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The City of Delphi

aerials delphi downtown01The City of Delphi is the county seat and the only city in Carroll County.  Delphi is home to the a large network of parks and trails, numerous shops, restaurants, and heritage and cultural attractions. In Delphi's earliest days, it was known for its large pork-packing business, and now  it hosts the county's largest employer Indiana Packers Corporation, just south of the city.
Delphi's history has been greatly influenced by various forms of transportation. The Wabash River and Deer Creek--both important waterways--traverse the City.  The first state highway from Terre Haute to Fort Wayne was routed through Delphi in 1828.  Stagecoach and mail routes came through Delphi. The Wabash & Erie Canal also had a big influence on all aspects of life in Delphi. The Canal Era waned following the arrival of the railroads in 1858. Later on the electric Interurban rail service connected Delphi to points east and west.

Delphi's downtown has many architecturally and historically significant three- and four-story buildings dating from the 1850s through the early 1900s. The commercial district was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the Delphi Courthouse Square Historic District in 2010. Residential areas also include many fine historic homes.  Both business and residential architecture and construction were influenced by the wealth of merchants and tradesmen during the Canal Era from the 1840s to the early 1870s.

In 2012 Delphi was selected as a Stellar Community by the State of Indiana resulting in grants of nearly $1.6 million for projEast Main North Sideects to revitalize the downtown commercial district. Among these projects were:
  • faςade rehabilitations on 40+ downtown buildings;
  • pedestrian-friendly streetscapes with traffic bumpouts, sidewalk pavers and historic lighting;
  • infrastructure enhancements to provide adequate water supply to the downtown for upper-story development;
  • gateway and trail development establishing a hiking-biking trail from East Washington Street to the Wabash & Erie Canal Park.
ThOpera House 2020 1200pxe centerpiece of the Stellar projects was the restoration of the Delphi Opera House as a community center and performing arts venue. State grants were matched by the building's owner the Delphi Preservation Society. Reopening in 2015 the opera house hosts more than 35 concerts and theatrical events each year drawing more than 5,000 people into Delphi from surrounding communities.

In addition to the historic and cultural assets in Delphi's downtown is the Wabash & Erie Canal Park and Interpretive Center just 10 blocks north of the Square. A heritage tourism attraction, Canal Park celebrates the role the canal played in the mid 1800s through 1870. A replica boat "The Delphi" takes passengers on a re-watered section of the canal. Canal life is further explored with cabins and shops that dot the park setting. Inside the Interpretive Center, a world-class museum awaits tourists.canal park boat