Editing Berne, Indiana

{{Other uses|Berne (disambiguation)}}
{{Primary sources|date=March 2022}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2014}}
{{Infobox settlement
| settlement_type    = [[City]]
| nickname           = ''Furniture Capital of Indiana''
| image_skyline      = Entering City of Berne.jpg
| imagesize          = 250px
| image_caption      = Muensterberg Plaza & Clock Tower
| image_flag         = Flag of Berne, Indiana.svg
| image_seal         = Berne, Indiana Crest.png
| image_map          = File:Adams County Indiana Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Berne Highlighted 1804888.svg
| mapsize            = 250px
| map_caption        = Location of Berne in Adams County, Indiana.
| image_map1         = 
| mapsize1           = 
| map_caption1       = 
| subdivision_type   = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
| subdivision_name   = {{USA}}
| subdivision_type1  = [[U.S. state|State]]
| subdivision_name1  = {{flag|Indiana}}
| subdivision_type2  = [[List of counties in Indiana|County]]
| subdivision_name2  = [[Adams County, Indiana|Adams]]
| subdivision_type3  = [[List of townships in Indiana|Townships]]
| subdivision_name3  = [[Monroe Township, Adams County, Indiana|Monroe]], [[Wabash Township, Adams County, Indiana|Wabash]]
| government_type    = 
| leader_title       = [[Mayor]]
| leader_name        = Gregg Sprunger<ref name=JG>{{cite web |date=October 5, 2023 |title=Adams County election results |website=[[The Journal Gazette]] |url=https://www.journalgazette.net/adams-county-election-results/article_86545614-6326-11ee-b206-63d3faeee72e.html |access-date=February 20, 2024}}</ref>
([[Republican Party (United States)|R]])
| area_note          = 
| established_title  = Founded
| established_date   = 1852
| established_title1 = Village plat recorded
| established_date1  = 1872
| established_title2 = Incorporated (city)
| established_date2  = 1887
| named_for          = [[Bern]], Switzerland
| area_footnotes     = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2020">{{cite web|title=2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2020_Gazetteer/2020_gaz_place_18.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=March 16, 2022}}</ref>
| area_total_km2     = 6.03
| area_land_km2      = 5.99
| area_water_km2     = 0.04
| population_footnotes = 
| population_as_of   = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
| population_est     = 
| pop_est_as_of      = 
| population_note    = 
| population_total   = 4173
| population_density_sq_mi = 1804.15
| population_density_km2 = 696.69
| timezone           = [[North American Eastern Time Zone|EST]]
| utc_offset         = -5
| timezone_DST       = [[North American Eastern Time Zone|EDT]]
| utc_offset_DST     = -4
| area_total_sq_mi   = 2.33
| area_land_sq_mi    = 2.31
| area_water_sq_mi   = 0.01
| elevation_footnotes = <ref name=gnis/>
| elevation_ft       = 856
| coordinates_footnotes = <ref name=gnis/>
| coordinates        = {{coord|40|39|26|N|84|57|20|W|region:US-IN_type:city|display=inline,title}}
| postal_code_type   = [[ZIP code]]s
| postal_code        = 46711, 46769
| area_code_type     = [[North American Numbering Plan|Area code]]
| area_code          = [[Area code 260|260]]
| blank_name         = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS]] code
| blank_info         = {{FIPS|18|04888}}
| blank1_name        = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] ID
| blank1_info        = 2394149<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2394149}}</ref>
| website            = {{URL|www.cityofberne.com}}
| footnotes          = 
| unit_pref          = Imperial
}}

'''Berne''' (English: [[IPA for English|[bɜːn]]]) is a city within [[Monroe Township, Adams County, Indiana|Monroe]] and [[Wabash Township, Adams County, Indiana|Wabash]] townships, [[Adams County, Indiana|Adams County]], [[Indiana]], [[United States]], located {{Convert|35|miles|km}} south of [[Fort Wayne, Indiana|Fort Wayne]]. The population was 4,173 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 Census]]. Berne is widely known for its [[Swiss Heritage Society|Swiss heritage]], architecture and culture, and for its status as the "''Furniture Capital of Indiana''."<ref>{{Cite web |date =April 2, 2017 |title=Locals should decide zoning disputes |website=[[The Herald-Times]] |url=https://www.heraldtimesonline.com/story/opinion/2017/04/02/sunday-editorial-round-up/47786701/ |language=en-US |access-date=February 20, 2024}}</ref>

Berne and the surrounding area have also become known for their large [[Amish]] population (the fifth largest Amish community in the USA),<ref>{{Cite web |last=Young Center for Anabaptist and Pietist Studies, Elizabethtown College |title=The Twelve Largest Settlements (2019) |url=https://groups.etown.edu/amishstudies/statistics/twelve-largest-settlements-2019/ |access-date=March 7, 2022}}</ref> who speak [[Bernese German]] (a [[Swiss German]] dialect), as opposed to [[Pennsylvania Dutch]].<ref>{{cite book|last1=Meyers|first1=Thomas J.|last2=Nolt|first2=Steven M.|title=An Amish Patchwork: Indiana's Old Orders in the Modern World|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qkh60F-0LSQC&pg=PA7|year=2005|publisher=Indiana University Press|isbn=0-253-34538-3|page=7}}</ref>

==History==
Berne was settled in 1852 by [[Mennonite]] immigrants who came directly from [[Switzerland]] (Münsterberg, in the [[Jura Mountains]] near [[Moutier]])<ref name="gameo.org">{{Cite web |title=Münsterberg (Kanton Bern, Switzerland) |url=https://gameo.org/index.php?title=M%C3%BCnsterberg_(Kanton_Bern,_Switzerland) |website=Global Anabaptist Mennonite Online Encyclopedia}}</ref> and named the community after their homeland's [[Bern|capital]].<ref>{{cite book|title=Merriam-Webster's Geographical Dictionary|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Co_VIPIJerIC&pg=PA138|year=1997|publisher=Merriam-Webster|isbn=978-0-87779-546-9|page=138}}</ref> 
Berne initially formed around a rail depot placed on the Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroad lines. On Christmas Day 1871, the first train arrived at the local depot. A post office was established in Berne in 1872.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.postalhistory.com/postoffices.asp?task=display&state=IN&county=Adams | title=Adams County | publisher=Jim Forte Postal History | access-date=26 August 2014}}</ref> After the population of the town exceeded 2,500, on a petition of two-thirds of the residents, the town decided to become a city in 1887. By 1895 the community was the second largest city in the county.<ref name=Snow1907>[https://archive.org/details/snowshistoryofad00snow ''Snow's History of Adams County.''] Author: J.F. Snow; Publisher: B.F. Bowen and Co., Indianapolis, 1907. Accessed April 2020.</ref><ref name=ES1985>[https://books.google.com/books?id=JE0aAQAAIAAJ ''Bern, Berne, New Bern ... U.S.A.: A Short History of American Settlements with a Name Related to Berne, Switzerland.''] Author: Erdmann Schmocker; Publisher: Erdmann Schmocker, 1985. Length 236 pages. Accessed April 2020.</ref>

The [[General Conference of the Mennonite Church]] has been held in Berne four times - in 1884, 1902, 1926 and 1947. The First Mennonite Church in Berne is the largest of its kind in North America, and previously had the largest congregation.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Our Story {{!}} About Us {{!}} First Mennonite Church of Berne, Indiana |url=https://firstmennonite.org/about-us/our-story |access-date=2022-03-26 |website=firstmennonite.org}}</ref> It is affiliated with the [[Lancaster Mennonite Conference]]. The official publishing company of the [[General Conference Mennonite Church]], the "[[Mennonite Book Concern]]," was located in Berne from 1884 until 1939, when it moved to [[North Newton, Kansas]], which was the ''de facto'' seat of the Mennonite Church at the time.<ref>{{Cite news |date=October 26, 1938 |title=Publication office here moves West |pages=1 |work=The Berne Witness |url=http://bernepublicin.advantage-preservation.com/viewer/?k=mennonite%20book%20concern&i=f&d=01011896-12311959&m=between&ord=k1&fn=the_berne_witness_usa_indiana_berne_19381026_english_1&df=11&dt=20&cid=2948 |access-date=June 30, 2023}}</ref>

[[File:Berne, Indiana.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|Photo from Small Town Indiana photo survey.]]

==Geography==
Berne is located in northeastern Indiana.

According to the 2010 census, Berne has a total area of {{convert|2.08|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, all land.<ref name="census-g001">{{cite web
  |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/1600000US1804888
  |title=G001 - Geographic Identifiers - 2010 Census Summary File 1
  |access-date=2015-07-28
  |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]
  |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213060803/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/1600000US1804888
  |archive-date=February 13, 2020
  |url-status=dead
  }}</ref>

=== Teays River ===
An ancient pre-glacial river known as the [[Teays River]] (about the size of the [[Ohio River]]), with its headwaters near present-day [[Blowing Rock, North Carolina]], used to pass through [[Virginia]], [[West Virginia]] and [[Ohio]] and run just east of Berne before flowing southwest through the present town of [[Geneva, Indiana|Geneva]] into [[Jay County, Indiana|Jay County]].<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |title=Aquifer Systems of Adams County, Indiana |url=https://www.indianachamber.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Adams.pdf |access-date=May 14, 2022 |website=Indiana Chamber of Commerce |page=4}}</ref><ref name=":4">{{Cite web |title=Aquifer Systems of Jay County, Indiana |url=https://www.indianachamber.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Jay.pdf |access-date=May 14, 2022 |website=Indiana Chamber of Commerce |page=4}}</ref> It then continued its course across Indiana into Illinois, draining most of the east-central United States. The glaciers of the last Ice Age (the [[Pleistocene]]) bisected the Teays River Valley and buried it underneath at least 400 feet of glacial drift (the largest remaining piece is the [[Kanawha River]] of West Virginia).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Hydrogeology of the Lafayette (Teays) Bedrock Valley System |url=https://www.in.gov/dnr/water/files/Teays.pdf |access-date=May 14, 2022 |website=Indiana Department of Natural Resources |page=6}}</ref> Although the river does not flow anymore, the underground Teays River Valley still contains significant water deposits, making Berne and Geneva very water-rich areas. Wells just to the east of Berne provide the much larger [[Decatur, Indiana|city of Decatur]] (c.10 miles north) with a large proportion of its water supply.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Water Department {{!}} City of Decatur, Indiana |url=https://www.decaturin.org/services/Water-Department/16 |access-date=2022-05-15 |website=www.decaturin.org}}</ref> The current locations of many wetland areas, such as [[Limberlost Swamp]] Nature Preserve, Loblolly Marsh Nature Preserve, Limberlost Park and Rainbow Bend Park lie over the old Teays River Valley.<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":4" />

===Climate===
{{Weather box
 | width       = auto
 | collapsed   = yes
 | single line = yes
 | location    = Berne, Indiana (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1910–present)
 | Jan record high F  = 70
 | Feb record high F  = 74
 | Mar record high F  = 86
 | Apr record high F  = 90
 | May record high F  = 99
 | Jun record high F  = 104
 | Jul record high F  = 107
 | Aug record high F  = 105
 | Sep record high F  = 101
 | Oct record high F  = 90
 | Nov record high F  = 80
 | Dec record high F  = 72
 | year record high F =

|Jan avg record high F = 56.3
|Feb avg record high F = 59.6
|Mar avg record high F = 70.8
|Apr avg record high F = 79.9
|May avg record high F = 87.8
|Jun avg record high F = 92.8
|Jul avg record high F = 93.2
|Aug avg record high F = 91.7
|Sep avg record high F = 89.8
|Oct avg record high F = 82.5
|Nov avg record high F = 68.7
|Dec avg record high F = 59.1
|year avg record high F = 94.8

 | Jan high F = 32.8
 | Feb high F = 36.4
 | Mar high F = 47.4
 | Apr high F = 60.6
 | May high F = 71.5
 | Jun high F = 80.5
 | Jul high F = 83.6
 | Aug high F = 81.8
 | Sep high F = 76.3
 | Oct high F = 63.8
 | Nov high F = 49.5
 | Dec high F = 37.7
 | year high F = 60.2
 | Jan mean F = 25.3
 | Feb mean F = 28.1
 | Mar mean F = 37.8
 | Apr mean F = 49.7
 | May mean F = 61.3
 | Jun mean F = 70.7
 | Jul mean F = 73.9
 | Aug mean F = 71.8
 | Sep mean F = 65.3
 | Oct mean F = 53.4
 | Nov mean F = 41.0
 | Dec mean F = 30.7
 | year mean F = 50.8
 | Jan low F = 17.9
 | Feb low F = 19.8
 | Mar low F = 28.2
 | Apr low F = 38.8
 | May low F = 51.1
 | Jun low F = 60.9
 | Jul low F = 64.2
 | Aug low F = 61.7
 | Sep low F = 54.3
 | Oct low F = 43.0
 | Nov low F = 32.5
 | Dec low F = 23.7
 | year low F = 41.3

|Jan avg record low F = -2.4
|Feb avg record low F = 1.6
|Mar avg record low F = 11.8
|Apr avg record low F = 25.0
|May avg record low F = 36.5
|Jun avg record low F = 47.4
|Jul avg record low F = 53.6
|Aug avg record low F = 51.3
|Sep avg record low F = 41.5
|Oct avg record low F = 30.2
|Nov avg record low F = 19.1
|Dec avg record low F = 6.0
|year avg record low F = -5.6

 | Jan record low F  = -24
 | Feb record low F  = -20
 | Mar record low F  = -6
 | Apr record low F  = 10
 | May record low F  = 25
 | Jun record low F  = 36
 | Jul record low F  = 42
 | Aug record low F  = 37
 | Sep record low F  = 27
 | Oct record low F  = 16
 | Nov record low F  = -3
 | Dec record low F  = -19
 | year record low F = 
 | precipitation colour   = green
 | Jan precipitation inch = 2.88
 | Feb precipitation inch = 2.44
 | Mar precipitation inch = 3.02
 | Apr precipitation inch = 3.99
 | May precipitation inch = 4.60
 | Jun precipitation inch = 4.58
 | Jul precipitation inch = 4.58
 | Aug precipitation inch = 3.90
 | Sep precipitation inch = 3.19
 | Oct precipitation inch = 2.95
 | Nov precipitation inch = 3.07
 | Dec precipitation inch = 2.66
 | year precipitation inch = 41.86
 | unit precipitation days = 0.01 in
 | Jan precipitation days  = 10.5
 | Feb precipitation days  = 8.6
 | Mar precipitation days  = 10.3
 | Apr precipitation days  = 11.7
 | May precipitation days  = 12.6
 | Jun precipitation days  = 11.7
 | Jul precipitation days  = 9.4
 | Aug precipitation days  = 8.5
 | Sep precipitation days  = 8.0
 | Oct precipitation days  = 9.4
 | Nov precipitation days  = 9.5
 | Dec precipitation days  = 10.6
 | year precipitation days = 120.8
 | Jan snow inch = 8.4
 | Feb snow inch = 7.7
 | Mar snow inch = 4.6
 | Apr snow inch = 0.5
 | May snow inch = 0.0
 | Jun snow inch = 0.0
 | Jul snow inch = 0.0
 | Aug snow inch = 0.0
 | Sep snow inch = 0.0
 | Oct snow inch = 0.1
 | Nov snow inch = 1.4
 | Dec snow inch = 5.1
 | year snow inch = 27.8
 | unit snow days = 0.1 in
 | Jan snow days  = 4.6
 | Feb snow days  = 4.0
 | Mar snow days  = 2.3
 | Apr snow days  = 0.3
 | May snow days  = 0.0
 | Jun snow days  = 0.0
 | Jul snow days  = 0.0
 | Aug snow days  = 0.0
 | Sep snow days  = 0.0
 | Oct snow days  = 0.1
 | Nov snow days  = 1.0
 | Dec snow days  = 3.5
 | year snow days = 15.8
 | source = [[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration|NOAA]]<ref name="NOWData">{{cite web
|url = https://www.weather.gov/wrh/climate?wfo=iwx
|title = NOWData – NOAA Online Weather Data
|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
|access-date = November 16, 2023}}</ref><ref name="NCEI">{{cite web
|url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&stations=USC00120676&format=pdf&dataTypes=MLY-TMAX-NORMAL,MLY-TMIN-NORMAL,MLY-TAVG-NORMAL,MLY-PRCP-NORMAL,MLY-SNOW-NORMAL
|title = Summary of Monthly Normals 1991–2020
|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
|access-date = November 16, 2023}}</ref>
}}

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1890= 544
|1900= 1037
|1910= 1316
|1920= 1537
|1930= 1883
|1940= 2075
|1950= 2277
|1960= 2644
|1970= 2988
|1980= 3300
|1990= 3559
|2000= 4150
|2010= 3999
|2020= 4173
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015|df=mdy}}</ref>
}}

===2010 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name="wwwcensusgov">{{cite web|title = U.S. Census website|url = https://www.census.gov|publisher = United States Census Bureau|access-date = 2012-12-11}}</ref> of 2010, there were 3,999 people, 1,620 households, and 1,078 families residing in the city. The [[population density]] was {{convert|1922.6|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|1}}. There were 1,797 housing units at an average density of {{convert|863.9|/sqmi|/km2|1}}. The racial makeup of the city was 96.5% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.5% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.1% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.6% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 1.4% from [[Race (U.S. Census)|other races]], and 1.0% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 4.0% of the population.

There were 1,620 households, out of which 29.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.4% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 9.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.3% had a male householder with no wife present, and 33.5% were non-families. 31.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.94.

The median age in the city was 42 years. 24.1% of residents were under the age of 18; 7% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 22.4% were from 25 to 44; 22.6% were from 45 to 64; and 24% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 46.1% male and 53.9% female.

===2000 census===
As of the [[2000 United States Census|2000 census]],<ref name="GR2">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=2008-01-31 |title=U.S. Census website |df=mdy }}</ref> there were 4,150 people, 1,639 households, and 1,104 families residing in the city. The population density was {{convert|2,307.3|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 1,690 housing units at an average density of {{convert|939.6|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the city was 97.64% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.07% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.07% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.22% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.05% [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 1.04% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 0.92% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 1.90% of the population.

There were 1,639 households, out of which 32.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.5% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 7.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.6% were non-families. 31.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 3.02.

25.7% of the population was under the age of 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 24.3% from 25 to 44, 19.3% from 45 to 64, and 23.8% were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 86.5 males. For every 100 females aged 18 and over, there were 80.5 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $35,491, and the median income for a family was $45,670. Males had a median income of $31,565 versus $21,563 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $17,394. About 1.4% of families and 3.6% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 2.5% of those under age 18 and 6.1% of those age 65 or over.

==Economy==
As the "furniture capital of Indiana," several different furniture manufacturers have existed in Berne during the city's history, including:
*Gehrig Furniture (1877-1905)<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |title=Berne's Review in '52 Centennial Program |year=1952 |location=Berne, Indiana |pages=27}}</ref>
*Dunbar Furniture Manufacturing Company (1919-1993)<ref>{{Cite book |title=Hardwood Record |date=April 25, 1919 |location=Chicago, IL |pages=48}}</ref>
*Berne Furniture Company (1925-2008)<ref>{{Cite book |title=Thirtieth Anniversary Souvenir Edition of the Witness |year=1926 |location=Berne, Indiana |pages=100}}</ref>
*Smith Brothers of Berne, Inc. (1926–present)<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |title=Smith Brothers of Berne |url=https://bernein.com/member-businesses/smith-brothers-of-berne/ |access-date=2022-03-26 |website=Berne Chamber of Commerce |language=en-US}}</ref>
*Yager Furniture, Inc. (1910–present)<ref name=":0" />
*Habegger Furniture, Inc. (1938–present)<ref name=":0" />
*Clauser Furniture, Inc. (1949–present)<ref name=":0" />
*Bernhaus Furniture, Inc. (2003–present)<ref>{{cite web |title=Bernhaus Furniture |website=Berne Chamber of Commerce |url=https://bernein.com/member-businesses/bernhaus-furniture/ |access-date=February 20, 2024}}</ref>

== Government ==
[[File:Berne City Hall.jpg|thumb|Berne City Hall]][[File:Berne Police Station.jpg|thumb|Berne Police Station]]Gregg A. Sprunger has served as Mayor of the City of Berne since 2020.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Mayor {{!}} City of Berne |url=https://cityofberne.com/officials/mayor/ |access-date=2022-04-12 |website=cityofberne.com}}</ref>

Along with an elected Mayor, the city of Berne elects a Clerk-Treasurer and a City Council. The City Council is composed of five members, four elected from established districts and one at-large member.<ref>{{Cite web |title=City Council {{!}} City of Berne |url=https://cityofberne.com/officials/city-council/ |access-date=2022-04-12 |website=cityofberne.com}}</ref>

<u>'''Berne Mayors'''</u>''':'''<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |date=2010 |title=Muensterberg Plaza & Clock Tower Dedication Program |url=https://www.berneclocktower.org/pages/news/CT_Program2010.pdf |access-date=April 11, 2022 |page=42}}</ref>
* Gregg Sprunger (R) (2020-)<ref name="JG" />
* Bill McKean (R) (2012-2020)
* John Minch (D) (2004-2012)
* Blaine Fulton (R) (1992-2004)
*Delmar Neuenschwander (D) (1984-1992)
* Gaylord Stuckey (D) (1976-1984)
* Willard "Bill" Wulliman (R) (1968-1976)
* Richard Lehman (D) (1964-1968)
* Forrest Balsiger (D) (1952-1964)
* Andrew Sprunger (D) (1950-1952)

== Education ==

=== Public ===
K-12 public education in Berne is provided by South Adams Schools. [[South Adams Jr./Sr. High School]] shares its building with the Elementary and Middle Schools. Their nickname is the Starfires.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Home / Homepage |url=https://www.southadams.k12.in.us/http%3A%2F%2Fwww.southadams.k12.in.us%2Fdefault.aspx%3FPageID%3D9 |access-date=2022-04-11 |website=www.southadams.k12.in.us |language=en}}</ref>

Four area schools consolidated into "South Adams" just prior to the 1966–67 school year. They were the "Berne Bears", the "Geneva Cardinals", the "Hartford Gorillas", and the "Jefferson Warriors."<ref>{{Cite web |title=IHSAA Membership History: 1903-Present |url=https://www.ihsaa.org/Portals/0/Membership%20History.pdf |access-date=April 11, 2022}}</ref> Though the consolidated school was located in Berne, as a compromise the school took a new name and mascot - "The South Adams Starfires" - ostensibly named after the first principal/superintendent's car (an [[Oldsmobile Starfire]]).

===Library===
The [[Public library|Berne Public Library]], which opened its doors in 1935 and is currently located in the former city auditorium, serves the city of Berne. The library provides information services to all ages and holds over 60,000 titles, including print, digital, audio, and visual forms. The Heritage Room of the Berne Public Library contains local history and genealogical information.<ref>{{cite web |title=Berne Public Library |url=http://www.bernepl.lib.in.us}}</ref>

== Culture ==
[[File:Muensterberg Plaza & Clock Tower.jpg|thumb|upright|Muensterberg Plaza & Clock Tower]][[File:Muensterberg Pavilion.jpg|thumb|Muensterberg Pavilion]]
[[File:Canton Tree.jpg|thumb|upright|Berne Canton Tree]]
[[File:Berne Settlers Statute.jpg|thumb|upright|Settlers Statute]]

=== Swiss Days Celebration ===
The annual Swiss Days Celebration in Berne is held the last Friday and Saturday in July and attracts thousands of visitors every year as locals celebrate their Swiss and American culture.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Swiss Days Website |url=https://swissdaysberne.com/}}</ref>

===City parks===
==== Muensterberg Plaza and Clock Tower ====
The idea of building the clock tower and plaza was first raised in 2001 while the city of Berne was planning for its sesquicentennial. Wanting to celebrate the city's Swiss heritage, it was decided to model the clock tower after the medieval [[Zytglogge]] in Bern, Switzerland, the oldest monument in that city (built c. 1220, repaired in 1405). The clock tower and plaza were given the name Muensterberg (Münsterberg) after the small Mennonite community in the Jura Mountains of Switzerland that Berne's first immigrants came from.<ref name="gameo.org"/> The clock tower was constructed in 2010. It stands 160 feet tall and 32 feet wide, weighing approximately 1,216 tons (over 2.4 million pounds).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Muensterberg Plaza & Clock Tower |url=https://www.berneclocktower.org/pages/news/CT_Program2010.pdf}}</ref> It contains carillon bells created by the [[Verdin Company]].

The Muensterberg Plaza built around the clock tower also features The Settler's Statue commemorating the arrival of the first settlers to the area, the only stateside Canton Tree, and a series of flowerbeds laid out to resemble common quilting patterns.

==== Lehman Park ====
Lehman Park is a wooded 11.5-acre park located at the intersection of US 27 and Park Avenue. The land for the park was donated to the city of Berne by Isaac and Caroline Lehman in 1928.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Lehman Park Pavilion Rental {{!}} City of Berne |url=https://cityofberne.com/city-services/lehman-park-pavilion-rental/ |access-date=2022-04-11 |website=cityofberne.com}}</ref>

== Media ==
Berne is served by one tri-weekly newspaper, ''[[Berne Witness|The Berne Witness]]''.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Home {{!}} The Berne Witness |url=https://bernewitness.com/ |access-date=2022-04-12 |website=bernewitness.com}}</ref> At one time both German and English editions were offered; the former was later discontinued.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Berne Witness (Berne, Ind.) 1896-1921 |url=https://www.loc.gov/item/sn84045439/ |access-date=2022-04-12 |website=Library of Congress}}</ref>

Berne, along with the rest of Adams County, is served by [[WZBD]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=WZBD Online |url=http://www.wzbd.com/ |access-date=2022-04-12 |website=www.wzbd.com}}</ref>

==Notable people==
* [[Mary Butcher]] - All-American Girls Professional Baseball League player<ref>[http://www.aagpbl.org/index.cfm/profiles/marsh-mary-butcher/62 All-American Girls Professional Baseball League Official Website]. Retrieved on April 2, 2017.</ref>
* The [[Dilley sextuplets]] - the USA's first surviving sextuplets<ref>{{cite news |last=Krull |first=John |title=StarFiles: The Dilley Sextuplets |newspaper=The Indianapolis Star |url=http://www.indystar.com/article/99999999/NEWS06/110427019/StarFiles-Dilley-Sextuplets |access-date=February 29, 2012}}</ref>
* [[Bob Dro]] - [[basketball]] and [[baseball]] player for [[Indiana University Bloomington|Indiana University]] and the [[Indianapolis Kautskys]]<ref>{{cite news|last = Dro|first = Robert C.|title = Robert C. Dro|newspaper = Berne Tri-Weekly|date = May 8, 2006}}</ref>
* [[Arthur L. Gilliom]] - 25th [[Indiana Attorney General]]<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Verbeek |first1=Ann Gilliom |title=The League and the Law: Arthur L. Gilliom and the Problem of Due Process in Prohibition-Era Indiana |journal=Indiana Magazine of History |date=December 2011 |volume=107 |issue=4 |pages=289–326 |doi=10.5378/indimagahist.107.4.0289 |jstor=10.5378/indimagahist.107.4.0289 |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.5378/indimagahist.107.4.0289|url-access=subscription }}</ref>
* [[Les Habegger]] - former General Manager of the [[National Basketball Association|NBA]]'s [[Seattle SuperSonics]] (1983–85)
* [[Ervin Inniger]] - [[Indiana Hoosiers men's basketball]] player<ref>{{Cite web |title=A Life in Sports Always Had a Good Ring to It for Inniger |url=https://iuhoosiers.com/news/2020/7/1/mens-basketball-a-life-in-sports-always-had-a-good-ring-to-it-for-inniger.aspx |access-date=2022-05-01 |website=Indiana University Athletics |language=en}}</ref>
* [[Peter Luginbill]] - early founder and settler of Berne
* [[Donald Neuen]] - former Professor and Director of Choral Conducting & Choral Studies at [[University of California, Los Angeles|UCLA]]'s [[UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music|Herb Alpert School of Music]]<ref>{{cite web|title = Local Artists to Perform at "Sounds of Switzerland" Concert|url = http://www.timesbulletin.com/m/Articles.aspx?ArticleID=167423|work = Times Bulletin (Van Wert, Ohio)|access-date = February 3, 2012}}</ref>
* [[Richard R. Schrock]] - Winner of the 2005 [[Nobel Prize in Chemistry]] for his work in the area of [[olefin metathesis]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2005 |url=https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/chemistry/2005/schrock/biographical/ |access-date=2022-04-12 |website=NobelPrize.org |language=en-US}}</ref>
* [[Jerry Steiner|Jerome "Jerry" Steiner]] - [[Butler Bulldogs men's basketball]] player<ref>{{Cite web |title=Jerome Steiner - Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame |url=https://hoopshall.com/inductees/jerome-steiner/ |access-date=2022-12-16 |website=hoopshall.com/ |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Butler Records |url=https://s3.amazonaws.com/sidearm.sites/butler.sidearmsports.com/documents/2021/1/11/Butler_MBB_Record_Book_prior_to_2020_21.pdf |access-date=2022-12-15}}</ref>
* [[Ernie Steury]] - missionary doctor who established the [[World Gospel Mission#Kenya .281929.29|Tenwek Hospital]] in Kenya<ref>{{cite book|last = Lewis|first = Gregg|title = Miracle at Tenwek|year = 2007|publisher = Discovery House Publishers|location = Grand Rapids, Michigan|isbn = 978-1-57293-222-7|pages = Back cover}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.cityofberne.com/ City website]
* [http://www.bernein.com/ Berne Chamber of Commerce]
* [http://www.berneclocktower.org/ Muensterberg Plaza and Clock Tower]
* [http://www.pinelakewaterpark.com/ Pine Lake Waterpark]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20120218154735/http://www.swissheritage.org/SHV/Wilkommen.html Swiss Heritage Society]
* [http://www.bernepl.lib.in.us/ Berne Public Library]
* {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20181219182531/https://swissamericanhistoricalsociety.org/ Swiss American Historical Society]}}
* [http://www.adamshospital.com/ Adams Memorial Hospital]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20110124191013/http://countyhistory.com/coveredbridge/adams1.htm Ceylon Covered Bridge]

{{Adams County, Indiana}}
{{Fort Wayne Metro}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Cities in Indiana]]
[[Category:Cities in Adams County, Indiana]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1852]]
[[Category:Swiss-American culture in Indiana]]
[[Category:1852 establishments in Indiana]]