Small Town Breakdown No. 59: Alexandria, Indiana
For this week’s small town breakdown we’re going from Edinburgh in Johnson County to Alexandria in Madison County. Alexandria is just over 1 hour northeast of downtown Indianapolis, 30 minutes west of Muncie, and 1 hour and 15 minutes south of Fort Wayne.
What’s it like in Alexandria, Indiana?
Alexandria, Indiana is home to the Madison County 4-H Fair and a baseball program with multiple state championships. Plus, there’s a world record that keeps on growing in size – one layer of paint at a time.
The History of Madison County and Alexandria, Indiana
Madison County was organized in 1823 and named for James Madison, the fourth president of the United States. Anderson was selected as the county seat.
Alexandria was platted in 1836 and established on the promise of the proposed Indiana Central Canal. However, railroad development interfered with the canal project, and it was never completed. Fortunately for early settlers, the railroads and natural gas boom in the 1880s accelerated the area’s growth, and Alexandria became incorporated in 1893.
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As of the 2024 census, Alexandria’s population is 5,211, making it the fourth-largest incorporated town/city in Madison County behind Anderson (55,851), Elwood (8,495), and Pendleton (5,758). It is the 133rd-largest incorporated town/city in Indiana.
Small Town, U.S.A.
In 1943 during World War II, the U.S. government made Alexandria its small town poster child for a book titled “Small Town, U.S.A.” to showcase the ideal American town built on Midwestern values and picturesque streets. Alexandria was a “bedroom community” where automobile industry workers and farmers raised their families, and where church suppers were the norm.
Things to Do In or Near Alexandria, Indiana
If you like festivals and fairs, Alexandria knows how to throw a party.