- Peru, Indiana
-
City of Peru — City — Peru downtown
Nickname(s): Circus Capital of the World Location in the state of Indiana
Coordinates: 40°45′28″N 86°4′4″W / 40.75778°N 86.06778°WCoordinates: 40°45′28″N 86°4′4″W / 40.75778°N 86.06778°W Country United States State Indiana County Miami Founded 1834 Founder William N. Hood Government – Mayor Jim R. Walker (R) Area – Total 4.7 sq mi (12.1 km2) – Land 4.6 sq mi (12.0 km2) – Water 0.04 sq mi (0.1 km2) 0.86% Elevation 650 ft (198 m) Population (2010) – Total 11,417 – Density 2,815.5/sq mi (1,085.9/km2) Time zone EST (UTC-5) – Summer (DST) EDT (UTC-4) ZIP codes 46970-46971 Area code(s) 765 FIPS code 18-59328[1] GNIS feature ID 0441047[2] Website http://www.cityofperu.org/ Peru is a city in, and the county seat of, Miami County, Indiana, United States. The population was 11,417 at the 2010 census, making it the most populous city in Miami County[3].
Residents usually pronounce the name of Peru like the name of the South American nation of Peru. Elderly Hoosiers commonly use the archaic pronunciation of /ˈpɪəruː/ peer-oo.
Contents
History
Peru was founded in 1834 by Jason C Smith.[4] Early in the 20th century, Peru was home to a pioneering automobile maker, Model Automobile Company;[5] like most others, Model did not survive.
On June 23, 1972 Martin J. McNally hijacked American Airlines Flight 119 from St. Louis to Tulsa. After receiving a ransom of $502,500 he jumped out of the back of a Boeing 727 in what was the 9th copycat hijacking of D.B. Cooper style of hijackings. The entire ransom as well as a weapon were found near Peru. A fingerprint led to his arrest.[6] The money had been found in a 45-pound sealed canvas mail bag by local farmer Lowell Elliott while working in his soybean farm. Another farmer Ronald Miller discovered a Spitfire submachine gun in his corn field when a blade hit it while applying liquid nitrogen.[7]
Geography
Peru is located at 40°45′28″N 86°4′4″W / 40.75778°N 86.06778°W (40.757690, -86.067791)[8], along the banks of the Wabash River.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 4.7 square miles (12 km2), of which, 4.6 square miles (12 km2) of it is land and 0.04 square miles (0.10 km2) of it (0.86%) is water. Peru is the largest town or city in Miami County, and is the site of the tribal headquarters of the Miami Nation.
Historical populations Census Pop. %± 1900 8,463 — 1910 10,910 28.9% 1920 12,410 13.7% 1930 12,730 2.6% 1940 12,432 −2.3% 1950 13,308 7.0% 1960 14,453 8.6% 1970 14,139 −2.2% 1980 13,764 −2.7% 1990 12,843 −6.7% 2000 12,994 1.2% 2010 11,417 −12.1% Demographics
As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 12,994 people, 5,410 households, and 3,397 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,815.5 people per square mile (1,085.9/km²). There were 5,943 housing units at an average density of 1,287.7 per square mile (496.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 92.71% White, 2.95% African American, 1.52% Native American, 0.43% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, and 1.83% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.32% of the population.
There were 5,410 households out of which 30.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.1% were married couples living together, 13.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.2% were non-families. 32.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 2.97.
In the city the population was spread out with 26.1% under the age of 18, 8.7% from 18 to 24, 27.9% from 25 to 44, 21.4% from 45 to 64, and 15.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 88.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.1 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $30,668, and the median income for a family was $39,440. Males had a median income of $31,631 versus $20,440 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,497. About 9.5% of families and 11.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.0% of those under age 18 and 5.9% of those age 65 or over.
Miami County courthouse.
Peru High School."Circus Capital of the World"
Peru was the winter headquarters for several famous circuses, including Ringling Brothers, Hagenbeck-Wallace, Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show, and others.[9] The International Circus Hall of Fame is located in Peru, Indiana. Annually during the third weekend of July, the Peru Amateur Circus holds performances for the whole week, ending with a Circus City Festival and Parade. All of the performers are amateurs, ranging in age from 7 to 21 years. Peru is also the home of the world's only remaining manufacturer of steam calliopes.
Maria Rasputina, daughter of Grigori Rasputin, was mauled by a bear in Peru while working for the Ringling Brothers Circus. She survived.[10]
Notable residents
- B. J. Penn (U.S. Navy), briefly served as United States Secretary of the Navy in 2009
- Cole Porter[11], songwriter; Porter was born in Peru, and buried at Mt. Hope Cemetery
- Kyle Macy, former University of Kentucky All-American, former NBA player, former Morehead State University head coach; Macy was raised in Peru and graduated from Peru High School
- Ole Olsen, comedian
- Carol Lou Woodward, pianist
References
- ^ a b "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. http://geonames.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
- ^ Stephens, John H. (1896). "Peru". History of Miami County. Peru, Indiana: The John H. Stephens Publishing House.
- ^ Clymer, Floyd. Treasury of Early American Automobiles, 1877–1925 (New York: Bonanza Books, 1950), p.57.
- ^ http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/metro/article_1aac5de6-6eb4-5245-a126-7adf324d5eb2.html
- ^ http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1298&dat=19720627&id=oQoQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=2YoDAAAAIBAJ&pg=2757,602320
- ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/gazette.html. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
- ^ Adkins, Kreig A. Peru: Circus Capital of the World ISBN 13-978-0-7385-6071-7
- ^ Barry, Rey (1968). ""Kind Rasputin"". "The Daily Progress (Charlottesville, Virginia, USA)". http://www.freewarehof.org/manahans.html. Retrieved February 18, 2007.
- ^ "Cole Porter Is Dead; Songwriter Was 72". The New York Times. 1964. http://www.nytimes.com/books/98/11/29/specials/porter-obit.html?scp=1&sq=cole%20porter%20obit&st=cse. Retrieved September 21, 2011.
External links
Municipalities and communities of Miami County, Indiana County seat: PeruCity Peru
Towns Amboy | Bunker Hill | Converse‡ | Denver | Macy
Townships Allen | Butler | Clay | Deer Creek | Erie | Harrison | Jackson | Jefferson | Perry | Peru | Pipe Creek | Richland | Union | Washington
Unincorporated
communitiesBirmingham | Chili | Courter | Deedsville | Doyle | Erie | Flora | Gilead | Grissom JARB‡ | Loree | McGrawsville | Mexico | Miami | Nead | New Santa Fe | North Grove | Park View Heights | Peoria | Perrysburg | Pettysville | Santa Fe | South Peru | Wawpecong | Wells
Footnotes ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties
Categories:- Cities in Indiana
- Populated places in Miami County, Indiana
- Micropolitan areas of Indiana
- County seats in Indiana
- Populated places established in 1834
- International Circus Hall of Fame
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