Editing Loogootee, Indiana

{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
<!-- Infobox begins -->
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Loogootee, Indiana
|native_name              = 
|settlement_type          = [[City]]
|nickname                 = 
|motto                    = 
|image_skyline            = Loogootee.jpg
|imagesize                = 260px
|image_caption            = Looking down West Main Street from [[U.S. 231]]
|image_flag               = 
|image_seal               = 
|image_map                = File:Martin County Indiana Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Loogootee Highlighted 1844910.svg
|mapsize                  = 260px
|map_caption              = Location in Martin County, Indiana
|image_map1               = 
|mapsize1                 = 
|map_caption1             = 
|subdivision_type         = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
|subdivision_name         = United States
|subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
|subdivision_name1        = [[Indiana]]
|subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in Indiana|County]]
|subdivision_name2        = [[Martin County, Indiana|Martin]]
|subdivision_type3        = [[List of townships in Indiana|Township]]
|subdivision_name3        = [[Perry Township, Martin County, Indiana|Perry]]
|government_type          = 
|leader_title             = [[Mayor]]
|leader_name              = Brian T. Ader ([[Republican Party (United States)|R]])
|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        = <!-- Settled -->
|established_date         = 
|established_title2       = <!-- Incorporated (town) -->
|established_date2        = 
|established_title3       = <!-- Incorporated (city) -->
|established_date3        = 
|unit_pref                = Imperial
|area_footnotes           = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2022">{{cite web |title=2022 U.S. Gazetteer Files: Indiana |url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2022_Gazetteer/2022_gaz_place_18.txt |publisher=United States Census Bureau |accessdate=April 17, 2023}}</ref>
|area_total_km2           = 4.06
|area_land_km2            = 4.05
|area_water_km2           = 0.01
|area_total_sq_mi         = 1.57
|area_land_sq_mi          = 1.56
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.00
|area_water_percent       = 0
|area_urban_sq_mi         = 
|area_metro_sq_mi         = 
|population_footnotes     = <ref name="Census 2020">{{Cite web| url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=&g=1600000US1844910&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P1| title=P1. Race – Loogootee city, Indiana: 2020 DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171)| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau| access-date=April 17, 2023}}</ref>
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_total         = 2601
|population_est           = 
|pop_est_as_of            = 
|pop_est_footnotes        = 
|population_density_km2   = 641.74
|population_density_sq_mi = 1661.98
|population_metro         = 
|population_density_metro_km2     = 
|population_density_metro_sq_mi   = 
|population_urban                 = 
|timezone                 = [[Eastern Time Zone|Eastern (EST)]]
|utc_offset               = -5
|timezone_DST             = [[North American Eastern Time Zone|EDT]]
|utc_offset_DST           = -4
|coordinates              = {{coord|38|40|32|N|86|54|51|W|region:US-IN|display=inline,title}}
|elevation_footnotes      = <ref name=gnis/>
|elevation_ft             = 532
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
|postal_code              = 47553
|website                  = {{URL|loogootee.in.gov}}
|area_code                = [[Area codes 812 and 930|812 and 930]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 18-44910<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|accessdate=2008-01-31|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref>
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 2395763<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2395763}}</ref>
|footnotes                = 
}}

'''Loogootee''' ({{IPAc-en|l|ə|ˈ|ɡ|oʊ|t|iː}}) is a city in [[Perry Township, Martin County, Indiana|Perry Township]], [[Martin County, Indiana|Martin County]], in the [[U.S. state]] of [[Indiana]].<ref name=gnis/> The population was 2,601 at the time of the 2020 census.<ref name="Census 2020"/>

==History==
Loogootee was established in 1853,<ref>{{cite web |last1=Raines |first1=Bill |title=Martin County Celebrates 200 Years Of History {{!}} WBIW |url=https://www.wbiw.com/2020/08/10/martin-county-celebrates-200-years-of-history/ |website=WBIW |access-date=3 January 2023 |date=10 August 2020}}</ref> when it was certain that a new railroad line would be extended to that point.<ref>{{cite book|last=Baker|first=Ronald L.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-xqSIsUF76QC&pg=PA256|title=Hoosier Folk Legends|date=1 August 1984|publisher=Indiana University Press|isbn=0-253-20334-1|page=256}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Blanchard|first=Charles|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pho9AAAAYAAJ&pg=PA361|title=History of the Catholic Church in Indiana ...|publisher=A. W. Bowen & Company|year=1898|page=361}}</ref> The post office at Loogootee has been in operation since 1857.<ref>{{cite web|title=Martin County|url=http://www.postalhistory.com/postoffices.asp?task=display&state=IN&county=Martin|accessdate=June 25, 2017|publisher=Jim Forte Postal History}}</ref> Reader's Digest considers the name to be the hardest to pronounce in the state of Indiana.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ronimous |first=Jason |date=2024-07-08 |title=What is the hardest town name to pronounce in Indiana? |url=https://www.wishtv.com/news/indiana-news/what-is-the-hardest-town-name-to-pronounce-in-indiana/ |access-date=2024-07-09 |website=Indianapolis News {{!}} Indiana Weather {{!}} Indiana Traffic {{!}} WISH-TV {{!}} |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Etymology==
"Several [[etymologies]] of the place name have been proposed. One would make it an Anglicization of the [[French language|French]] name ''Le Gaultier''. However, the most likely explanation is that Loogootee is a compound word honoring both Thomas Lowe, engineer of the first train through the town; and Thomas Nesbe Gootee (1797–1870), owner of the land where the town was built."<ref>{{cite book |last=Baker |first=Ronald L. |title=From Needmore to Prosperity: Hoosier Place Names in Folklore and History |url=https://archive.org/details/fromneedmoretopr00bake|url-access=registration |date=October 1995 |publisher=Indiana University Press |isbn=978-0-253-32866-3 |page=[https://archive.org/details/fromneedmoretopr00bake/page/34 34] |quote=Loogootee apparently also comes from two personal names, Lowe and Gootee...}}</ref>

==Geography==
Loogootee is located on the western side of Martin County and the western border of the city is the [[Daviess County, Indiana|Daviess County]] line.

Several [[United States Numbered Highway System|U.S. highways]] pass through the center of Loogootee.  U.S. Routes [[U.S. Route 50|50]] and [[U.S. Route 150|150]] follow Broadway through the city, while [[U.S. Route 231]] enters from the north on John F. Kennedy Avenue, joins Routes 50 and 150 on Broadway south of the city center, then turns south on its own alignment. US 50 and 150 lead east {{convert|7|mi|0}} to [[Shoals, Indiana|Shoals]], the Martin [[county seat]], and west {{convert|15|mi}} to [[Washington, Indiana|Washington]], while US 231 leads north {{convert|24|mi}} to [[Bloomfield, Indiana|Bloomfield]] and south {{convert|21|mi}} to [[Jasper, Indiana|Jasper]]. [[Indiana State Road 550]] leads southeast from Loogootee {{convert|10|mi|0}} to [[Lacy, Indiana|Lacy]].

According to the [[U.S. Census Bureau]], Loogootee has a total area of {{convert|1.57|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, of which {{convert|0.004|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, or 0.25%, are water.<ref name="CenPopGazetteer2022"/> The city drains northeast toward Boggs Creek and southwest toward Friends Creek, both of which are southeast-flowing tributaries of the East Fork of the [[White River (Indiana)|White River]], part of the [[Wabash River]] watershed.

The city is located in the [[Indiana's 8th congressional district|8th District of Indiana]] ([https://web.archive.org/web/20051120185009/http://nationalatlas.gov/printable/images/preview/congdist/in08_109.gif map]) and served by U.S. Representative [[Larry Bucshon]].

===Climate===
Loogootee has a [[humid continental climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification]] ''Dfa'') Summers are hot and humid, winters are cool to cold. Average temperatures range from 19&nbsp;degrees [[Fahrenheit]] to {{convert|68|°F|0}}. On average, the warmest month is July. The highest recorded temperature was {{convert|104|°F|0}} in 1954. The average coolest month is January. The [[1994 North American cold wave|lowest recorded temperature was {{convert|−23|°F|0}} in 1994]]. The maximum average precipitation occurs in May.
{{Weather box
|location = Loogootee, Indiana
|single line = Y
|Jan record high F = 72
|Feb record high F = 77
|Mar record high F = 83
|Apr record high F = 90
|May record high F = 98
|Jun record high F = 102
|Jul record high F = 104
|Aug record high F = 100
|Sep record high F = 103
|Oct record high F = 92
|Nov record high F = 83
|Dec record high F = 77
|Jan high F = 38
|Feb high F = 44
|Mar high F = 54
|Apr high F = 66
|May high F = 75
|Jun high F = 83
|Jul high F = 86
|Aug high F = 86
|Sep high F = 80
|Oct high F = 68
|Nov high F = 55
|Dec high F = 42
|Jan low F = 19
|Feb low F = 22
|Mar low F = 30
|Apr low F = 40
|May low F = 50
|Jun low F = 59
|Jul low F = 63
|Aug low F = 61
|Sep low F = 53
|Oct low F = 41
|Nov low F = 33
|Dec low F = 23
|Jan record low F = −23
|Feb record low F = −18
|Mar record low F = −9
|Apr record low F = 14
|May record low F = 27
|Jun record low F = 37
|Jul record low F = 46
|Aug record low F = 42
|Sep record low F = 32
|Oct record low F = 16
|Nov record low F = 0
|Dec record low F = −20
|Jan precipitation inch = 3.16
|Feb precipitation inch = 2.92
|Mar precipitation inch = 4.27
|Apr precipitation inch = 4.49
|May precipitation inch = 5.60
|Jun precipitation inch = 4.24
|Jul precipitation inch = 4.74
|Aug precipitation inch = 3.78
|Sep precipitation inch = 3.36
|Oct precipitation inch = 3.13
|Nov precipitation inch = 4.47
|Dec precipitation inch = 3.53
|source 1 = [[The Weather Channel (United States)|The Weather Channel]].<ref name=climate>{{cite web |url=http://www.weather.com/weather/wxclimatology/monthly/graph/USIN0377?from=month_bottomnav_undeclared
|title=MONTHLY AVERAGES for Loogootee, IN |publisher=[[The Weather Channel (United States)|The Weather Channel]] |accessdate=September 7, 2008}}</ref>
|date=August 2010
}}

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1870= 748
|1880= 885
|1890= 988
|1900= 1382
|1910= 2154
|1920= 2385
|1930= 2203
|1940= 2325
|1950= 2424
|1960= 2858
|1970= 2953
|1980= 3100
|1990= 2884
|2000= 2741
|2010= 2751
|2020= 2601
|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|accessdate=June 4, 2015}}</ref>
}}

===2010 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name ="FactFinder">{{cite web|title=American FactFinder|url=http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/nav/jsf/pages/index.xhtml|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|accessdate=2012-12-11}}</ref> of 2010, there were 2,751 people, 1,206 households, and 709 families residing in the city. The [[population density]] was {{convert|1752.2|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|1}}. There were 1,324 housing units at an average density of {{convert|843.3|/sqmi|/km2|1}}. The racial makeup of the city was 98.3% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.1% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.2% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.3% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.6% from [[Race (U.S. Census)|other races]], and 0.5% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 0.8% of the population.

There were 1,206 households of which 28.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.4% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 11.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 41.2% were non-families. 37.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.25 and the average family size was 2.95.

The median age in the city was 40.4 years. 23.4% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.1% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 23.4% were from 25 to 44; 28.1% were from 45 to 64; and 17.1% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.7% male and 52.3% female.

===2000 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, there were 2,741 people, 1,226 households, and 712 families living in the city. The population density was {{convert|1,750.5|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 1,337 housing units at an average density of {{convert|853.8|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the city was 99.05% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.04% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.11% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.33% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.04% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 0.44% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 0.40% of the population.

There were 1,226 households, out of which 67.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 83.4% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 5.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 11.9% were non-families. 10.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.20 and the average family size was 4.04.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 35.7% under the age of 18, 4.5% from 18 to 24, 22.6% from 25 to 44, 20.5% from 45 to 64, and 14.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.8 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $30,492, and the median income for a family was $37,625. Males had a median income of $30,660 versus $21,490 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $17,321. About 13.1% of families and 16.4% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 23.2% of those under age 18 and 10.7% of those age 65 or over.

==Education and sports==
{{more citations needed section|date=December 2022}}

[[File:Loogootee, Indiana.jpg|thumb|Downtown Loogootee]]

Loogootee has three schools in its district: Loogootee Elementary (PreK-4), Loogootee Middle School (5-8), and [[Loogootee High School |Loogootee High School (9-12)]]. The mascot is a [[lion]]. The school colors are black and old gold. The school song is "Washington and Lee Swing". Loogootee has a long-standing, proud tradition of high school basketball. It is the home of the winningest high school basketball coach in state history, Jack Butcher, who had a career record of 806-250 (all at Loogootee High School). Butcher led Loogootee basketball to two state finals appearances under the single-class state tournament (1970 & 1975). Loogootee's latest boys' basketball sectional title was in 2012, which began a run that ended with Loogootee High School's first state championship in any sport. Loogootee boasts rivalries with area schools, [[North Daviess Junior-Senior High School|North Daviess]] and [[Barr-Reeve Junior-Senior High School|Barr-Reeve]]. The Lions own the all-time series against both schools, and the rivalry with Barr-Reeve has recently been considered the state's best high school rivalry by several media outlets. The boys' basketball program has had an impressive winning record for many years. In the past fifty years, only three seasons have finished with below .500 records. Loogootee's boys' tennis program has also gained notoriety after winning twelve straight sectional titles under the guidance of Coach Rick Graves. Additionally, the girls' tennis program won seven consecutive sectional titles from 2004-2010 under coach Mike Tippery. The volleyball team was state runner-up for three consecutive years (2005–2007)and also in 2012.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;font-size: 95%"
|-
! School
! Type
! Enrollment
! Mascot
! Colors
! [[Indiana High School Athletic Association|IHSAA]] Class
! Athletic Conference
|-
| [[Loogootee High School]]
| [[State school|Public]]
| 314
| Lions
| {{color box|black}} {{color box|gold}} {{color box|white}}
| A
| [[Blue Chip Conference]]
|-
|}

The town has a lending library, the Loogootee Public Library.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.in.gov/library/files/countyindex13.pdf | title=Indiana public library directory | publisher=Indiana State Library | accessdate=10 March 2018}}</ref> The library is part of the Evergreen Indiana Library Consortium <ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.in.gov/library/evergreen.htm| title=Evergreen Indiana Library System| accessdate= 11 April 2020}}</ref> and the eIndiana Digital Consortium,<ref>{{cite web | url=https://cidc.overdrive.com/support/members | title=eIndiana Digital Consortium | accessdate=11 April 2020}}</ref> which allow members to obtain books and eBooks from any member library.

==Notable people==
*[[Patrick Summers]], [[conducting|conductor]], Artistic and Music Director of the [[Houston Grand Opera]]
*[[Nathan Kimball]], brevet major general in the [[Union Army]] during the [[American Civil War]]
*[[Ann Joseph Morris]], nun and beekeeper
*[[L. Brooks Patterson]], county executive of [[Oakland County, Michigan]]

==Economy==
A large number of the residents of Loogootee are employed with the federal government and government contractors at [[Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane Division]], {{convert|10|mi|0}} north of town.

==Transportation==
Loogootee is the point of intersection of two major US highways, [[U.S. Route 231 in Indiana|U.S. Route 231]] and [[U.S. Route 50 in Indiana|U.S. Route 50]]

===US Highways===
* [[Image:US 231.svg|25px]] [[U.S. Route 231 in Indiana|U.S. Route 231]]
* [[Image:US 50.svg|25px]] [[U.S. Route 50 in Indiana|U.S. Route 50]]
* [[Image:US 150.svg|25px]] [[U.S. Route 150 in Indiana|U.S. Route 150]]

===Indiana State Roads (local references)===
* [[Image:Indiana 550.svg|25px]] [[Indiana State Road 550|State Road 550]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Loogootee, Indiana}}
*{{Official website|loogootee.in.gov}}

{{Martin County, Indiana}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Cities in Indiana]]
[[Category:Communities of Southwestern Indiana]]
[[Category:Cities in Martin County, Indiana]]
[[Category:1853 establishments in Indiana]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1853]]