Whiting, Indiana

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 4,997 at the 2010 census.

Whiting, Indiana
City
Whiting's business district on 119th Street
Location of Whiting in Lake County, Indiana.
Coordinates: 41°40′34″N 87°29′26″W
Country United States
State Indiana
CountyLake
TownshipNorth
Incorporated (Town)1895
Incorporated (City)1903
Named forHerbert L. "Pop" Whiting
Government
 • TypeCity
 • BodyMayor-Council
 • MayorSteven Sepdar (D)[2]
 • City Council
 • City ClerkJohn T. Haynes (D)
 • City JudgeAnn Patricia Likens (D)
Area
 • Total3.23 sq mi (8.36 km2)
 • Land1.80 sq mi (4.66 km2)
 • Water1.43 sq mi (3.70 km2)
Elevation
587 ft (179 m)
Population
 • Total4,997
 • Estimate 
(2019)[5]
4,765
 • Density2,648.69/sq mi (1,022.64/km2)
Standard of living (2012-16)
 • Median household income$51,544[6]
 • Median home value$115,200[7]
Time zoneUTC-6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-5 (Central)
ZIP code
46394
Area code219
FIPS code18-84122[8]
GNIS feature ID0445988[9]
U.S. and State Routes
WaterwayLake Michigan
Amtrak stationHammond-Whiting
Websitewhitingindiana.com
Demographics (2010)[10]
White Black Asian
76.3% 3.5% 0.7%
Islander Native Other Hispanic
(any race)
0.0% 0.7% 18.8% 40.7%

History

A post office was first established at Whiting in 1871.[11] Whiting was incorporated in 1895.[12] It was named after a trainman who was killed in a crash there.[13]

Whiting was once a sundown town that prohibited African Americans from entering the city.[13]

The Hoosier Theater Building and Whiting Memorial Community House are listed in the National Register of Historic Places.[14]

Geography

According to the 2010 census, Whiting has a total area of 3.229 square miles (8.36 km2), of which 1.8 square miles (4.66 km2) (or 55.74%) is land and 1.429 square miles (3.70 km2) (or 44.26%) is water.[15]

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.[16][17][18]

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.%±
1880115—
189020073.9%
19003,9831,891.5%
19106,58765.4%
192010,14554.0%
193010,8807.2%
194010,307−5.3%
19509,669−6.2%
19608,137−15.8%
19707,054−13.3%
19805,630−20.2%
19905,155−8.4%
20005,137−0.3%
20104,997−2.7%
2019 (est.)4,765[5]−4.6%
U.S. Decennial Census[19]

2010 census

As of the census[4] of 2010, there were 4,997 people, 1,899 households, and 1,210 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,776.1 inhabitants per square mile (1,071.9/km2). There were 2,197 housing units at an average density of 1,220.6 per square mile (471.3/km2). 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
Whihala Beach

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
Whiting Public School

School City of Whiting serves Whiting. Whiting High School is the sole public high school serving Whiting. The city is also home to a historic Carnegie Library, built in 1905.[20] Whiting Public Library is located at 1735 Oliver Street.[21] 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.[22]

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
Polish Dancers at Pierogi Fest

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.[23]

Scenes from the movie Rudy, starring Sean Astin, as well as the 1981 drama Four Friends, were shot in Whiting.[24][25]

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
  • City of Whiting, Indiana website
  • Pierogi Festival website
  • "Whiting" . Collier's New Encyclopedia. 1921.

References
  1. "2018 Public Officials Directory". Lake County Board of Elections and Voter's Registration. Retrieved March 7, 2018.
  2. https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/whiting-democrats-pick-steve-spebar-to-be-citys-new-mayor/article_5163ee67-963c-54c9-a68b-7cd88784710b.html
  3. "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 16, 2020.
  4. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 10, 2014.
  5. "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". United States Census Bureau. May 24, 2020. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
  6. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved March 7, 2018.
  7. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved March 7, 2018.
  8. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  9. "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. October 25, 2007. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  10. 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.
  11. "Lake County". Jim Forte Postal History. Retrieved December 21, 2014.
  12. Howat, William Frederick (1915). A Standard History of Lake County, Indiana, and the Calumet Region. Lewis Publishing Company. p. 439.
  13. McKinlay, Archibald (May 12, 1991). "Recycling on agenda for historical society meeting". The Sunday Times. Munster, Indiana. p. G-8 – via Newspapers.com. As you probably know, Whiting is not only named for 'Pop' Whiting, a trainman killed in a crash there, but is a descriptive name. Whiting has never been a place to learn about African-American culture. Indeed, Whiting was popularly known as a sundown town and some old timers go so far as to say that a black person actually broke the law by just being in Whiting.
  14. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  15. "G001 - Geographic Identifiers - 2010 Census Summary File 1". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved July 29, 2015.
  16. Whiting History
  17. "Whiting, Indiana - Chamber of Commerce". Archived from the original on January 1, 2007. Retrieved April 25, 2007.
  18. Journey Through Calumet - Place
  19. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  20. "." Retrieved on April 17, 2010.
  21. "Whiting Public Library Home Page". Whiting Public Library. Retrieved on January 21, 2009.
  22. "College Navigator - Calumet College of Saint Joseph - Enrollment". United States National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved September 26, 2011.
  23. "IMDb listing for High School Stories". Retrieved March 29, 2009.
  24. IMDb listing #1 for Four Friends
  25. IMDb listing #2 for Four Friends
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