Editing Fort Branch, Indiana

{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name               = Fort Branch, Indiana
| official_name      = Town of Fort Branch
| settlement_type    = [[Town]]
| image_blank_emblem = Logo of Fort Branch, Indiana.png
| blank_emblem_type  = Logo
| blank_emblem_size  = 130px
| nickname           = 
| mapsize            = 300x280px
| image_skyline      = Fort Branch, Indiana.jpg
| imagesize          = 290px
| image_caption      = 
| image_map          = File:Gibson County Indiana Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Fort Branch Highlighted 1824250.svg
| map_caption        = Location of Fort Branch in Gibson County, Indiana.
| image_map1         = 
| mapsize1           = 
| map_caption1       = 
| subdivision_type   = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
| subdivision_name   = United States
| area_note          = 
| subdivision_type1  = [[U.S. state|State]]
| subdivision_name1  = [[Indiana]]
| subdivision_type2  = [[List of counties in Indiana|County]]
| subdivision_name2  = [[Gibson County, Indiana|Gibson]]
| subdivision_type3  = [[List of townships in Indiana|Township]]
| subdivision_name3  = [[Union Township, Gibson County, Indiana|Union]]
| government_type    = 
| leader_title       = 
| leader_name        = 
| established_date   = 
| population_footnotes = 
| population_as_of   = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
| population_est     = 
| pop_est_as_of      = 
| population_note    = 
| population_total   = 2965
| population_density_sq_mi = 2725.18
| population_density_km2 = 1052.14
| timezone           = [[North American Central Time Zone|CST]]
| utc_offset         = -6
| timezone_DST       = [[North American Central Time Zone|CDT]]
| utc_offset_DST     = -5
| area_land_km2      = 2.82
| area_water_km2     = 0.03
| area_footnotes     = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2020">{{cite web|title=2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2020_Gazetteer/2020_gaz_place_18.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=March 16, 2022}}</ref>
| area_total_km2     = 2.85
| area_total_sq_mi   = 1.10
| area_land_sq_mi    = 1.09
| area_water_sq_mi   = 0.01
| elevation_footnotes = <ref name=gnis/>
| elevation_ft       = 456
| coordinates        = {{coord|38|14|49|N|87|34|24|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
| postal_code_type   = [[ZIP code]]
| postal_code        = 47648
| area_code          = [[Area code 812|812, 930]]
| blank_name         = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info         = 18-24250<ref name="GR2">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=January 31, 2008 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref>
| blank1_name        = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info        = 2396941<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2396941}}</ref>
| blank2_name        = [[U.S. Highway]]s
| blank2_info        = [[File:US 41.svg|27px|link=U.S. Route 41 in Indiana]]
| blank3_name        = Major State Roads
| blank3_info        = [[File:Indiana 168.svg|34px|link=Indiana State Road 168]]
| footnotes          = 
| website            = {{URL|https://fortbranch.org/}}|
| pop_est_footnotes  = 
| unit_pref          = Imperial
}}
'''Fort Branch''' is the largest town and 2nd largest community in [[Gibson County, Indiana|Gibson County]], [[Indiana]] after [[Princeton, Indiana|Princeton]]. The population was 2,965 at the 2020 census. It is part of the [[Evansville, Indiana]], [[Evansville, IN-KY Metropolitan Statistical Area|Metropolitan Area]].

==History==
Fort Branch had its start in the year 1852 by the building of the railroad through that territory.<ref>{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OlQ0AQAAMAAJ&pg=PA13 | title=History of Gibson County, Indiana | publisher=Cook & McDowell Publications | author=Peattie, Elia Wilkinson | year=1897 | pages=13}}</ref> The town was originally called LaGrange, for the original owner of the site, but as there was another post office of that same name in Indiana, the town was renamed in commemoration of an old fort.<ref>{{cite book | url=https://archive.org/details/historyofgibsonc01stor | title=History of Gibson County, Indiana: Her People, Industries and Institutions | publisher=B.F. Bowen | author=Stormont, Gil R. | year=1914 | pages=[https://archive.org/details/historyofgibsonc01stor/page/353 353]}}</ref>

[[File:Former Emge Plant from west.jpg|thumb|Former Emge Foods Processing plant along the town's west side]]

On April 3, 1989, an F3 tornado passed through the town causing between 5 and 50 million dollars in damage.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.tornadohistoryproject.com/tornado/19890403.18.5 |title=Tornado History Project: 19890403.18.5 |access-date=May 23, 2017 |archive-date=July 7, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170707123322/http://www.tornadohistoryproject.com/tornado/19890403.18.5 |url-status=usurped }}</ref>

On [[Tornado outbreak of February 28 – March 1, 2017|February 28, 2017]], an EF3 wedge tornado, originating in [[Crossville, Illinois]], passed to the north of the town, destroying or heavily damaging several structures along Indiana 168.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.courierpress.com/story/news/2017/03/01/family-friends-come-together-help-after-tornado-gibson-county/98585748/|title = Family, friends come together to help after tornado in Gibson County}}</ref>

==Geography==
Fort Branch is located at {{coord|38|14|49|N|87|34|34|W|type:city}} (38.246872, -87.576003).<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=April 23, 2011|date=February 12, 2011|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}</ref>

According to the 2010 census, Fort Branch has a total area of {{convert|1.11|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, of which {{convert|1.1|sqmi|sqkm|2}} (or 99.1%) is land and {{convert|0.01|sqmi|sqkm|2}} (or 0.9%) is water.<ref name="census-g001">{{cite web
  |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/1600000US1824250
  |title=G001 - Geographic Identifiers - 2010 Census Summary File 1
  |access-date=July 16, 2015
  |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]
  |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213064743/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/1600000US1824250
  |archive-date=February 13, 2020
  |url-status=dead
  }}</ref>

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1880= 778
|1890= 748
|1900= 849
|1910= 1182
|1920= 1389
|1930= 1341
|1940= 1552
|1950= 1944
|1960= 1983
|1970= 2535
|1980= 2504
|1990= 2447
|2000= 2320
|2010= 2771
|2020= 2965
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015}}</ref>
}}

===2010 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name ="wwwcensusgov">{{cite web|title=U.S. Census website|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=December 11, 2012}}</ref> of 2010, there were 2,771 people, 1,162 households, and 774 families living in the town. The [[population density]] was {{convert|2519.1|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|1}}. There were 1,244 housing units at an average density of {{convert|1130.9|/sqmi|/km2|1}}. The racial makeup of the town was 96.8% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.3% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.1% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 1.2% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.6% from [[Race (U.S. Census)|other races]], and 0.9% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 0.9% of the population.

There were 1,162 households, of which 31.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.3% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 10.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 33.4% were non-families. 29.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 2.93.

The median age in the town was 38 years. 24.4% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.2% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 26.2% were from 25 to 44; 26.9% were from 45 to 64; and 14.4% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 49.8% male and 50.2% female.

===2000 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, there were 2,320 people, 985 households, and 647 families living in the town. The population density was {{convert|3,131.0|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 1,051 housing units at an average density of {{convert|1,418.4|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the town was 98.53% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.26% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.26% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.26% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.30% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 0.39% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 0.69% of the population.

There were 985 households, out of which 31.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.2% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 8.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.3% were non-families. 30.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.95.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 24.5% under the age of 18, 8.3% from 18 to 24, 30.5% from 25 to 44, 20.3% from 45 to 64, and 16.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.1 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $35,964, and the median income for a family was $46,397. Males had a median income of $34,125 versus $21,314 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the town was $17,180. About 1.6% of families and 4.4% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 3.1% of those under age 18 and 3.2% of those age 65 or over.

==Education==

[[South Gibson School Corporation]]

K-8: [[Fort Branch Community School]]

9-12: [[Gibson Southern High School]]

College: [[Vincennes University|Vincennes University Center for Advanced Manufacturing]]

===Former Schools===

[[Fort Branch Marlette High School|Fort Branch High School]] (merged into [[Gibson Southern High School]] in 1974)

Marlette School

===Public library===
Fort Branch has a public library, a branch of the Fort Branch-Johnson Township Public Library system.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.in.gov/library/files/countyindex13.pdf | title=Indiana public library directory | publisher=Indiana State Library | access-date=March 7, 2018 | archive-date=February 18, 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170218220414/http://in.gov/library/files/countyindex13.pdf | url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Economy==

Like Princeton, Fort Branch is also largely a blue-collar town although of somewhat smaller size. For a long time the town's largest employer was the [[Emge Foods]] processing and packing plant, still located along the southwest portion of the town. When the plant closed in May 1999, it had been in operation for nearly 90 years.

As the Emge plant was starting to close, Toyota announced that it would be building a manufacturing facility on a patch of farmland located halfway between Fort Branch and nearby Princeton. While most of the suppliers for the new Toyota plant are located closer to Princeton, most of the population gains from employees moving closer to work moved into either Fort Branch, or into [[Haubstadt, IN|Haubstadt]] or [[Owensville, IN|Owensville]].
[[File:In-168.JPG|thumb|right|[[Indiana State Road|Indiana]] [[Indiana State Road 168|168]] between [[Owensville, Indiana|Owensville]] and Fort Branch. The Emge plant is visible in the distance as it looked in 2007.]]

Recently, [[Vincennes University]] announced plans to build an advanced manufacturing education facility just south of Fort Branch along U.S. 41 to provide such education to an area becoming more diverse in manufacturing methods. This is expected to provide a major boost to lifestyle in the Fort Branch-Haubstadt Area. Ground Broke on the new facility on October 23, 2009.  The facility opened in August 2011.

On June 18, 2010, a fire started at the former [[Emge Foods]] plant. By June 22, the fire had destroyed the vacant meat processing plant portion of the complex but was put out. Fire departments from three counties battled to control the fire, dealing with the unstable structure of the 100+-year-old building and the 95+-degree temperatures that occurred during the five-day period the fire burned.<ref>{{cite web|last=Wilson |first=Mark |url=http://www.courierpress.com/news/2010/jun/22/town-reels-from-plant-fire/ |title=Crews attempt to reach 'hot spots' at Emge plant fire » Evansville Courier & Press |publisher=Courierpress.com |access-date=January 23, 2013}}</ref> As of February 2014, only the smokestack remains of the plant, with the remains being demolished along with the original water tower between September 2013 and January 2014. As of December 2014, there are no known plans for the future of the property.

==Notable person==
[[Thomas Beloat|Sheriff Thomas Beloat]], noted for his bravery in stopping a lynching in [[Gibson County, Indiana|Gibson County]], mentioned in an essay by [[Mark Twain]], ''[[The United States of Lyncherdom]]''.

==Panorama==
{{wide image|Fort Branch from west panorama.jpg|1000px|align-cap=center|Panorama of Fort Branch from County Road 225W.}}

==Highways==
* [[Image:US 41.svg|30px]] [[U.S. Route 41 in Indiana|U.S. Route 41]]
* [[Image:indiana 168.svg|35px]] [[State Road 168 (Indiana)|State Road 168]] (Park Street)

==References==
<references />

== External links ==

* [https://fortbranch.org/ Official website]
{{Gibson County, Indiana}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Fort Branch, Indiana| ]]
[[Category:Towns in Gibson County, Indiana]]
[[Category:Towns in Indiana]]
[[Category:Evansville metropolitan area]]
[[Category:Communities of Southwestern Indiana]]