Whiting, Indiana Explained

Official Name:Whiting, Indiana
Settlement Type:City
Mapsize:250px
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name: United States
Subdivision Type1:State
Subdivision Name1: Indiana
Subdivision Type2:County
Subdivision Name2:Lake
Subdivision Type3:Township
Subdivision Name3:North
Government Footnotes:[1]
Government Type:City
Governing Body:Mayor-Council
Leader Title:Mayor
Leader Name:Steven Spebar (D)[2]
Leader Title1:City Council
Leader Title2:City Clerk
Leader Name2:John T. Haynes (D)
Established Date1:1895
Established Title2:Incorporated (City)
Established Date2:1903
Named For:Herbert L. "Pop" Whiting
Unit Pref:Imperial
Area Land Km2:4.67
Area Water Km2:0.00
Area Footnotes:[3]
Area Total Km2:4.67
Area Total Sq Mi:1.80
Area Land Sq Mi:1.80
Area Water Sq Mi:0.00
Population Footnotes:[4]
Population As Of:2020
Population Total:4559
Population Density Km2:976.18
Population Density Sq Mi:2528.56
Demographics Type1:Standard of living (2012-16)
Demographics1 Title1:Median household income
Demographics1 Info1:$51,544[5]
Demographics1 Title2:Median home value
Demographics1 Info2:$115,200[6]
Timezone:Central
Utc Offset:-6
Timezone Dst:Central
Utc Offset Dst:-5
Coordinates:41.6761°N -87.4906°W
Elevation Ft:591
Postal Code Type:ZIP code
Postal Code:46394
Website:whitingindiana.com
Area Code Type:Area code
Area Code:219
Blank Name Sec1:FIPS code
Blank Info Sec1:18-84122[7]
Blank1 Name Sec1:GNIS feature ID
Blank1 Info Sec1:2397304
Blank Name Sec2:U.S. and State Routes
Blank Info Sec2: ----
Blank1 Name Sec2:Waterway
Blank1 Info Sec2:Lake Michigan----
Blank2 Name Sec2:Amtrak station
Blank2 Info Sec2:Hammond-Whiting

Whiting is a city located in the Chicago Metropolitan Area in Lake County, Indiana, which was founded in 1889. The city is located on the southern shore of Lake Michigan. It is roughly 16 miles from the Chicago Loop and two miles from Chicago's South Side. Whiting is home to Whiting Refinery, the largest oil refinery in the Midwest. The population was 4,559 at the 2020 census.

History

A post office was first established at Whiting in 1871.[8] Whiting was incorporated as a town in 1895.[9] It was named after a trainman who was killed in a crash there.[10] Whiting was incorporated as a city in 1903.[11]

The Hoosier Theater Building, Henry and Caroline Schrage House, and Whiting Memorial Community House are listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

Geography

According to the 2010 census, Whiting has a total area of 3.229sqmi, of which 1.8sqmi (or 55.74%) is land and 1.429sqmi (or 44.26%) is water.[12]

The Whiting post office (46394) serves not only the city of Whiting, but also the adjacent Hammond neighborhood of Robertsdale, immediately to the west. Addresses in this Hammond neighborhood show “Whiting, Indiana.” While not legally a part of the city of Whiting, locally the area has long been informally considered to be a culturally integrated part of Whiting. References to Whiting businesses or residents often include those technically from Hammond's Robertsdale.[13] [14] [15]

Demographics

Demographics (2010)[16]
DemographicProportion
White76.3%
Black3.5%
Asian0.7%
Islander0.0%
Native0.7%
Other18.8%
Hispanic
(any race)
40.7%

2010 census

As of the census[17] of 2010, there were 4,997 people, 1,899 households, and 1,210 families residing in the city. The population density was 2776.1PD/sqmi. There were 2,197 housing units at an average density of 1220.6/sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 76.3% White, 3.5% African American, 0.7% Native American, 0.7% Asian, 15.7% from other races, and 3.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 40.7% of the population.

There were 1,899 households, of which 37.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.1% were married couples living together, 18.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 7.0% had a male householder with no wife present, and 36.3% were non-families. 30.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.63 and the average family size was 3.32.

The median age in the city was 34.4 years. 26.9% of residents were under the age of 18; 9.4% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 27.3% were from 25 to 44; 24.7% were from 45 to 64; and 11.6% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 49.1% male and 50.9% female.

Parks

Whiting is home to five parks. Whiting Park, located on the Lake Michigan shoreline, is the most well known. It is a popular picnic spot for residents of Lake County, the South Side of Chicago, and Southland. Whihala Beach is located next to Whiting Park between Whiting and neighboring Hammond.

Education

School City of Whiting serves all of Whiting.[18] Whiting High School is the sole public high school serving Whiting.

The city is also home to a historic Carnegie Library, built in 1905.[19] Whiting Public Library is located at 1735 Oliver Street.[20] Calumet College of St. Joseph is a private college affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church through the Missionaries of the Precious Blood. Its main campus is in Whiting, Indiana, with additional campuses located in Chicago, Illinois, and Merrillville, Indiana. The college was founded in 1951 as an extension of the now defunct Saint Joseph's College in Rensselaer, Indiana and currently enrolls 1,262 students.[21]

Infrastructure

Transportation

Amtrak's Wolverine line stops at Hammond–Whiting station in nearby Hammond.

Airports serving Whiting are Chicago's O'Hare International Airport, Midway International Airport, and Gary/Chicago International Airport located in Gary, Indiana.

Notes of interest

Pierogi Fest is held each year on 119th Street in downtown Whiting to honor the venerable pierogi dumpling. Spanning three days on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday during the last full weekend of July, the event draws in crowds from around the Calumet Region with guests coming from all over the globe.

The city was featured in an episode of MTV's High School Stories.[22]

Scenes from the movie Rudy, starring Sean Astin, as well as the 1981 drama Four Friends, were shot in Whiting.[23] [24]

Standard Oil of Indiana, later Amoco, was founded and headquartered here.

The Mascot Hall of Fame, honoring costumed characters from college and professional sports, is located in Whiting.

Notable people

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2018 Public Officials Directory . Lake County Board of Elections and Voter's Registration . March 7, 2018.
  2. Web site: Whiting Democrats pick Steve Spebar to be city's new mayor.
  3. Web site: 2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files. United States Census Bureau. March 16, 2022.
  4. Web site: Whiting city, Indiana - Census Bureau Profile . United States Census Bureau . 7 May 2024.
  5. Web site: U.S. Census website. United States Census Bureau. U.S. Census Bureau. 7 March 2018.
  6. Web site: U.S. Census website. United States Census Bureau. U.S. Census Bureau. 7 March 2018.
  7. Web site: U.S. Census website. United States Census Bureau. January 31, 2008.
  8. Web site: Lake County . Jim Forte Postal History . December 21, 2014.
  9. Book: Howat, William Frederick. A Standard History of Lake County, Indiana, and the Calumet Region. 1915. Lewis Publishing Company. 439.
  10. News: Recycling on agenda for historical society meeting. Archibald. McKinlay. The Sunday Times. Munster, Indiana. May 12, 1991. G-8. Newspapers.com.
  11. Web site: History - The City of Whiting, Indiana. 5 May 2023.
  12. Web site: G001 - Geographic Identifiers - 2010 Census Summary File 1 . July 29, 2015 . . https://archive.today/20200213050930/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/1600000US1884122 . February 13, 2020 . dead .
  13. http://www.whitingcommunity.com/history.htm Whiting History
  14. Web site: Whiting, Indiana - Chamber of Commerce . April 25, 2007 . https://web.archive.org/web/20070101185928/http://www.whitingindiana.com/about_the_chamber.shtml . January 1, 2007 . dead .
  15. http://www.fieldmuseum.org/calumet/Hammond.html Journey Through Calumet - Place
  16. U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey, Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics 2010, Table DP-1, 2010 Demographic Profile Data. U.S. Census website. Retrieved June 30, 2014.
  17. Web site: U.S. Census website. United States Census Bureau. June 10, 2014.
  18. Web site: 2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Lake County, IN. U.S. Census Bureau. 1 (PDF p. 2/3). 2024-04-21.
  19. "http://www.whiting.lib.in.us/Library%20History.htm." Retrieved on April 17, 2010.
  20. "Whiting Public Library Home Page". Whiting Public Library. Retrieved on January 21, 2009.
  21. Web site: United States National Center for Education Statistics. College Navigator - Calumet College of Saint Joseph - Enrollment. September 26, 2011.
  22. Web site: IMDb listing for High School Stories. IMDb. March 29, 2009.
  23. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0108002/locations IMDb listing #1 for Four Friends
  24. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0082404/locations IMDb listing #2 for Four Friends