austinindiadev

Yesterday and Today

While the railroad and highway travel helped mark Austin, it is the development of Morgan Foods as one of the world’s leading food manufacturers that has stabilized the community in Indiana. Originally founded in 1899, as the Austin Canning Company, Morgan Foods remains the largest employer in Austin. As other communities of similar size and characteristics in Indiana have nearly vanished from the business scene, Morgan Foods has provided a sound economic base for Austin and Scott County for over a century.

During the 1930s and 1940s as the American economy struggled to recover the from the Great Depression of 1929, and the impact of World War II it was Morgan Packing Company (Morgan Foods) that offered consistent employment throughout the region. Many of Austin’s citizens today are descendants of families, who migrated from Eastern Kentucky, during that period looking for work. Also, during World War II, Morgan Packing Company was not able to fill all the jobs needed to operate its huge canning empire. A willing U.S. government loaned the company help in the form of German and Italian Prisoners of War. The prisoners were guarded by U.S. troops in a POW Camp setup just north of the factory. Some 1,500 POWs worked at the factory on daily basis for nearly two years.

Currently (2015) Morgan Foods is one of four manufacturing plants in located in Austin. The Pepsi Americas Plant located on the west side of Austin has been a steady base of employment for the community and is one of Pepsi’s most efficient operations in their huge chain of plants across the country. Pepsi located to Austin in the late 1970s and is considered a valued friend and contributor to the community.

Austin Tri-Hawk Automotive (ATA) opened its doors in the early 2000s and offers another opportunity for employment in the area. ATA’s web-page describes their business as a self-sufficient American business with the financial backing of Japanese firms, which are some of the most successful automotive manufacturing companies in the world. ATA produces integrated assemblies, which requires involvement with robot-welding, retainer of fixture design and international coordination of related parts production.

GarTech Enterprises was founded in 1990 by Don Hounshell, a local resident who grew up in Austin and graduated from Austin High School in 1974. After a small humble beginning that started in his garage to supplement his full-time employment, Hounshell and GarTech is a success story and a company on the rise. In 2004, Hounshell moved his business out of his garage and into to a new facility on the west side of Austin. The company specializes in producing parts for a variety of industries such as, automotive construction and mining.

Austin Public School System: Scott County School District 1

For over 100-years the school systems have been a source of pride and tradition within the community. With the new technology of the 21st century available, students at the Austin School Systems have opportunities to learn from teachers and programs that will enable them to meet the standards for a successful life. 

The school system at Austin supports family values and is willing to be more than just an educational facility by reaching out and helping those in need. Austin educators have discovered helping others and teaching students to contribute to society, is just as important as what is learned from the curriculum.