Shelby County (pop. 44,436) is east of Johnson County. It’s been growing since 1940, when the population was 25,953.
It is one of nine Shelby counties, all of them named for Isaac Shelby (1750-1826), who fought in the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812. He was Kentucky’s first and fifth governor.
The county seat of Shelby County is the city of Shelbyville (pop. 19,191).
The Strand Theatre in Shelbyville dates from 1916. It was renovated in 2008, and is now the home of the Shelby County Players.
Shelbyville also has a drive-in theater, the Skyline.
The Porter Pool Bathhouse (1930) in Shelbyville is on the National Register of Historic Places. The pool was demolished in 1998.
William Garrett (1929-1974), the first African-American to play on the Indiana University basketball team, was Indiana Mr. Basketball at Shelbyville High School.
Sandy Allen (1955-2008), the tallest woman in the world at 7 feet 7 inches, lived much of her life in Shelbyville.
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