50 State Learning Resource Guide

Indiana State...

Indiana

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Indiana Counties

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Indiana Counties

Indiana is divided into 92 counties. The oldest and newest Counties in Indiana are Knox County (created 1790) and Newton County (created 1857).

The largest county is Allen (657 sq. mi.) and the smallest is Ohio (87 sq. mi.). According to the Indiana Constitution, no county may be created of less than 400 square miles, nor may any county smaller than this be further reduced in size.

Many Indiana Counties are named for the US Founding Fathers and personalities of the American Revolutionary War, the War of 1812 and Battle of Tippecanoe; early leaders of Indiana Territory and Indiana, as well as surrounding states like Michigan and Kentucky; plus Native American tribes and geographical features.

Lake County, Indiana

Lake County History, Geography, Demographics, Cities and Towns, and Education

County Seat: Crown Point
Year Organized: 1836
Square Miles: 497

Court House:

2293 N Main Street
County Courthouse
Crown Point, IN 46307-1854

Etymology - Origin of County Name

This county's name references her northern boarder with Lake Michigan.

Demographics:

County QuickFacts: Census Bureau Quick Facts

County History

Lake County was formally organized February 15, 1837. From 1832 to 1836 the area that was to become Lake County was part of La Porte County. From 1836 to 1837 it was part of Porter County. It was named for its location on Lake Michigan

Lake County is divided into 10 Civil Townships as follows: Calumet, Cedar Creek, Center, Eagle Creek, Hanover, Hobart, North, Ross, St. John, West Creek and Winfield.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 626 square miles (1,622 km²), of which 497 square miles (1,287 km²) is land and 129 square miles (335 km²) (20.65%) is water. Most of the county is fairly flat. However, some hills and ridges do exist. There are many remnants of the ancient shorelines of Lake Michigan. Hoosier Prairie, a portion of what once existed, has been preserved and restored.

As you travel south from the southern shore of Lake Michigan (the northern end of the county), the land gradually rises in elevation until the Valparaiso Moraine is reached. This is the highest area in the county. From there the land descends into the Kankakee Outwash Plain until the Kankakee River is reached

Neighboring Counties:

North: Lake Michigan
East: Porter County
Southeast: Jasper County
South: Newton County
Southwest: Kankakee County, Ill.
West: Will County, Ill.
Northwest: Cook County, Ill.

Cities and Towns:

- Calumet	township
- Cedar Lake	town	Incorporated Area
- Center	township
- Crown Point (County Seat)	city	Incorporated Area
- Dyer	town	Incorporated Area
- East Chicago	city	Incorporated Area
- Gary	city	Incorporated Area
- Griffith	town	Incorporated Area
- Hammond	city	Incorporated Area
- Highland	town	Incorporated Area
- Hobart	city	Incorporated Area
- Lake Station	city	Incorporated Area
- Lowell	town	Incorporated Area
- Merrillville	town	Incorporated Area
- Munster	town	Incorporated Area
- New Chicago	town	Incorporated Area
- North	township
- Ross	township
- Schererville	town	Incorporated Area
- Schneider	town	Incorporated Area
- Shelby	township
- St. John	town	Incorporated Area
- West Creek	township
- Whiting	city	Incorporated Area
- Winfield	town	Incorporated Area

County Resources:

Enter County Resources and Information Here

County Resource Guide

The history of our nation can be seen as a prolonged struggle to define the relative roles and powers of our governments: federal, state, and local. And the names we've given our counties, our most locally based jurisdictions, reflects the "characteristic features of our country!"

But age, size and colorful names of our counties isn't the only reason to explore counties' role in American history, or the history of county government itself. In fact, the story of county government reflects the larger meanings of American history.

Today's counties are the most flexible, locally responsive and creative governments in the US. They are the most diverse, varying in size, population, geography, and governmental structure. In their politics and policies, they express a 1990's political slogan "Think globally, act locally."

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