Sweetser is a town in Franklin, Pleasant and Richland townships, Grant County, Indiana, United States. The population was 1,229 at the 2010 census.
Geography
Sweetser is located at (40.569731, -85.766972) on State Road 18 between the town of Converse and the city of Marion. According to the 2010 census, Sweetser has a total area of , of which (or 99.7%) is land and (or 0.3%) is water.
Running through the edge of Sweetser is a small body of water, or creek, known as Pipe Creek. Pipe Creek is one of the sites that can be seen from the Sweetser Switch Trail. Known as one of Sweetser's main attractions, the trail is a walking trail that stretches throughout the whole town and is expanded three miles outside of the town's outer limits. Although this trail is intended for walking, there are signs posted that allow bicyclists, cross country skiers, runners, wheel chairs and various other ways of exercise permitted on the trail. A new addition to the trail is a statue of one of Grant County's celebrities, Garfield.
Demographics
2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 1,229 people, 494 households, and 364 families residing in the town. The population density was . There were 532 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 95.2% White, 0.4% African American, 0.7% Native American, 0.3% Asian, 2.0% from other races, and 1.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.5% of the population.
There were 494 households, of which 32.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.5% were married couples living together, 8.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.3% had a male householder with no wife present, and 26.3% were non-families. 22.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 2.91.
The median age in the town was 40.5 years. 25.3% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.3% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 22.2% were from 25 to 44; 29.1% were from 45 to 64; and 16.1% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 47.7% male and 52.3% female.
2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 906 people, 357 households, and 269 families residing in the town. The population density was . There were 371 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 97.68% White, 0.44% Native American, 0.11% Asian, 0.33% from other races, and 1.43% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.10% of the population.
There were 357 households, out of which 33.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.7% were married couples living together, 10.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.4% were non-families. 22.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.54 and the average family size was 2.97.
In the town, the population was spread out, with 26.5% under the age of 18, 6.5% from 18 to 24, 26.3% from 25 to 44, 24.7% from 45 to 64, and 16.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.5 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $39,722, and the median income for a family was $49,327. Males had a median income of $43,542 versus $22,054 for females. The per capita income for the town was $19,907. About 3.9% of families and 5.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.1% of those under age 18 and 5.7% of those age 65 or over.
History
The Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad was built through the area in 1867. Around 1869, a half-mile long switch was built to haul wood to a train refueling station. This switch would become the nucleus of the town. Railroadmen began calling it "Switch" and soon thereafter, the area was known as "Switzer" and then "Sweetser".
The original plat of town of Sweetser was entered on October 14, 1871, by Sanford Prater, John Hubert, James H. Vinson, Urich Mars and H.B. Bragg with the Grant County Recorder's office. The land which formed the original plat of Sweetser had been entered in the District Land Office in Fort Wayne, Indiana on May 22, 1848 by Samuel Blinn.
Additional plats to the town were Nuzum's in 1873, and the Wilcut's, McGee's, Bishop's and Nuzum's 2nd, all platted in 1874.