Shelbyville

Small Town Breakdown

From cheering on the Golden Bears to exploring Indiana’s premier racino, Shelbyville has a little flavor for everyone! 

Fast Facts

📍LOCATION: Central Indiana

• Shelbyville is located in the center of Shelby County and is part of the greater Indianapolis metro area.

• I-74 passes just to the northeast of Shelbyville, leading northwest to Indianapolis and southeast toward Cincinnati.

• Indiana State Road 44 runs east-west through town, leading west to Franklin and northeast toward Rushville.

• Indiana State Road 9 runs north-south through town, leading north to Greenfield and south to Hope.

• 35 minutes southeast of Indianapolis

• 1 hour and 15 minutes northwest of Cincinnati

• 1 hour and 35 minutes north of Louisville

👥 POPULATION & RANKING

• 20,845 residents (as of 2024)

• Ranks as Indiana’s 49th-largest city

• Largest of three incorporated towns/cities in Shelby County ahead of Morristown (1,197) and Fairland (540)

📏 LAND AREA

• 11.84 square miles

📅 FOUNDED

• Shelby County was established in 1822, following the division of land from neighboring Bartholomew, Henry and Jefferson counties.

• In the early years of settlement, the people of Shelby County took on agriculture. The fertile land made it easy for farming, and harvesting crops such as corn and wheat.

• The 1800s also marked the start and end of the American Civil War. During this time, Shelby County’s location served as a supply camp for the Union Army.

• By the 20th century, Shelbyville became a hub for the automotive parts industry.

• Shelbyville was also founded in 1822 and named after Isaac P. Shelby, a Revolutionary War hero and the former governor of Kentucky.

• It was named the county seat in 1822 as well.

• Following the war, manufacturing became a staple of the local economy and helped define the city throughout the early 1900s and beyond.

🏥 MAIN INDUSTRIES: Manufacturing, Healthcare

• Ryobi Die Casting is a provider in the die casting market for the global automotive industry, specializing in the development and manufacturing of complete aluminum castings. It employs more than 700 people at its one United States location in Shelbyville.

• The Major Health Partners (MHP) Community Hospital in Shelbyville offers a variety of health services including oncology, plastic surgery and cardiology.

• Horseshoe Indianapolis Racing & Casino is a major employer in Shelby County and is off I-74 northwest of Shelbyville.

Horseshoe Indianapolis

Horseshoe Indianapolis Racing & Casino is one of the most popular attractions in Shelbyville. It combines horse racing with casino gaming, which they call – a racino. The facility originally opened as Indiana Live! Casino in March 2009. Since then, it has undergone major upgrades to add more slot machines, table games, and a 20-table WSOP Poker Room.

Bonus: You can earn Caesars Rewards at Horseshoe Indianapolis because it is owned by Caesars Entertainment, Inc.

The Streets of Old Shelby

If you want a history lesson on Shelbyville, visit the Grover Center Museum and Historical Society. This not-for-profit institution offers both permanent and rotating exhibits to experience – all free to the public! One highlight is the “Streets of Old Shelby”, where visitors can step back in time and experience what the town might have looked like in the early 1900s. 

Start with Breakfast

Linne’s Bakery & Cafe celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2025. They’ve got the best cake donuts in town and have over 8,200 followers on Facebook.

Grandma’s Pancake House opens bright and early at 6 a.m. and serves all the breakfast favorites like pancakes, waffles, omelets and biscuits and gravy. They even have lunch options like fresh salads and hearty sandwiches. 

Porter Coffee is another great option for a quick, on-the-go coffee and light bite. Open 7 days a week from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m., its menu is packed with coffee, espresso drinks, teas, freshly baked goods, and lunch options, too! They’ve got 4.9 stars on Google.

Just Peachy Cafe is yet another option for breakfast, with guests raving about its cinnamon rolls, sandwiches and welcoming, country-style atmosphere. They have 4.8 stars and over 270 Google reviews.

Lunch, Dinner and Drinks

Bellacino's Pizza & Grinders is famous for pizza and grinder sandwiches. Enjoy a wide selection of grinders like the Italian, Club, Chicken Bacon Ranch, Ham & Cheese or Reuben, or grab an 8-, 12-, or 16-inch pizza with all the fixings.

If you want to heat up your palate with Mexican food, go with the fajitas and a margarita at Cholula Mexican Restaurant, which opened in 2002. 

For live music and drinks late in the evening, Capone’s Downtown Speakeasy has been voted as the No. 1 nightspot in Shelbyville the last seven years. It was also recognized as the Business of the Year in 2025 by the Shelby County Chamber of Commerce.

Daaaaaaa (Golden) Bears

Shelbyville High School is home of the Golden Bears, who have won one IHSAA state title in school history. That title came in 1947, courtesy of boys basketball. They beat East Chicago Washington 54-46 in the semifinals before knocking off previously unbeaten Terre Haute Garfield 68-58 in the finals, just the second of 11 occurrences since 1935 in which an undefeated team lost in the championship game.

The boys basketball program also made state appearances in 1913, 1924, 1935 and 1986, with both the ‘35 and ‘86 campaigns ending with semifinal overtime losses to Anderson.

Shelbyville Snips

• Downtown Shelbyville and the public square has all the small-town charm you need with boutiques, antique shops, and cafes to explore. There are also weekly farmer’s markets and First Friday events held in the warmer months.

• Located a few miles southwest of Shelbyville, Southwestern Jr/Sr High School is home of the Spartans. They do not have an athletics state title in school history, but they were the 2003 1A runner-up to Lafayette Central Catholic in boys basketball. The Spartans had an unfortunate collapse, squandering a 48-34 lead in a 68-64 loss, marking the largest lead blown in a loss on record in the 1A championship game.

The next time you’re on I-74 between Indianapolis and Cincinnati, swing through Shelbyville for what will certainly be a memorable stop.

Check out Nate’s breakdown of Shelbyville ⬇️