Westfield, Indiana

History

Westfield was founded on May 6, 1834, by North Carolina Quakers Asa Bales, Ambrose Osborne, and Simon Moon. It is believed that the town was planned as a stop on the Underground Railroad with many families of the Religious Society of Friends and the Wesleyan Methodist Church supporting the cause. When the laws against aiding escaped slaves were made harsher, part of the Westfield Quaker Friends Meeting House split off into the Anti-Slavery Friends meeting.

Westfield was incorporated as a town in 1848.

On January 1, 2008, Westfield was incorporated as a city, and Andy Cook was sworn in as mayor. With recent annexations in southern Washington Township and rapid population growth in areas previously within the town limits, the city population in 2010 (30,068) was more than triple that of 2000 (9,293). Because of the growing size of the city, officials are planning a major revitalization of city's downtown. New additions to downtown Westfield are expected to include a new library and city hall.

The Union High Academy Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1995.

In 2014, the city opened Grand Park Sports Complex which hosted the 2016 Big Ten Conference Men's Soccer Tournament.

Demographics

As of 2000 the median income for a household was $52,963; and for a family, $65,208. Males had a median income of $45,388; females, $26,864. The per capita income was $22,160. About 2.3% of families and 4.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.5% of those under 18 years and 3.7% 65 years or over. The American Community Survey estimated the median household income in Westfield from 2007 to 2011 at $86,054 and the median family income at $96,374.

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 30,068 people, 10,490 households, and 8,146 families residing in the town. The population density was 1120.3 PD/sqmi. There were 11,209 housing units at an average density of 417.6 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 90.9% White, 2.2% African American, 0.2% Native American, 2.5% Asian, 2.6% from other races, and 1.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.8% of the population.

There were 10,490 households, of which 47.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.9% were married couples living together, 9.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.4% had a male householder with no wife present, and 22.3% were non-families. 18.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 4.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.85 and the average family size was 3.27.

The median age in the town was 33.7 years. 31.9% of residents were under the age of 18; 5.9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 31.6% were from 25 to 44; 23.7% were from 45 to 64; and 6.8% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 48.9% male and 51.1% female.

Local media

Westfield is served by a local weekly newspaper, the Current in Westfield. The area is also served by the Times of Noblesville and the daily Hamilton County Reporter from the neighboring county seat of Noblesville.

Grand Park

Grand Park is the largest youth sports campus in the United States, featuring 26 baseball and softball diamonds, 31 multipurpose fields for soccer, football, field hockey and lacrosse. An indoor events center opened in July 2016 that features three full-size multipurpose fields, and an indoor basketball/volleyball facility that features eight courts, with two of them being NBA-regulated, also opened and is named after the NBA's Indiana Pacers. Grand Park features an abundance of green space and more than 10 mi of pedestrian/bicycle trails, including the largest trailhead on the Monon Corridor.

Since opening, the campus has hosted several major events including: Whale of a Sale Consignment Event, Little League Softball and Baseball Region Tournaments, USA Archery Finals, Big Ten Women's and Men's Soccer Tournaments, US Club Soccer NPL Finals and Nationals, Suburban Indy Consumer Shows, plus many more.

In 2017 Westfield signed a 10-year contract with the NFL's Indianapolis Colts for their annual training camp.

The park has experienced about 750,000 visitors and 1,900,000 visits on average each year.

Geography

Westfield is located in western Hamilton County. It is bordered to the east by Noblesville and to the south by Carmel. To the west it is bordered by Zionsville in Boone County.

U.S. Route 31 is the main highway through the city, leading north 31 mi to Kokomo and south 9 mi to Interstate 465, the beltway around Indianapolis. Downtown Indianapolis is 20 mi south of the center of Westfield. Indiana State Road 32 is Westfield's Main Street and leads east 6 mi to Noblesville, the county seat, and west 18 mi to Lebanon.

According to the 2010 census, Westfield has a total area of 27.081 sqmi, of which 26.84 sqmi (or 99.11%) is land and 0.241 sqmi (or 0.89%) is water.{{cite web |access-date=2015-07-29 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213090743/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/1600000US1882700 |archive-date=February 13, 2020 |url-status=dead

Notable people

• Herb Baumeister, suspected serial killer
• Claude Bowers, writer, Democratic politician, and ambassador to Spain and Chile
• Joey Chestnut, competitive eater
• Martha Doan, chemist and academic
• Thomas Jefferson Lindley, Civil War veteran, Indiana state representative and senator
• Ryan Pepiot, Major League Baseball pitcher (Los Angeles Dodgers, Tampa Bay Rays), Westfield High School graduate
• Kevin Plawecki, Major League Baseball catcher (Boston Red Sox), Westfield High School graduate
• Seth Cook Rees, pastor and leading figure in the evangelical Holiness movement
• Ambrose J. Tomlinson, first general overseer of the Church of God
• Eriq Zavaleta, professional soccer player (Toronto FC)
• Braden Smith (basketball), 2022 Indiana Mr. Basketball, Purdue Boilermakers Basketball, 2024 1st Team All Big Ten, 2025 Big Ten Player of the Year

Education

Public

• Westfield High School (Grades 9–12)
• Westfield Middle School (Grades 7–8)
• Westfield Intermediate School (Grades 5–6)
• Carey Ridge Elementary School (Grades K–4)
• Maple Glen Elementary School (Grades K–4)
• Monon Trail Elementary School (Grades K–4)
• Oak Trace Elementary School (Grades K–4)
• Shamrock Springs Elementary School (Grades K–4)
• Washington Woods Elementary School (Grades K–4)

Private

• Montessori School of Westfield
• St Maria Goretti School (Grades PreK–8)
• Union Bible College and Academy
• Options Charter School(Grades 7–12)

Colleges and universities

• Union Bible College and Seminary

Public library

The town has a lending library, the Westfield-Washington Public Library.

Sports

Westfield hosts the Great Lakes Regional Tournament in the Little League World Series each year. The tournament is held at the Grand Park Sports Campus.

Westfield also has a contract with the NFL's Indianapolis Colts to host their yearly training Camp at the Grand Park Sports Campus. This began in 2018, and the contract is for 10 years. Grand Park is also a sponsor of Indy Eleven and hosts some of the team's training.

References

References

1. Adams, Amy. (2023-11-14). "Meet the mayor: Scott Willis connects to Westfield's past and its future".
2. "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau.
3. Dorger, Samanda. (2023-05-24). "The Fastest Growing Cities in America".
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6. "Population and Housing Unit Estimates".
7. Haines, John F.. (1915). "History of Hamilton County, Indiana: Her People, Industries and Institutions, Volume 1". B.F. Bowen & Co..
8. Shirts, Augustus Finch. (1901). "A History of the Formation, Settlement and Development of Hamilton County, Indiana: From the Year 1818 to the Close of the Civil War". Shirts.
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15. "Main Home".
16. Sikich, Chris. (10 September 2017). "Colts to pay Grand Park $653K for 10 years but economic boost may be greater". Indianapolis Star.
17. Erdody, Lindsey. (22 December 2016). "Visits up at Grand Park in 2016". Indianapolis Business Journal (blog).
18. (2011-02-12). "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". [[United States Census Bureau]].
19. (2012). "Historical Dictionary of the Friends (Quakers)". Scarecrow Press.
20. "Indiana public library directory". Indiana State Library.
21. "Grand Park".