The town has gained 32,884 residents, accounting for the most growth of any city or town in the state, according to a study of U.S. census data released Wednesday by Indiana University.

Indianapolis had the second-most growth, adding 25,717 people from 2000 until July 2009.

“Gee, there wasn’t anything here when we started,” said Steve Sharp, who has owned a printing company in Fishers since 1983. “There were a few of us here, but not very many.”

The first McDonald’s in Fishers was built downtown shortly after Sharp arrived, bringing the downtown area a water main and taking it off well water.

A wide range of factors play into a once-rural town’s sudden growth, but for Fishers, the highly ranked school system and suburban space has had a big effect, said Matt Kinghorn, state demographer at the Indiana Business Research Center at IU’s Kelley School of Business, which analyzed the census data.

“If you have a family,” he said, “not only can you get into a good school first but you have a little more space for longer yards and less traffic.”

Hamilton Southeastern Schools is the fastest-growing school district in the state, and its school system is often mentioned in magazine reports on why Fishers is an emerging place for families to live.

In 1989-90, the district had 2,845 students and six schools. Twenty years later, enrollment increased to 17,797 — an eightfold increase — and 20 schools. More than 75 percent of residents have a bachelor’s degree or higher, according to city-data.com.

Town Council President Scott Faultless moved to Fishers in 1991 after he completed law school. There were about 7,500 residents then. The reason people move to town is simple, he said: “People who are educated want to make sure their kids are educated, and they get that kind of education here.”

Dennis Olmstead, a project coordinator for Fishers-based engineering firm Stoeppelwerth & Associates, started working for the company in 1981. From his office on Allisonville Road, he could see and hear rabbit hunters on the prowl in a field behind the building.

“You really felt you were out in the middle of the country back then,” he said. Now, the area is home to a mortuary, dentist’s office and apartment complex.

Fishers and most suburbs’ growth have slowed during the recession as the housing market slump and wobbly employment scares people into staying put. Still, in 2000, Fishers had 39,043 residents. It now has 71,052.

Indianapolis-area suburbs Carmel, Noblesville and Greenwood had the third through fifth highest population gains in the state, respectively.

Sharp, the print-shop owner, remembers there not being a stoplight in town. Back then, he thought overflow population from Marion County would come into Fishers eventually. “But I don’t know that anyone envisioned that we’d grow this much.”

Grilling Safety
-Position the grill well away from siding, deck railings and out from under leaves and branches.
-Place the grill at a safe distance from lawn games, play areas and foot traffic.
-Keep children and pets away from the grill area: declare a three-foot “safe zone” around the grill.
-Use long-handled grilling tools to have plenty of clearance from heat and flames.
-Propane and charcoal grills must only be used outdoors. If used indoors, or in any enclosed spaces, such as tents, they pose both a fire hazard and the risk of exposing occupants to toxic gases and potential asphyxiation.

Charcoal
-Use the proper starter fluid and store it out of reach of children, and away from heat sources.
-Never add charcoal starter fluid when coals or kindling have already been ignited.
-Never use any flammable or combustible liquid other than charcoal starter fluid.

Propane
-Use only equipment bearing the mark of an independent testing laboratory. Follow the manufacturers’ instructions on how to set up the grill and maintain it.
-Never store propane cylinders in buildings or garages.
-If you smell gas while cooking, immediately get away from the grill and call the fire department. Do not attempt to move the grill.

Ask Ron Spencer the top speed of his hot rod, and he’ll say he’s “not brave enough to find out.”

Spencer, 63, Fishers, gave up racing sailboats a long time ago because he likes his hot rods more.

The Canadian-born car enthusiast, who raced on drag strips in Canada when he was young, no longer races, but he still loves hot rods.

“If it’s got wheels, I like it,” said Spencer, who says he’s been a hot rodder since high school. He liked to drag race against friends in his family’s 1937 Singer, 1958 Ford sedan, 1960 Chevy Impala or 1962 Volkswagen.

“Depends on what car I had that day,” said Spencer, who also fixed up a couple of other old Fords to drag race.

Spencer is president of the Indianapolis-based Cluster Buster Hot Rod Club. In conjunction with the 10-day Sheridan Sesquicentennial celebration, the club will host the Lucas Oil Wheels & Wings Fly-In, Cruise-In Plane, Car and Motorcycle Show on Saturday at Sheridan Airport.

Established in 1948, it’s the second-oldest continuously operating club in the nation, starting as a drag race club, he said.

The club was instrumental in the development of Indianapolis Raceway Park, now O’Reilly Raceway Park, and annually hosts Ray Skillman’s Classic Car show in Greenwood in July.

Spencer said owners of planes, hot rods, street rods and motorcycles are invited to register by noon to participate in the show. Admission is free to spectators. Shuttles will run from downtown Sheridan.

He owns a 1929 blue Ford roadster he built from the ground up. It sits on a 1932 Ford frame and has a 350 Chevy V-8 engine.

Spencer built the car just the way he wanted it. “A lot of car parts I made right here on my workbench with a hacksaw and a grinder.”

He used old switches he’d saved in a toolbox from his grandfather, fog lights from his grandfather’s car and a gearshift made from an old door handle.

Spencer also owns a 1946 red Ford convertible that he disassembled down to every nut and bolt, and put back together, making changes he wanted.

“I’m not a trophy hunter, though I’ve certainly won my share of them,” he said. “I’m just more comfortable in my garage than in my kitchen, messing with cars.”

He said Saturday’s show would draw about 200 cars.

For more details about Anytime Fitness visit:  www.anytimefitness.com

Register at the front desk or by calling 844-3362

Tickets are $5 for Chamber members and $10 for the general public.