Griffin, Indiana

Griffin is a town in Bethel Township, Posey County, in the U.S. state of Indiana.[6] The population was 172 at the 2010 census.

Griffin, Indiana
Town
Town of Griffin
Location of Griffin in Posey County, Indiana.
Coordinates: 38°12′16″N 87°54′54″W
Country	United States
State	Indiana
County	Posey
Township	Bethel
Area [1]
• Total	0.07 sq mi (0.18 km^2)
• Land	0.07 sq mi (0.18 km^2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km^2)
Elevation [2]	384 ft (117 m)
Population  (2010)[3]
• Total	172
• Estimate  (2019)[4]	169
• Density	2,485.29/sq mi (954.41/km^2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (CST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code	47616
Area code(s)	812, 930
FIPS code	18-30024[5]
GNIS feature ID	435495

History

Griffin was originally called Price's Station, and under the latter name was laid out in 1881 by William Price, and named for him.[7] The present name honors Samuel Griffin, an early postmaster.[8] A post office called Griffin has been in operation since 1881.[9]

The town was nearly destroyed by the Tri-State Tornado on March 18, 1925, killing 26 people. In 1972, a nearby outdoor rock concert Erie Canal Soda Pop Festival caused quite a stir in the town over the course of three days. Locally, the fest was called the Bull Island rock fest, based on the location of the festival.

Ruins of the town of Griffin, Indiana, where 26 people were killed

Geography

Griffin is located at 38°12′16″N 87°54′54″W (38.204406, -87.915033).[10]

According to the 2010 census, Griffin has a total area of 0.07 square miles (0.18 km²), all land.[11]

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.		%±
1910	275		—
1920	341		24.0%
1930	208		−39.0%
1940	386		85.6%
1950	249		−35.5%
1960	212		−14.9%
1970	178		−16.0%
1980	192		7.9%
1990	171		−10.9%
2000	160		−6.4%
2010	172		7.5%
2019 (est.)	169	[4]	−1.7%
U.S. Decennial Census[12]

2010 census

As of the census[3] of 2010, there were 172 people, 69 households, and 51 families living in the town. The population density was 2,457.1 inhabitants per square mile (948.7/km²). There were 75 housing units at an average density of 1,071.4 per square mile (413.7/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.8% White, 0.6% African American, and 0.6% from two or more races.

There were 69 households, of which 33.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.3% were married couples living together, 7.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.3% had a male householder with no wife present, and 26.1% were non-families. 21.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 2.94.

The median age in the town was 37.3 years. 26.2% of residents were under the age of 18; 5.3% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 26.1% were from 25 to 44; 27.3% were from 45 to 64; and 15.1% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 43.0% male and 57.0% female.

2000 census

As of the census[5] of 2000, there were 160 people, 73 households, and 42 families living in the town. The population density was 2,363.3 people per square mile (882.5/km²). There were 81 housing units at an average density of 1,196.4 per square mile (446.8/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 99.38% White, and 0.62% from two or more races.

There were 73 households, out of which 17.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.1% were married couples living together, 5.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.1% were non-families. 34.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 26.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.19 and the average family size was 2.84.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 19.4% under the age of 18, 8.8% from 18 to 24, 18.8% from 25 to 44, 33.1% from 45 to 64, and 20.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 47 years. For every 100 females, there were 88.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.0 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $26,786, and the median income for a family was $42,083. Males had a median income of $28,125 versus $18,750 for females. The per capita income for the town was $18,074. About 7.0% of families and 17.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 40.7% of those under the age of eighteen and 22.2% of those 65 or over.

Education

The town and northern half of Posey County is served by the MSD of North Posey County which currently operates four schools:

• North Posey High School (9-12)
• North Posey Junior High School (7-8)
• North Elementary School (K-6)
• South Terrace Elementary School (K-6)

Highways

• Interstate 64
• Indiana State Road 69

References

1. "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 16, 2020.
2. "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
3. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2012-12-11.
4. "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". United States Census Bureau. May 24, 2020. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
5. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
6. "Griffin, Indiana". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 2017-04-01.
7. Leffel, John C. (1913). History of Posey County, Indiana. Standard Publishing Company. p. 118.
8. Exploring Indiana Highways: Trip Trivia. Exploring America's Highway. 2007. p. 145. ISBN 978-0-9744358-3-1.
9. "Posey County". Jim Forte Postal History. Retrieved 1 November 2015.
10. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
11. "G001 - Geographic Identifiers - 2010 Census Summary File 1". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on 2020-02-13. Retrieved 2015-07-16.
12. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.