Carmel

History

In the 1820s, the government put the lands in the area on sale, leading many farmers to settle on the west bank of White River. Carmel was originally called "Bethlehem". It was platted and recorded in 1837 by Daniel Warren, Alexander Mills, John Phelps, and Seth Green, who donated their adjoining properties of equal size to create the town. The donated parcels were situated along the Indianapolis-Peru Road (now Westfield Boulevard). The Carmel Clay Historical Society also started its first activities in 1837. The plot first established in Bethlehem, located at the intersection of Rangeline Road and Main Street, was marked by a clock tower donated by the local Rotary Club in 2002. A post office was established as "Carmel" in 1846 because Indiana already had a post office called Bethlehem. The name Carmel is a reference to 1 Samuel 25:2 mentioning the biblical settlement Carmel. The Carmel Monon Depot, John Kinzer House, and Thornhurst Addition are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. During the 1950s and 1960s, the city anticipated a demographic boom and built large new public schools, leading to the creation of the Carmel Clay School District in 1964 (and the Carmel Clay Educational Foundation in 1967). Six churches were built during the 1950s. The urban expansion was so fast that a 1958 Indianapolis Star article tagged it a "bedroom community", but one that could contribute to sustain the growth of Indianapolis. Construction of Interstate 465 started in 1967 and created the proper conditions for a rapid demographic growth. A new $330,000 library was built and opened in 1971. By the end of the 20th century, Carmel was one of Indiana's fastest growing cities. Suburban districts quickly replaced agricultural lands. The last farm operating within the…

Geography

Carmel occupies the southwestern part of Hamilton County, adjacent to Indianapolis and, with the annexation of Home Place in 2018, is now entirely coextensive with Clay Township. It is bordered to the north by Westfield, to the northeast by Noblesville, to the east by Fishers, to the south by Indianapolis in Marion County, and to the west by Zionsville in Boone County. The center of Carmel is north of the center of Indianapolis. According to the 2010 census, Carmel has a total area of , of which (or 97.76%) is land and (or 2.24%) is water. Major east–west streets in Carmel generally end in a 6 and include 96th Street (the southern border), 106th, 116th, 126th, 131st, 136th, and 146th (which marks the northern border). The numbering system is aligned to that of Marion and Hamilton counties. Main Street (131st) runs east–west through Carmel's Art & Design District; Carmel Drive runs generally east–west through the main shopping area, and City Center Drive runs east–west near Carmel's City Center project. North–south streets are not numbered and include (west to east) Michigan, Shelborne, Towne, Ditch, Spring Mill, Meridian, Guilford, Rangeline, Keystone, Carey, Gray, Hazel Dell, and River. Some of these roads are continuations of corresponding streets in Indianapolis. Towne Road replaces the name Township Line Road at 96th Street, while Westfield Boulevard becomes Rangeline north of 116th Street. Meridian Street (US 31) and Keystone Parkway (formerly Keystone Avenue/SR 431) are the major thoroughfares, extending from 96th Street in the south and merging just south of 146th Street. The City of Carmel is noted for having well over 100 roundabouts within its borders.

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• Northern Cardinal

  Cardinalis cardinalis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  51,755
• American Robin

  Turdus migratorius Linnaeus, 1766 · Aves
  43,037
• Carolina Chickadee

  Poecile carolinensis (Audubon, 1834) · Aves
  41,676
• Blue Jay

  Cyanocitta cristata (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  37,736
• Downy Woodpecker

  Dryobates pubescens (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  35,170
• Tufted Titmouse

  Baeolophus bicolor (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  34,989
• Red-bellied Woodpecker

  Melanerpes carolinus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  33,999
• American Goldfinch

  Spinus tristis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  32,551

Largest nearby schools

• Carmel High School
  High · Carmel · 5,192 students · 17.8:1 ratio
• Fishers High School
  High · Fishers · 3,674 students · 23:1 ratio
• Westfield High School
  High · Westfield · 2,665 students · 17.5:1 ratio
• Westfield Middle School
  Middle · Westfield · 1,429 students · 16.2:1 ratio
• Clay Middle School
  Middle · Carmel · 1,423 students · 18:1 ratio
• Westfield Intermediate School
  Middle · Westfield · 1,420 students · 16.5:1 ratio
• Noblesville West Middle School
  Middle · Noblesville · 1,402 students · 15.8:1 ratio
• Creekside Middle School
  Middle · Carmel · 1,349 students · 17.8:1 ratio

Most recent

• M 2.5 — 2023-10-31
  7 km ESE of Linden, Indiana
• M 3.82 — 2021-06-17
  Illinois-Indiana border region
• M 3.8 — 2010-12-30
  6 km SE of Greentown, Indiana
• M 3.8 — 2004-09-12
  4 km NW of Manilla, Indiana