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Interesting Facts
- Want to learn more about one of the 20th century's most storied criminal figures? Hammond, Indiana, features the John Dillinger Museum, where guests can catch up with the notorious gangster and his band of thieves, who robbed banks and evaded lawmen during the Great Depression. The museum features wax figures, clothing worn by the gangsters, and information on their infamous heists. The jail in nearby Crown Point is where Dillinger staged his famed "wooden gun" escape on March 3, 1934.
- Northwestern Indiana's weather and climate are dictated largely by Lake Michigan, a long, relatively narrow body of water almost entirely landlocked by Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan. What's more, Lake Michigan's windswept shorelines boast some of the region's more surprising topographical formations high sandy dunes that shelter a rich array of plant and animal life. One of the more noteworthy dunes, 120-foot Mount Baldy, is located within the boundaries of the Indiana Dunes National Seashore.
- Lake County, Indiana, which includes Merrillville, Crown Point, and Hammond, is also home to the steel town of Gary, which has managed to garner national headlines for itself since its population boom in the 1950s. Named in honor of Elbert H. Gary, a prominent player in the area's steel industry, the city has served as the location site for many feature films, including the 2001 blockbuster, "Pearl Harbor."
- Originally called Centreville, Merrillville is named in honor of Dudley Merrill, who, along with his brother, William, moved there around 1850 and helped establish a thriving business community in what was then little more than a wagon stop on the Sauk Trail (connecting Crown Point to Chicago). Despite its long history, Merrillville was not officially incorporated until 1971.
- Founded in 1859, Porter County's Valparaiso College was one of the first co-educational colleges in the United States. Now a university, Valpo's 315-acre campus is home to some 3600 students, who pursue undergraduate and graduate degrees in more than 60 distinct fields of study, ranging from the liberal arts to engineering.
- The Las Vegas of the Great Lakes? Well, minus the Nevada desert and the Strip, maybe. In recent years, Lake County has become a gaming playground for residents of the Chicagoland area, thanks to its numerous casinos, slots, and table games. Among the most popular are Gary's Majestic Star and Trump Hotel and Casino, Harrah's of East Chicago, and Horseshoe Casino in Hammond.
- "Easy as 1, 2, 3!" Gary is the hometown of Joseph and Katherine Jackson, parents of one of the most prominent and profitable families in entertainment history. The recognition comes thanks to the talents of daughters LaToya and Janet and brothers Jackie, Marlon, Tito, Jermaine, and Michael, the self-proclaimed "King of Pop."
- At one time considered one of North America's most industrialized cities, East Chicago (in Indiana) has long been known for its hardworking people, many of whom are second- or third-generation immigrants. East Chicago helped fuel the country's World War I efforts with its armament and steel production and, in later years, became known as a rail and shipping center, thanks to its expansive train yards.
- Ever wonder if there's romance to be found in Northwest Indiana? Well, Valentino certainly thought so. That's right, according to local records, suave Silver Screen heartthrob, Rudolph Valentino, married sweetheart Winifred DeWolf at the Lake County Courthouse in Crown Point in March, 1923. Why here? At that time, the city was known as a "marriage mill," where deals could be sealed quickly and at any time of day. Other famous folks who tied the knot in Crown Point were Ronald Reagan, Muhammad Ali, and Red Grange. In fact, they all helped the town earn the title of "Gretna Green of the Midwest," in honor of the Scottish town famed for its nuptial allure.
- Boasting some 1600 square miles of shoreline, Lake Michigan is not only third largest of the Great Lakes but the world's sixth largest. Its waters circulate slowly due to a narrow outlet Michigan connects to Lake Huron via the Straits of Mackinac and cul-de-sac shape, a phenomenon that sparked early European explorers to dub it "Lake of the Stinking Water." Subsequent explorations by Joliet and Marquette led to its being named Michigan, a derivative of the Native American "Michi gami," meaning "great water."
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