Northwest Indiana information

Northwest Indiana, also known as The Calumetreflects their close economic integration in the
Region, or just The Region, is comprised of Lake,Chicagoland region.
Porter, LaPorte, Newton, and Jasper counties inFour major universities are located in the region:
Indiana. This region neighbors Chicago, Illinois and LakeValparaiso University in Valparaiso (the largest private
Michigan, and is also the Indiana component ofLutheran University in the United States), Indiana
Chicagoland and the Chicago Combined StatisticalUniversity Northwest (IUN) in Gary, Purdue University
Area. Not only does the region include a large groupCalumet in Hammond, and Purdue University North
of Chicago suburbs, such as Crown Point, Merrillville,Central in Westville. Along with several smaller
Highland, Munster, Griffith, Schererville, and Dyer butcolleges and universities in Northwest Indiana, these
also a number of cities whose economies are onlyinstitutions offer a variety of degree programs in
loosely linked to Chicago's. The largest city in theareas including business administration, engineering and
region is Gary; other notable cities in the regionengineering technology, law, education, computing and
include Hammond, Hobart, Portage, East Chicago,information technology, and the liberal arts.
Valparaiso, and Michigan City.Additionally, Northwest Indiana is proximate to
Three counties, Lake, Porter, and LaPorte, arenumerous other universities elsewhere in Indiana and
served by the Northwestern Indiana Regional Planningin Chicagoland.
Commission [1], an organization that coordinatesLaPorte County is a county located in the U.S. state
economic and infrastructure development in theof Indiana. As of 2000, the population was 110,106.
region. A number of the suburbs serve as bedroomThe county seat is LaPorte6. This county is part of
communities for both the major cities in the regionChicagoland and Michiana. It is included in the Michigan
and for Chicago. The northern portion of the region isCity, Indiana-La Porte, Indiana Metropolitan Statistical
noted for its heavy industry. Gary, Portage, BurnsArea.
Harbor and East Chicago are home to major steelLaPorte County was formed in 1832. The name
mills, including the secondary location of U.S. Steel.means "the door" or "the port" in French, as travelers
The region is also the home of other metalshere left the forests of the east for the prairieland
industries, chemical refineries, and heavyof the west.
manufacturing.Lake County is a county located in the U.S. state of
Since the 1990s, casino gambling has become aIndiana. As of 2000, the population was 484,564,
notable component of the region's economy. Fourmaking it Indiana's second most populous county. The
casino boats with approximately 6,500 slots and 250county seat is Crown Point6. This county is part of
table games are located in Lake County. An additionalNorthwest Indiana and Chicagoland.
1,724 slots and forty nine table games are in MichiganLake County was formed in 1837. It was named for
City.its location on Lake Michigan.
The Lake Michigan shore is a major attraction. IndianaJasper County is a county located in the U.S. state of
Dunes National Lakeshore, which stretches from GaryIndiana. As of 2000, the population was 30,043. The
to Michigan City, is a well-preserved stretch of sandcounty seat is Rensselaer6. This county is part of
dunes, beaches, grasslands, and forests, as well asChicagoland.
several historical homes and buildings. The fiveJasper County was formed in 1838. It was named
counties of Lake, Porter, Jasper, Newton, andfor Sgt. William Jasper, a famous scout for the
LaPorte are included in the Chicago-Naperville-MichiganContinental Army during the Revolutionary War.
City Combined Statistical Area, the broadest of theJasper became famous in 1776, during the
census defined Metropolitan definitions. Unlike thebombardment of Fort Moultrie, for erecting a new
majority of Indiana, which operates on Easternflagstaff under fire after the American flag had been
Standard Time, these five counties are among sevenshot down. Jasper was killed during the Siege of
in Northwestern Indiana that are in the Central TimeSavannah in 1779.
zone, the other two being Starke and Pulaski. This