Seymour, Indiana

Seymour, Indiana
Aerial view of Seymour
Aerial view of Seymour
Nickname: 
"Crossroads of Southern Indiana"
Location of Seymour in Jackson County, Indiana.
Location of Seymour in Jackson County, Indiana.
Seymour, Indiana is located in the United States
Seymour, Indiana
Seymour, Indiana
Location of Seymour in the United States
Coordinates: 38°57′26″N 85°53′40″W / 38.95722°N 85.89444°W / 38.95722; -85.89444
Country United States
State Indiana
CountyJackson
TownshipsJackson, Redding, Rockford
FoundingApril 27, 1852
Incorporated (town)April 27, 1852
Incorporated (city)1864
Founded byMeedy Shields
Named forHezekiah Cook Seymour, Civil Engineer
Government
 • TypeMayor–council
 • MayorMatt Nicholson (R)[1]
 • State SenateEric Koch (R)[2]
 • State HouseJim Lucas (R)[3]
Area
 • City11.425 sq mi (29.59 km2)
 • Land11.42 sq mi (31.42 km2)
 • Water0.005 sq mi (0.01 km2)
Elevation
581 ft ([5] m)
Population
 (2020)
 • City21,569
 • Density1,777.86/sq mi (686.41/km2)
 • Urban
21,579
Time zoneUTC−05:00 (EST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−04:00 (EDT)
ZIP Codes
ZIP codes
  • 47274
Area code(s)812 & 930
FIPS code18-68832[6]
GNIS feature ID2395850[5]
Websitewww.seymourin.org

Seymour is a city in Jackson County, Indiana, United States. Its population was 21,569 at the 2020 census.

The city is noted for its location at the intersection of two major north–south and east–west railroads, which cross each other in the downtown area. The north–south line (the Jeffersonville, Madison and Indianapolis Railroad) was built in the 1840s and connected Indianapolis to the Ohio River at Jeffersonville.[7][8] In 1852, Captain Meedy Shields persuaded Hezekiah Cook Seymour into routing the east-west railroad (the Ohio and Mississippi Railroad) through his land, and in return named the city in Seymour's honor. The first settlers arrived in the spring of 1853.[9]

The companies Aisin USA and Rose Acre Farms are headquartered in Seymour, and Cummins operates a plant in the area. Walmart operates a large distribution center east of the city near the junction of I-65 and US-50. The city is also home to the 2nd largest high school gymnasium in the United States by seating capacity.[10][11] The city is home to a historically significant former military airbase built during WWII that is now a civilian airport.

  1. ^ The Tribune (Seymour, Indiana) · 4 Jul 2019, Thu · Page A5, Downloaded on Mar 3, 2022
  2. ^ https://ballotpedia.org/Eric_Koch
  3. ^ https://justfacts.votesmart.org/candidate/biography/120405/jim-lucas
  4. ^ "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 16, 2022.
  5. ^ a b U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Seymour, Indiana
  6. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  7. ^ "1853 Jeffersonville Railroad Company". www.thesharegallery.co.uk. Retrieved December 19, 2021.
  8. ^ Bogle, Victor M. (1962). "Railroad Building in Indiana, 1850-1855". Indiana Magazine of History. 58 (3): 211–232. ISSN 0019-6673. JSTOR 27789009.
  9. ^ Cite error: The named reference :1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  10. ^ Benbow, Dana Hunsinger (March 8, 2019). "You'd better sit down: Indiana's largest high school basketball gym changes after seating count". The Indianapolis Star.
  11. ^ "Seymour: When it comes to hosting big games, it has few peers". www.indystar.com. March 2, 2021. Retrieved June 8, 2023.