Context

Historical Background & Critical Points Timeline

1823-1860

1823-1860: Major Ambrose Whitlock of Virginia opens a federal land office and plats Crawfordsville. Wabash College opens in 1832, later moving to its current site in 1838. Crawfordsville is successfully incorporated in 1834.

1860-1900

Crawfordsville gains city status in 1865 and becomes a center for manufacturing. Barrel heads, coffins, wire and nails, matches, gloves, and many other products are produced in the city. Midstates Wire is established in 1900, as one of the city’s largest employers in production and employment. Ben Hur is published in 1880 by Major General Lew Wallace drawing national attention to the city, who turns his study into a local museum.

1920-1960

RR Donnelly opens a printing operation in 1923, employing more than 2,000 workers. In 1926, Crawfordsville Station opens by the Monon Railroad, providing passenger service to Chicago.

1960-2000

Nucor Steel opens in 1989 in Crawfordsville with the first mini mill in the world to produce flat-rolled steel. The city continues to attract manufacturing industries but suffers from a slow decline in population.

2000-2016

Population returns to levels seen in the middle of the 20th century with the 2000 Census showing 15,243 residents. Local businesses begin to form coalitions to promote tourism and revitalize historic structures, leading to the city becoming a Main Street Community. The city goes on to create the Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan and a 2025 Comprehensive Plan to develop ideas for the future. In 2015, Crawfordsville is awarded with Stellar designation and begins the planning and implementation of renewal strategies.

Crawfordsville: Primed for Stellar Transformation

Population
Crawfordsville has experienced a 20.3% increase in population between 1980 and 2014, the most recent year a population estimate was conducted. This reflects both a statewide and countywide growth in population. Indiana grew 19.1% during the same period and Montgomery County grew by 7.5%. Currently, Crawfordsville has a larger percentage of residents identifying as Black than Montgomery County (2.2 vs 1.5%), but less than the state (9.1%). Although the city is larger than ever, it has recovered from a slump beginning in the 1960s, when the population was 14,231 persons. Between the 1970 and 2000 censuses, the population never exceeded past the 14,000 mark.

Poverty

Since 1980, Crawfordsville has experienced a significant increase of 220% in persons living below poverty. Currently, 24.7% of the population is living in poverty. Montgomery County has a poverty level of 15.1%, which is similar to the state’s poverty level of 15.5%. Social services have increased in the area with organizations such as the Community Action Program of West Central Indiana which provides home weatherization, Head Start preschool, and energy assistance to combat poverty.

Income
Crawfordsville’s median household income has decreased over the past thirty years by 20.4%. The 2014 American Community Survey estimates suggest that Crawfordsville’s median household income is $33,085, which is significantly less than Montgomery County ($46,286) and the state ($48,737).

Crawfordsville: Socioeconomic Characteristics of Decline

Population
    1980
    2015
    % Change

Race/ethnicity, 2014 (%)
    White
    Black
    Other

All Persons Below Poverty (%)
    1980
    2014a
% Change

Median household income
    1980b
    2014
    % Change

Crawfordsville
13,325
16,024
+20.3%

93.7%
2.2%
4.1%

7.5%
24.7%
+220%

$41,575
$33,085
-20.4%

Montgomery County
35,501
38,227
+7.7%

97.4%
1.5%
1.1%

6.6%
15.1%
128.8%

$48,117
$46,286
-3.8%

Indiana
5,490,224
6,619,680
+20.6%

84.4%
9.1%
6.5%

9.7
15.5
+59.8%

$47,974
$48,737
+1.6%

Source: 1970 Census of Population, PC(1)-C1 "General Social and Economic Characteristics", table 182. 1980 Census of Population, PC80-1-C1 "General Social and Economic Characteristics", table 245.U.S. Census Bureau, Census 1980 Summary Files 1 and 3. U.S. Census Bureau, 2008-2012 American Community Survey Table S1702. U.S. Census Bureau: State and County QuickFacts, 2015. Data derived from Population Estimates, American Community Survey, Census of Population and Housing, State and County Housing Unit Estimates, County Business Patterns, Nonemployer Statistics, Economic Census, Survey of Business Owners, Building Permits. STATS Indiana, using data from Population Division, U.S. Census Bureau. Minnesota Population Center. National Historical Geographic Information System: Version 2.0. Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota 2011.

a. Poverty figures for 2014 were the most recent data estimations from the US Census Bureau’s American Community Survey, 2010-2014 Table S1701 estimations provided for the specific geographic area.

b. The Median Household dollar amounts reported for 1980 are values that have been converted to constant 2014 dollars according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Price Index Inflation Calculator, available at www.bls.gov/data/inflation_calculator.htm.

Neighborhood Stability and Quality of Life

Since the 1980s, Crawfordsville has struggled with an aging housing and building stock. Of the current 6,939 units, only about 8.9% were built in the 21st century. Nearly a third of all homes were built in 1939 or earlier, an observation noted in the numerous sites listed on the National Register of Historic Places. City leaders highlight this housing issue in their Stellar project by wanting to rehabilitate thirty homes in the Historic Whitlock Neighborhood. Even further, the city wishes to improve the neighborhood as it is a gateway to the downtown district and there is a desire to provide a “welcoming presence” through the project.

Community Economic Development

Major employers in the city include RR Donnelly, Nucor Steel, Penguin Random House, Acuity Lighting, and Raybestos Powertrain. The city’s manufacturing organizations consistently expand and retract due to market demands, affecting workforce stability. Recognizing this, the city created the 215 acre, Crawfordsville Commerce Park to establish a first class development for light industry. Wabash College still serves as a vital anchor to the city’s economy and is involved in the Crawfordsville Main Street organization to promote, design, restructure, and organize the city’s downtown. The area includes restaurants, galleries, theaters, and other attractions that drive tourism.

After being designated a Stellar Community in August, the city released their Downtown Revitalization Plan, a block-by-block outline of improvements to Crawfordsville historic center. The city is committed to going beyond the three-year Stellar time frame and going forward with projects that will bring prosperity to Crawfordsville. These projects include the Pike Street Pocket Park, Fusion 54, rehabilitating historic structures, and implementing parts of the original Bike and Pedestrian Plan along corridors such as Market and Franklin Streets as well as connecting the downtown area with the existing Sugar Creek Trail.