Small Town Breakdown No. 65: Hagerstown, Indiana
For this week’s small town breakdown we’re going from the county seat of Boonville in Warrick County to Hagerstown in Wayne County. Hagerstown is 1 hour east of Indianapolis and 40 minutes south of Muncie.
The History of Wayne County and Hagerstown, Indiana
Wayne County was established in 1811. It was named after “Mad” Anthony Wayne, a Revolutionary War General who also served in the Northwest Indian War in the 1790s.
Hagerstown was settled by German Baptists in 1820 and platted in 1832. It serves as a namesake for the legacy of the Maryland town where the German settlers came from. It grew as a transportation hub that featured the Whitewater Canal and the Big Four Railroad.
Ralph Teetor, who graduated from Hagerstown High School in 1908 and the University of Pennsylvania with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering in 1912, famously invented what is known today as “cruise control.” In 1919 he started working for the Piston Ring Company, later called the Perfect Circle Company, which was the successor to the Teetor family’s piston rings manufacturing division of the Teetor-Hartley Motor Company. He was president of the Perfect Circle Company from 1946-57 and in 1948, received his first patent on the speed control device named the “Speedostat.”
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As of the 2024 census, Hagerstown’s population is 1,684, making it the fourth-largest incorporated town/city in Wayne County behind the county seat of Richmond (35,561), Centerville (2,769) and Cambridge City (1,736). It is the 262nd-largest city in Indiana.
Things to Do In or Near Hagerstown, Indiana
History buffs will enjoy visiting the Wilbur Wright Birthplace Museum, which sits just 10 minutes northwest of town. In addition to the homestead of Wright, one of the pioneers of aviation, see an authentic replica of the 1903 Wright Flyer, replica of the Kill Devil Hills hangar, historic artifacts, and more.
Take a tour and shop handmade caramels, chocolates and more at Abbott’s Candies. Operating today as Indiana’s oldest candy shop, William Clay Abbott founded the business in 1890 after working as a salesman for local candy manufacturer Dilling Candy Company. Abbott’s first candy creation was butterscotch, and the rest was history.
TEDCO Toys is a manufacturer known for creating educational and science toys, including 4D vision animal and human anatomy models. They’re the world’s largest manufacturer of toy gyroscopes,
Enjoy the outdoors at Steve Swoveland Nature Preserve, a vibrant wetland located within city limits that spans 46 acres with a 1-mile mowed grass trail. Hundreds of frogs can be heard in the spring, and there are turtles, minks, salamanders, and many bird species that can be spotted.
Golfers will love Hartley Hills Country Club, a challenging 9-hole course that was built in the 1920s. It’s a great place to host weddings, receptions, graduation parties and reunions.
Places to Eat or Drink in Hagerstown, Indiana
Willie and Red’s is a smorgasbord family restaurant that makes you feel like you’re at Grandma’s house for the holidays. Guests rave about the prime rib, fried chicken, salad bar and pies, but it’s the smorgasbord that takes the cake. They’re open Wednesday through Sunday and have 4.4 stars among over 1,200 Google reviews.
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Willow Springs Restaurant is open Monday through Friday and has 4.8 stars on Google. Be sure to try the breakfast hamburger and country fried steak sandwich smothered with mashed potatoes and gravy.
The Dairy is Hagerstown’s version of a diner, specializing in tenderloin sandwiches, burgers, milkshakes and ice cream.
The Ginger Gringo went from food truck to a brick-and-mortar location in the Ron De Voo. They serve smoked chicken wings, quesadillas, tacos and more.
Pizza lovers can rely on the Indiana staple Pizza King for delicious ‘za, with the royal feast pizza and breadsticks as favorites.
High School and Athletics History
Hagerstown Jr.-Sr. High School serves the Nettle Creek School Corporation, which also includes the towns of Economy and Greensfork. The Tigers are longtime members of the Tri-Eastern Conference.
The school has not yet won an IHSAA state championship, but the football team did secure regional championships in 1982 (1A) and 1985 (2A). On the court, girls basketball has won five sectional titles (1993, 1994, 1995, 2009 [2A] and 2015 [2A]) while boys basketball won four, all in the single-class format (1928, 1929, 1959 and 1965).
More notable than any of Hagerstown High School’s athletic successes, Hagerstown Little League punched their ticket to the Little League World Series in 2022 with a walk-off 4-3 win over Kentucky in the Great Lakes Region championship. They were Indiana’s first LLWS representative in a decade.
That’s it for small town breakdown No. 65. Where should we head next?