Northern Indiana
Northern Indiana | |
---|---|
Amish buggy in Shipshewana Replica of 1815 Fort Wayne | |
Country | United States |
State | Indiana |
Largest city | Fort Wayne |
Population (2020) | 2,317,804 |
Northern Indiana is a geographic and cultural region that generally comprises the northern third of the
Northern Indiana's physical geography was significantly shaped during
Northern Indiana is situated within the larger Rust Belt and Corn Belt regions, influencing the area's geographic, economic, cultural, and political landscape. Home to about 2.3 million people, the region is defined by both its industrial cities and agricultural towns. Manufacturing remains a vital part of the region's economy, particularly in the production of recreational vehicles, medical devices, and steel. Protected areas include Indiana Dunes National Park and Indiana's most visited state park of the same name.[1] Northern Indiana is home to about 25 public and private higher education institutions, including more than a dozen religiously affiliated colleges and universities. The region is split between the Eastern and Central time zones.[2]
Geography
Major waterways include the
.Sub-regions
Michiana
Michiana, a
Northeast Indiana
Northeast Indiana comprises the northeastern portion of Northern Indiana, centered on the
Northwest Indiana
Northwest Indiana, colloqially known as "The Region",[3] comprises the northwestern portion of Northern Indiana, centered on the southeastern extent of the Chicago metropolitan area and generally corresponding with Area code 219. Counties typically considered part of the Northwest Indiana sub-region include:
Other counties
Time zones
Northwest Indiana observes
Largest municipalities
The major cities of Northern Indiana are
2020 rank | City | County | 2020 Census | 2010 Census | Change | Highest Population (Year) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Fort Wayne | Allen | 263,852 | 253,691 | +4.01%[4] | 263,852 (2020) |
2 | South Bend | St. Joseph | 103,675 | 101,168 | +2.48%[5] | 132,445 (1960) |
3 | Hammond | Lake | 77,754 | 80,830 | −3.81%[6] | 111,698 (1960) |
4 | Gary | Lake | 68,982 | 80,294 | −14.09%[7] | 178,320 (1960) |
5 | Elkhart | Elkhart | 54,044 | 50,949 | +6.07%[8] | 54,044 (2020) |
6 | Mishawaka | St. Joseph | 51,201 | 48,252 | +6.11%[9] | 51,201 (2020) |
7 | Portage | Porter | 37,934 | 36,828 | +3.00%[10] | 37,934 (2020) |
8 | Merrillville | Lake | 36,603 | 35,246 | +3.85%[11] | 36,603 (2020) |
9 | Goshen | Elkhart | 34,849 | 31,719 | +9.87%[12] | 34,849 (2020) |
10 | Valparaiso | Porter | 34,154 | 31,730 | +7.64%[13] | 34,154 (2020) |
Demographics
Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
---|---|---|---|
1890 | 524,581 | — | |
1900 | 597,433 | 13.9% | |
1910 | 687,867 | 15.1% | |
1920 | 809,770 | 17.7% | |
1930 | 1,015,942 | 25.5% | |
1940 | 1,085,251 | 6.8% | |
1950 | 1,297,939 | 19.6% | |
1960 | 1,621,357 | 24.9% | |
1970 | 1,802,562 | 11.2% | |
1980 | 1,891,741 | 4.9% | |
1990 | 1,901,209 | 0.5% | |
2000 | 2,062,933 | 8.5% | |
2010 | 2,147,765 | 4.1% | |
2020 | 2,317,804 | 7.9% | |
U.S. Decennial Census[14] |
Northern Indiana has experienced steady population growth over the past century (except at the
Roughly 10.7% of both Huntington and Wells County live in poverty, as compared to only 15.5% in Pulaski County. At the same time, Northern Indiana, as is the case for much of the Midwest, is predominately made up of people of European heritage. According to the 2010 Census, almost 98% of Whitley County is white, as compared to Lake County (Gary), which is only 64.4% white and 25.9% African American. Lastly, the average family size per household is relatively constant around 3.00 persons per household. In 2010, the average family size per household was 3.66 in LaGrange County, 3.23 in Elkhart County, 3.19 in Lake County, 3.16 in Noble County, 3.15 in Marshall County, and 3.12 in Allen County.[17]
Northern Indiana is known for having the third-highest Amish population in the U.S., especially in Allen, Adams, Elkhart, and LaGrange counties.[18]
Dialect
The
Economy
Northern Indiana bases much of its economy around manufacturing, distribution and transportation, and medical devices. Outside the metropolitan areas, the region's agricultural sector is abundant provided its location within the fertile Corn Belt. Northern Indiana is also situated in the heart of the Rust Belt, an area of the U.S. that has suffered deindustrialization and some economic stagnation since the late 20th century.
The Calumet region of Northwest Indiana is home to much heavy industry, notably steel mills. The Calumet region is the nation's second-largest steel-producing area.[21] U.S. Steel's Gary Works (in Gary) was once the largest steel mill in the world and employed 30,000.[22]: 90 Gary Works remains North America's largest integrated steel mill.[23] Northwest Indiana is also a vital trade and shipping center for the state. The Port of Indiana–Burns Harbor handles more ocean-going cargo than any other Great Lakes port in the U.S.[24]
The north central area of Northern Indiana, centered on
Energy
Natural gas is primarily supplied by the Northern Indiana Public Service Company (NIPSCO), a subsidiary of Merrillville-based NiSource. Electric utilities serving the region include NIPSCO, Indiana Michigan Power (a subsidiary of American Electric Power), and Duke Energy Indiana (a subsidiary of Duke Energy). Four of Indiana's five hydroelectric power plants are located in Northern Indiana. Two are owned by Indiana Michigan Power (the Elkhart and Twin Branch dams on the St. Joseph River) and two are owned by NIPSCO (the Norway and Oakdale dams on the Tippecanoe River). The company also operates two coal-fired power stations in the region: Michigan City Generating Station and R. M. Schahfer in Wheatfield.
Northern Indiana's share of renewable energy generation, particularly solar and wind sources, has increased since the late 2000s. Wind farms are common in rural
BP's Whiting Refinery in Whiting is the largest inland oil refinery in the U.S., processing 435,000 barrels (69,200 m3) of crude oil daily.[28]
Two regional transmission organizations serving the nation's electrical grid provide coverage to portions of Northern Indiana: Midcontinent Independent System Operator and PJM Interconnection.[29]
Companies
Notable companies headquartered in Northern Indiana include:
- 1st Source
- Albanese Candy
- AM General
- Bremen Castings
- Brotherhood Mutual Insurance Company
- Conn-Selmer
- DirectBuy
- Do it Best
- Fleetwood Enterprises
- Ford Meter Box Company
- Forest River
- Franciscan Health
- Franklin Electric
- Gemeinhardt
- Genteq
- Gulf Stream Coach
- K&K Insurance
- KMC Controls
- Lutheran Health Network
- MedPro Group
- NiSource
- North American Van Lines
- OrthoPediatrics
- Parkview Health
- Press Ganey
- Rea Magnet Wire Company
- Schurz Communications
- Shindigz
- Steel Dynamics
- Sweetwater Sound
- Thor Industries
- Three Floyds Brewing
- Utilimaster
- Vera Bradley
- White Lodging
- Zimmer Biomet
Protected areas
National
State
- Chain O'Lakes State Park
- Conrad Savanna Nature Preserve
- Frances Slocum State Forest
- Hoosier Prairie State Nature Preserve
- Indiana Dunes State Park
- Jasper-Pulaski Fish and Wildlife Area
- J.E. Roush Fish and Wildlife Area
- Kankakee Fish and Wildlife Area
- Kingsbury Fish and Wildlife Area
- LaSalle Fish and Wildlife Area
- Ouabache State Park
- Pigeon River Fish and Wildlife Area
- Pokagon State Park
- Potato Creek State Park
- Salamonie River State Forest
- Tippecanoe River State Park
- Tri-County Fish and Wildlife Area
- Willow Slough Fish and Wildlife Area
- Winamac Fish and Wildlife Area
Educational institutions
About 25 accredited institutions of higher education are located throughout Northern Indiana, including more than a dozen private, liberal arts colleges and Christian seminaries, and multiple regional campuses of the public
Public
- Three Indiana University‡ campuses:
- Three Purdue University‡ campuses and one Purdue Polytechnic Institute‡ campus:
- Purdue Fort Wayne
- Purdue Northwest (Hammond and Westville)
- Purdue Polytechnic Institute(South Bend)
- Ivy Tech Community College(12 sites)
Private
- Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary
- Bethel University
- Calumet College of Saint Joseph
- Concordia Theological Seminary
- Goshen College
- Grace College & Seminary
- Holy Cross College
- Huntington University
- Indiana Tech
- Indiana Wesleyan University‡ (Fort Wayne and Merrillville)
- Manchester University
- Marian University's Ancilla College‡
- Mid-America Reformed Seminary
- Saint Mary's College
- Trine University
- University of Notre Dame
- University of Saint Francis
- Valparaiso University
Transportation
Two of Indiana's six state-designated scenic byways—the Historic Michigan Road Byway and the Lincoln Highway Scenic Byway—traverse portions of Northern Indiana.
Roads
Interstate Highways
US Highways
State Roads
- SR 1
- SR 3
- SR 4
- SR 5
- SR 8
- SR 9
- SR 10
- SR 13
- SR 14
- SR 15
- SR 16
- SR 17
- SR 18
- SR 19
- SR 23
- SR 25
- SR 29
- SR 37
- SR 39
- SR 43
- SR 49
- SR 51
- SR 53
- SR 55
- SR 71
- SR 101
- SR 104
- SR 105
- SR 106
- SR 109
- SR 110
- SR 114
- SR 115
- SR 116
- SR 117
- SR 119
- SR 120
- SR 124
- SR 127
- SR 130
- SR 143
- SR 149
- SR 152
- SR 201
- SR 205
- SR 212
- SR 218
- SR 249
- SR 301
- SR 312
- SR 327
- SR 329
- SR 331
- SR 352
- SR 427
- SR 520
- SR 524
- SR 727
- SR 827
- SR 912
- SR 930
- SR 931
- SR 933
Mass transit
Airports
Most of Northern Indiana's 26 public aviation facilities are categorized as general aviation airports; however, the region is also home to two primary airports and one relief airport. In addition, two United States Air Force installations are based in the region.
Primary
Relief
General aviation
- Arens Field
- DeKalb County
- Elkhart Municipal
- Fulton County
- Gary/Chicago International
- Goshen Municipal
- Grissom Aeroplex
- Huntington Municipal
- Jasper County
- Kendallville Municipal
- Kentland Municipal
- La Porte Municipal
- Logansport/Cass County
- Michigan City Municipal
- Peru Municipal
- Plymouth Municipal
- Porter County Regional
- Smith Field
- Starke County
- Tri-State Steuben County
- Wabash Municipal
- Warsaw Municipal
- White County
Military
Maritime
Notable people
- George Ade[30]
- Johnny Appleseed[31]
- Julia Barr
- Anne Baxter[32]
- DeMarcus Beasley[33]
- Beulah Bondi
- Frank Borman[34]
- Otis Bowen
- Sylvanus Bowser
- Pete Buttigieg[35]
- Earl Butz[30]
- James Clapper
- Schuyler Colfax
- Dean Corll
- Ward Cunningham
- Adam Driver[32]
- Mike Emrick
- Philo Farnsworth
- Ford Frick
- Janie Fricke[30]
- Terry Funk
- Jim Gaffigan[30]
- Crystal Gayle[30]
- Belle Gunness
- Tom Harmon
- Richard G. Hatcher
- Heather Headley
- Tony Hinkle
- Jackson family[36]
- Alex Karras
- Greg Kinnear[32]
- Little Turtle
- Carole Lombard[32]
- Shelley Long[32]
- Karl Malden
- Thomas R. Marshall
- Kym Mazelle
- Hugh McCulloch
- Bob McDonald
- Sydney Pollack[37]
- Gregg Popovich[38]
- Cole Porter[30]
- Dan Quayle[30]
- Sam Rice
- Jean Baptiste Richardville
- Ruth Riley
- John Roberts
- Knute Rockne[31]
- Paul Samuelson
- Chris Schenkel
- Germany Schulz
- George Seaton
- Connie Smith
- Hank Stram
- Gene Stratton-Porter[30]
- George Taliaferro
- Steve Tesich
- Harold Urey
- Deniece Williams
- Rod Woodson[39]
See also
- Geography of Indiana
- Great Lakes Megalopolis
- Southern Indiana
- Wabash Valley
References
- ^ "2020 / 2021 Estimated Fiscal Year Visits - Indiana State Parks" (PDF). Indiana Department of Natural Resources. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
- ^ Mack, Justin L. (March 8, 2019). "Looking back at Indiana's complicated relationship with time: Why Indiana observes daylight saving time". The Indianapolis Star. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
- ^ Kasarda, Bob (February 3, 2018). "What's up with that? Where did the term 'Da Region' come from?". The Times of Northwest Indiana. Retrieved February 17, 2024.
- ^ "QuickFacts - Fort Wayne city, Indiana". United States Census Bureau. 2020. Retrieved 2022-07-03.
- ^ "QuickFacts - South Bend city, Indiana". United States Census Bureau. 2020. Retrieved 2022-07-03.
- ^ "QuickFacts - Hammond city, Indiana". United States Census Bureau. 2020. Retrieved 2022-07-03.
- ^ "QuickFacts - Gary city, Indiana". United States Census Bureau. 2020. Retrieved 2022-07-03.
- ^ "QuickFacts - Elkhart city, Indiana". United States Census Bureau. 2020. Retrieved 2022-07-03.
- ^ "QuickFacts - Mishawaka city, Indiana". United States Census Bureau. 2020. Retrieved 2022-07-03.
- ^ "QuickFacts - Portage city, Indiana". United States Census Bureau. 2020. Retrieved 2022-07-03.
- ^ "QuickFacts - Merrillville town, Indiana". United States Census Bureau. 2020. Retrieved 2022-07-03.
- ^ "QuickFacts - Goshen city, Indiana". United States Census Bureau. 2020. Retrieved 2022-07-03.
- ^ "QuickFacts - Valparaiso city, Indiana". United States Census Bureau. 2020. Retrieved 2022-07-03.
- ^ United States Census Bureau. "Census of Population and Housing". Retrieved July 3, 2022.
- ^ "US Census QuickFacts". Retrieved July 3, 2022.
- ^ https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/table/PST045215/18179,18169,18069,18149,18131,18099 [dead link]
- ^ "Census Demographics".
- ^ "The Twelve Largest Amish Settlements". Young Center for Anabaptist and Pietist Studies, Elizabethtown College. 2008. Retrieved October 25, 2013.
- ^ "American English Dialects". Retrieved 2013-10-26.
- ^ Haynie, Devon (March 15, 2009). "Hoosier dialects difficult to define". The Journal Gazette. Retrieved October 26, 2013.
- ^ The Times of Northwest Indiana (2012-01-03). "U.S. steel production up nearly 8 percent in 2011". Retrieved 2013-10-25.
- OL 1737844M.
- ^ NiSource, Inc. (1999-10-14). "U.S. Steel - Primary Energy Cogeneration Plant at Gary Works Wins National Recognition". Retrieved 2013-10-25.
- ^ Ports of Indiana. "Burns Harbor Executive Summary". Retrieved 2013-10-25.
- ^ Grace College and Seminary. "Orthopaedic Regulatory and Clinical Affairs (ORCA)". Retrieved 2013-10-25.
- ^ Roadshow for Growth and Holly Allen (2013-05-24). "Infographic: Meet the RV Capital of the World". Retrieved 2013-10-25.
- ^ Ross, Doug (October 14, 2021). "$1.5 billion solar project being planted in NWI". The Times of Northwest Indiana. Retrieved March 11, 2024.
- ^ BP. "Whiting Refinery Facility Fact Sheet" (PDF). Retrieved 2013-10-25.
- ^ Gibson, London (July 27, 2021). "Scrub Hub: How much electricity does an Indiana wind turbine produce?". The Indianapolis Star. Retrieved March 11, 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Higgins, Will (January 30, 2019). "They were born in a small town. Meet 48 famous (or otherwise interesting) Hoosiers". The Indianapolis Star. Retrieved February 4, 2024.
- ^ a b Mitchell, Dawn (August 7, 2019). "Dillinger, Dean and more: 12 famous graves in Indiana". The Indianapolis Star. Retrieved February 4, 2024.
- ^ a b c d e Murphy, Marin (August 14, 2023). "Famous Hoosiers: Actors and actresses who made their start in the 'Crossroads of America'". WANE-TV. Retrieved February 4, 2024.
- ^ Marini, Glenn (May 6, 2023). "DaMarcus Beasley inducted into National Soccer Hall of Fame". WANE-TV. Retrieved February 4, 2024.
- ^ Fountain, Nigel (November 10, 2023). "Frank Borman obituary". The Guardian. Retrieved February 4, 2024.
- ^ "Pete Buttigieg Fast Facts". CNN. May 12, 2023. Retrieved February 4, 2024.
- ^ "New road signs in Gary direct visitors to Jackson 5's childhood home". Chicago Sun-Times. Associated Press. May 16, 2021. Retrieved February 4, 2024.
- ^ Cieply, Michael (May 26, 2008). "Sydney Pollack, Film Director, Dies at 73". The New York Times. Retrieved February 4, 2024.
- ^ Pete, Joseph S. (August 18, 2023). "Gregg Popovich talks up Region roots while being inducted into Basketball Hall of Fame". The Times of Northwest Indiana. Retrieved February 4, 2024.
- ^ "Woodson's hometown proud". The Beaver County Times. Associated Press. July 14, 2009. Retrieved February 4, 2024.