Editing Tell City, Indiana

{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
<!-- Infobox begins -->{{Infobox settlement
| name               = Tell City, Indiana
| official_name      = City of Tell City
| native_name        = 
| settlement_type    = [[City]]
| nickname           = 
| motto              = 
| image_skyline      = Tell City, Indiana Town Hall.jpg
| imagesize          = 
| image_caption      = A statue of [[William Tell]] and his son Walter sits upon a fountain outside city hall. It is a famous city landmark.
| image_flag         = TellCityINflag.gif
| flag_size          = 130px
| image_seal         = 
| image_map          = File:Perry County Indiana Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Tell City Highlighted 1875248.svg
| mapsize            = 250px
| map_caption        = Location of Tell City in Perry 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  = [[Perry County, Indiana|Perry]]
| subdivision_type3  = [[List of townships in Indiana|Township]]
| subdivision_name3  = [[Troy Township, Perry County, Indiana|Troy]]
| government_type    = 
| leader_title       = [[Mayor]]
| leader_name        = Chris Cail ([[Democratic Party (United States)|D]])<ref>{{cite web | url=https://tellcity.in.gov/mayor/| title=Mayor Chris Cail |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20250112110743/https://tellcity.in.gov/mayor/ |archive-date= January 12, 2025 |url-status= live |website=Tell City | access-date=February 26, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.in.gov/sos/elections/files/Candidate_List_Abbreviated_20231031_024408PM-1.pdf | title= Candidate List - Abbreviated |date=November 7, 2023 |website= Indiana Secretary of State}}</ref>
| leader_title1      = 
| leader_name1       = 
| leader_title2      = 
| leader_name2       = 
| leader_title3      = 
| leader_name3       = 
| established_title  = Acquired
| established_date   = July 1857
| established_title2 = Founded
| established_date2  = August 1858
| established_title3 = <!-- Incorporated (city) -->
| established_date3  = <!-- Area -->
| 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     = 12.04
| area_land_km2      = 11.74
| area_water_km2     = 0.30
| area_total_sq_mi   = 4.65
| area_land_sq_mi    = 4.53
| area_water_sq_mi   = 0.12
| area_water_percent = 2.37
| 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   = 7506
| population_density_km2 = 639.22
| population_density_sq_mi = 1655.49
| population_metro   = 
| population_density_metro_km2 = 
| population_density_metro_sq_mi = 
| population_urban   = 
| timezone           = [[North American Central Time Zone|CST]]
| utc_offset         = -6
| timezone_DST       = [[North American Central Time Zone|CDT]]
| utc_offset_DST     = -5
| coordinates        = {{coord|37|57|11|N|86|45|21|W|region:US-IN|display=inline,title}}
| elevation_footnotes = <ref name=gnis/>
| elevation_ft       = 417
| postal_code_type   = [[ZIP code]]
| postal_code        = 47586
| website            = {{URL|https://tellcity.in.gov/}}
| area_code          = [[Area code 812|812]]
| blank_name         = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info         = 18-75248<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        = 2396037<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2396037}}</ref>
| footnotes          = 
}}
<!-- Infobox ends -->
'''Tell City''' is a city in and the [[county seat]] of [[Troy Township, Perry County, Indiana|Troy Township]], [[Perry County, Indiana|Perry County]], in the [[U.S. state]] of [[Indiana]]. It is located along the [[Ohio River]].<ref>{{cite gnis|451548|Tell City, Indiana|2017-04-14}}</ref> The population was 7,506 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]].

==History==
{{More citations needed section|date=December 2023}}
Tell City traces its 150+ year old roots to a meeting in [[Cincinnati]], [[Ohio]] in November 1856. A group of Swiss-German immigrants met in Cincinnati to organize a society known as the "Swiss Colonization Society." The society's purpose was to obtain affordable homesteads for mechanics, shopkeepers, factory workers, and small farmers in a location where all could live in harmony.

The Society decided to purchase a tract of land three miles (5&nbsp;km) square to be surveyed as a city plot. The group was sent out to purchase the land and told to keep in mind they should find a healthful climate, fertile soil, good water, ample timber, as well as a location near a navigable river and a railroad, if possible. Purchase of a  suitable site was made in July 1857. The tract, containing {{convert|4152|acre|km2}}, was laid out in 392 town blocks with 7,328 building lots and 294 garden lots.

[[File:Tell City Watertower.jpg|thumb|left|Tell City water tower]]

Before the settlers arrived, a name for the new town was selected. Initially called Helvetia, it was soon renamed Tell City, a name easier to pronounce and remember for English-speaking people. It was named for the legendary Swiss hero and liberator, [[William Tell]].<ref name="thrasher">Thrasher, M. A.: ''{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20081207081906/http://www.perrycountyindiana.org/history/tcityhistory.cfm A History of Tell City]}}'', Tell City Historical Society, 1989. Retrieved 2008-12-04.</ref>

Indicative of the foresightedness of Tell City's founders are the wide streets. They are named for great persons of the military, arts, letters and science: [[Johann de Kalb|DeKalb]], [[James Watt|Watt]], [[Arnold von Winkelried|Winkelried]], [[Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben|Steuben]], [[John Howard Payne|Payne]], [[Johann Hermann|Herrman]], [[Peter Paul Rubens|Reubens]], [[Gilbert du Motier, marquis de Lafayette|Lafayette]], [[Friedrich Schiller|Schiller]], [[William Tell|Tell]], [[Robert Fulton|Fulton]], [[Thomas Jefferson|Jefferson]], [[Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart|Mozart]], [[Benjamin Franklin|Franklin]], [[Alexander von Humboldt|Humboldt]], [[Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi|Pestalozzi]], [[George Washington|Washington]], [[Robert Blum|Blum]] and [[Johannes Gutenberg|Gutenberg]].

The Tell City post office has been in operation since 1858.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.postalhistory.com/postoffices.asp?task=display&state=IN&county=Perry&searchtext=&pagenum=3 | title=Perry County | publisher=Jim Forte Postal History | access-date=April 14, 2017}}</ref>

With 100 years of recorded history, the citizens of Tell City held a centennial celebration August 10–17, 1958 in honor of the early settlers and the founding of Tell City. After the success of the Centennial, the Tell City Historical Society decided they would sponsor a festival in 1959 to determine if the community would support it as an annual event. The festival, named Schweizer Fest (Swiss Fest), was a great success. Today, the festival remains one of Indiana's longest-running community festivals.

On March 17, 1960, [[Northwest Orient Airlines Flight 710]], a [[Lockheed L-188 Electra|Lockheed Electra]] turboprop airliner flying from Chicago to Miami lost a wing due to [[Aeroelastic flutter|aerodynamic flutter]] and crashed in southern Indiana near Tell City. All 63 on board, including the crew, perished. The victims were impacted in a {{convert|30|ft|m|adj=mid|-deep}} crater, which became their final resting place. A monument with the names of the victims and the date of the tragedy marks the grave.

Tell City became the county seat in 1994, when it was moved from nearby [[Cannelton, Indiana|Cannelton]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Perry County Courthouse, Cannelton, Indiana |url=https://digital.library.in.gov/Record/IHS_P0391-1104 |access-date=2025-02-02 |website=Indiana State Library}}</ref>

===Steamboat ''Tell City''===

The steamboat ''Tell City'' was built in 1889 and named after Tell City. It was used to carry passengers and freight on the Ohio River until it sank on April 6, 1917 in [[Little Hocking, Ohio]]. The pilothouse survived the sinking and is the oldest remaining steamboat pilothouse, located at the [[Ohio River Museum]] in [[Marietta, Ohio]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.amystrahlerphotography.com/p264905899/h2BCAD48#h2bcad48|title=Around Town &#124; Tell City Pilothouse}}</ref>

==Geography==

According to the 2010 census, Tell City has a total area of {{convert|4.635|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, of which {{convert|4.53|sqmi|sqkm|2}} (or 97.73%) is land and {{convert|0.105|sqmi|sqkm|2}} (or 2.27%) is water.<ref name="census-g001">{{cite web
  |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/1600000US1875248
  |title=G001 - Geographic Identifiers - 2010 Census Summary File 1
  |access-date=2015-07-29
  |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]
  |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213064723/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/1600000US1875248
  |archive-date=2020-02-13
  |url-status=dead
  }}</ref>

===Climate===
{{Weather box
| width = auto
| collapsed = yes
| single line = yes
| location = Tell City, Indiana (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1939–present)
| Jan record high F = 79
| Feb record high F = 77
| Mar record high F = 88
| Apr record high F = 91
| May record high F = 96
| Jun record high F = 105
| Jul record high F = 105
| Aug record high F = 104
| Sep record high F = 106
| Oct record high F = 96
| Nov record high F = 86
| Dec record high F = 80
| year record high F = 
| Jan avg record high F = 63.3
| Feb avg record high F = 67.8
| Mar avg record high F = 74.9
| Apr avg record high F = 82.1
| May avg record high F = 87.5
| Jun avg record high F = 92.5
| Jul avg record high F = 94.1
| Aug avg record high F = 94.0
| Sep avg record high F = 92.0
| Oct avg record high F = 84.7
| Nov avg record high F = 74.0
| Dec avg record high F = 56.1
| year avg record high F = 95.8
| Jan high F = 40.5
| Feb high F = 44.7
| Mar high F = 54.2
| Apr high F = 65.7
| May high F = 74.4
| Jun high F = 82.2
| Jul high F = 85.3
| Aug high F = 84.7
| Sep high F = 79.2
| Oct high F = 68.1
| Nov high F = 54.9
| Dec high F = 44.4
| year high F = 64.9
| Jan mean F = 33.1
| Feb mean F = 36.5
| Mar mean F = 44.9
| Apr mean F = 55.3
| May mean F = 64.6
| Jun mean F = 72.9
| Jul mean F = 76.3
| Aug mean F = 75.2
| Sep mean F = 68.8
| Oct mean F = 57.6
| Nov mean F = 46.0
| Dec mean F = 37.3
| year mean F = 55.7
| Jan low F = 25.8
| Feb low F = 28.2
| Mar low F = 35.5
| Apr low F = 44.9
| May low F = 54.9
| Jun low F = 63.6
| Jul low F = 67.3
| Aug low F = 65.7
| Sep low F = 58.4
| Oct low F = 47.0
| Nov low F = 37.1
| Dec low F = 30.1
| year low F = 46.5
| Jan avg record low F = 9.2
| Feb avg record low F = 12.7
| Mar avg record low F = 21.5
| Apr avg record low F = 31.8
| May avg record low F = 41.8
| Jun avg record low F = 53.3
| Jul avg record low F = 59.8
| Aug avg record low F = 58.0
| Sep avg record low F = 46.2
| Oct avg record low F = 34.3
| Nov avg record low F = 24.7
| Dec avg record low F = 15.9
| year avg record low F = 6.4
| Jan record low F = -17
| Feb record low F = -8
| Mar record low F = -1
| Apr record low F = 20
| May record low F = 30
| Jun record low F = 42
| Jul record low F = 47
| Aug record low F = 46
| Sep record low F = 31
| Oct record low F = 21
| Nov record low F = 0
| Dec record low F = -14
| year record low F = 
| precipitation colour = green
| Jan precipitation inch = 3.70
| Feb precipitation inch = 3.49
| Mar precipitation inch = 4.74
| Apr precipitation inch = 5.30
| May precipitation inch = 5.82
| Jun precipitation inch = 5.05
| Jul precipitation inch = 4.12
| Aug precipitation inch = 3.01
| Sep precipitation inch = 3.71
| Oct precipitation inch = 3.93
| Nov precipitation inch = 3.93
| Dec precipitation inch = 4.48
| year precipitation inch = 51.28
| unit precipitation days = 0.01 in
| Jan precipitation days = 9.2
| Feb precipitation days = 8.3
| Mar precipitation days = 10.2
| Apr precipitation days = 10.6
| May precipitation days = 11.4
| Jun precipitation days = 9.3
| Jul precipitation days = 8.5
| Aug precipitation days = 7.1
| Sep precipitation days = 6.9
| Oct precipitation days = 7.4
| Nov precipitation days = 8.2
| Dec precipitation days = 10.6
| year precipitation days = 107.7
| source = [[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration|NOAA]]<ref name="NOWData">{{cite web
|url = https://www.weather.gov/wrh/climate?wfo=lmk
|title = NOWData – NOAA Online Weather Data
|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
|access-date = November 18, 2023}}</ref><ref name="NCEI">{{cite web
|url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&stations=USC00128698&format=pdf&dataTypes=MLY-TMAX-NORMAL,MLY-TMIN-NORMAL,MLY-TAVG-NORMAL,MLY-PRCP-NORMAL,MLY-SNOW-NORMAL
|title = Summary of Monthly Normals 1991–2020
|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
|access-date = November 18, 2023}}</ref>
}}

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
| 1860 = 1030
| 1870 = 1660
| 1880 = 2112
| 1890 = 2094
| 1900 = 2680
| 1910 = 3369
| 1920 = 4086
| 1930 = 4873
| 1940 = 5395
| 1950 = 5735
| 1960 = 6609
| 1970 = 7933
| 1980 = 8704
| 1990 = 8088
| 2000 = 7845
| 2010 = 7272
| 2020 = 7506
| 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=2012-12-11}}</ref> of 2010, there were 7,272 people, 3,224 households, and 1,971 families residing in the city. The [[population density]] was {{convert|1605.3|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|1}}. There were 3,574 housing units at an average density of {{convert|789.0|/sqmi|/km2|1}}. The racial makeup of the city was 97.5% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.3% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.3% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.7% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.3% 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 1.0% of the population.

There were 3,224 households, of which 28.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.9% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 11.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.8% had a male householder with no wife present, and 38.9% were non-families. 34.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.23 and the average family size was 2.84.

The median age in the city was 42 years. 22% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.6% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 24.1% were from 25 to 44; 27% were from 45 to 64; and 19.3% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.5% male and 52.5% female.

===2000 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, there were 7,845 people, 3,404 households, and 2,161 families residing in the city. The population density was {{convert|1,721.4|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 3,700 housing units at an average density of {{convert|811.9|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the city was 98.65% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.27% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.18% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.23% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.04% [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 0.14% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 0.50% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 0.89% of the population.

There were 3,404 households, out of which 26.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.3% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 10.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.5% were non-families. 33.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.2% 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 2.85.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 21.9% under the age of 18, 9.2% from 18 to 24, 25.4% from 25 to 44, 22.7% from 45 to 64, and 20.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.6 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $31,045, and the median income for a family was $41,300. Males had a median income of $31,908 versus $21,232 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $17,443. About 8.0% of families and 11.2% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 15.7% of those under age 18 and 8.8% of those age 65 or over.

==Education==
Tell City is home to the [[Tell City High School]] Marksmen. The school is in Class 2A for football, basketball, and baseball. The city is also home to the other school [[William Tell Elementary]].<ref>https://wte.tellcity.k12.in.us/</ref>

Tell City has a [[public library]], a branch of the Perry County Public Library.<ref>{{cite web |title=Indiana public library directory |url=https://www.in.gov/library/files/countyindex13.pdf |access-date=14 March 2018 |publisher=Indiana State Library}}</ref>

==Notable people==
*[[Krista Blunk]] - former college basketball star
*[[Wally Bruner]] - American journalist and television host
*[[Ray Eddy]] - former college basketball coach of the [[Purdue Boilermakers men's basketball|Purdue Boilermakers]]
*[[Paul D. Etienne]] - Sixth Archbishop of [[Archdiocese of Seattle|Seattle]]
*[[Tommy Kron|Tom Kron]] - former college (Univ of Kentucky) and professional basketball star
*[[Bob Lochmueller]] - former NBA player, college & high school basketball coach
*[[Edwin D. Patrick]] - commander of the [[6th Infantry Division (United States)|6th Infantry Division]] during [[World War II]]
*[[Bob Polk]] - former college basketball coach
*[[Burke Scott]] - former college basketball player and U.S. Army Officer

==See also==
* [[List of cities and towns along the Ohio River]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Tell City, Indiana}}
* [http://tellcityindiana.com City website]
* [http://www.perrycountynews.com Perry County News], local newspaper
* [http://www.perrycountychamber.com Perry County Chamber of Commerce], local Chamber of Commerce

{{Perry County, Indiana}}
{{County Seats of Indiana}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Cities in Indiana]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1858]]
[[Category:Communities of Southwestern Indiana]]
[[Category:Cities in Perry County, Indiana]]
[[Category:County seats in Indiana]]
[[Category:Swiss-American culture in Indiana]]
[[Category:Indiana populated places on the Ohio River]]
[[Category:1858 establishments in Indiana]]
[[Category:William Tell]]