About Carmel

Carmel, Indiana is a northern suburb of Indianapolis and one of the fastest growing cities in Indiana. Located in Hamilton County, Carmel has a population of 79,191 people according to the 2010 US Census, an impressive 48.7 percent increase over the 2000 US Census number of 37,733. The climate is classified as humid continental, which features large seasonal temperature fluctuations from hot, humid summers to very cold winters. Indiana is prone to tornadoes, though the last tornado that went through Carmel occurred in 1972.Founded in 1837 and known as the Town of Bethlehem until 1874, Carmel was known for its fur trading. In 1924, one of the first traffic lights in the country was installed at the intersection of Main Street and Ridge Line Road. Ironically, in more recent years Carmel has received national recognition for installing over 50 roundabouts in place of customary intersections, in order to better control traffic flow.Today the city features a thriving Arts and Design District, which the Carmel, IN yellow pages show includes a wide variety of excellent art galleries, designer studios, interior designers, restaurants, and other shops, including the Carmel Arts Council's World's Smallest Children's Art Gallery.

In addition, Carmel City Center is a 1,000,000 square foot mixed use development featuring specialty retail space, luxury apartments, and restaurants, as well as the newly opened Palladium at the Center for Performing Arts, a world-class concert hall.The Meridian Corporate Corridor is a 12 mile stretch of road from Carmel to Westfield that concentrates a large number of corporations and businesses in one area, and is the second largest such area in Indiana. According to the Carmel, IN business directory, several prominent national corporations are headquartered there.Carmel has received a number of prestigious awards, including Money Magazine's 2010 14th Best Place to Live. In 2008, Forbes Magazine named Hamilton County the best place in the United States to raise a family.Two well-known annual events are Carmel Fest, held every Fourth of July, featuring different types of music, a large parade, fireworks show, and the Carmel International Arts Festival, a free event which has over 130 juried artists as well as live music and children's activities.Celebrities from Carmel include food critic Ted Allen, football legend Mark Herrmann, film director Tommy O'Haver, basketball star Josh McRoberts, and NPR radio host Steve Inskeep.

Written by Lyndsey Morgan