.8% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 46.8% male and 53.2% female.


Economy

Kokomo's employment, largely based in manufacturing, was hard hit by the economic downturn which led to the recession beginning in December 2007. In December 2008, Kokomo was ranked third by ''
Forbes ''Forbes'' () is an American business magazine owned by Integrated Whale Media Investments and the Forbes family. Published eight times a year, it features articles on finance, industry, investing, and marketing topics. ''Forbes'' also r ...
'' in its list of
America The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
's fastest dying towns, mainly as a result of the financial difficulties of the automotive industry. In May 2011, ''
Forbes ''Forbes'' () is an American business magazine owned by Integrated Whale Media Investments and the Forbes family. Published eight times a year, it features articles on finance, industry, investing, and marketing topics. ''Forbes'' also r ...
'' magazine listed Kokomo as one of the "Best Cities for Jobs" after the city ascended 177 places in the rankings. The same article described Kokomo's success in the past few years as "inspirational" and attributed the turnaround to "a revival in manufacturing." In June 2011, ''Conexus'' released a report touting Kokomo's "rapid bounce" after the recession, and predicted a rise in income of more than 2%, assuming increased automobile production. By May 2013 Kokomo's unemployment rate was 9%, representing a 1.4% decrease in non-farm employment, it was higher than the national rate of 7.6%. The May 2013 statistics reported a 6.9% decline in manufacturing jobs over the previous 12 months. Government employment was 18.7% below the previous year. Major employers are *
Chrysler Stellantis North America (officially FCA US and formerly Chrysler ()) is one of the " Big Three" automobile manufacturers in the United States, headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan. It is the American subsidiary of the multinational automotiv ...
Division of
Stellantis Stellantis N.V. is a multinational automotive manufacturing corporation formed in 2021 on the basis of a 50–50 cross-border merger between the Italian-American conglomerate Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) and the French PSA Group. The comp ...
** Kokomo Transmission Plant (3,583 employees) ** Kokomo Casting Plant (1,281 employees) ** Indiana Transmission Plant I and II (2,439 employees) ** Kokomo Engine Plant started production in 2022. *
Aptiv Aptiv PLC is an Irish- American automotive technology supplier with headquarters in Dublin. Aptiv grew out of the now-defunct American company, Delphi Automotive Systems, which itself was formerly a component of General Motors. History The co ...
*
BorgWarner BorgWarner Inc. is an American automotive supplier headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The company maintains production facilities and technical systems at 93 sites (as of June 6, 2022) in 22 countries worldwide and has around 49,000 employ ...
* GM Components Holdings LLC *
Haynes International Haynes International, Inc., headquartered in Kokomo, Indiana, is one of the largest producers of corrosion-resistant and high-temperature alloys. In addition to Kokomo, Haynes has manufacturing facilities in Arcadia, Louisiana, and Mountain Home ...
* Holder Mattress * Syndicate Sales, Inc. *
Coca-Cola Coca-Cola, or Coke, is a carbonated soft drink manufactured by the Coca-Cola Company. Originally marketed as a temperance bar, temperance drink and intended as a patent medicine, it was invented in the late 19th century by John Stith Pembe ...
bottling plant * Bona Vista (charity)


Government

Kokomo's current mayor is Republican Tyler Moore, elected in November 2019. The previous mayor was Democrat Greg Goodnight (2008–2019) The two previous mayors before Goodnight were Matt McKillip (2004–2008) and Jim Trobaugh, both Republicans. The mayor is elected in a citywide vote. The city council is known as the Common Council. It consists of nine members. Six members are elected from individual districts. The other three are elected at-large.


Media


Newspapers

* '' Kokomo Tribune'', daily morning newspaper owned by
Community Newspaper Holdings CNHI, LLC (formerly Community Newspaper Holdings, Inc.) is an American publisher of newspapers and advertising-related publications throughout the United States. The company was formed in 1997 by Ralph Martin,
* ''
Kokomo Perspective ''The Kokomo Perspective'' was a weekly newspaper serving Kokomo, Indiana, established in August 1989, with almost exclusively local content. It ceased operating on November 29, 2021. The ''Perspective'' was distributed for free to 31,000 homes ...
'', a locally owned weekly newspaper delivered every Tuesday or Wednesday that ceased publication in late 2021 * ''The Correspondent'', student newspaper of Indiana University Kokomo and Purdue College of Technology at Kokomo * ''The Kokomo Post'', an online media publication owned by the Larison Company LLC


Television

* WTTK, CBS affiliate, channel 29 (satellite of Bloomington-licensed WTTV); transmits from Indianapolis's north side * KGOV, Kokomo government access channel, channel 2


Radio

* WFIU-FM, Jazz, Classical, NPR – 106.1 FM * WFRN-FM, Christian Radio – 93.7 FM * WIOU-AM, Talk, News and Sports – 1350 AM * WIWC-FM, Christian Radio – 91.7 FM * WMYK-FM, Rock – 98.5 FM * WSHW-FM, Contemporary Hit Radio (Top 40) – 99.7 FM * WTSX-FM, Hip-Hop, Gospel, Soul, Rock-n-Roll, EDM & Top 40 - 104.9 FM * WWKI-FM, Hit Country – 100.5 FM * WJJD-LP, Christian Radio,
Radio 74 Radio is the technology of signaling and communicating using radio waves. Radio waves are electromagnetic waves of frequency between 30 hertz (Hz) and 300 gigahertz (GHz). They are generated by an electronic device called a transmit ...
– 101.3 FM * WZWZ-FM, Bright Adult Contemporary – 92.5 FM


Education


Colleges and universities

* Howard College - 1863-1872 * Indiana University Kokomo (IUK) * Indiana Wesleyan University – Kokomo Campus *
Ivy Tech Community College Ivy Tech Community College (Ivy Tech) is a public community college system in the U.S. state of Indiana. It is the state's public community college system and it has more than 40 locations. It is also the state's largest public postsecondary in ...
* Purdue University College of Technology at Kokomo


Public school districts

*
Kokomo-Center Township Consolidated School Corporation Kokomo-Center Township Consolidated School Corporation is located in Kokomo, Indiana Kokomo ( ) is a city in Indiana and the county seat of Howard County, Indiana, United States. It is the principal city of the Kokomo, Indiana Metropolitan S ...
(K-12, most neighborhoods inside city limits)
Kokomo High School Kokomo High School (merged with Haworth High School in 1984) is a four-year public high school in Kokomo, Indiana, USA. The school is the only high school in the Kokomo School Corporation. History The earliest Kokomo High School found in re ...
(NCC) * Northwestern School Corporation (K–12, northern part of the town) (MIC) * Taylor Community School Corporation (K-12, Indian Heights neighborhood) (MIC) *
Western School Corporation Western School Corporation is a public school district which serves Russiaville, Alto, New London, West Middleton, and southwestern Kokomo in Howard County, Indiana. The district spans the Howard County townships of Harrison, Honey Creek and M ...
(K-12, Pine Valley/Jackson Morrow Park area) (MIC)


Private schools

* Acacia Academy (K-8) * Agape Garden Montessori School * Children's Christian Academy * Christian Heritage Academy * F.D. Reese Christian Academy (K-3) * Redeemer Lutheran School (K-8) * Sts. Joan of Arc and St. Patrick Catholic School (K-8) * Temple Christian School (K-12) * Victory Christian Academy (K-12)


Public library

The city has a lending library, the Kokomo-Howard County Public Library.


Culture


Howard County Historical Society

The Howard County Historical Society occupies the Seiberling Mansion and the Elliot House, and their carriage houses. The Seiberling Mansion was built as the residence of Monroe Seiberling, one of Kokomo's richest citizens. Because of its architectural significance, the building has been listed on the
National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...
since 1972. The Elliot House was also built as a residence; it was later adapted for use as office space. These buildings are in the Old Silk Stocking Neighborhood, which is on the National Register of Historic Places, the only neighborhood in the county to be so recognized.


Parks and recreation

* Chief Ma-Ko-Ko-Mo Burial and Monument, east of downtown Kokomo *
Elwood Haynes Museum The Elwood Haynes Museum is a museum in the former mansion owned by Elwood Haynes located in Kokomo, Indiana. Haynes was an inventor who is credited with being the first to produce cars commercially in 1894. He also invented stainless steel an ...
, located next to Highland Park * Foster Park *
Kokomo Country Club Kokomo Country Club is a private country club in Kokomo, Indiana. The club was established on June 13, 1904, to provide a course for local golf enthusiasts. The course was the home course of Indiana Golf Hall of Fame Member Robert Resner. ''Note: ...
, golf club


Festivals

* Haynes-Apperson Festival, Independence Day weekend * WeberFest, Foster Park * Kokomo Con, October, Kokomo Event Center.


Sports teams

Other current teams include the City of First Roller Girls (Founded 2010) who compete in the Women's Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA). Indiana University of Kokomo Cougars compete in 12 sports within the NAIA in the River States Conference (RSC).


Former teams

* Indiana Mustangs, Mid Continental Football League (1991–2009), Mid States Football League (2010-2013) * Kokomo Dodgers,
Midwest League The Midwest League is a Minor League Baseball league established in 1947 and based in the Midwestern United States. A Class A league for most of its history, the league was promoted to High-A as part of Major League Baseball's 2021 reorganiza ...
(1955–1961) * Kokomo CFD Saints, semi-pro baseball (1989–2002) * Kokomo CFD Knights, semi-pro baseball (2006–2007) * Kokomo Mantis FC, soccer team (2016)


Sports venues

*
Highland Park Stadium Highland Park Stadium, also known as CFD Investments Stadium, is a minor league baseball stadium located in the Highland Park in Kokomo, Indiana, United States History Highland Park Stadium was built as the home of the Kokomo Giants in 1955, and ...
(CFD Investments Stadium) * Kokomo Speedway * Memorial Gymnasium *
Kokomo Municipal Stadium Kokomo Municipal Stadium is a baseball stadium in Kokomo, Indiana, Kokomo, Indiana, United States. The Kokomo Jackrabbits of the Collegiate summer baseball, college summer Northwoods League, and the Kokomo High School, Kokomo Wildkats (local high ...
* Wildcat Creek Soccer Complex * Student Activities and Events Center


Entertainment

Kokomo has a 12-screen movie theater, called AMC Showplace Kokomo 12, located on 1530 East Boulevard. In addition to AMC, Kokomo also has several forms of live entertainment, including choirs, a Park Band Association, and three live theatres.


Shopping

The city's major mall is Markland Mall, which features
Target Target may refer to: Physical items * Shooting target, used in marksmanship training and various shooting sports ** Bullseye (target), the goal one for which one aims in many of these sports ** Aiming point, in field artillery, fi ...
. The Kokomo Town Center, the former Kokomo Mall, underwent a major renovation in 2011 when it became an outdoor mall.


Infrastructure


Transportation


Airports

* Kokomo Municipal Airport


Highways

* US-31 to South Bend (North) and
Indianapolis Indianapolis (), colloquially known as Indy, is the state capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the seat of Marion County. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the consolidated population of Indianapolis and Marion ...
(South) * US-35 to Logansport (North) and Muncie (South) * IN-931 (former US 31 through Kokomo) * IN-19 to Kokomo Reservoir (North) and Tipton (South) * IN-22 to Burlington (West) and Hartford City (East) * IN-26 to Lafayette (West) and Hartford City (East) A major roadway traversing through Kokomo, nicknamed "stop light city", US 31 had become one of the state's most congested roadways. In Howard County, there were 15 traffic signals on US 31. As part of the state of Indiana's Major Moves Project, US 31 was updated to bypass the city of Kokomo to the east. It has interchanges at SR 26, Boulevard, Markland Avenue, and Touby Pike, as well as where the current SR 931 meets the new US 31. There was a similar change near South Bend and there will be one near Indianapolis. The construction in Howard County cost roughly $340 million. Construction started on the County Road 200 South bridge on November 1, 2008. The new US 31 was opened November 27, 2013, at which time the existing roadway was renamed SR 931.


Railroads

*
Central Railroad of Indianapolis Central Railroad of Indianapolis is a Class III short-line railroad that operates approximately miles of rail line in north central Indiana. One leg of the railroad begins near Marion at the unincorporated town of Michaelsville, passes wes ...
*
Winamac Southern Railway The Winamac Southern Railway is a short-line railroad in northern Indiana, United States, operated under lease by the Toledo, Peoria and Western Railway. It owns two lines radiating from Logansport, IN, Logansport to Kokomo, IN, Kokomo and Brin ...
(formerly part of the Columbus to Chicago Main Line) The town for many years was a stop on the
Pennsylvania Railroad The Pennsylvania Railroad (reporting mark PRR), legal name The Pennsylvania Railroad Company also known as the "Pennsy", was an American Class I railroad that was established in 1846 and headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was named ...
's division running on a Chicago-Logansport-Richmond-Hamilton-Cincinnati itinerary. The last named train on the route was the overnight ''Buckeye,'' whose unnamed successor ended service in 1969. A day train counterpart on the route lingered on at least another year.


Bus service

* Trailways service to Indianapolis and South Bend * Kokomo City-Line Trolley A fixed-route transportation system, five bus routes run past a total of exactly 275 stops, passing each stop once every hour, from 6:30 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday. The buses also have wireless internet for riders, which like the buses, is free to riders.


Trails and paths

* Wildcat Walk of Excellence – The Wildcat Walk of Excellence consists of over of paved trail that roughly follows the Wildcat Creek. The trail connects several of Kokomo's parks including Foster, Future, Waterworks, Miller-Highland and Mehlig Parks with a pedestrian bridge connecting Foster Park and the Kokomo Beach Family Aquatic Center. * Industrial Heritage Trail – The Industrial Heritage Trail spans from SR931 on the city's south side and connects with the Nickel Plate Trail on the city's north side. * Nickel Plate Trail – Currently connecting Rochester through
Peru , image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg , image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg , other_symbol = Great Seal of the State , other_symbol_type = National seal , national_motto = "Firm and Happy f ...
, to Kokomo and connecting with the Industrial Heritage Trail. * The Cloverleaf Trail - This trail was added in 2018. It starts downtown and travels southwest along what was once part of the
Toledo, St. Louis and Western Railroad The Toledo, St. Louis and Western Railroad, often abbreviated TStL&W and commonly known as the Clover Leaf, was a railroad company that operated in northwestern Ohio, north central Indiana, and south central Illinois during the late 19th and early ...
.


Health care

* Ascension St. Vincent Kokomo, opened in 1913 part of Ascension (healthcare system). *
Community Howard Regional Health Community Howard Regional Health is a hospital located in Kokomo, Indiana Kokomo ( ) is a city in Indiana and the county seat of Howard County, Indiana, United States. It is the principal city of the Kokomo, Indiana Metropolitan Statistic ...
, incorporated in 1958


Notable people

. *
Brandon Beachy Brandon Alan Beachy (born September 3, 1986), is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Atlanta Braves and Los Angeles Dodgers. Amateur career Beachy attended Northwestern Senior Hig ...
, MLB pitcher
Los Angeles Dodgers The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League West, West division. Established in 1883 i ...
, Northwestern High School (Indiana) graduate *
Alicia Berneche Alicia Berneche (born January 1, 1971) is an American lyric coloratura soprano who has sung leading roles in operas throughout the United States. Berneche was born in Kokomo, Indiana and went to Kokomo High School where she played violin and star ...
, operatic soprano *
Rupert Boneham Rupert Frederick Boneham (; born January 27, 1964) is an American mentor for troubled teens, who became known to reality television audiences in 2003 as a contestant on '' Survivor: Pearl Islands'' where he placed eighth. He later appeared on the ...
, contestant on TV series '' Survivor'', Libertarian candidate for Indiana Governor in 2012 * Norman Bridwell, author of the '' Clifford the Big Red Dog'' children's books * Quautico (Tico) Brown, former
Continental Basketball Association The Continental Basketball Association (CBA) (originally known as the Eastern Pennsylvania Basketball League, and later as the Eastern Professional Basketball League and the Eastern Basketball Association) was a men's professional basketball mi ...
player *
Steve Butler Steve Butler (born September 26, 1956, in Amarillo, Texas) won six national driving championships in United States Automobile Club, USAC Sprint Car and Silver Crown open-wheel racing. Butler was highly regarded for his technical skills and perfor ...
, six-time Sprint Car National Champion * Kaitlyn Christopher,
Miss Indiana USA The Miss Indiana USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Indiana in the Miss USA pageant and the name of the title held by those representatives. This pageant is currently produced by Crown Moxie. The ...
2005 * Dave Darland, auto racer * Rowdy Elliott, baseball player * Elwood Haynes, inventor, automotive pioneer * Bud Hillis, U.S. Representative * Margaret Hillis, pianist, founder of
Chicago Symphony Chorus The Chicago Symphony Chorus began on September 22, 1957, when the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (CSO) announced that Margaret Hillis would organize and train a symphony chorus. The music director Fritz Reiner's original intent was to utilize the choru ...
*
Nellie Keeler Nellie Keeler (April 6, 1875 – 1903) was an American child circus performer known as Little Queen Mab. Life Nellie Keeler was born with dwarfism on April 6, 1875, in Kokomo, Indiana.''Kokomo Tribune'', Oct 26, 1975 She was the youngest of thre ...
, child circus performer * Honorée Fanonne Jeffers, Author of '' The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois'' and ''The Age of Phillis'' * Don Johnson, professional bowler, PBA Hall of Fame member *
Opha May Johnson Opha May Johnson (née Jacob, May 4, 1878 – August 11, 1955) was the first woman known to have enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. She joined the Marine Corps Reserve on August 13, 1918, officially becoming the first female Marine. Ea ...
,
United States Marine Corps The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through c ...
first female Marine * Steve Kroft, ''
60 Minutes ''60 Minutes'' is an American television news magazine broadcast on the CBS television network. Debuting in 1968, the program was created by Don Hewitt and Bill Leonard, who chose to set it apart from other news programs by using a unique st ...
'' correspondent * Jim "Goose" Ligon, former ABA basketball player * Strother Martin, actor * Clay Myers, photographer, animal welfare advocate * Kent C. Nelson, past CEO of
United Parcel Service United Parcel Service (UPS, stylized as ups) is an American multinational shipping & receiving and supply chain management company founded in 1907. Originally known as the American Messenger Company specializing in telegraphs, UPS has grown t ...
*
John O'Banion John O'Banion (16 February 1947 – 14 February 2007) was an American vocalist and actor. Early career O'Banion was born in Kokomo, Indiana in 1947 and was performing in theater by the age of 13 as well as in a local Indiana band Hog Honda & the ...
, singer * Jack Purvis,
jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a m ...
musician * Jane Randolph, actress, grew up in Kokomo *
Jimmy Rayl James R. Rayl (June 21, 1941 – January 20, 2019) was an American professional basketball player in the ABA. He was a 6'2" and 175 lb guard. High school career Born in Kokomo, Indiana, Rayl went to Kokomo High School from 1956 to 1959. H ...
, "Splendid Splinter,"
Indiana Pacers The Indiana Pacers are an American professional basketball team based in Indianapolis. The Pacers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Central Division. The Pacers were first estab ...
1967–1969, two-time All-American
Indiana University Indiana University (IU) is a system of public universities in the U.S. state of Indiana. Campuses Indiana University has two core campuses, five regional campuses, and two regional centers under the administration of IUPUI. *Indiana Universi ...
*
Robert S. Richardson Robert Shirley Richardson (April 22, 1902 – November 12, 1981) was an American astronomer, born in Kokomo, Indiana. He also published science fiction using the pseudonym Philip Latham. Career Philip Latham can support the suppositions that are ...
, astronomer * Tod Sloan, jockey * Tavis Smiley, PBS presenter * "Sylvia" (Sylvia Jane Kirby), country music singer * Joe Thatcher, pitcher for MLB
Chicago Cubs The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The Cubs compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as part of the National League (NL) Central division. The club plays its home games at Wrigley Field, which is locate ...
* Pat Underwood, former MLB pitcher,
Detroit Tigers The Detroit Tigers are an American professional baseball team based in Detroit. The Tigers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the American League (AL) Central division. One of the AL's eight charter franchises, the club was f ...
*
Tom Underwood Thomas Gerald Underwood (December 22, 1953 – November 22, 2010) was an American Major League Baseball pitcher. His younger brother, Pat was also a pitcher, and made his major league debut against Tom. It was the first time in major league his ...
, former MLB pitcher,
Philadelphia Phillies The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. Since 2004, the team's home sta ...
, St. Louis Cardinals,
Toronto Blue Jays The Toronto Blue Jays are a Canadian professional baseball team based in Toronto. The Blue Jays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Since 1989, the team has played its home games ...
,
New York Yankees The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. They are one ...
, Oakland A's and
Baltimore Orioles The Baltimore Orioles are an American professional baseball team based in Baltimore. The Orioles compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. As one of the American League's eight charter ...
*
William N. Vaile William Newell Vaile (June 22, 1876 – July 2, 1927) was a U.S. Representative from Colorado. Born in Kokomo, Indiana, Vaile moved with his parents to Denver, Colorado, in 1881. Vaile was of English descent., p.262. He attended the public s ...
, Congressman * Gertrude Vaile (1878-1954), social worker * Ryan White,
AIDS Human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is a spectrum of conditions caused by infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), a retrovirus. Following initial infection an individual ma ...
activist * Anna Mae Winburn,
African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
vocalist and
jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a m ...
bandleader A bandleader is the leader of a music group such as a rock or pop band or jazz quartet. The term is most commonly used with a group that plays popular music as a small combo or a big band, such as one which plays jazz, blues, rhythm and blues o ...
best known for having directed the
International Sweethearts of Rhythm The International Sweethearts of Rhythm was the first integrated all-women's band in the United States. During the 1940s the band featured some of the best female musicians of the day. They played swing and jazz on a national circuit that incl ...


In popular culture

* ''The Man from Home'' (1908), a play by
Booth Tarkington Newton Booth Tarkington (July 29, 1869 – May 19, 1946) was an American novelist and dramatist best known for his novels '' The Magnificent Ambersons'' (1918) and '' Alice Adams'' (1921). He is one of only four novelists to win the Pulit ...
and
Harry Leon Wilson Harry Leon Wilson (May 1, 1867 – June 28, 1939) was an American novelist and dramatist best known for his novels ''Ruggles of Red Gap'' and '' Merton of the Movies''. Another of his works, ''Bunker Bean'', helped popularize the term "flapper". ...
, involves a lawyer from Kokomo who travels to Europe but returns to the city in the end. * ''A Romance of Kokomo'' was a silent film made in 1917, which was also filmed in Kokomo, and made its opening premiere at the Isis Theater on South Main Street. * ''
The Kid from Kokomo ''The Kid from Kokomo'' is a 1939 American comedy film directed by Lewis Seiler and written by Richard Macaulay and Jerry Wald. The film stars Pat O'Brien, Wayne Morris, Joan Blondell, May Robson, Jane Wyman and Stanley Fields. The film was re ...
'' (1939; also sometimes called ''Broadway Cavalier'') is a comedy film about an orphan from Kokomo who refuses to box until his mother is found. The film was based on a story by Dalton Trumbo. *Kokomo is mentioned in the 1943 song ''
Hot Time in the Town of Berlin "(There'll Be a) Hot Time in the Town of Berlin (When the Yanks Go Marching In)" is a 1943 song with music and lyrics by Joe Bushkin and John DeVries, published by Barton Music Corp. The cover illustration for the sheet music was designed by Alb ...
'' first recorded by Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters in 1944. * In the 1947 film '' Mother Wore Tights'', Betty Grable and Dan Dailey sing a song entitled "Kokomo, Indiana". * Kokomo is the setting of
Allan Dwan Allan Dwan (born Joseph Aloysius Dwan; April 3, 1885 – December 28, 1981) was a pioneering Canadian-born American motion picture director, producer, and screenwriter. Early life Born Joseph Aloysius Dwan in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Dwan, wa ...
's nostalgic 1953 musical '' Sweethearts on Parade''. *"First Snow in Kokomo" is a track on
Aretha Franklin Aretha Louise Franklin ( ; March 25, 1942 – August 16, 2018) was an American singer, songwriter and pianist. Referred to as the " Queen of Soul", she has twice been placed ninth in '' Rolling Stone''s "100 Greatest Artists of All Time". Wit ...
's album ''
Young, Gifted and Black ''Young, Gifted and Black'' is the eighteenth studio album by American singer-songwriter Aretha Franklin, released in early 1972, by Atlantic Records. The album climbed to #2 on ''Billboards R&B albums survey and peaked at #11 on the main al ...
''. Franklin's domestic partner Ken Cunningham was born and raised in Kokomo and they still have family there. * In the 1980 film ''
Blues Brothers The Blues Brothers are an American blues and soul revivalist band founded in 1978 by comedians Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi as part of a musical sketch on ''Saturday Night Live''. Belushi and Aykroyd fronted the band, in character, respectiv ...
,'' the roadhouse "Bob's Country Bunker" is identified by
Elwood Blues The Blues Brothers are an American blues and soul revivalist band founded in 1978 by comedians Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi as part of a musical sketch on ''Saturday Night Live''. Belushi and Aykroyd fronted the band, in character, respectiv ...
as being located in Kokomo. * In the 1997 animated film '' Cats Don't Dance'', the main protagonist Danny is from Kokomo. *In
craps Craps is a dice game in which players bet on the outcomes of the roll of a pair of dice. Players can wager money against each other (playing "street craps") or against a bank ("casino craps"). Because it requires little equipment, "street ...
, rolling a four is sometimes referred to as "Little Joe from Kokomo", after "little" Joe Fohn, a famous bowler in the 1920s who apparently had a four step delivery. *The city is the title of a song from singer
Japanese Breakfast Japanese Breakfast is an indie pop band headed by Korean-American musician Michelle Zauner. Zauner started the band as a side project in 2013, when she was leading the Philadelphia-based emo group Little Big League. She has said that she named ...
's 2021 album Jubilee.


Sister city

*
Dongyang () is a county-level city under the jurisdiction of Jinhua in Central Zhejiang Province, China. It covers an area of and administers eleven towns, one township, and six subdistricts. It is part of the Yangtze River Delta Economic Region. A ...
,
Zhejiang Zhejiang ( or , ; , also romanized as Chekiang) is an eastern, coastal province of the People's Republic of China. Its capital and largest city is Hangzhou, and other notable cities include Ningbo and Wenzhou. Zhejiang is bordered by Ji ...
, China (2013)


See also

*
National Register of Historic Places listings in Howard County, Indiana __NOTOC__ This is a list of the National Register of Historic Places listings in Howard County, Indiana. This is intended to be a complete list of the properties and districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Howard County, Indi ...


References


Bibliography

* *


External links

*
City of Kokomo
{{Authority control 1844 establishments in Indiana Cities in Howard County, Indiana Cities in Indiana County seats in Indiana Kokomo, Indiana metropolitan area Populated places established in 1844