Jasper, Indiana

Infobox Settlement
official_name = City of Jasper, Indiana
settlement_type = City
nickname =


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mapsize = 250px
map_caption = Location in the state of Indiana


mapsize1 =
map_caption1 =
subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = United States
subdivision_type1 = State
subdivision_name1 = Indiana
subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name2 = Dubois
government_type =
leader_title = Mayor
leader_name = William J. Schmitt (D)
area_note =
established_date =
area_magnitude = 1 E7
area_total_km2 = 24.0
area_land_km2 = 23.9
area_water_km2 = 0.1
population_as_of = 2000
population_note =
population_total = 12100
population_density_km2 = 506.7
timezone = EST
utc_offset = -6
timezone_DST = EDT
utc_offset_DST = -5
area_total_sq_mi = 9.3
area_land_sq_mi = 9.2
area_water_sq_mi = 0.0
elevation_m = 142
elevation_ft = 466
latd = 38 |latm = 23 |lats = 43 |latNS = N
longd = 86 |longm = 55 |longs = 58 |longEW = W
website = [http://www.jasperin.org Jasperin.org]
postal_code_type = ZIP codes
postal_code = 47546, 47547, 47549
area_code = 812
blank_name = FIPS code
blank_info = 18-37782GR|2
blank1_name = GNIS feature ID
blank1_info = 0436944GR|3
footnotes =

Jasper is a city in Dubois County, Indiana, United States. The population was 12,100 at the 2000 census. The city has been the county seat of Dubois CountyGR|6, since 1830, succeeding Portersville. In 1970 the school system of Ireland, a hamlet west of Jasper along State Route 56, was consolidated into that of Jasper [http://www.irelandindiana.com/ ] . On November 4, 2007, Dubois County returned to the Eastern Time Zone, after having moved to the Central Time Zone the previous year.The land uses are mainly agriculture.

Supercentenarian Minnie Kearby, once the oldest resident of Indiana, was perhaps one of Jasper's best-known residents; born in Ireland, Indiana on April 14, 1893, she moved to a Jasper care facility in November 2004. She died the following winter. It is also the hometown of Major League Baseball player Scott Rolen of the Toronto Blue Jays, and William J. Schroeder, who lived the longest on a Jarvik-7: 620 days. The current Catholic Archbishop of Indianapolis, Daniel M. Buechlein, O.S.B., also hails from Jasper.

The town of Jasper is a regional center in southwestern Indiana. It is one of the most affluent towns in Indiana. The standard of living is much higher than in other towns of its size. It is noted for its heavily German Catholic ancestral roots. Jasper has often been called the "Wood Capital of the World", boasting a very large number of furniture companies. It has an unemployment rate that hovers around 2.5 percent, making it one of the lowest in the state. Fact|date=January 2008 Jasper is also home to the Southern Indiana Education Service Center (SIEC) and to a satellite campus of Vincennes University, as well as the headquarters of Buehler Foods.

The Indiana Baseball Hall of Fame, which honors players and others associated with the national pastime who were born or lived in Indiana, is located in Jasper.

In 2005, Jasper was ranked in the top ten best places to live in the U.S. by Relocate America, a national realty relocation firm, which consults and helps clients find desirable places across the country to live. Jasper was previously ranked in the top 25 in Norman Crampton's 1992 book "100 Best Small Towns in America". Jasper also boasts the only municipally supported Arts Council in the state of Indiana and one of a few nationwide; it is part of city government and is supported by the city for its citizens in the same vein as its park board or its street department. The City of Jasper and the Jasper Community Arts Commission have won the Governor's Arts Award twice, once in 1987 and again in 2007, and it is the only group to have garnered this award twice.

Strassenfest

The Jasper Strassenfest is a four day event held annually during the first weekend in August. The "Fest" is a celebration between Jasper and its German sister-city Pfaffenweiler, a small village in southwest Germany. Many citizens of Pfaffenweiler travel to Jasper around this time of year. The street festival encompasses the entire city square, complete with countless food stands, rides, and a very large Beergarten. On average, over 1,300 pounds of bratwurst are consumed during the four-day event. The Strassenfest culminates in a Sunday parade and evening fireworks. The festival also incorporates a golf tournament, beauty pageant (Miss Strassenfest), fishing tournament, mustache rides, and a network of German "Polka Masses" at the three Catholic parishes, St. Joseph's, Holy Family, and Precious Blood.

Geography

Jasper is located at coor dms|38|23|43|N|86|55|58|W|city (38.395306, -86.932706)GR|1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 9.3 square miles (24.0 km²), of which, 9.2 square miles (23.9 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km²) of it (0.43%) is water.

Demographics

Jasper is the principal city of the Jasper Micropolitan Statistical Area, a micropolitan area that covers Dubois and Pike counties [ [http://www.census.gov/population/www/estimates/metro_general/2006/List5.txt MICROPOLITAN STATISTICAL AREAS AND COMPONENTS] , Office of Management and Budget, 2007-05-11. Accessed 2008-07-27.] and had a combined population of 52,511 at the 2000 census.GR|2

As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 12,100 people, 4,875 households, and 3,188 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,311.8 people per square mile (506.7/km²). There were 5,107 housing units at an average density of 553.7/sq mi (213.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 97.00% White, 0.25% African American, 0.08% Native American, 0.40% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 1.54% from other races, and 0.70% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.37% of the population.

There were 4,875 households out of which 32.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.2% were married couples living together, 8.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.6% were non-families. 29.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 3.01.

In the city the population was spread out with 25.4% under the age of 18, 8.4% from 18 to 24, 29.6% from 25 to 44, 21.6% from 45 to 64, and 15.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 95.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.2 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $42,051, and the median income for a family was $52,634. Males had a median income of $36,415 versus $22,484 for females. The per capita income for the city was $23,547. About 3.3% of families and 5.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.8% of those under age 18 and 6.3% of those age 65 or over.

Sister Cities

Jasper participates in the sister cities program, as designated by Sister Cities International, Inc. (SCI) [cite web| url=http://www.sister-cities.org/icrc/directory/usa/IN| title=Sister Cities International| accessdate=2006-11-20] . Its sister city isflagicon|Germany - Pfaffenweiler, Baden-Württemberg, Germany.

Schools

*Jasper High School
* [http://vujc.vinu.edu/ Vincennes University (Jasper Campus)]
* [http://www.siec.k12.in.us/holyfamily/ Holy Family School (Catholic)]
* [http://www.preciousbloodschool.com/ Precious Blood Elementary School (Catholic)]
* [http://www.ireland.gjcs.k12.in.us/ Ireland Elementary School (Public)]

References

External links

* [http://www.jasperindiana.gov City of Jasper]
* [http://www.jasperin.org/default.cfm Jasper Official Website]
* [http://www.jaspergermanclub.org/ Jasper German Club]
* [http://www.jasperstrassenfest.org/ Jasper Strassenfest]