Kokomo, Indiana

Kokomo (IPA: ) is a city in Howard County, Indiana, United States. The population was 46,113 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat of Howard County. Kokomo is Indiana's 12th largest city.

Geography

Kokomo is located at (40.482238, -86.131754).

According to the United States Census Bureau14569745697456, the city has a total area of 42.1 km² (16.2 mi²). 42.0 km² (16.2 mi²) of it is land and 0.2 km² (0.1 mi²) of it (0.37%) is water.

Major parks

Foster Park
Highland Park
Jackson Morrow Park^*
Kokomo Beach^*- water park
Northwest Park
Darrough Chapel Park

History

Kokomo was named after Miami Indian Chief 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. David Foster founded the first trading post in Howard County. In 1844, Foster donated forty acres 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.

Officially known as the "City of Firsts" for, among other achievements, Kokomo was a pioneer of United States automobile manufacturing, with Elwood Haynes test-driving his early internal combustion engine auto there on 4 July, 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.

Kokomo serves as the "City of Firsts" in the food industry as well. Kokomo opened the first McDonald's With A Diner Inside, locally called "McDonald's Diner." This McDonald's theme failed nationally, but did well in Kokomo. The store is now an ordinary McDonald's. Kokomo also opened the first Cracker Barrel not built near an interstate highway as well as the first Starbucks Coffee not built in a metropolitan area. Kokomo's Starbucks store is one of a few across the nation that operates 24 hours a day.

Kokomo Nicknames: "City of Firsts", "Stop Light City" (given by truckers driving through Kokomo on US Highway 31, infamous for its many traffic stops)

"City of firsts" inventions

1894 - Elwood Haynes makes the first successful trial run of his "Horseless Carriage" on Pumpkinvine Pike.
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 - The first Carburetor was invented by George Kingston.
1906 - The first Stellite Cobalt-Base Alloy was discovered by Elwood Haynes.
1912 - Stainless Steel 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.

Notable people from Kokomo

Jack Purvis, jazz musician
Sylvia Kirby, singer
Ryan White, AIDS activist
Rupert Boneham, Survivor contestant
Tavis Smiley, social commentator
Elwood Haynes, inventor, automotive pioneer
Elmer Apperson, automotive pioneer
Edgar Apperson, automotive pioneer
Steve Butler, Six-time Sprint Car National Champion
Steve Kroft, 60 Minutes Correspondent
Norman Bridwell, author of the Clifford the Big Red Dog books
Strother Martin, actor (best known as the prison "captain" in the 1967 film Cool Hand Luke)
Bob Ford, National-Award winning Sports Editor for the Kokomo Tribune.
Kaitlyn Christopher, Miss Indiana USA 2005
Matthew Crull, musician
Mark Langley, horse jockey

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 46,113 people, 20,273 households, and 12,204 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,099.0/km² (2,847.2/mi²). There were 22,292 housing units at an average density of 531.3/km² (1,376.4/mi²). 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 household 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. J

Attractions

Old Ben, a stuffed Hereford steer (At Highland Park)
The Sycamore Stump, a large stump located 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
Vermont Covered Bridge, located in Highland Park
Seiberling Mansion, Howard County Museum
Kokomo Visitors Center(located on US 31 North)
Johanning Civic Center
Chief Ma-Ko-Ko-Mo Burial and Monument, east of downtown Kokomo

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 ^*, 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^*, December 31 at Downtown Square

For more information visit Kokomo Main Street Association website

Major employers

DaimlerChrysler
- Kokomo Transmission Plant^* (4,200 employees)
- Kokomo Casting Plant^* (1,115 employees)
- Indiana Transmission Plant #1^* (1,898 employees)
- Indiana Transmission Plant #2^* (482 employees)
Delphi Corporation^*
- Electronics & Safety World Headquarters
Haynes International^*
Holder Mattress^*
Syndicate Sales, Inc.^*
Coca-Cola ^* bottling plant
Electronic Data Systems ^*(EDS)

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 AM, 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.

Government

Mayor

Kokomo's current mayor is Matt McKillip ^* (Republican), he has been mayor since January 2003. Prior to McKillip, Kokomo's mayor was Jim Trobaugh (Republican).

Media

Newspapers

Kokomo Tribune^*, daily morning newspaper owned by Community Newspaper Holdings, Inc. (CNHI).
Kokomo Perspective^*, a weekly newspaperdelivered every Wednesday or Thursday
Kokomo Herald, weekly newspaper
The Correspondent, IU-Kokomo student newspaper