The town experienced slow growth until the railroad was constructed in 1852. At about the same time, Solomon Mier and Jacob Strauss, two Jewish immigrants, settled in the area and other Jewish people began to follow. Between 1852 and 1866 the town’s population grew from 50 to 1,100.

In 1952, a group of local businessmen formed an industrial development committee, and began transforming Ligonier into an industrial city. Today, the city boasts a large industrial park, with several large employers.

POPULATION: 4,357 (2000 U.S. Census).

ACCESS: Ligonier is located at the crossroads of S.R. 5, U.S. 6 and U.S. 33.

GOVERNMENT: A full-time mayor with a five-member city council, which meets the second and fourth Monday of each month at 7 p.m. at the Ligonier City Hall. The board of works meets on the second and fourth Wednesday of each month at 1:30 p.m. in City Hall. The mayor’s office is located in City Hall, West Third Street 894-4113.

The mayor is Patty Fisel.

City council members are
• Rev. John Lutton
• Glenn Longardner
• Ken Schuman
• Nate Lowe and
• Karen Richendollar.

City attorney, appointed by the mayor, is Steve Hagen.

SERVICES: Sewer and water is provided by the city, and trash pickup is contracted by the city. Ligonier’s police department has nine full-time members, which is supplemented by an active reserve police unit. Three full-time firefighters are aided by several volunteer firefighters.

EDUCATION: Students attend West Noble School Corp. Elementary students attend either Ligonier Elementary or West Noble Elementary. Middle and high school students attend at the West Noble campus three miles south of Ligonier.

RECREATION: Ligonier has many parks, the largest of which is Kenney Park on West Union Street. The Ligonier Sports and Recreation Center in Kenney Park has a full gym and two fitness rooms, as well as a public meeting room with kitchen facilities. In 1993, the Jennie Thompson Garden, a scenic walkway in a garden setting, was added to the park.

FESTIVALS: The Ligonier Marshmallow Festival is held each Labor Day weekend; attendance is well over 10,000 people. The Stone's Trace Pioneer Crafts Festival is a popular festival held the weekend after Labor Day at the Stone's Trace grounds, three miles south of the city. It also boasts large attendance figures. In October, Fashion Farm hosts the month-long Pumpkin Fantasyland, a unique attraction started by the late Charlie Williams and now run his widow, June and the couple¹s children and grandchildren.

SHOPPING: Ligonier has three grocery stores, two banks (one with two branches) and a hardware store, two discount stores, a drug store and many small shops as well as an equipment-rental store. There are numerous restaurants, including five fast-food establishments and several long-established, full-service restaurants.

TAXES: Total assessed valuation last year was $144,520,438. Maximum levy was $943,926 in 2003.

POLICE: City Hall, Station Street, 894-4111. (Emergencies: 911) Police Chief: Bryan K. Shearer

FIRE: City Hall, Station Street, 894-3123 (emergencies) or 894-3124. Fire Chief: Jeremy Weaver

CLERK-TREASURER: Norma Brady, City Hall, West Third Street, 894-4113. Hours — 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

LIBRARY: Ligonier Public Library, South Main Street, 894-4511. Open Tuesday through Saturday. Closed Sunday and Monday. Jerry Nesbit, librarian

POST OFFICE: 201 S. Main St., 894-3021. Randy Rohrer, postmaster.