Tell City, Indiana
| City of Tell City | |
|---|---|
| City | |
A statue of William Tell and his son sits upon a fountain outside city hall. It is a famous city landmark.
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 Location in the state of Indiana |
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| Coordinates: 37°57′11″N 86°45′41″W / 37.95306°N 86.76139°WCoordinates: 37°57′11″N 86°45′41″W / 37.95306°N 86.76139°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Indiana |
| County | Perry |
| Township | Troy |
| Acquired | July 1857 |
| Founded | August 1858 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Jim Adams (R) |
| Area | |
| • Total | 4.64 sq mi (12.02 km2) |
| • Land | 4.53 sq mi (11.73 km2) |
| • Water | 0.11 sq mi (0.28 km2) 2.37% |
| Elevation | 420 ft (128 m) |
| Population (2010) | |
| • Total | 7,272 |
| • Estimate (2012) | 7,238 |
| • Density | 1,605.3/sq mi (619.8/km2) |
| Time zone | CST (UTC-6) |
| • Summer (DST) | CDT (UTC-5) |
| ZIP code | 47586 |
| Area code(s) | 812 |
| FIPS code | 18-75248 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0451548 |
| Website | http://tellcityindiana.com/ |
Tell City is a city in Troy Township, Perry County, Indiana, United States, along the Ohio River. The population was 7,272 at the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of Perry County.
Tell City traces its 150+ year old roots to a meeting in Cincinnati, Ohio, in November 1856. A group of Swiss-German immigrants met there to organize a society known as the "Swiss Colonization Society." Its purpose was to obtain affordable homesteads for mechanics, shopkeepers, factory workers and small farmers in a location where all could live in harmony.
The Society decided to purchase a tract of land three miles (5 km) square to be surveyed into a city plot. The group sent out to purchase the land was told to keep in mind a healthful climate, fertile soil, good water, ample timber, and a location near a navigable river and a railroad, if possible. Purchase of such a site was made in July 1857. The tract, containing 4,152 acres (16.80 km2), was laid out in 392 town blocks with 7,328 building lots and 294 garden lots.
Before the settlers arrived, a name for the new town was selected. Initially called Helvetia, it was soon renamed Tell City, a name easier to pronounce and remember for English-speaking people. It was named for the legendary Swiss hero and liberator, William Tell.
Indicative of the foresightedness of Tell City's founders are the wide streets. They are named for great persons of the military, arts, letters and science: DeKalb, Watt, Winkelreid, Steuben, Payne, Herrman, Reubens, Lafayette, Schiller, Tell, Fulton, Jefferson, Mozart, Franklin, Humboldt, Pestalozzi, Washington, Blum and Gutenberg.
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