Churubusco ( or ); often shortened to Busco (), is a town located near the headwaters of the Eel River in the extreme northeast corner of

Whitley County, Indiana Whitley County is a rural county in the U.S. state of Indiana. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 36,825. Whitley County is the 49th most populous county in Indiana. The county seat (and only incorporated city) is Columb ...

, United States, in Smith Township, about northwest of

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 ...

. The population was 1,796 at the 2010 census.

History

Originally, the area of Churubusco was made up of two towns founded in the 19th century by European Americans: Union and Franklin (in honor of

Founding Father The following is a list of national founders of sovereign states who were credited with establishing a state. National founders are typically those who played an influential role in setting up the systems of governance, (i.e., political system ...

Benjamin Franklin Benjamin Franklin (April 17, 1790) was an American polymath: a writer, scientist, inventor, statesman, diplomat, printer, publisher and Political philosophy, political philosopher.#britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Wood, 2021 Among the m ...

) that bordered each other across a railroad track. In the 1840s, the populations of both Franklin and Union grew large enough to qualify each for a

post office A post office is a public facility and a retailer that provides mail services, such as accepting letter (message), letters and parcel (package), parcels, providing post office boxes, and selling postage stamps, packaging, and stationery. Post o ...

. Before that time, residents of both towns had to trek 11 miles by foot or horse and buggy to nearby Columbia City to get their mail. Since the towns were in the same location, the

Postmaster General A Postmaster General, in Anglosphere countries, is the chief executive officer of the postal service of that country, a ministerial office responsible for overseeing all other postmasters. History The practice of having a government official ...

ordered the towns to apply for a joint post office. The Postmaster General denied the use of either "Union" and "Franklin" as the new post office name, since both were already used by other Indiana towns. After a community meeting, the residents selected Churubusco for the new post office, named after the site of the 1847

Battle of Churubusco The Battle of Churubusco took place on August 20, 1847, while Santa Anna's army was in retreat from the Battle of Contreras or Battle of Padierna during the Mexican–American War. It was the battle where the San Patricio Battalion, made u ...

, in

Mexico Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...

during the

Mexican–American War The Mexican–American War (Spanish language, Spanish: ''guerra de Estados Unidos-México, guerra mexicano-estadounidense''), also known in the United States as the Mexican War, and in Mexico as the United States intervention in Mexico, ...

. At the time, after the suggestion of local school teacher Eliza Rich, the townsfolk thought it was as patriotic a name as Union and Franklin, since the United States won a large victory there. More importantly, they were certain no other Indiana town would already have chosen such a unique name. The Churubusco post office has been in operation since 1848. The name ''Churubusco'' is a

Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many countries in the Americas **Spanish cuisine **Spanish history **Spanish culture ...

corruption of an indigenous

Nahuatl Nahuatl ( ; ), Aztec, or Mexicano is a language or, by some definitions, a group of languages of the Uto-Aztecan language family. Varieties of Nahuatl are spoken by about Nahuas, most of whom live mainly in Central Mexico and have smaller popul ...

toponym Toponymy, toponymics, or toponomastics is the study of ''wikt:toponym, toponyms'' (proper names of places, also known as place names and geographic names), including their origins, meanings, usage, and types. ''Toponym'' is the general term for ...

(place name) referring to a temple area celebrating the

Aztec The Aztecs ( ) were a Mesoamerican civilization that flourished in central Mexico in the Post-Classic stage, post-classic period from 1300 to 1521. The Aztec people included different Indigenous peoples of Mexico, ethnic groups of central ...

god '' Huitzilopochtli''. It is bordered by the Rio Churubusco in

Mexico City Mexico City is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Mexico, largest city of Mexico, as well as the List of North American cities by population, most populous city in North America. It is one of the most important cultural and finan ...

. The Spanish-Nahuatl word literally translates as 'place (or temple) of ''Huitzilopochtli'' (the left side or south of the hummingbird)'.

Geography

According to the 2010 census, Churubusco has a total area of , all land.

Demographics

2010 census

As of the

census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...

of 2010, there were 1,796 people, 706 households, and 483 families residing in the town. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), 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 geog ...

was . There were 749 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 97.8%

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 ...

, 0.1%

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, 0.2% Asian, 0.4% from other races, and 1.2% 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 2.1% of the population. There were 706 households, of which 37.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.4% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

living together, 14.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.5% had a male householder with no wife present, and 31.6% were non-families. 26.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.54 and the average family size was 3.06. The median age in the town was 33.9 years. 27.1% of residents were under the age of 18; 9.4% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 27.7% were from 25 to 44; 24.1% were from 45 to 64; and 11.7% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 48.3% male and 51.7% female.

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, there were 1,666 people, 650 households, and 438 families residing in the town. The population density was . There were 692 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 97.60%

, 0.06%

, 0.60% Native American, 0.24% Asian, 0.06%

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 ...

, 0.12% from other races, and 1.32% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 1.38% of the population. There were 650 households, out of which 36.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.9% were

living together, 13.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.5% were non-families. 28.6% 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 2.54 and the average family size was 3.15. In the town, the population was spread out, with 29.0% under the age of 18, 9.7% from 18 to 24, 30.4% from 25 to 44, 18.6% from 45 to 64, and 12.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 88.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.1 males. The median income for a household in the town was $39,583, and the median income for a family was $49,279. Males had a median income of $34,844 versus $22,161 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the town was $17,814. About 3.2% of families and 4.9% 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 4.0% of those under age 18 and 7.4% of those age 65 or over.

Law and government

Churubusco has an elected

clerk A clerk is a white-collar worker who conducts record keeping as well as general office tasks, or a worker who performs similar sales-related tasks in a retail environment. The responsibilities of clerical workers commonly include Records managem ...

and

town council A town council, city council or municipal council is a form of local government for small municipalities. Usage of the term varies under different jurisdictions. Republic of Ireland In 2002, 49 urban district councils and 26 town commissi ...

-style. The Churubusco Town Council is a three-member legislative group that serve four-year terms; each are elected town-wide as at-large council members. The council elects one member from among its body to act as president of the council. That president sets agendas during council meetings. Beginning January 1, 2016, the Council began serving staggered terms, with two members serving a one-time, three-year term, and one member and Clerk-Treasurer serving a four-year term.

Culture

Churubusco is home to the oldest continually held festival in Indiana. This event is held yearly at the local park grounds and features many different rides, games, live music, and vendors for the enjoyment of people of all ages. Turtle Days is rooted in the lore of Oscar the Turtle or the ''

Beast of Busco In Indiana folklore, the Beast of Busco is an enormous snapping turtle which citizens claimed to have seen in 1949. Despite a month-long hunt that briefly gained national attention, the "Beast of Busco" was never found. History In 1898, a farme ...

'', a giant snapping turtle that reportedly haunted nearby Fulk's Lake in Allen County. Many have tried to catch the monster turtle but no successful attempt has ever been recorded. He has been thought to be the size of a small car. The lake he is rumored to hide in has been drained, but no evidence was found. A popular theory as to why this turtle is so elusive is because the lakes and ponds around Churubusco are connected through an extensive series of channels and streams; some of which are tunnels. Many locals have claimed to see the beast but until evidence can be found, Oscar will still be a mystery of Churubusco, Indiana. Churubusco has multiple murals and statues commemorating this local legend around the down town area as well as inside of Smith green community schools. Churubusco recently completed phase one of the Downtown Revitalization Project, funded in part with a Main Street Revitalization Grant. The completed phase reconstructed sidewalks, added decorative lighting and landscaping features, and new benches and trash receptacles along the 100 block of North Main Street (

US 33 U.S. Route 33 (US 33) is a United States Numbered Highway that runs northwest–southeast for from northern Indiana to Richmond, Virginia, passing through Ohio and West Virginia en route. Although most odd-numbered U.S. routes are north– ...

), enhancing the beauty of the downtown area. Churubusco's downtown is home to many locally owned shops including an antique store, two barber shops, a hardware store, a secondhand clothing store, and restaurants. One famous restaurant, Magic Wand, is located on South Main Street. It has been owned and operated by the same family since 1964 and is a family friendly diner that also has an outside ice-cream shop. This Indiana landmark is famous for its unusual decor, with the inside of the restaurant decorated with hundreds of clowns. Churubusco Chamber of Commerce and the Town of Churubusco have been instrumental in creating events that have assisted in the improvement of the quality of life for town residents. Every August, Churubusco hosts the 'Busco Block Party. This free event features local merchants, live music, and other events. The Chamber and the Town have also partnered to organize Halloweenfest. Held the Saturday before Halloween, the event features a merchant trick-or-treat, costume contest, hayrides, and more. Hundreds of children attend the event and it continues to grow every year.

Education

Churubusco High School, Middle School, and Elementary School together form the Smith–Green Community Schools district which includes approximately 1,400 students. The town has a lending library, the Churubusco Public Library.

Climate

Severe weather * On April 25, 1929, a tornado blew the roof off a service station in the town.

Media

Newspapers

Churbusco has had seven news sources in its history, five of which have ceased publication. * ''Churubusco News'', weekly tabloid newspaper, 1994–present * ''Busco Paper'', weekly newspaper, 1914–1936 * ''Daily Busconian'', daily newspaper, 1910 * ''Churubusco Tri-County Truth'', weekly tabloid newspaper, 1891–1990, originally published as the ''Saturday Truth'' * ''Churubusco Sunday People'', weekly newspaper, January 17 – May 27, 1886 * ''Churubusco Weekly Herald'', weekly newspaper, 1881–1882

Radio

* WXKE 96.3 MHz

Radio format A radio format or programming format (not to be confused with broadcast programming) describes the overall content broadcast on a radio station. The radio format emerged mainly in the United States in the 1950s, at a time when Radio broadcasting, ...

Classic rock Classic rock is a radio format that developed from the album-oriented rock (AOR) format in the early 1980s. In the United States, it comprises rock music ranging generally from the mid-1960s through the early-1990s, primarily focusing on comm ...

Notable people

* Martha Barnhart, officer in the

Daughters of the American Revolution The National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (often abbreviated as DAR or NSDAR) is a lineage-based membership service organization for women who are directly descended from a patriot of the American Revolutionary War. A non-p ...

* Paul Ashley Chase, (1878–1946), co-founding executive of Warner Brothers Pictures with Harry Warner * Brent Gaff - professional baseball player * Harry Gandy, (1881–1957), former

U.S. Representative The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Article One of th ...

from

South Dakota South Dakota (; Sioux language, Sioux: , ) is a U.S. state, state in the West North Central states, North Central region of the United States. It is also part of the Great Plains. South Dakota is named after the Dakota people, Dakota Sioux ...

(March 4, 1915 – March 3, 1921) * Craig W. Hartman, architect
After years bringing credit to Ball State, Venderly, Hartman honored by alma mater
', ''

Ball State University Ball State University (Ball State or BSU) is a public research university in Muncie, Indiana, United States. The university has three off-campus centers in Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, and Fishers, Indiana. The university is composed of seven aca ...

News Service'', May 21, 2009. Retrieved on July 15, 2009. * Sharon Wichman, Olympic gold medalist swimmer

References

External links

Town of Churubusco, Indiana website
{{authority control Towns in Whitley County, Indiana Towns in Indiana Fort Wayne, IN Metropolitan Statistical Area