Fairland is a town in Brandywine Township, Shelby County, Indiana.
History
Construction of the Indianapolis, Cincinnati, and Lafayette Railroad began in 1849, and Fairland was platted in 1852. Isaac Odell and Henry Jenkins hired the J. M. Elliott Company of Shelby County to draw the plans, and this was recorded on October 21, 1852. The town was named for the "beautiful land" near the original town site. A post office has been in operation at Fairland since 1854 with Isaac Odell as the first postmaster. Several additions were made to the town: Daniel Bradley Addition (1857), Odell's First Addition (1865), Granville S. Harrel Addition (1866), Odell's Second Addition (1868), Richardson & McQuiston Addition (1872), J. B. Plymate First Addition (1891), Joseph & Luvina Plymate Addition (1902), Walker's Addition (1903), Drake's Addition (1907), and Henderson's Addition (1914). In 1866, the railroad between Martinsville and Franklin was extended from Franklin to Fairland with General Ambrose E. Burnside leading the project. The Fairland Cemetery Association was formed in 1887.
The town boasted the 22-room Park Hotel, bank, blacksmith, physicians, restaurants, general store, hardware store, butcher, Masonic hall, lumber company, sawmill, and livery stable. And, the "Fairland Bulletin" newspaper was published until it was moved to Shelbyville and became the "Volunteer".
Government
The community, located about five miles (8 km) northwest of Shelbyville, was incorporated as a town on June 9, 1866. Later on, for an undetermined reason, the town board stopped meeting. The town government came to a halt sometime after July 1883.
On August 16, 2008, for the first time in 125 years, a three-member Fairland Town Council and a town clerk-treasurer conducted official business. Shelby County Councilwoman Tami Grubbs administered the oath of office to board members Rick Daily, John Hanson and Jeremy Creech, along with Clerk-Treasurer Chris Brinson, who immediately set about the task of organization, which included electing board officials. The board elected Daily as board president, Hanson as vice president and Creech as secretary. Indiana law mandates that all municipalities with populations under 2,000 are towns.
Demographics
2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 315 people, 121 households, and 90 families living in the town. The population density was . There were 132 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 98.1% White, 1.6% from other races, and 0.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.5% of the population.
There were 121 households, of which 37.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.4% were married couples living together, 14.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 9.9% had a male householder with no wife present, and 25.6% were non-families. 23.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.03.
The median age in the town was 37.5 years. 27.9% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.4% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 22.5% were from 25 to 44; 29.2% were from 45 to 64; and 13% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 48.3% male and 51.7% female.
2000 census
As of the census Fairland became an incorporated town, and by 1873, a new brick school was built to replace the two separate buildings formerly used. A new school was built in 1883, and when that one burned, another was built in 1928 and used until 1984.
- Ashe Russell - Professional baseball player