Editing New Pekin, Indiana (section)

== History ==
The land for the town of New Pekin was first entered on August 25, 1818. The original town [[plat]] was made on December 23, 1883, by W. A. Graves. The town of New Pekin was incorporated in 1903 to provide funds to build and operate a school.

The New Pekin post office has been in operation since 1840.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.postalhistory.com/postoffices.asp?task=display&state=IN&county=Washington&searchtext=&pagenum=2 | title=Washington County | publisher=Jim Forte Postal History | access-date=July 7, 2016}}</ref>

==="Old" Pekin ===
On September 29, 1819, Isaac Davis entered section 30 in what was to become Polk Township. Several years later, in 1831, Christian Bixler laid out the town of Pekin on the south side of Mutton Fork, Blue River.<ref>{{cite book | url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_EVQ0AQAAMAAJ | title=History of Lawrence, Orange, and Washington Counties, Indiana: From the Earliest Time to the Present | publisher=Higginson Book Company | year=1884 | pages=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_EVQ0AQAAMAAJ/page/n801 790]}}</ref>

Before 1831, there were several buildings at this location. As early as 1830, [[stagecoach]]es were making regular runs between [[Jeffersonville, Indiana|Jeffersonville]] and [[Salem, Indiana|Salem]]. A wagon route between [[Salem, Indiana|Salem]] and [[New Albany, Indiana|New Albany]] also passed through this area. Pekin was a staging stop where horses were watered and changed.

The town prospered until 1851, when the railroad was completed. The train station was built on the more level north side of the [[Blue River (Indiana)|Blue River]]. Businesses gradually migrated to the new location. In 1854 the County Commissioners declared the town vacant and the area became known as Old Pekin.

===Fourth of July celebration===
The town of New Pekin claims the distinction of having the oldest consecutive [[Independence Day (US)|Independence Day]] celebration in the [[United States|United States of America]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.wlky.com/article/pekin-celebrates-fourth-of-july-with-184th-independence-day-parade/3750940|title=Pekin celebrates Fourth of July with 184th Independence Day parade|last=Gayle|first=Anna-Lysa|date=July 5, 2014|work=WLKY|access-date=December 15, 2017|language=en}}</ref> Pekin began celebrating Independence Day in the year 1830. However, [[Bristol, Rhode Island]] claims to have celebrated since 1785.

Few historical facts about the earliest celebrations exist, with the information available coming from oral tradition. The first several celebrations were said to be neighborhood affairs, though it is assumed that it did not stay that way for long. Many families lived in the surrounding townships and there were few social activities.

Various sources recount that the celebration was held near Old Pekin from 1830 until 1856. Around 1857, the celebration was moved to near the Blue River, where festivities were held until 1885. In either 1872 or 1873, the picnic was held at the farm of James Campbell, where he had built a recreational area.

The fall of 1884 saw the completion of the fairgrounds. The following year, the celebration was moved to the new fairgrounds. Many local residents did not agree with the celebration being moved there and held a second celebration at Tash Grove.

In 1909, the Gill brothers bought the southern part of the old fairgrounds, which became known as Gill's Grove. This became the present location of the Pekin Community Park, where the celebration has been held every year since.

Today the celebration consists of a fireworks display, a parade, live bands, three-on-three basketball tournament, carnival, food vendors, a flea market, reading of the [[United States Declaration of Independence]], prince and princess contest, horseshoe pitching contest, a queen contest, cookouts and many other small celebrations around the town of Pekin.

Former Indiana Rep. [[Mike Sodrel]] said in 2006, “If [[Norman Rockwell]]’s America exists anywhere today, it has to be in the [[Indiana's 9th congressional district|9th District of Indiana]]. There is nothing that I can think of that is more Americana and Rockwellesque than the Independence Day parade in Pekin.”<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://thehill.com/capital-living/20494-q-what-is-the-highlight-of-your-fourth-of-july-weekend/|title=Q What is the highlight of your Fourth of July weekend|last=McGill|first=Natalie|date=July 5, 2006|work=TheHill|access-date=December 15, 2017}}</ref>

===Morgan's Raid ===
On July 11, 1863, while crossing Blue River near New Pekin, Captain William J. Davis of [[Morgan's Raid]] and some of his men were captured by 73rd [[Indiana]] Volunteers and a detachment of the 5th U.S. Regulars. Captain Davis and several other soldiers were taken to [[New Albany, Indiana]], and secured in the county jail.

=== 2012 tornado ===
{{main|Tornado outbreak of March 2–3, 2012}}
On March 2, 2012, an [[Enhanced Fujita Scale|EF4]]<ref name = CBS2012/><ref>{{cite web|title=NWS Storm Survey: Southern Indiana EF4|url=http://www.crh.noaa.gov/Image/lmk/03022012_EF4.htm|publisher=NWS Louisville, KY|access-date=April 11, 2012}}</ref> tornado hit New Pekin. All five fatalities in [[Washington County, Indiana|Washington County]] occurred in New Pekin. Debris from New Pekin was found 160 miles away in [[Pleasant Plain, Ohio]].<ref name = CK20120318/>