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Bunker Hill, Indiana
Bunker Hill has a population of 987 people according to the 2000 census, but
despite its small size boasts several notables.
The town of Bunker Hill has a rich racing heritage. Currently it is
home to the Bunker Hill Drag Strip and the Bunker Hill Speedway. It is
also the birthplace of Tod Sloan.
James Forman "Tod" Sloan was born in Bunker Hill on August 10, 1874. Mr.
Sloan was a controversial figure during his career as an American thoroughbred
horse racing jockey, but it was he who made popular the forward seat style of
racing known as the "monkey crouch". He was posthumously elected to the
National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 1955, some 22 years after his
death.
Bunker Hill is also home to the
Maconaquah School Corporation and the
Maconaquah High School Band. Among the graduates
from this school is Tavis Smiley who moved here from Mississippi as a child and
is now a talk show host in Los Angeles, an author, and a political commentator.
Mr. Smiley founded the Tavis Smiley
Foundation, which seeks to train the next generation of leaders in America.
The Nickel Plate Trail runs
through Bunker Hill, and the town is home to the Grissom
Air Reserve Base.
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