Vevay, Indiana
Vevay ( ) is a town located in Jefferson Township and the county seat of Switzerland County, Indiana, United States, along the Ohio River. The population was 1,683 at the 2010 census. History. The first settlers who arrived in 1802 were Swiss immigrants intending on cultivating grapes and producing wine. It was named after the Swiss town of Vevey. Vevay has a reputation as being home of the first commercial winery in the United States. The town was platted in 1813. When Switzerland County was formed in 1814, Vevay was made the county seat. The Vevay post office has been  in operation since 1816. The community was incorporated as a town in 1836. The Edward and George Cary Eggleston House, Old Hoosier Theatre, Benjamin Schenck Mansion, and Switzerland County Courthouse are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Geography. Vevay is located at (38.745837, -85.071044), along the Ohio River and Indiana State Road 56/156. According to the 2010 census, Vevay has a total area of , of which (or 93.73%) is land and (or 6.27%) is water. 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, Vevay has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps. Demographics. 2010 census. As of the census of 2010, there were 1,683 people, 725 households, and 393 families living in the town. The population density was . There were 826 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 97.1% White, 0.5% African American, 0.5% Asian, 0.7% from other races, and 1.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.1% of the population. There were 725 households, of which 27.6% had children under the age of 18 living  with them, 36.3% were married couples living together, 14.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 45.8% were non-families. 39.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.18 and the average family size was 2.89. The median age in the town was 40.8 years. 20.3% 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 ; 27.2% were from 45 to 64; and 17.6% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 48.8% male and 51.2% female. 2000 census. As of the census of 2000, there were 1735 people, 719 households, and 437 families living in the town. The population density was 1,171.3 people per square mile (452.6/km). There were 795 housing units at an average density of 536.7 per square mile (207.4/km). The racial makeup of the town was 98.67% White, 0.23% African American, 0.17% Native American, 0.12% Asian, 0.69% from other races, and 0.12% from two  or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.44% of the population. There were 719 households, out of which 29.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.2% were married couples living together, 16.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.1% were non-families. 33.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 2.92. In the town, the population was spread out, with 24.4% under the  age of 18, 9.1% from 18 to 24, 25.2% from 25 to 44, 22.0% from 45 to 64, and 19.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 82.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 77.2 males. The median income for a household in the town was $27,448, and the median income for a family was $32,857. Males had a median income of $28,068 versus $20,167 for females. The per capita income for the town was $15,477. About  11.4% of families and 15.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.2% of those under age 18 and 11.8% of those age 65 or over. Education. Others. The town has a lending library, the Switzerland County Public Library. Arts and culture. The Swiss Wine Festival. Vevay holds an annual celebration called the Swiss Wine Festival. It is usually held on the last weekend in August, as well as the preceding Thursday and Friday. The festival has many fun activities such as ferry rides on the Ohio River, amusement rides, pageants, car shows, musical performances, cheerleading competitions, the  famed grape stomps, and both Beer and Wine Gardens. Many people also set up booths for shopping. On Saturday night, most gather on the docks and close to the river to watch a fireworks show. People from all over the Indiana/Kentucky/Ohio tristate come to enjoy the festive celebration. This festival was first celebrated in the 1970s and soon became the most adored tradition of the locals. Origin. Since 1797, approximately every 22 years, "la Fête des Vignerons" ("The Winegrowers' Festival") is celebrated in the Swiss city of Vevey. In popular culture. The 1975 TV Movie "A Girl Named  Sooner" was set in and filmed in and around Vevay in the summer of 1974.