Lake Station, Indiana facts for kids

Quick facts for kids City of Lake Station, Indiana
City
Motto(s):  "Our Home Town"
Location of Lake Station in Lake County, Indiana.
Country	United States
State	Indiana
County	Lake
Area
• Total	8.42 sq mi (21.82 km2)
• Land	8.29 sq mi (21.47 km2)
• Water	0.13 sq mi (0.35 km2)
Elevation	594 ft (181 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	13,235
• Density	1,596.50/sq mi (616.44/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (CST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code	46405
Area code(s)	219
FIPS code	18-41535
GNIS feature ID	2395602

Lake Station is a city located in Lake County, Indiana, United States. In 2020, about 13,235 people lived there.

History of Lake Station

Lake Station has a long and interesting history. It started as a meeting point for two old trails used by Native Americans. These trails led to a place called Fort Dearborn.

Later, Lake Station became a stop for stagecoaches. These were like early buses pulled by horses. The area was known as Lake Station as early as 1851. This is because it became the first train station in Lake County. It was the end point (or "terminus") for the Michigan Central Railroad line coming from Detroit and heading towards Chicago.

In 1852, a man named George Earle planned out a town on this site. He kept the name Lake Station. The Michigan Central Railroad even built a park and shops near its two-story train depot.

Lake Station was a "bedroom community," meaning many people lived there but worked in other nearby cities. It's even said that Abraham Lincoln visited the Audubon Hotel in Lake Station.

The city's name changed to East Gary in 1908. This was an attempt to attract leaders from the nearby US Steel factory in Gary, Indiana. They hoped these leaders would build homes and create a suburban community there.

However, in 1977, the city changed its name back to Lake Station. This was mainly to create a new identity, separate from the problems that Gary was facing at the time.

In 2015, the mayor of Lake Station, Keith Soderquist, had to leave his job. This happened after he was found responsible for certain actions. His daughter, Miranda N. Brakley, also faced consequences.

Geography of Lake Station

Lake Station covers an area of about 8.4 square miles (21.8 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a small part being water.

The city is built on a sandy ridge called the Calumet Shoreline. This is an old shoreline from a much larger ancient lake.

Major Roads in Lake Station

Several important highways pass through or near Lake Station, making it easy to travel to other places:

• Interstate 65
• Interstate 80
• Interstate 90
• Interstate 94
• U.S. Route 6
• U.S. Route 20
• Indiana State Road 51

Lakes and Rivers in Lake Station

Lake Station has a few natural water features:

• Grand Boulevard Lake
• Deep River (Indiana)

Neighboring Cities

Lake Station is surrounded by several other cities and towns:

• Hobart
• Gary
• Portage
• Town of New Chicago

Population of Lake Station

Lake Station's Population in 2010

In 2010, there were 12,572 people living in Lake Station. The city had about 1,515 people per square mile.

Most of the people living in Lake Station were White (79.7%). About 28% of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino.

There were 4,577 households in the city. A household is a group of people living together. About 35.6% of these households had children under 18. Many households were married couples living together.

The average age of people in Lake Station was about 35.4 years old. About 26.4% of residents were under 18, and 10.7% were 65 or older. The number of males and females in the city was almost equal.

Economy of Lake Station

Lake Station has several important businesses that provide jobs. Some of the major employers include Sun Engineering and Pro-Chem-Co.

The city is also a hub for train activity. The busiest train line is CSX Transportation's Porter Subdivision. The Chicago, Fort Wayne and Eastern Railroad also has tracks running through Lake Station.

An old train line, the Joliet Line of the Michigan Central Railroad, used to run through Lake Station. Now, this abandoned line has been turned into a walking path called the Fairview Walkway.

Arts and Culture in Lake Station

Lake Station hosts fun events throughout the year.

• The Fuzz Follies is a car show that has been held every year since 1984 in Riverview Park.
• The Heritage Days Festival also takes place in Riverview Park, usually in June. It started in 2004.
• Septemberfest is a newer event that began in 2009. It is held around Labor Day weekend.

The Lake County Public Library has a branch in Lake Station. It also serves the nearby town of New Chicago.

Parks and Recreation in Lake Station

Lake Station has many parks and places for outdoor fun:

• Four Winds Park
• Columbus Park
• Riverview Park
• Miller Park
• Mock Park
• Deep River Outdoor Recreation Center
• Johnson Park
• Bicentennial Park
• Warrick Park
• Riley Park

Education in Lake Station

Most of Lake Station is served by the Lake Station Community Schools district. Some parts of the city are served by the River Forest Community School Corporation.

The Lake Station Community Schools district includes:

• Two elementary schools: Virgil I. Bailey and Alexander Hamilton.
• One combined junior and senior high school: Thomas A. Edison Junior-Senior High School.

The River Forest Community School Corporation serves the western part of Lake Station. Their schools, River Forest High School, River Forest Junior High School, John I. Meister Elementary School, and Henry S. Evans Elementary School, are all located within Lake Station's city limits.

Images for kids

• 

  A view of Lake Station, Indiana.

• 

  Map showing Lake Station in Lake County, Indiana.

See also

In Spanish: Lake Station (Indiana) para niños