Kokomo

Kokomo, Indiana
Downtown Kokomo in 2008
Seal
Nickname(s): City of Firsts, Stop Light City
Location of Kokomo in the state of Indiana
Coordinates: 40°28′56″N 86°7′54″W / 40.48222°N 86.13167°W / 40.48222; -86.13167
Country	United States
State	Indiana
County	Howard
Government
- Mayor	Greg Goodnight (D)
Area
- Total	16.3 sq mi (42.1 km2)
- Land	16.2 sq mi (42.0 km2)
- Water	0.1 sq mi (0.2 km2)
Elevation	811 ft (247 m)
Population (2006)
- Total	48,070
- Density	2,846.4/sq mi (1,099.0/km2)
Time zone	EST (UTC-5)
- Summer (DST)	EST (UTC-5)
ZIP codes	46901-46904
Area code(s)	765
FIPS code	18-40392[1]
GNIS feature ID	0437425[2]
Website	http://www.cityofkokomo.org

Kokomo (pronounced /ˈkoʊkəmoʊ/) is a city in and the county seat of Howard County, Indiana, United States,^[3] Indiana's 13th largest city. It is the principal city of the Kokomo, Indiana Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Howard and Tipton counties.

Kokomo's population was 46,113 at the 2000 census.^[4]

History

The Art Deco Howard County courthouse.

Kokomo was named after a Miami Indian referred to as a chief, but later found to be local legend Ma-Ko-Ko-Mo, which is sometimes spelled as Koh-Koh-Mah or Kokomoko.His name translates to Black Walnut. There was a trading post for commerce between Native Americans and European-Americans here in the early 19th century.^[5] David Foster founded the first trading post in Howard County. In 1844, Foster donated 40 acres (160,000 m²) of his land to create a county seat in Kokomo, which was a log courthouse, for use in the community. It was incorporated as a city in 1865.{^[6]

Kokomo is officially known as the "City of Firsts"^[7] for, among other achievements, being a pioneer of United States automobile manufacturing, with Elwood Haynes test-driving his early internal combustion engine auto there on July 4, 1894. Haynes and his associates built a number of other autos over the next few years; the Haynes-Apperson Automobile Company for mass-production of commercial autos was established in Kokomo in 1898.^[8] Haynes went on to invent Stainless Steel flatware in 1912 to give his wife tarnish-free dinnerware.^[9] In 1938, the Delco Radio Division of General Motors (now Delphi) developed the first push button car radio.^[10]

Natural gas miners and their drill, near Kokomo, Indiana during the Indiana Gas Boom, c. 1885

On October 6, 1886, natural gas was discovered in Kokomo, leading to a "boom" in business. This discovery was directly responsible for Elwood Haynes' move to Kokomo, as he was a superintendent with a gas company with interests in Kokomo and Howard County. The Diamond Plate Glass Company began in Kokomo in 1887, lured by the cheap and plentiful natural gas. This company later became part of Pittsburgh Plate Glass, or PPG.^[11] The Kokomo Opalescent Glass Works started making stained glass in Kokomo in 1888 and has been in continuous operation ever since.

A more reluctant notoriety of Kokomo was the involvement of local citizens in the Indiana branch of the Ku Klux Klan. There had been large numbers of followers for years, which culminated on July 4, 1923, with the largest gathering of Ku Klux Klan members in history, which assembled at Malfalfa Park in Kokomo for a mighty Konklave. Attendance is estimated to have been 200,000 people.^[12]

Kokomo serves as the "City of Firsts" in the food industry as well. In 1928 Walter Kemp, Kemp Brothers Canning Co. developed the first canned tomato juice because of a request by a physician in search for baby food for his clinic.^[13] Kokomo is also home to the first mechanical corn picker which was developed by a man named John Powell in the early 1920s.^[14] In modern times, Kokomo was home to the first Ponderosa Steakhouse^[15] Kokomo opened the first McDonald's with a diner inside, locally called "McDiner."^[16] This McDonald's theme failed nationally. Eventually, the "McDiner" closed and was converted back to a regular McDonald's restaurant.^[17] Kokomo also opened the first Cracker Barrel not built near an interstate highway^[18] as well as the first Starbucks Coffee not built in a metropolitan area.^[19]

Much of the town was damaged or destroyed on April 11, 1965, by an F4 tornado that was part of the Palm Sunday Tornado Outbreak. ^[20]

Ryan White was a teenager from Kokomo who became a national poster child for HIV/AIDS after being expelled from school because of his infection.^[21]

Gas tower

The Kokomo Gas Tower had been a symbol of Kokomo since it was constructed in 1954. The tower was 115 m (378 ft) tall and had a capacity of 340,000 m³ (12 million cubic feet). Due to high maintenance costs of $75,000 a year to maintain and up to $1,000,000 to paint, the gas company decided to demolish it in 2003. Other ideas were reviewed before settling on this decision, including a plan to turn the tower into a giant Coca-Cola advertisement. On September 7, 2003, at approximately 7:30 a.m., the Gas Tower was demolished by Controlled Demolition, Inc. (CDI). Pieces of the tower were sold to the public for $20–30, and proceeds went to a planned Kokomo technology incubation center and Bona Vista.^[22]

Video of the demolition of the gas tower [4]

Demographics

Location of the Kokomo-Peru CSA and its components:      Kokomo Metropolitan Statistical Area      Peru Micropolitan Statistical Area

Kokomo is the larger principal city of the Kokomo-Peru CSA, a Combined Statistical Area that includes the Kokomo metropolitan area (Howard and Tipton counties) and the Peru micropolitan area (Miami County),^[23][24][25] which had a combined population of 137,623 at the 2000 census.^[1]

As of the census^[1] of 2000, there were 46,113 people, 20,273 households, and 12,204 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,847.2 people per square mile (1,099.0/km²). There were 22,292 housing units at an average density of 1,376.4/sq mi (531.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 85.10% White, 10.34% African American, 0.38% Native American, 1.14% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.17% from other races, and 1.84% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.61% of the population.

There were 20,273 households out of which 28.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.2% were married couples living together, 14.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.8% were non-families. 35.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.24 and the average family size was 2.90.

In the city the population was spread out with 25.0% under the age of 18, 9.4% from 18 to 24, 29.0% from 25 to 44, 22.2% from 45 to 64, and 14.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 89.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.8 males.

The median income for a households in the city was $36,258, and the median income for a family was $45,353. Males had a median income of $38,420 versus $24,868 for females. The per capita income for the city was $20,083. About 9.6% of families and 13.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.5% of those under age 18 and 9.3% of those age 65 or over.

In Dec. 2008 Kokomo was listed third by Forbes in a list of America's fastest dying towns. This is attributed to the financial problems of the automotive industry.^[26]

"City of Firsts" inventions

• 1894 - Elwood Haynes makes the first successful trial run of his "horseless carriage" on Pumpkinvine Pike, which is now Boulevard east of U.S.31.
• 1894 - The first pneumatic rubber tire was invented by D.C. Spraker at the Kokomo Rubber Tire Company.
• 1895 - The first aluminum casting was developed by William "Billy" Johnson from the Ford and Donnelly Foundry.
• 1902 - Kingston carburetor developed by George Kingston.
• 1906 - The first Stellite cobalt-base alloy was discovered by Elwood Haynes.
• 1912 - Stainless steel tableware was invented by Elwood Haynes as a response to his wife's desire for tableware that wouldn't tarnish.
• 1918 - The Howitzer shell, used in World War I, was created by the Superior Machine Tool Company.
• 1918 - The first aerial bomb with fins was first produced by the Liberty Pressed Metal Company.
• 1920 - The mechanical corn picker was created by John Powell.
• 1926 - Carl Molin developed Dirilyte golden-hued tableware.
• 1928 - The first canned tomato juice was created by Walter Kemp from Kemp Brothers Canning Company in response to a physician's need for baby food.
• 1938 - The first push-button car radio was created at Delco Radio Division of General Motors Corporation.
• 1941 - Globe American Stove Company manufactured the first all-metal life boats and rafts.
• 1947 - The first signal-seeking car radio was created by the Delco Radio Division of General Motors.
• 1957 - Delco Radio Division of General Motors developed the first all transistor car radio.^[27]

Government

City Hall and Police Department building.

Mayor

Kokomo's current mayor is (Democrat) Greg Goodnight (2008-present). The two previous mayors have been (Republican) Matt McKillip (2004-2008)^[28] and (Republican) Jim Trobaugh. The mayor is elected in a citywide vote.

Common Council

The city council is known as the Common Council. It consists of nine members. Six members are elected from individual districts. The other three are elected at-large.

Future Plans

US 31

A major roadway traversing through Kokomo, U.S. Route 31 has become one of the state's most congested roadways. In Howard County, there are currently 15 traffic signals on US 31. US 31 connects Indianapolis, Kokomo, and South Bend.In the next decade, Kokomo, will see a new interstate-style roadway on the East side of city limits. It will have interchanges at SR 26, Boulevard, Markland Avenue, Touby Pike, as well as where the current US 31 meets the new US 31. There will be similar changes to areas near South Bend and Indianapolis. The construction in Howard County will cost roughly $340 million. Construction started on the County Road 200 South bridge on November 1, 2008 ^[29] and construction will continue for the next 6 years.

Media

Newspapers

• Kokomo Tribune[5], daily morning newspaper owned by Community Newspaper Holdings Inc. (CNHI).
• Kokomo Perspective[6], a locally-owned weekly newspaper delivered every Tuesday or Wednesday.
• Kokomo Herald, weekly newspaper, a locally-owned weekly founded in 1971.
• The Correspondent[7], IU-Kokomo student newspaper

Television

• WTTK-TV[8], The CW affiliate, channel 29
• WKGK-TV, Independent, channel 48 (Currently For Sale)
• KGOV, Kokomo government access channel, channel 2

Radio

• WFIU-FM[9], Jazz, Classical, NPR- 106.1 FM
• WFRN-FM[10], Christian Radio- 93.7 FM
• WIOU-AM, Talk, News and Sports- 1350 AM
• WIWC-FM[11], Christian Radio- 91.7 FM
• WJJD-LP[12], Christian Radio- 101.3 FM
• WMYK-FM[13], Classic Rock- 98.5 FM
• WSHW-FM[14], Light Rock- 99.7 FM
• WWKI-FM[15], Hit Country- 100.5 FM
• WZWZ-FM, Adult Alternative- 92.5 FM

Education

Colleges/universities

• Indiana University Kokomo [16] (IUK)
• Indiana Wesleyan University [17]- Kokomo Campus
• Ivy Tech Community College [18]
• Purdue College of Technology [19]

School districts

Public

• Kokomo-Center Township Consolidated School Corporation [20] (K-12) Kokomo High School (NCC)
• Eastern Howard School Corporation [21] (K-12, Greentown, Indiana) (MIC)
• Northwestern School Corporation [22] (K-12) (MIC)
• Taylor Community School Corporation [23](K-12, Center, Indiana) (MIC)
• Western School Corporation [24] (K-12, Russiaville, Indiana) (MIC)

Private

• Kokomo Christian School [25] (K-5)
• Redeemer Lutheran School [26] (K-8)
• Sts. Joan of Arc and St. Patrick Catholic School [27] (K-8)
• Temple Christian School (K4-12)
• Victory Chirstain Academy [28](K-12)
• Acacia Academy (K-8)

Culture

Attractions

Howard County Historical Society

Seiberling Mansion

The Howard County Historical Society is a major attraction in the city of Kokomo. It occupies the Seiberling Mansion, the Elliot House, and their carriage houses. The Seiberling Mansion was originally the residence of one of Kokomo's richest citizens, Monroe Seiberling. The Seiberling Mansion has been on the National Registor of Historic Places since 1972. The Elliot House also began as a residence and was then converted into office space. The HCHS campus is a popular venue for weddings, weather permitting. During the winter the HCHS has 'Christmas at the Seiberling' an event which has activities for all ages, Including Santa Claus for children as well as tours of buildings, the lighting of the building and carriage rides through the Old Silk Stocking Neighborhood. The The HCHS resides in the Old Silk Stocking Neighborhood which is an attraction in itself. The neighborhood is on the National Register of Historic Places and is the only neighborhood in Howard County on the register. Howard County Historical Society

Kokomo Parks

Old Ben - Born in 1902 and acclaimed as "The largest steer in the world"

The Vermont Covered Bridge - Another attraction to be found in Highland Park

• Old Ben, a stuffed Hereford steer at Highland Park
• Vermont Covered Bridge, located in Highland Park
• The Sycamore Stump, a large stump at Highland Park
• Kokomo Beach
• Kokomo Pipeline Skate Park, located at Jackson Morrow Park
• Kirkendall Interpretive Center, nature center located at Jackson Morrow Park

• Elwood Haynes Museum, located next to Highland Park
• City of Firsts Automotive Heritage Museum
• Kokomo Visitors Center (located on US 31 North)
• Kokomo Event Center
• Chief Ma-Ko-Ko-Mo Burial and Monument, east of downtown Kokomo
• Kokomo Country Club, golf club

Festivals

• Kokomo Rib Fest, mid-June, downtown
• City of Firsts Soapbox Derby, Last Saturday in June
• Haynes-Apperson Festival, Independence Day weekend
• Howard County 4-H Fair, mid-July [29], in Greentown, Indiana
• Taste of Kokomo Festival, mid-August, downtown
• Koh-Koh-Mah & Foster Living History Encampment, mid-September
• Oktober Fest, 1st Saturday in October, downtown
• New Years Ball Drop[30], December 31 at Downtown Square

For more information visit Kokomo Main Street Association website

Sports teams

• Indiana Mustangs [31], Mid Continental Football League (1991-present)
• Kokomo Dodgers, Midwest League (1955-1961)
• Kokomo CFD Saints [32], semi-pro baseball (1989-2002)
• Kokomo CFD Knights [33], semi-pro baseball - (2006-2007)

Sports venues

• CFD Investments Stadium in Highland Park
• Kokomo Speedway^[30]
• Memorial Gym

Major employers

• Chrysler LLC
  • Kokomo Transmission Plant[34] (4,200 employees)
  • Kokomo Casting Plant[35] (1,115 employees)
  • Indiana Transmission Plant #1[36] (1,898 employees)
  • Indiana Transmission Plant #2[37] (482 employees)
• Delphi Corporation[38]
  • Electronics & Safety World Headquarters
• Haynes International [39]
• Holder Mattress[40]
• Syndicate Sales, Inc.[41]
• Coca-Cola[42] bottling plant
• Electronic Data Systems[43](EDS)

Transportation

Airports

• Kokomo Municipal Airport

Highways

US 31 in Kokomo.

• US-31 to South Bend (North) and Indianapolis (South)
• US-35 to Logansport (North) and Muncie (South)
• IN-19 to Kokomo Reservoir (North) and Tipton (South)
• IN-22 to Burlington (West) and Hartford City (East)
• IN-26 to Lafayette (West) and Hartford City (East)

Railroads ^[31]

• Central Railroad Company of Indianapolis^[32]
• Norfolk Southern Railway (tracks out of service)
• Winamac Southern Railway (formerly part of the Columbus to Chicago Main Line)

Notable people and groups from Kokomo

• Yianni Alexander, Bad Real-Time Electricity Trader
• Jack Purvis, Jazz musician
• Sylvia Jane Kirby, singer
• John O'Banion, singer
• Ryan White, AIDS activist
• Rupert Boneham, Survivor contestant
• Elwood Haynes, inventor, automotive pioneer
• Elmer and Edgar Apperson, automotive pioneers
• Steve Butler, six-time Sprint Car National Champion
• Steve Kroft, 60 Minutes correspondent
• John D. Shearer, photographer
• Norman Bridwell, author of the Clifford the Big Red Dog books
• Strother Martin, actor
• Matthew Mays, Three-time Emmy Award winning television/film producer
• Bob Ford, national-award winning sports editor for the Kokomo Tribune.
• Kaitlyn Christopher, Miss Indiana USA 2005
• Floyd Talbert, soldier (of Band of Brothers fame)
• John Oetjen, Grammy Award winner, television and film producer
• Joe Thatcher, pitcher for MLB San Diego Padres
• Jimmy Rayl, Splendid Splinter, Indiana Pacers 1967-1969, two-time All-American Indiana University
• Pat Underwood, former MLB pitcher, Detroit Tigers
• Tom Underwood, former MLB pitcher, Philadelphia Phillies, St. Louis Cardinals, Toronto Blue Jays, New York Yankees, Oakland A's, and Baltimore Orioles
• Breaksk8 Jamskate crew
• Tavis Smiley, PBS
• Alicia Berneche operatic soprano
• Kyle Gann All-American Pole Vaulter, University of Louisville

Movies filmed in Kokomo

• A Romance of Kokomo (1917), a silent film.
• Terror Squad (1987), starring Chuck Connors and resident Michael W. Gordon
• The Ryan White Story (1988), starring Judith Light and Lukas Haas

Other film references to Kokomo

• In the 1947 film Mother Wore Tights, Betty Grable and Dan Dailey sing a song entitled "Kokomo, Indiana".
• In the animated movie Cats Don't Dance, the protagonist (Danny) hails from Kokomo.
• The Blues Brothers (film) featured a fictitious Kokomo bar, Bob's Country Bunker, where patrons threw beer bottles at the band on a stage protected by a chicken wire cage.
• City Connection (A NES video game) 5th Level is located in Kokomo.
• Also in the same series above referenced in part 1 Currahee then mention the Kokomo Police department when he receives the revolver seen in other parts.
• In the movie series Band of Brothers part 3 Carentan in the end the poem read says "...he lunged he thrust both high and low and skewered the boy from Kokomo" as referenced to Floyd M. Talbert a native of Kokomo.

References

External links

• Kokomo, Indiana is at coordinates 40°28′56″N 86°07′54″W / 40.482238°N 86.131754°W / 40.482238; -86.131754 (Kokomo, Indiana)Coordinates: 40°28′56″N 86°07′54″W / 40.482238°N 86.131754°W / 40.482238; -86.131754 (Kokomo, Indiana)
• Kokomo-Howard County Public Library
• In Kokomo
• City of Kokomo, Indiana website
• Kokomo IN Visitors Bureau
• Howard County Community Net
• Club Kokomo Roadrunners

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