Anderson is a city in and the

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or parish (administrative division), civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equiva ...

Madison County, Indiana Madison County is a county in the U.S. state of Indiana. The 2020 census states the population is standing at 130,129. The county seat since 1836 has been Anderson, one of three incorporated cities within the county. Madison County is includ ...

, United States. The population was 54,788 at the 2020 census. It is named after

Chief William Anderson Kikthawenund ( or 1750 – 1831), also known as William Anderson, was a leader of the Unalatchgo Lenape people. His Lenape name is said to mean "creaking boughs." The city of Anderson in Indiana is named after him. Early life Kikthawenund wa ...

. The city is the headquarters of the Church of God and its Anderson University. Highlights of the city include the historic Paramount Theatre and the

Gruenewald House The Gruenewald House is a historic home located at 626 Main Street in downtown Anderson, Indiana, Anderson, Madison County, Indiana. This three story Italianate architecture, Italianate / Second Empire architecture, Second Empire style house w ...

History

Prior to the organization of Madison County,

William Conner William Conner (December 10, 1777 – August 28, 1855) was an American merchant, trader, Interpreting, interpreter, military Reconnaissance, scout, community leader, entrepreneur, and politician. Although Conner initially established himself a ...

entered the land upon which Anderson is located. Conner later sold the ground to John and Sarah Berry, who donated of their land to Madison County on the condition that the county seat be moved from Pendleton to Anderson. John Berry laid out the first plat of Anderson on November 7, 1827. In 1828 the seat of justice was moved from Pendleton to Anderson. The city is named for Chief William "Adam" Anderson, whose mother was

Lenape The Lenape (, , ; ), also called the Lenni Lenape and Delaware people, are an Indigenous peoples of the Northeastern Woodlands, Indigenous people of the Northeastern Woodlands, who live in the United States and Canada. The Lenape's historica ...

and whose father was of

Swedish Swedish or ' may refer to: Anything from or related to Sweden, a country in Northern Europe. Or, specifically: * Swedish language, a North Germanic language spoken primarily in Sweden and Finland ** Swedish alphabet, the official alphabet used by ...

descent. Chief Anderson's name in Lenape was ''Kikthawenund'', meaning "creaking boughs". The Lenape village was known as "Anderson's Town", though the Moravian missionaries called it "The Heathen Town Four Miles Away". Anderson was also known as "Andersonton" before being formally organized as Anderson. Introduction of

internal improvements Internal improvements is the term used historically in the United States for public works from the end of the American Revolution through much of the 19th century, mainly for the creation of a transportation infrastructure: roads, turnpikes, can ...

by the

Mammoth Internal Improvement Act The Indiana Mammoth Internal Improvement Act was a law passed by the Indiana General Assembly and signed by Whig Governor Noah Noble in 1836 that greatly expanded the state's program of internal improvements. It added $10 million to spending and ...

caused a growth in the population in 1837. In December 1838, Anderson was incorporated as a town with 350 inhabitants. The

Central Canal The central canal (also known as spinal foramen or ependymal canal) is the cerebrospinal fluid-filled space that runs through the spinal cord. The central canal lies below and is connected to the ventricular system of the brain, from which it r ...

, a branch of the

Wabash and Erie Canal The Wabash and Erie Canal was a shipping canal that linked the Great Lakes to the Ohio River via an artificial waterway. The canal provided traders with access from the Great Lakes all the way to the Gulf of Mexico. Over 460 miles long, it was th ...

, was planned to come through Anderson. Work continued on the canal during 1838 and the beginning of 1839, but the work was soon suspended by the state following effects of the

Panic of 1837 The Panic of 1837 was a financial crisis in the United States that began a major depression (economics), depression which lasted until the mid-1840s. Profits, prices, and wages dropped, westward expansion was stalled, unemployment rose, and pes ...

. The town again became a sleepy village until 1849, when it was incorporated a second time as a town. Many new commercial ventures located around the courthouse square. This incorporation was short-lived, and Anderson once again went back to village status in 1852. However, with the completion of the Indianapolis Bellefontaine Railroad, as well as their station in 1852, Anderson burst to life. The third incorporation of Anderson as a town occurred on June 9, 1853. The population continued to increase. On August 28, 1865, with a population of nearly 1,300 people, Anderson was incorporated as a city. Between 1853 and the late 19th century, twenty industries of various sizes located there. On March 31, 1887,

natural gas Natural gas (also fossil gas, methane gas, and gas) is a naturally occurring compound of gaseous hydrocarbons, primarily methane (95%), small amounts of higher alkanes, and traces of carbon dioxide and nitrogen, hydrogen sulfide and helium ...

was discovered in Anderson. As the

Indiana gas boom The Indiana gas boom was a period of active drilling and production of natural gas in the Trenton Gas Field, in the US state of Indiana and the adjacent northwest part of Ohio. The boom began in the early 1880s and lasted into the early 20th cent ...

began, this discovery led new businesses that could use natural gas, such as glass-making, to move to the city. Anderson grew to such proportions that a

Cincinnati Cincinnati ( ; colloquially nicknamed Cincy) is a city in Hamilton County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. Settled in 1788, the city is located on the northern side of the confluence of the Licking River (Kentucky), Licking and Ohio Ri ...

newspaper editor labeled the city "The

Pittsburgh Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States, and its county seat. It is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania#Municipalities, second-most populous city in Pennsylvania (after Philadelphia) and the List of Un ...

on White River". Other appellations were "Queen City of the Gas Belt" and (because of the vulcanizing and rubber tire manufacturing business) "Puncture Proof City". In 1897 the

Interurban The interurban (or radial railway in Canada) is a type of electric railway, with tram-like electric self-propelled railcars which run within and between cities or towns. The term "interurban" is usually used in North America, with other terms u ...

Railroad was born in Anderson. Charles Henry, a large stock holder, coined the term "Interurban" in 1893. It continued to operate until 1941. The Commercial Club (formed on November 18, 1905) was the forerunner of the present

chamber of commerce A chamber of commerce, or board of trade, is a form of business network. For example, a local organization of businesses whose goal is to further the interests of businesses. Business owners in towns and cities form these local societies to a ...

. The year 1912 spelled disaster for Anderson: the natural gas ran out. The city had left its gas-powered lights on day and night, and there are stories of a pocket of natural gas being lit in the river and burning for a prolonged period for the spectacle of it. The result of the loss of natural gas was that several factories moved out. The whole city slowed down. This club persuaded the Remy brothers to stay in Anderson and others to locate there. For decades, Delco Remy and Guide Lamp (later Fisher Guide), which during World War II built the

M3 submachine gun The M3 is an American .45 ACP, .45-caliber submachine gun adopted by the U.S. Army on 12 December 1942, as the United States Submachine Gun, Cal. .45, M3.Iannamico, Frank, ''The U.S. M3-3A1 Submachine Gun'', Moose Lake Publishing, , (1999), pp. ...

and the

FP-45 Liberator The FP-45 Liberator is a handgun manufactured by the United States military during World War II for use by resistance forces in occupied territories. The ''Liberator'' was never issued to American or other Allied troops, and there are few docum ...

pistol for the Allies, were the top two employers in the city. From 1913 through the 1950s, the Ward-Stilson Company was one of the country's largest producers of uniforms, regalia, furniture and props for the

Freemasons Freemasonry (sometimes spelled Free-Masonry) consists of fraternal groups that trace their origins to the medieval guilds of stonemasons. Freemasonry is the oldest secular fraternity in the world and among the oldest still-existing organizati ...

, the

Odd Fellows Odd Fellows (or Oddfellows when referencing the Grand United Order of Oddfellows or some British-based fraternities; also Odd Fellowship or Oddfellowship) is an international fraternity consisting of lodges first documented in 1730 in 18th-cen ...

, and dozens of other U.S.

fraternal organizations A fraternity or fraternal organization is an organized society of men associated together in an environment of companionship and brotherhood; dedicated to the intellectual, physical, and social development of its members. Service clubs, lineage so ...

. The Church of God of Anderson located its world headquarters in Anderson in 1905. Anderson Bible School was opened in 1917, and this was separated from Gospel Trumpet (now known as Warner Press) in 1925. At the same time, it became known as Anderson Bible School and Seminary. In 1925, the name was changed to Anderson College and eventually to Anderson University in 1988. Over the years, 17 different types of

automobile A car, or an automobile, is a motor vehicle with wheels. Most definitions of cars state that they run primarily on roads, Car seat, seat one to eight people, have four wheels, and mainly transport private transport#Personal transport, peopl ...

s were manufactured in Anderson, with the Lambert family among the city's leaders in its development and the Buckeye Gasoline Buggy the Lambert product. Many other inventions were perfected in Anderson, including the gas regulator (Miron G. Reynolds), the stamp vending machine (Frank P. Dunn), clothes presser (H. Donald Forse), "Irish Mail" handcars (Hugh Hill), flower car for funeral homes (Francis M. McClain, automatic gearshift (Von D. Polhemus)), Sisson choke (Glenn Sisson), and the vulcanizing process to

retread Retread (also known as recap or remold) is a re-manufacturing process for tires that replace the tread on worn tires. Retreading is applied to casings of spent tires that have been inspected and repaired. It preserves about 90% of the material ...

tires (Charles E. Miller). Anderson hosted a

National Basketball Association The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada). The NBA is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Ca ...

(NBA) franchise for the 1949–50 season, being one of the smaller cities to have had a major league franchise in a Big Four American sport. The

Anderson Packers The Anderson Packers, also known as the Anderson Duffey Packers and the Chief Anderson Meat Packers, were a professional basketball team based in Anderson, Indiana, in the 1940s and 1950s. The team was founded and owned by brothers Ike W. and ...

were a founding member of the NBA (under that name), but folded after one season. Like most other industrial cities in Indiana and the

Rust Belt The Rust Belt, formerly the Steel Belt or Factory Belt, is an area of the United States that underwent substantial Deindustrialization, industrial decline in the late 20th century. The region is centered in the Great Lakes and Mid-Atlantic (Uni ...

as a whole, Anderson suffered tremendously from

deindustrialization Deindustrialization is a process of social and economic change caused by the removal or reduction of industrial capacity or activity in a country or region, especially of heavy industry or manufacturing industry. There are different interpr ...

in the 1970s and 1980s. For example, nearly 22,000 people were employed by

General Motors General Motors Company (GM) is an American Multinational corporation, multinational Automotive industry, automotive manufacturing company headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, United States. The company is most known for owning and manufacturing f ...

in the 1970s in Anderson; by 2006 this number had declined to fewer than 2,600. Anderson has since struggled with higher rates of poverty and unemployment.

Geography

Anderson is located in south-central Madison County at . The city of Anderson occupies all of Anderson Township except for the much smaller communities of Country Club Heights, Edgewood, River Forest, and Woodlawn Heights, as well as small parts of five other townships: Lafayette, Richland, Union,

Adams Adams may refer to: * For persons, see Adams (surname) Places United States *Adams, California *Adams, California, former name of Corte Madera, California * Adams, Decatur County, Indiana *Adams, Kentucky *Adams, Massachusetts, a New England to ...

, and Fall Creek.

Indiana State Road 32 State Road 32 (SR 32) in the U.S. state of Indiana is an east–west state highway in central Indiana that crosses the entire state, covering a distance of about . The western terminus of SR 32 is at the Illinois state line, sout ...

(14th Street) crosses the city center, leading east-northeast to Muncie and west-southwest the same distance to Noblesville. State Road 9 (Scatterfield Road) crosses the east side of the city, leading north to

Alexandria Alexandria ( ; ) is the List of cities and towns in Egypt#Largest cities, second largest city in Egypt and the List of coastal settlements of the Mediterranean Sea, largest city on the Mediterranean coast. It lies at the western edge of the Nile ...

and southwest to Pendleton.

Interstate 69 Interstate 69 (I-69) is an Interstate Highway in the United States currently consisting of eight unconnected segments. The longest segment runs from Evansville, Indiana, northeast to the Canadian border in Port Huron, Michigan, and includ ...

crosses the southeast corner of the city, with access from Exit 226 (SR 9/ SR 109). I-69 leads southwest to

Indianapolis Indianapolis ( ), colloquially known as Indy, is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Indiana, most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana, Marion ...

and northeast to

Fort Wayne Fort Wayne is a city in Allen County, Indiana, United States, and its county seat. Located in northeastern Indiana, the city is west of the Ohio border and south of the Michigan border. The city's population was 263,886 at the 2020 United S ...

. According to the

U.S. Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The U.S. Census Bureau is part of the U ...

, Anderson has a total area of , of which are land and , or 0.27%, are water. The White River flows east to west through the northern part of the city.

Climate

Demographics

2010 census

As of the 2010 census, there were people, households, and families living in the city. The population density was . There were housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 78.8%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 15.2%

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 0.3% Native American, 0.5% Asian, 2.6% from other races, and 2.6% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino of any race were 4.8% of the population. Of the extant households 28.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.8% were married couples living together, 17.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.5% had a male householder with no wife present, and 41.6% were non-families. 34.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.28 and the average family size was 2.91. The median age in the city was 37.8 years. 22.4% of residents were under the age of 18; 11.5% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 24.8% were from 25 to 44; 24.9% were from 45 to 64; and 16.3% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.9% male and 52.1% female.

2000 census

As of the 2000 census, there were people, households, and families living in the city. The population density was . There were housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 81.99%

, 14.88%

, 0.31% Native American, 0.49% Asian, 0.02%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...

, 0.86% from other races, and 1.45% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 2.07% of the population. There were 25,274 households, out of which 27.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.4% were married couples living together, 15.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.0% were non-families. 33.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.28 and the average family size was 2.87. In the city, the age distribution of the population shows 23.2% under the age of 18, 11.2% from 18 to 24, 27.6% from 25 to 44, 21.3% from 45 to 64, and 16.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there

Government

The city government consists of a mayor and a city council. The mayor is elected in citywide vote. The city council consists of nine members. Six are elected from individual districts. Three members are elected at large.

Economy

When

closed its operations in Anderson, the city was dealt a major economic blow, as GM was the biggest employer in Anderson. Nevertheless, in 2007, Anderson was ranked 98th in the ''

Forbes ''Forbes'' () is an American business magazine founded by B. C. Forbes in 1917. It has been owned by the Hong Kong–based investment group Integrated Whale Media Investments since 2014. Its chairman and editor-in-chief is Steve Forbes. The co ...

'' List for 100 Best Places for Businesses among Smaller U.S. Metro areas. However, a more recent (2014) appraisal of Anderson from the '' Indiana Business Review'' was mixed, noting that "long-term trends are negative", citing "a long-term downward trend in area employment" and "acceleration in the number of food stamp recipients". More recent unemployment has been reduced, but improvements still lag behind the rest of the state. For 2013, estimated household median income was $33,574 (vs. Indiana state median of $48,248). Per capita money income was $18,216 (Indiana per capita of $24,635). 25.8% of the city's population was estimated at living below poverty level, vs. a statewide estimation of 15.4%. Madison County, of which Anderson is the seat, has nearly three times as many food stamps recipients per capita as does Indiana as a whole. As of February 2019, the ten largest employers in Madison County were:

Points of interest

* Anderson Center for the Arts (listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

) *

Anderson Speedway Anderson Speedway is a quarter mile (400 m) high-banked paved oval track racing, oval racetrack in Anderson, Indiana, Anderson, Indiana, United States. The track hosts the annual Little 500 Sprint car racing, sprint car race and the Redbud 400 Sto ...

, home of the Pay Less Little 500 and Redbud 400 * Downtown Historic District (NRHP-listed) *

Hoosier Park Harrah's Hoosier Park Racing & Casino is a racino including a standardbred racetrack located in Anderson, Indiana, approximately 30 miles northeast of Indianapolis. It is owned and operated by Eldorado Resorts, Caesars Entertainment. The facility ...

Racing and Casino * Madison County Historical Center *

Mounds State Park Mounds State Park is a state park near Anderson, Indiana, Anderson, Madison County, Indiana featuring Native Americans in the United States, Native American heritage, and ten ceremonial mounds built by the prehistoric Adena culture indigenous peo ...

(NRHP-listed), adjacent to the eastern border of the city * Paramount Theatre (NRHP-listed) * Shadyside Memorial Park and Lake * Additional locations on the National Register of Historic Places: ** Anderson Bank Building ** Central Avenue School **

** Tower Hotel ** West Central Historic District **

West Eighth Street Historic District The West Eighth Street Historic District is a national Historic district (United States), historic district located at Anderson, Indiana, Anderson, Madison County, Indiana. This District consists of homes, churches, parks, commercial and pub ...

Education

The majority of the municipality is in the

Anderson Community School Corporation Anderson Community School Corporation, is a school district located in Anderson, Indiana. The majority of Anderson is in this school district. The district also includes Country Club Heights, Edgewood, River Forest, Woodlawn Heights, and t ...

,
Text list
/ref> which includes one high school, Anderson High School which serves grades 9 – 12; one junior high school, Highland Middle School (formerly Highland High School) which serves grades 6 – 8, six elementary schools (Eastside, Edgewood, Valley Grove, 10th Street, Erskine, Anderson Elementary) which serve k -5, a kindergarten center (Killbuck), and a preschool (Southview). Until 1997, Anderson had three high schools: Highland, Madison Heights and Anderson. In 1997 Madison Heights was closed and Anderson High School moved into that facility. Beginning in the fall of 2010, Highland High School closed and was converted into a junior high school, consolidating all students in grades 9-12 into Anderson High School. Small portions of the city limits are in the South Madison Community School Corporation. Anderson also has a charter school (non-traditional, tuition-free public school) called Anderson Preparatory Academy. Currently, Anderson Preparatory Academy features grades K-12. Anderson Preparatory Academy is a college preparatory, military-based academy. All cadets in grades 6-8 are members of the Civil Air Patrol. High school cadets are all members of the Air Force JROTC program. Original plans called to only offer grades 6–9, then add on another upper grade each year before extending the lower years. Anderson University is within the city, as are a campus of the

Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana 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 ...

and a campus of the

Purdue Polytechnic Institute Purdue University is a public land-grant research university in West Lafayette, Indiana, United States, and the flagship campus of the Purdue University system. The university was founded in 1869 after Lafayette businessman John Purdue donat ...

. The city has a lending library, the Anderson Public Library.

Notable people

* Harold Achor, justice of the

Indiana Supreme Court The Indiana Supreme Court, established by Article 7 of the Indiana Constitution, is the highest judicial authority in the state of Indiana. Located in Indianapolis, the Court's chambers are in the north wing of the Indiana Statehouse. In Dec ...

Jermaine Allensworth Jermaine Lamont Allensworth (born January 11, 1972) is an American former professional baseball center fielder. He played four seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB), from 1996 until 1999, for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Kansas City Royals and the ...

, professional baseball outfielder * Silas Allred, collegiate wrestler * Lowell Amos, convicted "Black Widower" murderer * Melvin E. Biddle, World War II

Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest Awards and decorations of the United States Armed Forces, military decoration and is awarded to recognize American United States Army, soldiers, United States Navy, sailors, Un ...

recipient * Don Brandon, Hall of Fame baseball coach from Anderson University *

Jann Browne Jann Browne (born Jana Lynn Stebner; March 14, 1954) is an American country music singer. She moved to Southern California in 1978 where she performed in a number of Orange County country bars. From 1981 through 1983, before her solo career, she w ...

, country music singer *

Gary Burton Gary Burton (born January 23, 1943) is an American jazz Vibraphone, vibraphonist, composer, and educator. Burton developed a pianistic style of four-mallet technique as an alternative to the prevailing two-mallet technique. This approach caused ...

, jazz vibraphonist * Bob Carey, Indy car driver *

Everett Case Everett Norris Case (June 21, 1900 – April 30, 1966), nicknamed the "Old Gray Fox", was a basketball coach most notable for his tenure at North Carolina State University, from 1946 to 1964. Early life and career Born in Anderson, Indiana, Ca ...

, nicknamed "Gray Fox", basketball coach notable for tenure at North Carolina State University, 1946–1964 * Joshua Crockett, sixth president of

Bob Jones University Bob Jones University (BJU) is a private university in Greenville, South Carolina, United States. It is known for its Conservatism in the United States, conservative and Evangelicalism in the United States, evangelical cultural and religious posit ...

* Buck Crouse, MLB catcher * James Davis, politician, U.S. Secretary of Labor * Winfield T. Durbin, politician, former

governor of Indiana The governor of Indiana is the head of government of the U.S. state of Indiana. The governor is elected to a four-year term and is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day management of the functions of many agencies of the Indiana state gover ...

Cory Edwards Cory Edwards (born August 21, 1968) is an American film director, screenwriter, and stand-up comedian. He is best known for directing, co-writing, and voice acting in ''Hoodwinked!, Hoodwinked'' (2005), and for co-writing and voice acting in t ...

, producer of ''

Hoodwinked! ''Hoodwinked!'' is a 2005 American animated musical mystery comedy film directed and written by Cory Edwards along with Todd Edwards, and Tony Leech, and produced by Katie Hooten, Maurice Kanbar, David K. Lovegren, Sue Bea Montgomery, a ...

''; created internet series ''

Krogzilla ''Krogzilla'' is an adult animated web series, created by filmmaker and actor Cory Edwards for the YouTube channel Shut Up! Cartoons. The series premiered on May 31, 2012 and stars Edwards as a sea monster named Krogzilla, who was shrunk by scien ...

'' on

Smosh Smosh () is an American YouTube sketch comedy-improv collective, independent production company, and former social networking site founded by Anthony Padilla and Ian Hecox. In 2002, Padilla created a website named "smosh.com" for making Flas ...

's Shut Up Cartoons channel *

Carl Erskine Carl Daniel Erskine (December 13, 1926 – April 16, 2024), nicknamed "Oisk", was an American baseball pitcher in Major League Baseball who played his entire career for the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers from 1948 through 1959. He was a pitching m ...

, Professional baseball player, BKN/LA Dodgers Pitcher from 1948 to 1959. *

Gordon Gordon The Gordons were crime fiction authors Gordon Gordon (born March 12, 1906, Anderson, Indiana – died March 14, 2002), and his wife, Mildred Nixon Gordon (born June 24, 1912, Kansas – died February 3, 1979, Tucson, Arizona). Both attended the ...

, crime novelist *

Krystal Harris Krystal Marie Peterson (née Harris; November 7, 1981) is an American former singer-songwriter and pianist known for her 2001 single "Supergirl!" which was featured on the soundtrack for ''The Princess Diaries'' and on her debut album '' Me & ...

, singer *

Charles L. Henry Charles Lewis Henry (July 1, 1849 – May 2, 1927) was an American lawyer and politician who served two terms as a U.S. Representative from Indiana from 1895 to 1899. Biography Born in Green Township, Hancock County, Indiana, Henry moved wit ...

, politician, congressman, coiner of term "interurban" * William Leo Higi, bishop of the Diocese of Lafayette in Indiana *

Orville Hodge Orville Enoch Hodge (October 1, 1904 – December 29, 1986) was the Auditor of Public Accounts (predecessor to the Office of Illinois Comptroller, Comptroller) of the state of Illinois from 1952 to 1956. During his term in office, he embezzle ...

embezzler Embezzlement (from Anglo-Norman, from Old French ''besillier'' ("to torment, etc."), of unknown origin) is a type of financial crime, usually involving theft of money from a business or employer. It often involves a trusted individual taking ...

* Gary Hoover, businessman, author, entrepreneur * Robert Kessler, 1st Team

All-American The All-America designation is an annual honor bestowed on outstanding athletes in the United States who are considered to be among the best athletes in their respective sport. Individuals receiving this distinction are typically added to an Al ...

and 2x First-team

Big Ten The Big Ten Conference (stylized B1G, formerly the Western Conference and the Big Nine Conference, among others) is a collegiate athletic conference in the United States. Founded as the Intercollegiate Conference of Faculty Representatives in 1 ...

basketball player for

Purdue University Purdue University is a Public university#United States, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in West Lafayette, Indiana, United States, and the flagship campus of the Purdue University system. The university was founded ...

from 1933 to 1936 * James Kilgore,

Symbionese Liberation Army The United Federated Forces of the Symbionese Liberation Army (commonly referred to simply as the SLA) was a small, American militant far-left organization active between 1973 and 1975; it claimed to be a vanguard movement. The FBI and wider Am ...

member *

John William Lambert John William Lambert (January 29, 1860 May 20, 1952) was an American automobile manufacturer pioneer and inventor. He is the inventor of the first practical American gasoline automobile. In 1891, he built a working gasoline automobile and t ...

, inventor of first successful U.S. gasoline automobile *

Adam Lind Adam Alan Lind (born July 17, 1983) is an American former professional baseball first baseman and designated hitter. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Toronto Blue Jays, Milwaukee Brewers, Seattle Mariners, and Washington Nationals ...

, MLB player for

Washington Nationals The Washington Nationals are an American professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C. The Nationals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East Division. They play their home games at Na ...

Seattle Mariners The Seattle Mariners are an American professional baseball team based in Seattle. The Mariners compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League West, West Division. The team joined the American ...

* Matt Lutz, actor * Von Mansfield, NFL defensive back *

Brittany Mason Brittany Mason (born September 1, 1986) is an American model, actress, activist and beauty pageant titleholder. In 2017, she became the national director for the Miss Universe Ireland franchise. Career Modeling Represented by Wilhelmina Mod ...

, model *

Mack Mattingly Mack Francis Mattingly (born January 7, 1931) is an American diplomat and politician from Georgia who served as a member of the United States Senate for one term from 1981 to 1987. He was the first Republican to have served in the U.S. Senate fr ...

, politician, Georgia senator * Gary McGhee, professional basketball player * Jon McLaughlin, singer *

Phyllis Reynolds Naylor Phyllis Reynolds Naylor (born January 4, 1933) is an American writer best known for children's and young adult fiction. Naylor is best known for her children's-novel quartet '' Shiloh'' (a 1992 Newbery Medal winner) and for her "Alice" book ser ...

, author *

Phill Niblock Phillip Earl Niblock (October 2, 1933 – January 8, 2024) was an American composer, filmmaker, and videographer. In 1985, he was appointed director of Experimental Intermedia,Alan Licht, ''Common Tones: Selected Interviews with Artists and Music ...

, composer and filmmaker * Bruce Nickells,

harness racing Harness racing is a form of horse racing in which the horses race at a specific gait (a trot or a pace). They usually pull a two-wheeled cart called a sulky, spider, or chariot occupied by a driver. In Europe, and less frequently in Australia ...

driver and trainer *

Sandi Patty Sandra Faye "Sandi" Patty (born July 12, 1956) is an American Christian music singer, known for her wide soprano vocal range and expressive flexibility. Biography Early life Patty was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, into a family of musician ...

, singer *

Amber Portwood Amber Leann Portwood (born 1990) is an American reality television personality and convicted criminal. From Anderson, Indiana, she is known for being cast in the reality television series ''16 and Pregnant'' in 2009, which documented the pregnan ...

, TV personality *

James Rebhorn James Robert Rebhorn (September 1, 1948 – March 21, 2014) was an American character actor. Rebhorn appeared in over 100 films, television series, and plays. Rebhorn portrayed George Wilbur in '' My Cousin Vinny'', Dr. McElwaine in '' Basic In ...

, actor *

Kris Roe The Ataris are an American punk rock band from Anderson, Indiana. Formed in 1996, they released five studio albums between 1997 and 2007. Their best-selling album is ''So Long, Astoria'' (2003), which was certified gold. Their high-charting si ...

(

The Ataris The Ataris are an American punk rock band from Anderson, Indiana. Formed in 1996, they released five studio albums between 1997 and 2007. Their best-selling album is '' So Long, Astoria'' (2003), which was certified gold. Their high-charting s ...

), singer * Donald Starr, journalist and war correspondent for the

Chicago Tribune The ''Chicago Tribune'' is an American daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Founded in 1847, it was formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper", a slogan from which its once integrated WGN (AM), WGN radio and ...

Kevin Stein Kevin Stein (born January 1, 1954, in Anderson, Indiana) is a poet and professor of English at the Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois. The fourth poet laureate of the State of Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Mi ...

, poet laureate of

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. It borders on Lake Michigan to its northeast, the Mississippi River to its west, and the Wabash River, Wabash and Ohio River, Ohio rivers to its ...

Fred Mustard Stewart Fred Mustard Stewart (September 17, 1932 – February 7, 2007) was an American novelist. His most popular books were ''The Mephisto Waltz'' (1969), adapted for the 1971 film of the same name starring Alan Alda; ''Six Weeks'' (1976), made into ...

, author *

Max Terhune Max Terhune (February 12, 1891 – June 5, 1973) was an American actor. He appeared in nearly 70 films, mostly B-westerns, between 1936 and 1956. Among these, Terhune starred in '' The Three Mesquiteers'' and '' Range Busters'' series. B ...

, actor *

Ray Tolbert Ray Lee Tolbert (born September 10, 1958) is an American former professional basketball player who was selected by the New Jersey Nets in the first round (18th pick overall) of the 1981 NBA draft. A power forward from Indiana University, Tolber ...

, basketball player for

Indiana Indiana ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Michigan to the northwest, Michigan to the north and northeast, Ohio to the east, the Ohio River and Kentucky to the s ...

's 1981 NCAA championship team * Greg Van Alst,

NASCAR The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, LLC (NASCAR) is an American auto racing sanctioning and operating company that is best known for stock car racing. It is considered to be one of the top ranked motorsports organizations in ...

driver * Albert Henry Vestal, majority whip of

House of Representatives House of Representatives is the name of legislative bodies in many countries and sub-national entities. In many countries, the House of Representatives is the lower house of a bicameral legislature, with the corresponding upper house often ...

, 1923–1931 * Len Walston, singer-songwriter and music producer *

Louis J. Weichmann Louis J. Weichmann (September 29, 1842 – June 5, 1902) was an American clerk who was one of the chief witnesses for the prosecution in the trial following the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. Previously, he had also been a suspect in the co ...

, witness for the prosecution in the trial of the alleged conspirators involved in the

assassination of Abraham Lincoln On April 14, 1865, Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president of the United States, was shot by John Wilkes Booth while attending the play '' Our American Cousin'' at Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C. Shot in the head as he watched the play, L ...

* Bob Wilkerson, basketball player for Indiana's undefeated 1976 NCAA championship team *

Jumping Johnny Wilson John E. Wilson (1927 – January 11, 2019), popularly known as Jumpin' Johnny Wilson, was an American basketball and baseball player. He gained his nickname for being the only player on his high school team able to dunk the basketball.Dick Denny ...

, basketball and baseball player

References

External links

*
Anderson Public Library

''The Herald Bulletin''
{{Portal bar, Indiana, United States, North America, Cities, Geography Cities in Indiana Cities in Madison County, Indiana County seats in Indiana Indianapolis metropolitan area