Porter County is a county located in the U.S. state of Indiana. As of 2010, the population was 164,343. The county seat is Valparaiso.
This county is part of Northwest Indiana as well as the Chicago metropolitan area.
Porter County is the site of the Indiana Dunes, an area of ecological significance. A museum called the Hour Glass located in Ogden Dunes, contains exhibits that document the ecological significance.
History
The area of Indiana which became Porter County was occupied by an Algonquian people named by the archeologist as the Huber-Berrien. This was a subsistence culture that arrived after the glaciers retreated somewhere around 15,000 years ago and the rise of glacial Lake Algonquian, 4â€"8,000 years ago. The Huber-Berrien people were a subsistence society. The native people of this area were next recorded during the Iroquois Wars (1641â€"1701) as being Potawatomi and Miami. The trading post system used by the French and then the English encouraged native people to live in central villages along major waterways. Therefore, there are no recorded villages within the current boundaries of Porter County. It was not until 1830 when Chiqua's town and Tassinong appear on maps and in records. Chiqua's town is located a mile east of Valparaiso on State Route 2, the old Sauk Trail. Tassinong is south of Valparaiso about 5 miles (8.0 km) on State Route 49 at Baum's Bridge Road, the main route across the Great Kankakee Marsh.
Porter County was formed in 1836. From 1832 to 1836, the area that was to become Porter County was part of La Porte County. It was named for Capt. David Porter, naval officer during the Barbary Wars and the War of 1812.
Geography
According to the 2010 census, the county has a total area of 521.78 square miles (1,351.4Â km2), of which 418.15 square miles (1,083.0Â km2) (or 80.14%) is land and 103.63 square miles (268.4Â km2) (or 19.86%) is water, most of it in Lake Michigan. The highest point, at 870 feet (270Â m), is in northeastern Jackson Township near County Road East 950 North and County Line Road. The lowest point, at 585 feet (178Â m), is along the Lake Michigan shoreline.
Major highways
Railroads
Adjacent counties
- LaPorte County (east)
- Starke County (southeast)
- Jasper County (south)
- Lake County (west)
- Cook County, Illinois (northwest, boundary in Lake Michigan)
- Berrien County, Michigan (northeast, boundary in Lake Michigan)
National protected area
- Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore â€" also in Lake and LaPorte counties
Municipalities
The municipalities in Porter County and their populations as of the 2010 Census:
Cities
- Portage â€" 36,828
- Valparaiso â€" 31,730
Towns
Census-designated places
- Aberdeen â€" 1,875
- Lakes of the Four Seasons â€" 3,097 (7,033 including portion in Lake County)
- Salt Creek Commons â€" 2,117
- Shorewood Forest â€" 2,708
- South Haven â€" 5,282
- Wheeler â€" 443
Townships
The 12 townships of Porter County and their populations as of the 2010 Census:
Education
Colleges and Universities
- Ivy Tech Community College
- Valparaiso University
Public School Districts
Public schools in Porter County are administered by several districts, most of which cover areas that roughly follow the county's township boundaries.
- Duneland School Corporation â€" Jackson, Liberty and Westchester townships
- East Porter County School Corporation â€" Morgan, Pleasant and Washington townships
- Metropolitan School District of Boone Township â€" Boone Township
- Michigan City Area Schools â€" Pine Township
- Portage Township Schools â€" Portage Township
- Porter Township School Corporation â€" Porter Township
- Union Township School Corporation â€" Union Township
- Valparaiso Community Schools â€" Center Township
High Schools and Middle Schools
Elementary Schools
Public libraries
The county is served by two public library systems:
Porter County Public Library has its main branch in Valparaiso with branches in Hebron, Kouts, Portage and South Haven.
Westchester Public Library has its main branch, the Thomas Library, in Chesterton with a branch, the Hageman Library, in Porter.
Hospitals
- Porter Health Care System â€" 301 beds
- Portage Hospital â€" Portage
- Porter Regional Hospital â€" Valparaiso
Climate and weather
In recent years, average temperatures in Valparaiso have ranged from a low of 15 °F (âˆ'9 °C) in January to a high of 83 °F (28 °C) in July, although a record low of âˆ'25 °F (âˆ'32 °C) was recorded in January 1985 and a record high of 105 °F (41 °C) was recorded in July 1934. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 1.82 inches (46 mm) in February to 4.66 inches (118 mm) in June.
Government
The county government is a constitutional body, and is granted specific powers by the Constitution of Indiana, and by the Indiana Code.
County Council: The county council is the legislative branch of the county government and controls all the spending and revenue collection in the county. Representatives are elected from county districts. The council members serve four-year terms. They are responsible for setting salaries, the annual budget and special spending. The council also has limited authority to impose local taxes, in the form of an income and property tax that is subject to state level approval, excise taxes and service taxes.
Board of Commissioners: The executive body of the county is made of a board of commissioners. The commissioners are elected county-wide, in staggered terms, and each serves a four-year term. One of the commissioners, typically the most senior, serves as president. The commissioners are charged with executing the acts legislated by the council, the collection of revenue and managing the day-to-day functions of the county government.
Court: The county maintains a small claims court that can handle some civil cases. The judge on the court is elected to a term of four years and must be a member of the Indiana Bar Association. The judge is assisted by a constable who is also elected to a four-year term. In some cases, court decisions can be appealed to the state level circuit court.
County Officials: The county has several other elected offices, including sheriff, coroner, auditor, treasurer, recorder, surveyor, and circuit court clerk Each of these elected officers serves a term of four years and oversees a different part of county government. Members elected to county government positions are required to declare party affiliations and to be residents of the county.
Porter County is part of Indiana's 1st congressional district and in 2008 was represented by Pete Visclosky in the United States Congress.
County elected officials
Demographics
As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 164,343Â people, 61,998Â households, and 43,901Â families residing in the county. The population density was 393.0 inhabitants per square mile (151.7/km2). There were 66,179 housing units at an average density of 158.3 per square mile (61.1/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 91.3% white, 3.0% black or African American, 1.2% Asian, 0.3% American Indian, 2.3% from other races, and 1.9% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 8.5% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 29.1% were German, 18.5% were Irish, 10.1% were Polish, 9.7% were English, 5.8% were Italian, and 5.6% were American.
Of the 61,998Â households, 34.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.7% were married couples living together, 10.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 29.2% were non-families, and 23.3% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.07. The median age was 38.4 years.
The median income for a household in the county was $47,697 and the median income for a family was $73,065. Males had a median income of $59,542 versus $35,534 for females. The per capita income for the county was $27,922. About 6.6% of families and 9.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.8% of those under age 18 and 5.2% of those age 65 or over.
Porter County Cemeteries
The earliest Cemetery in Porter County is the Bailly Cemetery, 1827. After the original burial in 1827, numerous other burials occurred. Additional cemeteries were created as the population grew. Early cemeteries were often family owned or church related. As communities grew, community cemeteries developed. The newest cemetery in the county is Angel Crest Cemetery, just off Indiana State Road 49, north of Valparaiso.
Porter County Parks
Porter County has grown from a single park, Sunset Hill Farm County Park, to four, including: Calumet Trail, Dunn's Bridge County Park, and the newest, Brinkca-Cross Gardens.
- Brinkca-Cross Gardens Located at 27 E. Furness Rd. in Pine Township the garden offers 4 acres (1.6Â ha) of trees and shrubs. Slopes and hills create vistas that of flower gardens and numerous hidden plantings, imported by the team of William Brincka and Basil Cross. The Hosta Garden contains many species propagated by Mr. Brincka.
- Calumet Trail. The trail is 9.1 miles (14.6Â km) long, parallel to U.S. 12, at the north end of the county. The trail is a mixed use trail, designed for walking, running, biking and cross-country skiing. Its eastern end is just north of where U.S. 12 crosses the tracks in The Town of the Pines. The trail follows the power line west, ending at Mineral Springs Road, where it crosses the railroad track. A restroom can be found at the western end. Water is not available.
- Dunn's Bridge County Park. Located on the southern boundary of the county on County Road 500 East, Dunn's Bridge spans the Kankakee River to Jasper county. It is one of the oldest landmarks in the region. Built over a century ago across the Kankakee River by a resident farmer named Dunn, legend suggests that its origins may be traced to the famous George Ferris, creator of the first 'Ferris Wheel'. The park provides small boat access to the Kankakee River and a parking lot.
- Sunset Hill Farm County Park. Located at 775 Meridian Rd, just south of U.S. 6 the Park consist of 238 acres (96Â ha). There are several habitats accessible by trail, including; prairie lands, ponds and woods. Built around the Col. Murray farm, the open meadows are used for festivals and events. Colonel Robert Heffron Murray, a Chicago businessman. He and his first wife, Sue Horton Murray purchased 80 acres (320,000Â m2) in 1934. With additional purchases, the farm grew to its present size. After the Colonel's death, his second wife Elizabeth Murray and ownership was placed in the county.
Cultural Activities
Museums
- Alton Goin Museum is operated by the Portage Community Historical Society at Countryside Park in Portage to preserve the city's history, including the Trager farmhouse.
- Bailly Homestead & Chellberg Farm is part of Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore.
- Brauer Museum of Art is operated by Valparaiso University and is located in Valparaiso University Center for the Arts. It contains the largest collection of works by Junius R. Sloan.
- Depot of Beverly Shores Museum & Art Gallery is a pink stucco museum to preserve Beverly Shores history through rotating exhibits of paintings, drawings, sculpture, ceramics and woodcarving.
- Hour Glass House Museum contains the works of local artists.
- Porter County Museum of History maintains the history of Porter County.
- Stagecoach Inn & Panhandle Depot is operated by the Hebron Historical Society in Hebron.
- Westchester Township History Museum is operated by the Westchester Public Library and is located in the George Brown Mansion, the former home of a wealthy family that exhibits local history of the Indiana Dunes.
- Task Force Tips Fire Museum is operated by Task Force Tips in Valparaiso to preserve the history of fire equipment.
Live Theater
- 4th Street Theater is a community theater in Chesterton.
- Chicago Street Theatre is a community theater in Valparaiso.
- Front Porch Music is a music supply store that offer a weekly 'open mic' night as sponsor concerts in Valparaiso.
- Memorial Opera House presents live theater and a variety of other monthly programs.
- Valparaiso Theatrical Company travels to different venues in Porter County presenting live theater with the proceeds benefitting a variety of charities.
- Valparaiso University Center for the Arts is the Valparaiso University's performing arts center. They sponsor live stage performances of music, theater and dance.
See also
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Porter County, Indiana
Bibliography
- Cutler, Harry G. (1912), History of Porter County, Indiana: A Narrative Account of Its Historical Progress, Its People and Its Principal Interests, Volume 1, Chicago, Illinois: Lewis Publishing CompanyÂ
- Eggleston, Larry G. (2004), Porter County Lakes and Resorts, Arcadia PublishingÂ
- Shults-Gay, Deborah H. (1917), One of the Earliest Authentic Histories of Porter County, Indiana from 1832 to 1876, s.l.: s.n.Â
Notes
References
External links
- Official Porter County website
- Porter County GenWeb â€" county history and genealogy website
- Porter County Municipal Airport (VPZ)
- Center Township Trustee Website (Information about township assistance for those experiencing financial difficulties.)