Portage Township, Porter County, Indiana Explained

Official Name:	Portage Township
Settlement Type:	Township
Subdivision Type:	Country
Subdivision Name:	United States
Subdivision Type1:	State
Subdivision Name1:	Indiana
Subdivision Type2:	County
Subdivision Name2:	Porter
Government Type:	Indiana township
Leader Title:	Township Trustee
Leader Name:	Brenden Clancy (D)
Area Total Km2:	99.07
Area Land Km2:	92.12
Area Water Km2:	6.95
Area Total Sq Mi:	38.25
Area Land Sq Mi:	35.57
Area Water Sq Mi:	2.68
Population As Of:	2020
Population Footnotes:	^[1]
Population Total:	47946
Population Density Km2:	511.13
Timezone:	Central (CST)
Utc Offset:	-6
Timezone Dst:	CDT
Utc Offset Dst:	-5
Elevation Footnotes:	^[2]
Elevation M:	193
Elevation Ft:	633
Coordinates:	41.5781°N -87.1758°W
Area Code:	219
Blank Name:	FIPS code
Blank Info:	18-61110^[3]
Blank1 Name:	GNIS feature ID
Blank1 Info:	453758

Portage Township is one of twelve townships in Porter County, Indiana. As of the 2010 census, its population was 47,085.^[4] Portage Township was established in 1835.

The residents of Portage Township played pivotal roles in the conservation of the Indiana Dunes.^{[5] [6] [7]}

History

Portage Township was organized in 1836, and most likely was named after Portage County, Ohio.^[8]

The Nike Missile Site C47 and Josephus Wolf House are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Cities and towns

The largest community in the township is the city of Portage. The bedroom community of the town of Ogden Dunes is also in this township as well as South Haven.^[9]

Parks

The city of Portage has an extensive park system. Also within the township is Indiana Dunes National Park's primary beach of West Beach and a facility called Portage Lakefront and Riverwalk.

Education

Portage Township is home to Portage Township Schools.

Higher education:

• Purdue University North Central (classes offered at Portage High School)
• Indiana University Northwest
• Ivy Tech (classes offered at Willowcreek Middle School; full-service campus to be built in 2008)

High school:

• Portage High School

Middle schools:

• Willowcreek Middle School
• Fegely Middle School

Elementary schools:

• Aylesworth
• Central
• Crisman
• Jones
• Kyle
• Myers
• Saylor
• South Haven

The corporation is reviewing the results of a population growth study to determine future facility needs. Current options include: 1) Constructing a ninth elementary school; 2) Constructing a third middle school; or 3) Constructing an intermediate (5th-6th grade) school. For the 2007–2008 school year the Portage Township Schools student enrollment was 8,541.

External links

• Indiana Township Association
• United Township Association of Indiana

Notes and References

1. Web site: May 2023 . Census Bureau profile: Portage Township, Porter County, Indiana . . March 18, 2024.
2. Web site: US Board on Geographic Names. 2008-01-31. United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25.
3. Web site: U.S. Census website. United States Census Bureau. 2008-01-31.
4. Web site: Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (DP-1): Portage township, Porter County, Indiana. https://archive.today/20200210232808/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/G001/0600000US1812761110. dead. February 10, 2020. U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder. March 22, 2013.
5. Smith, S. & Mark, S. (2009). "The Historical Roots of the Nature Conservancy in the Northwest Indiana/Chicagoland Region: From Science to Preservation." The South Shore Journal, 3. Web site: South Shore Journal - the Historical Roots of the Nature Conservancy in the Northwest Indiana/Chicagoland Region: From Science to Preservation . 2015-11-22 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20160101021140/http://www.southshorejournal.org/index.php/issues/volume-3-2009/83-journals/vol-3-2009/75-the-historical-roots-of-the-nature-conservancy-in-the-northwest-indianachicagoland-region-from-science-to-preservation . 2016-01-01 .
6. Smith, S. & Mark, S. (2006). "Alice Gray, Dorothy Buell, and Naomi Svihla: Preservationists of Ogden Dunes." The South Shore Journal, Web site: South Shore Journal - Alice Gray, Dorothy Buell, and Naomi Svihla: Preservationists of Ogden Dunes . 2012-06-13 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120913013557/http://www.southshorejournal.org/index.php/issues/volume-1-2006/78-journals/vol-1-2006/117-alice-gray-dorothy-buell-and-naomi-svihla-preservationists-of-ogden-dunes . 2012-09-13 .
7. Smith, S. & Mark, S. (2007). "The cultural impact of a museum in a small community: The Hour Glass of Ogden Dunes." The South Shore Journal, 2. Web site: South Shore Journal - the Cultural Impact of a Museum in a Small Community: The Hour Glass in Ogden Dunes . 2012-06-11 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20121130085605/http://www.southshorejournal.org/index.php/issues/volume-2-2007/82-journals/vol-2-2007/104-the-cultural-impact-of-a-museum-in-a-small-community-the-hour-glass-in-ogden-dunes . 2012-11-30 .
8. Book: History of Porter County, Indiana : a narrative account of its historical progress, its people and its principal interests . Lewis Publishing Company . 1912 . 166.
9. Porter County, Indiana Sesquicentennial, 150, 1836-1986.