Editing Lebanon, Indiana

{{For|other places with the same name|Lebanon (disambiguation)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox settlement
| official_name      = Lebanon, Indiana
| native_name        = 
| settlement_type    = [[City]]
| image_blank_emblem = Logo of Lebanon, Indiana.png
| blank_emblem_type  = Logo
| blank_emblem_size  = 75px
| nickname           = 
| motto              = The Friendly City
| image_skyline      = Boone County Indiana Courthouse.jpg
| imagesize          = 
| image_caption      = Boone County Courthouse in Lebanon
| image_flag         =
| image_seal         = 
| image_map          = File:Boone County Indiana Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Lebanon Highlighted 1842624.svg
| mapsize            = 250px
| map_caption        = Location of Lebanon in Boone County, Indiana.
| image_map1         = 
| mapsize1           = 
| map_caption1       = 
| subdivision_type   = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
| subdivision_name   = {{USA}}
| subdivision_type1  = [[U.S. state|State]]
| subdivision_name1  = {{flag|Indiana}}
| subdivision_type2  = [[List of counties in Indiana|County]]
| subdivision_name2  = [[Boone County, Indiana|Boone]]
| subdivision_type3  = [[List of townships in Indiana|Townships]]
| subdivision_name3  = [[Center Township, Boone County, Indiana|Center]], [[Perry Township, Boone County, Indiana|Perry]], [[Jefferson Township, Boone County, Indiana|Jefferson]], [[Washington Township, Boone County, Indiana|Washington]], [[Worth Township, Boone County, Indiana|Worth]]
| government_type    = 
| leader_title       = Mayor
| leader_name        = Matthew “Matt” Gentry ([[Republican Party (United States)|R]])<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cityoflebanon.org/mayor/|title=Welcome to the Mayor's Office|publisher=City of Lebanon, Indiana|access-date=2011-05-31|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706024217/http://www.cityoflebanon.org/mayor/|archive-date=2011-07-06}}</ref>
| leader_title1      = <!-- for places with, say, both a mayor and a city manager -->
| leader_name1       = 
| leader_title2      = 
| leader_name2       = 
| leader_title3      = 
| leader_name3       = 
| established_title  = Established
| established_date   = 1830
| established_title1 = Incorporated (town)
| established_date1  = 1853
| established_title2 = Incorporated (city)
| established_date2  = 1875
| unit_pref          = Imperial
| 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_magnitude     = 
| area_total_km2     = 44.87
| area_land_km2      = 44.83
| area_water_km2     = 0.04
| area_total_sq_mi   = 17.32
| area_land_sq_mi    = 17.31
| area_water_sq_mi   = 0.02
| area_water_percent = 0.13
| area_urban_sq_mi   = 
| area_metro_sq_mi   = 
| population_footnotes = 
| population_as_of   = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
| population_est     = 
| pop_est_as_of      = 
| population_note    = 
| population_total   = 16662
| population_density_km2 = 371.71
| population_density_sq_mi = 962.73
| population_metro   = 
| population_density_metro_km2 = 
| population_density_metro_sq_mi = 
| population_urban   = 
| timezone           = [[North American Eastern Time Zone|EST]]
| utc_offset         = -5
| timezone_DST       = [[North American Eastern Time Zone|EDT]]
| utc_offset_DST     = -4
| coordinates        = {{coord|40|02|50|N|86|27|00|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
| elevation_footnotes = <ref name=gnis/>
| elevation_ft       = 951
| postal_code_type   = [[ZIP code]]
| postal_code        = 46052
| website            = {{URL|http://www.lebanon.in.gov/}}
| area_code          = [[Area code 765|765]]
| blank_name         = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info         = 18-42624<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=2008-01-31|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref>
| blank1_name        = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info        = 2395662<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2395662}}</ref>
}}

'''Lebanon''' is a city in and the [[county seat]] of [[Boone County, Indiana|Boone County]], [[Indiana]], United States.<ref name="GR6">{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx|access-date=2011-06-07|title=Find a County|publisher=National Association of Counties}}</ref> The population was 16,662 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]]. Lebanon is located in central Indiana, approximately {{convert|29|mi|km}} northwest of [[downtown Indianapolis]] and {{convert|36|mi|km}} southeast of [[Lafayette, Indiana|Lafayette]].

==History==
Lebanon was officially established on April 30, 1830.<ref>{{Cite web |title=History |url=https://lebanon.in.gov/history/ |access-date=2025-03-26 |website=City of Lebanon |language=en-US}}</ref> It was named by a pioneer settler who saw a stand of [[hickory tree]]s on the site and was reminded of the [[Biblical]] [[Lebanon Cedar|cedars]] of [[Lebanon]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cityoflebanon.org/history.cfm|title=Lebanon, Indiana - History|publisher=City of Lebanon, Indiana|access-date=2011-05-31|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706024808/http://www.cityoflebanon.org/history.cfm|archive-date=2011-07-06}}</ref> The first post office at Lebanon was established in 1832.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.postalhistory.com/postoffices.asp?task=display&state=IN&county=Boone | title=Boone County | publisher=Jim Forte Postal History | access-date=26 August 2014}}</ref> In 1853, Lebanon was incorporated as a town and later became a city in 1875.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Hellmann |first=Paul T. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=REtEXQNWq6MC&lpg=PA313&pg=PA321#v=onepage&q&f=false |title=Historical Gazetteer of the United States |date=2006-02-14 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1-135-94859-7 |page=321 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=ISL_IND_Pam_BooneCo04_01 |url=https://indianamemory.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p1819coll6/id/83643/ |access-date=2025-03-26 |website=indianamemory.contentdm.oclc.org |language=en}}</ref>

===Historical sites===
Lebanon is the home of the [[Strange Nathanial Cragun House|Historic Cragun House]]. Built in 1893, it was once the home of Strange Nathaniel Cragun and his family. The family travelled the world, and their house is now a living history museum full of the pieces they collected from their travels as well as original furniture from the dwelling. This Victorian home is owned and maintained by the Boone County Historical Society and serves as headquarters for the organization.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.boonecountyhistorical.org/the-cragun-house.html|title=The Cragun House|website=Boone County Historical Society}}</ref> The Cragun House has been added to the [[National Register of Historic Places]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://reporter.net/local/x1118842890/Cragun-House-now-an-official-historic-place |title=Cragun House now an official 'historic place' » Local News » Lebanon Reporter |access-date=2012-10-25 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130222025644/http://reporter.net/local/x1118842890/Cragun-House-now-an-official-historic-place |archive-date=2013-02-22 }}</ref><ref name="nps">{{cite web|url=http://www.nps.gov/nr/listings/20111223.htm|title=National Register of Historic Places Listings|date=2011-12-23|work=Weekly List of Actions Taken on Properties: 12/12/11 through 12/16/11|publisher=National Park Service}}</ref>

Also listed on the National Register of Historic Places are the [[Boone County Courthouse (Indiana)|Boone County Courthouse]] and [[Oak Hill Cemetery (Lebanon, Indiana)|Oak Hill Cemetery]].<ref name="nris">{{NRISref|version=2010a}}</ref><ref name="nps1">{{cite web|url=http://www.nps.gov/nr/listings/20140404.htm|title=National Register of Historic Places Listings|date=2014-04-04|work=Weekly List of Actions Taken on Properties: 3/24/14 through 3/28/14|publisher=National Park Service}}</ref>

==Geography==
According to the 2010 census, Lebanon has a total area of {{convert|15.566|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, of which {{convert|15.55|sqmi|sqkm|2}} (or 99.9%) is land and {{convert|0.016|sqmi|sqkm|2}} (or 0.1%) is water.<ref name="census-g001">{{cite web
  |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/1600000US1842624
  |title=G001 - Geographic Identifiers - 2010 Census Summary File 1
  |access-date=2015-07-29
  |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]
  |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213043912/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/1600000US1842624
  |archive-date=2020-02-13
  |url-status=dead
  }}</ref>

== Notable architecture ==
The county courthouse of Lebanon is notable for its single-piece vertical [[Ionic order]] limestone columns. They were at one time believed to be the largest single-piece limestone columns in the world.<ref>{{cite book|last=Thomas|first=Phyllis|title=Off The Beaten Path Indiana|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IoSb8cGpQKcC&q=limestone+columns&pg=PA4|access-date=7 November 2011|isbn=9780762753512|date=2007-07-15|publisher=Rowman & Littlefield }}</ref>

{{US Census population
|1860= 892
|1870= 1572
|1880= 2625
|1890= 3682
|1900= 4465
|1910= 5474
|1920= 6257
|1930= 6445
|1940= 6529
|1950= 7631
|1960= 9523
|1970= 9766
|1980= 11456
|1990= 12059
|2000= 14222
|2010= 15792
|2020= 16662
|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>
}}

==Demographics==

===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=2012-12-11}}</ref> of 2010, there were 15,792 people, 6,433 households, and 4,049 families living in the city. The [[population density]] was {{convert|1014.9|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|1}}. There were 7,057 housing units at an average density of {{convert|453.5|/sqmi|/km2|1}}. The racial makeup of the city was 96.1% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.5% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.2% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.6% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 1.1% from [[Race (U.S. Census)|other races]], and 1.5% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 3.1% of the population.

There were 6,433 households, of which 32.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.0% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 11.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.2% had a male householder with no wife present, and 37.1% were non-families. 30.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.8% 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 2.97.

The median age in the city was 37.5 years. 24.5% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.5% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 26.8% were from 25 to 44; 25.6% were from 45 to 64; and 14.7% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.0% male and 52.0% female.

===2000 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, there were 14,222 people, 5,834 households, and 3,780 families living in the city. The population density was {{convert|1,952.9|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 6,202 housing units at an average density of {{convert|851.6|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the city was 97.67% [[White Americans|White]], 0.33% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.39% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.37% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.58% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 0.65% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 1.61% of the population.

[[Image:Lebanon Indiana c1909 LOC cph 3c05978.jpg|thumb|250px |left|Lebanon ''circa'' 1909.]]

There were 5,834 households, out of which 32.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.5% were married couples living together, 10.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.2% were non-families. 29.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.99.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 26.7% under the age of 18, 9.0% from 18 to 24, 30.8% from 25 to 44, 19.9% from 45 to 64, and 13.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.8 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $37,791, and the median income for a family was $47,769. Males had a median income of $35,614 versus $22,791 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $18,245. About 4.4% of families and 7.1% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 6.4% of those under age 18 and 10.6% of those age 65 or over.

==Government==
{{Unreferenced section|date=March 2025}}
The government consists of a mayor and a city council. The mayor and clerk-treasurer are elected in a citywide vote. The city council consists of seven members, five of whom are elected from individual districts, while two are elected at-large.

=== Current elected officials - Lebanon, Indiana ===
*Mayor: Matt Gentry
*Clerk-Treasurer: Tonya Thayer
*City Council, District 1: Mike Kincaid
*City Council, District 2: Keith Campbell
*City Council, District 3: Morris Jones
*City Council, District 4: Dick Robertson
*City Council, District 5: John Copeland
*City Council, At Large: Sierra Messenger
*City Council, At Large: Brent Wheat

==Politics==
In the mayoral election of November 2007 Republican City Council President John Lasley won the election with 48% of the vote, to Democrat Roger Neal's 27% and Independent George Piper's 25%.<ref name="boonecounty.in.gov">{{Cite web |url=http://www.boonecounty.in.gov/Default.aspx?tabid=364 |title=2007 General Election Results |access-date=2009-10-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100607005308/http://boonecounty.in.gov/Default.aspx?tabid=364 |archive-date=2010-06-07 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

30% of registered voters cast votes in the 2007 election.<ref name="boonecounty.in.gov"/>

Lasley died on May 2, 2009. In the 2008 election, Boone County (the county in which Lebanon is located) voted 62% for Republican presidential candidate John McCain and more than 80% for Republican gubernatorial candidate Mitch Daniels.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://boonecounty.in.gov/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=OOTk3gGdcZw%3d&tabid=456&mid=1387 |title=ElectionSummary |access-date=2009-10-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100607010944/http://boonecounty.in.gov/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=OOTk3gGdcZw%3d&tabid=456&mid=1387 |archive-date=2010-06-07 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Education==
[[Lebanon Community School Corporation]] has six schools under its jurisdiction: four elementary schools, a middle school and a high school. The body enrolled 3,381 students for the 2019–2020 school year, and is recognized as a "B" district by the Indiana Department of Education.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Enrollment |url=https://compass.doe.in.gov/dashboard/enrollment.aspx?type=corp&id=0665 |website=compass.doe.in.gov}}</ref>

=== List of schools - Lebanon Community School Corporation ===
* [[Lebanon Senior High School]]
* Lebanon Middle School
* Central Elementary School
* Hattie B. Stokes Elementary School
* Harney Elementary School
* Perry-Worth Elementary School

The city has a lending library, the Lebanon Public Library, which was established as a [[List of Carnegie libraries in Indiana|Carnegie library]] with an initial grant of $15,000 in 1903.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://leblib.org | title=Homepage | publisher=Lebanon Public Library | access-date=4 March 2018}}</ref>

==Economy==
Major employers in Lebanon include Lebanon Community School Corporation; the U.S. headquarters of German power tools company [[Festool]] and of Canadian specialty foods manufacturer Skjodt-Barrett; manufacturing plants for [[Hendrickson International]], [[DS Smith]], [[Kuraray]], Kauffman Engineering, Maplehurst Bakeries, and D-A Lubricant Company; distribution centers for [[CNH Global|CNH Parts & Services]], [[Subaru of America]], [[Continental AG|Continental Tire the Americas]], and [[Hachette Book Group USA]]; and health care and medical facilities operated by Witham Health Services.

Lebanon will also be the site of LEAP, an economic development initiative involving over 9,000 acres of land that will be allocated for technological and manufacturing projects. The area will be able to employ around 50,000 workers upon completion.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://iedc.in.gov/leap-lebanon|title=LEAP|publisher=Indiana Economic Development Corporation|accessdate=14 December 2024}}</ref>

==Transportation==
'''Highways''' 
* [[File:I-65.svg|25px]] [[Interstate 65 in Indiana|Interstate 65]] to [[Gary, Indiana|Gary]] (near [[Chicago]]) and [[Indianapolis, Indiana|Indianapolis]]
* [[File:US 52.svg|25px]] [[U.S. Route 52 in Indiana|US 52]]. A junction of U.S Route 52 and Interstate 65 is located in the northwest part of Lebanon, and the two routes are concurrent through most of the city.
* [[File:Indiana 32.svg|25px]] [[Indiana State Road 32|State Road 32]] to [[Crawfordsville, Indiana|Crawfordsville]] and [[Muncie, Indiana|Muncie]]
* [[File:Indiana 39.svg|25px]] [[Indiana State Road 39|State Road 39]] to [[LaPorte, Indiana|LaPorte]] and [[Martinsville, Indiana|Martinsville]]

'''Airports'''<br />
The [[Boone County Airport (Indiana)|Boone County Airport]] is located two [[nautical mile]]s (2.3 [[mile|mi]], 3.7 [[kilometre|km]]) southeast of Lebanon's [[central business district]].<ref>{{FAA-airport|ID=6I4|use=PU|own=PR|site=05431.1*A}}. Federal Aviation Administration. Effective 30 June 2011.</ref> The nearest [[commercial airport]] which currently has scheduled airline service is [[Indianapolis International Airport]] (IND), located approximately {{convert|32|mi|km}} south of Lebanon.

'''Railroads and Trails'''<br />
[[CSX Transportation|CSX]] provides freight rail service in Lebanon. The Lebanon Business Park located in the southwest part of the city is designated a CSX Select Site; CSX constructed a rail spur directly into the business park.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.csx.com/index.cfm/about-us/media/press-releases/csx-select-site-designation-awarded-to-duke-realty-s-lebanon-business-park/?mobileFormat=true|title=CSX.com - CSX Select Site Designation Awarded to Duke Realty's Lebanon Business Park|website=www.csx.com}}</ref>

The Lafayette and Indianapolis Railroad line traversing Lebanon was owned and operated by a number of companies from its inception in 1852 until it was abandoned in 1985.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.abandonedrails.com/lafayette-to-indianapolis|title=Lafayette to Indianapolis, IN - Abandoned Rails|website=www.abandonedrails.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.in.gov/indot/files/Rail_STBFilings.pdf|title=Indiana Railroad Abandonments|website=www.in.gov}}</ref> Portions of the former railroad line have been re-purposed as a [[shared use path]] currently known as Big 4 or Farm Heritage Trail. A trailhead is located at Sam Ralston Road east of Interstate 65 in Lebanon, and the trail extends {{convert|9.5|mi|km}} from this point northwest to [[Thorntown, Indiana|Thorntown]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.traillink.com/trail/big-4-trail-(lebanon-to-colfax)/|title=Big 4 Trail (Lebanon to Colfax) &#124; Indiana Trails &#124; TrailLink|website=www.traillink.com}}</ref>

==Sports==

The Lebanon Leprechauns of [[The Basketball League]] (TBL) have played at The Farmers Bank Fieldhouse since 2022.

==Notable people==
* [[Jacob M. Gile]] (1849–1937), architect in Colorado, born in Lebanon, Indiana<ref name="Stone">{{Cite book |last=Stone |first=Wilbur Fiske |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NuVYAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA212 |title=History of Colorado |date=1918 |publisher=S.J. Clarke |volume=3 |pages=212–213 |language=en}}</ref>
* [[Doug Jones (baseball)|Doug Jones]], MLB All-Star relief pitcher
* [[Mel Kenyon]], Hall of Fame midget car driver; had four top-five finishes in [[Indianapolis 500]]
* [[Murder of Sylvia Likens|Sylvia Likens]], murder victim, born in Lebanon, murdered in Indianapolis in 1965 when she was 16
* [[Ray Long]], editor of ''[[Cosmopolitan (magazine)|Cosmopolitan]]'' from 1919 to 1931, was born in Lebanon
* [[Ami McKay]], novelist, playwright and journalist.
* [[Rick Mount]], 1966 [[Indiana "Mr. Basketball" award]] recipient, 3x All-American [[Purdue University|Purdue]] player
* [[William Perigo]], basketball head coach at [[Western Michigan University]] and [[University of Michigan]]
* [[Drew Powell (actor)|Drew Powell]], actor, is best known for his role as Hoss Cartwright on the PAX series ''Ponderosa'''<ref name="DePauwHoss">{{cite news |title=TV's New 'Hoss', Drew Powell '98 Profiled in Hometown Paper |url=https://www.depauw.edu/news-media/latest-news/details/11741/ |access-date=21 February 2022 |work=DePauw University |language=en}}</ref>
* [[Allen Saunders]], cartoonist and writer, ''[[Mary Worth]]''
* [[G. Thomas Tanselle]], textual critic, [[bibliographer]], and book collector, especially known for his work on [[Herman Melville]]
* [[Craig Terrill]], former Purdue and [[Seattle Seahawks]] football player
* [[Herman B Wells]], former President of [[Indiana University]], attended Lebanon High School<ref>{{cite book|last=Wells|first=Herman|title=Being Lucky|url=https://archive.org/details/beingluckyremini0000well|url-access=registration|year=1980|publisher=Indiana University Press}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
* [http://www.lebanon.in.gov/ City website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171010060210/http://www.lebanon.in.gov/ |date=2017-10-10 }}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20060712040321/http://www.bccn.boone.in.us/lebanon/history.html History of Lebanon, Indiana]

{{Boone County, Indiana}}
{{Indianapolis Metro}}
{{County Seats of Indiana}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Cities in Indiana]]
[[Category:Cities in Boone County, Indiana]]
[[Category:County seats in Indiana]]
[[Category:Indianapolis metropolitan area]]