Porter County, Indiana

Infobox U.S. County
county = Porter County
state = Indiana




map size = 150
founded = 1836
seat = Valparaiso | area_total_sq_mi =522
area_land_sq_mi =418
area_water_sq_mi =104
area percentage = 19.84%
census yr = 2007
pop = 160578
density_km2 = 136 | density_sq_mi = 384
web = www.porterco.org|

Porter County is a county located in the U.S. state of Indiana. As of 2000, the population was 146,798 and records show that the population has increased to over 160,000 as of 2007. Much of the population growth has to do with the expansion of the Chicago Metro Urban Area eastward into Indiana. The county seat is ValparaisoGR|6. This county is part of Northwest Indiana.

History

Porter County was formed in 1836. From 1832 to 1836, the area that was to become Porter County was part of La Porte County [Calumet Beginnings: Schoon, Kenneth J.] . It was named for Capt. David Porter, naval officer during the Barbary Wars and the War of 1812. [cite book|first=Ronald L.|last=Baker|coauthors=Marvin Carmony|title=Indiana Place Names|publisher=Indiana University Press|location=Bloomington|year=1995|id=ISBN 0-253-28340-X|page=133] [cite book|author=De Witt Clinton Goodrich & Charles Richard Tuttle|publisher=R. S. Peale & co.|year=1875|location=Indiana|title=An Illustrated History of the State of Indiana|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=YDIUAAAAYAAJ| pages=570]

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.cite web|author=Indiana Code|url=http://www.in.gov/legislative/ic/code/title36/ar2/ch3.html |title=Title 36, Article 2, Section 3|accessdate=2008-09-16|publisher=IN.gov] cite web|author= Indiana Code |url= http://www.in.gov/legislative/ic/code/title3/ar10/ch2.pdf |title= Title 2, Article 10, Section 2 |accessdate=2008-09-16|publisher=IN.gov]

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 terms of four years. 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 serve terms of four years and oversee different parts of the county government. Members elected to any county government position are required to declare a party affiliation and be a resident of the county.

Lake County is part of Indiana's 1st congressional district and in 2008 was represented by Pete Visclosky in the United States Congress. [cite web|url=http://www.house.gov/visclosky/|title=US Congressman Pete Visclosky|publisher=US Congress|accessdate=2008-10-08]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 522 square miles (1,351 km²), of which, 418 square miles (1,083 km²) of it is land and 104 square miles (268 km²) of it is water, most of it in Lake Michigan. The total area is 19.84% water.

Major highways

*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*

Railroads

*Chesapeake and Indiana Railroad
*Chicago Fort Wayne and Eastern Railroad
*Chicago, Southshore and South Bend Railroad
*CSX Transportation
*Norfolk Southern Railway
*Canadian National(Formerly Grand Trunk Western)

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 (part)

Demographics

As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 146,798 people, 54,649 households, and 39,729 families residing in the county. The population density was 351 people per square mile (136/km²). There were 57,616 housing units at an average density of 138 per square mile (53/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 95.33% White, 0.92% Black or African American, 0.22% Native American, 0.91% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.26% from other races, and 1.32% from two or more races. 4.82% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 23.7% were of German, 12.3% Irish, 8.3% Polish, 8.0% English and 7.9% American ancestry according to Census 2000.

There were 54,649 households out of which 35.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.80% were married couples living together, 9.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.30% were non-families. 22.20% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.62 and the average family size was 3.08.

In the county the population was spread out with 25.80% under the age of 18, 9.80% from 18 to 24, 28.90% from 25 to 44, 24.60% from 45 to 64, and 10.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 96.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.90 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $53,100, and the median income for a family was $61,880. Males had a median income of $50,167 versus $26,347 for females. The per capita income for the county was $23,957. About 3.90% of families and 5.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.80% of those under age 18 and 5.60% of those age 65 or over.

Cities

*Portage
*Valparaiso

Towns

*Beverly Shores
*Burns Harbor
*Chesterton
*Dune Acres
*Hebron
*Kouts
*Ogden Dunes
*Porter
*South Haven
*Town of Pines

Townships

*Boone
*Center
*Jackson
*Liberty
*Morgan
*Pine
*Pleasant
*Portage
*Porter
*Union
*Washington
*Westchester

Education

Higher Education Campuses include: [http://www.valpo.edu/] Valparaiso University is a Lutheran 4-year degree granting institution.
* Ivy Tech Community College [http://www.ivytech.edu/]

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 [http://www.duneland.k12.in.us/]
* East Porter County School Corporation [http://www.epcsc.k12.in.us/]
* Metropolitan School District of Boone Township [http://www.hebronschools.k12.in.us/]
* Portage Township Schools [http://www.portage.k12.in.us/]
* Porter Township School Corporation [http://www.ptsc.k12.in.us/]
* Union Township School Corporation [http://www.union.k12.in.us/]
* Valparaiso Community Schools [http://www.valpo.k12.in.us/]

High Schools and Middle Schools
*Benjamin Franklin Middle School [http://www.valpo.k12.in.us/bfms/]
*Boone Grove High School [http://www.ptsc.k12.in.us/bghs/]
*Boone Grove Middle School [http://www.ptsc.k12.in.us/bgms/]
*Chesterton High School [http://www.duneland.k12.in.us/chs/]
*Chesterton Middle School [http://www.duneland.k12.in.us/cms/]
*Hebron High School [http://www.hebronschools.k12.in.us/schools/high_school.html]
*Hebron Middle School [http://www.hebronschools.k12.in.us/schools/middle_school.html]
*Kouts Middle/High School [http://www.epcsc.k12.in.us/khs/]
*Morgan Middle/High School [http://www.epcsc.k12.in.us/mhs/]
*Portage High School [http://www.portage.k12.in.us/Schools/PHSweb/]
*Thomas Jefferson Middle School [http://www.valpo.k12.in.us/tjms/]
*Union Township Middle School [http://www.union.k12.in.us/utms/new%20web%20page/]
*Valparaiso High School [http://www.valpo.k12.in.us/vhs/]
*Washington Township Middle/High School [http://www.epcsc.k12.in.us/whs/]
*Wheeler High School [http://www.union.k12.in.us/Whs/]
*William Fegely Middle School
*Willowcreek Middle School [http://www.portage.k12.in.us/schools/wcweb/]

Elementary Schools
*Aylesworth Elementary School [http://www.portage.k12.in.us/Schools/ayweb/]
*Bailly Elementary School [http://www.duneland.k12.in.us/ba/]
*Boone Grove Elementary School [http://www.ptsc.k12.in.us/bge/]
*Brummitt Elementary School [http://www.duneland.k12.in.us/br/]
*Central Elementary School (Portage) [http://www.portage.k12.in.us/schools/ceweb/]
*Central Elementary School (Valparaiso) [http://www.valpo.k12.in.us/cnel/]
*Cooks Corners Elementary School [http://www.valpo.k12.in.us/ccel/]
*Crisman Elementary School [http://www.portage.k12.in.us/schools/crweb/]
*Flint Lake Elementary School [http://www.valpo.k12.in.us/flel/]
*Hebron Elementary School [http://www.hebronschools.k12.in.us/schools/elementary.html]
*Hayes Leonard Elementary School [http://www.valpo.k12.in.us/hlel/]
*Jackson Elementary School [http://www.duneland.k12.in.us/ja/]
*John Simatovich Elementary School [http://www.union.k12.in.us/JSE/]
*Jones Elementary School [http://www.portage.k12.in.us/Schools/joweb/]
*Kouts Elementary School [http://www.epcsc.k12.in.us/kes/]
*Kyle Elementary School [http://www.portage.k12.in.us/schools/kyweb/]
*Liberty Elementary School [http://www.duneland.k12.in.us/le/]
*Liberty Intermediate School [http://www.duneland.k12.in.us/lis/lis.html]
*Memorial Elementary School [http://www.valpo.k12.in.us/mmel/]
*Myers Elementary School [http://www.portage.k12.in.us/Schools/myweb/]
*Morgan Elementary School [http://www.epcsc.k12.in.us/mes/]
*Northview Elementary School [http://www.valpo.k12.in.us/nvel/]
*Parkview Elementary School [http://www.valpo.k12.in.us/pvel/]
*Paul Saylor Elementary School [http://www.portage.k12.in.us/Schools/saweb/]
*Porter Lakes Elementary School [http://www.ptsc.k12.in.us/ple/index.htm]
*South Haven Elementary School [http://www.portage.k12.in.us/schools/shweb/]
*Thomas Jefferson Elementary School [http://www.valpo.k12.in.us/tjel/]
*Union Center Elementary School [http://www.union.k12.in.us/UCE/NEW%20WEB%20PAGE%20uce/indexuce1.htm.html]
*Washington Township Elementary School [http://www.epcsc.k12.in.us/wes/]
*Westchester Intermediate School [http://www.duneland.k12.in.us/wis/]
*Yost Elementary School [http://www.duneland.k12.in.us/yo/]

Notes

External links

* [http://www.porterco.org/ Official Porter County website]
* [http://www.vpz.org/ Porter County Municipal Airport (VPZ)]
* [http://www.pcpls.lib.in.us/ Porter County Public Library System ]

References

*cite book
first = Richard L. (editor)
last = Forstall
year = 1996
title = Population of states and counties of the United States: 1790 to 1990 : from the twenty-one decennial censuses
publisher = United States Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, Population Division
id = ISBN 0-934213-48-8----