Beech Grove is a city in Marion County, Indiana, United States. As of the 2020 census, the city's population is 14,717. The city is located within the Indianapolis metropolitan area. Beech Grove is designated an "excluded city" under Indiana law, as it is not part of the consolidated government of Indianapolis and Marion County.
History
By the turn of the 20th century, the Beech Grove area was a rural section of Marion County. Notable residents included poet and women's-rights activist Sarah Tittle (Barrett) Bolton (1814–1893) and Indianapolis financier Francis McClintock Churchman (1833–1891).
Bolton's farm, "Beech Bank", and Churchman's cattle farm, "Beech Grove Farm", both reflected the abundance of beech trees in this area. This would eventually provide the reason for the city's name, although an early railroad stop in the area was known as "Ingallstown". The city's Sarah T. Bolton Park, situated on some of the former Beech Bank farmland, still contains several large beech trees along its southern boundary.
The actual city came into existence as a company town for a new railroad repair facility, the Beech Grove Shops, constructed by the Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago, and St. Louis Railroad (nicknamed the "Big Four"). Through acquisitions and mergers over the years, the railroad shops have been run by the New York Central, Penn Central and, presently, Amtrak rail systems. The complex sits on with underroof. In 2007, Amtrak had 550 employees working there. In recognition of the city's heritage as a railroad town, Amtrak's business car 10001 is named The Beech Grove and is often used by agency officials when they travel the system.
Although Beech Grove was incorporated in late 1906, it did not see rapid growth until the completion of the railroad facility in 1908; as of July 1907, for example, there were only four homes and two businesses in place.
Beech Grove grew with two annexations after World War II, with the final one (1967) taking place just before the Unigov legislation which merged Indianapolis with most of the rest of Marion County, preventing future annexation.
Two famous actors have listed Beech Grove as their birthplace—Clifton Webb (November 19, 1889–1966) and Steve McQueen (March 24, 1930–1980). Webb was born before Beech Grove came into existence as a separate entity, while McQueen was born at the city's St. Francis Hospital.
On October 15, 1948, Beech Grove received the honor of a visit by a sitting President of the United States. Harry S. Truman, a Mason, came to the city's Masonic Lodge during his "whistle stop" re-election campaign to participate in a ceremony involving a member of his staff who was one of its members.
Geography According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all land.
The city's elevation, measured in feet above sea level, ranges from 766 (the Beech Creek waterway, where it is crossed by South 9th Avenue) to 845 (the northeastern portion of the Amtrak railroad property). It is higher than that of downtown Indianapolis.
The city contains several small non-navigable waterways. Beech Creek, McFarland Creek, Pullman Creek, and Victory Run all feed into Lick Creek, which (after leaving the city limits) feeds into the West Fork of the White River.
The city is located within parts of four of Marion County's townships. In order of city land size, those townships are Perry, Franklin, Center, and Warren. In order of city population, the list is Perry, Center, and Franklin; the Warren Township section is uninhabited railroad land.
Climate The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Beech Grove has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.
Demographics
2010 census As of the census of 2010, there were 14,192 people, 5,898 households, and 3,567 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 6,479 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 91.5% White, 3.2% African American, 0.3% Native American, 0.7% Asian, 2.1% from other races, and 2.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.2% of the population.
There were 5,898 households, of which 31.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.3% were married couples living together, 16.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 6.2% had a male householder with no wife present, and 39.5% were non-families. 33.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 2.98.
The median age in the city was 37.7 years. 24.6% of residents were under the age of 18; 9.2% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 25.7% were from 25 to 44; 25.5% were from 45 to 64; and 14.9% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 46.5% male and 53.5% female.
2000 census As of the census of 2000, there were 14,880 people, 6,085 households, and 3,839 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 6,506 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 96.24% White, 0.89% African American, 0.19% Native American, 0.81% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.78% from other races, and 1.04% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.07% of the population.
There were 6,085 households, out of which 30.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.1% were married couples living together, 13.2% had a female householder with no husband present and 36.9% were non-families. 31.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 2.99.
In the city the population was spread out, with 25.2% under the age of 18, 8.9% from 18 to 24, 30.8% from 25 to 44, 19.3% from 45 to 64, and 15.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 88.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $41,548 and the median income for a family was $46,944. Males had a median income of $37,500 versus $26,135 for females. The per capita income for the city was $19,647. About 4.4% of families and 6.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.1% of those under age 18 and 9.5% of those age 65 or over.
Government Although geographically completely surrounded by Indianapolis, Beech Grove is an excluded city so it maintains its own police, public works, and parks departments and operates its own senior-citizens' center. However, in July 2021, the city council began consideration of an interlocal agreement under which the Indianapolis Fire Department (IFD) would provide fire protection services for the next 20 years. Current Beech Grove firefighters would become members of IFD. The ambulance service would continue to be operated by the city.
The Beech Grove Police Department has suffered four deaths in its history. The most recent of these deaths was Officer Brian Elliott. +Fallen officers of the Beech Grove Police DepartmentNameRankDate of deathEnd of watchRichard D. FergusonDeputy ChiefDecember 22, 1972Heart attack/Automobile crashThomas L. KleisLieutenantMay 28, 1991Automobile crash (High-speed chase)William R. ToneyOfficerSeptember 29, 2000Gunfire (Foot pursuit)Brian ElliottOfficerFebruary 16, 2026Gunfire (Domestic disturbance call) Beech Grove's government was first organized as a "Town Board" system on November 12, 1906. The system remained until 1935, consisting of three elected ward representatives and a clerk-treasurer. From 1911 to 1939, board members were elected as representatives of locally organized political parties (e.g., Progressive, Citizens's Ticket, Peoples's Ticket).
Upon legally becoming an Indiana fifth-class city in 1935, its first mayor and four city council members were elected (three district members, and one at-large). Beech Grove achieved Indiana fourth-class city status in 1961. The present city council consists of five district members and two at-large members, plus an elected clerk-treasurer.
The mayors, their political affiliations, and their terms of office, have been: Charles Adams (Progressive, 1935–1938); (Democratic, 1939–1942) E. Allen Hunter (Republican, 1943–1948 and 1952–1955) Richard H. Byland (Democratic, 1948–1951) David D. Finney (Democratic, 1956–1958) Elton H. Geshwiler (Democratic, 1959–1991) J. Warner Wiley (Democratic, 1991–2003) Donald "Joe" Wright (Republican, 2004–2011) John Jennings (Republican, interim, 2011) Terry Dilk (Republican, 2011) Dennis Buckley (Democratic, 2012–2023) James W. Coffman (Democratic, 2024–present)
Mayor Joe Wright announced his resignation from the office as of January 14, 2011; city councilman John Jennings was named as interim mayor, until the appointment of Terry Dilk on January 25, 2011, by the Marion County Republican Committee to fill out Wright's term through the 2011 elections. Dilk was defeated in the November 8, 2011, election by former City fire chief Dennis Buckley, who became the first mayor to have been the child of a former candidate for the same office (his father, Robert Buckley, was defeated in the 1967 election).
The 1951 mayoral election featured Democrat Alice Stratton, one of Indiana's first female candidates for such an office.
The city flag was not adopted until the 1970s, when a competition was held in which citizens were invited to submit designs. The winning designer was Mike Hart. The flag features an orange, black and white logo on a blue field; the logo shows the profile of an old-style railroad locomotive, in orange, with a white circle superimposed in the center. The circle contains a depiction of the tower complex of St. Francis Hospital, and bears the name of the city, the year "1906" and the motto "Where Tradition Welcomes Progress".
Education
The city has its own school district, the Beech Grove City Schools, but Franklin Township Community School Corporation also serves some of this region. Beech Grove City Schools consists of five facilities (Hornet Park, Central Elementary, South Grove Intermediate, Beech Grove Middle, and Beech Grove High). Its high school athletic teams, the "Hornets" (colors: orange and black) participate as members of the statewide Indiana High School Athletic Association (IHSAA), the Marion County Athletic Association, and the Indiana Crossroads Conference.
The city's first school was opened in 1907 in the upstairs of the Wheat Grocery Store at 423 Main Street. Between 1909 and 1929, a series of school buildings and additions were constructed in the 1000 block of Main; only the original gymnasium remains from these structures. The high school was begun in 1917 and its first graduating class was in 1922.
A new combined junior high/high school was built in 1955 at 1248 Buffalo Street, just northwest of the existing school site. The previous complex became Central Elementary. The new facility operated on a split-day schedule, with high school students attending in the morning and junior high students attending in the afternoon.
By 1960, the city's growth to the south prompted the building of South Grove Elementary (later Intermediate) at the 800 block of South 9th Avenue. With the population growth, the present high school was built in 1966 just east of the 4000 block of South Emerson Avenue and the 1955 facility remained as the junior high (later middle) school.