New Pekin is a town in Pierce and Polk townships, Washington County, Indiana, United States.

The town of New Pekin was incorporated in 1903 to provide funds to build and operate a school.

Several years later, in 1831, Christian Bixler laid out the town of Pekin on the south side of Mutton Fork, Blue River.

The train station was built on the more level north side of the Blue River.

In 1854 the County Commissioners declared the town vacant and the area became known as Old Pekin.

The town of New Pekin claims the distinction of having the oldest consecutive Independence Day celebration in the United States of America.

Few historical facts about the earliest celebrations exist, with the information available coming from oral tradition.

In either 1872 or 1873, the picnic was held at the farm of James Campbell, where he had built a recreational area.

This became the present location of the Pekin Community Park, where the celebration has been held every year since.

Today the celebration consists of a fireworks display, a parade, live bands, three-on-three basketball tournament, carnival, food vendors, a flea market, reading of the United States Declaration of Independence, prince and princess contest, horseshoe pitching contest, a queen contest, cookouts and many other small celebrations around the town of Pekin.

There is nothing that I can think of that is more Americana and Rockwellesque than the Independence Day parade in Pekin.”[9] On July 11, 1863, while crossing Blue River near New Pekin, Captain William J. Davis of Morgan's Raid and some of his men were captured by 73rd Indiana Volunteers and a detachment of the 5th U.S. Regulars.

Captain Davis and several other soldiers were taken to New Albany, Indiana, and secured in the county jail.

[14] The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters.