Porter, Indiana facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Porter, Indiana
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Lincoln Street in Porter
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Location of Porter in Porter County, Indiana.
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| Country | United States |
| State | Indiana |
| County | Porter |
| Township | Westchester |
| Area | |
| • Total | 6.44 sq mi (16.69 km2) |
| • Land | 6.16 sq mi (15.96 km2) |
| • Water | 0.28 sq mi (0.74 km2) |
| Elevation | 659 ft (201 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 5,210 |
| • Density | 845.64/sq mi (326.50/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
46304, 46369
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| Area code(s) | 219 |
| FIPS code | 18-61164 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2396863 |
| Website | http://www.townofporter.com/ |
Porter is a town in Westchester Township, Porter County, in the U.S. state of Indiana. The population was 4,858 at the 2010 census. Porter is in the Indiana Dunes ecosystem, which played a role in the creation of The Nature Conservancy, and inspired conservation efforts.
Porter is noted for its proximity to Indiana Dunes State Park and for its railroad heritage. Porter was the southern terminus for the Chicago and West Michigan Railway.
History
Porter had its start in the 1850s when the railroad was extended to that point.
Historic sites
The Joseph Bailly Homestead is located in Indiana Dunes National Park on Howe Road, just north of U.S. 20. It is the residence of three generations of the Bailly family. Joseph and Marie Bailly arrived here in 1822 from the St. Joseph River in Michigan. He had been a fur trader on Lake Michigan for nearly 30 years when he set up his family home along the Little Calumet River.
The Chellberg Farm is also a three generation home, but of the family of Anders Kjellburg (Chellberg). He brought his family to this Swedish community in 1869, purchasing 80 acres (32 ha) from the Bailly descendants. The farm is located on Mineral Springs Road, north of U.S. 20.
The Augsburg Swedish Lutheran Church and Cemetery are located on Beam Street, west of town. The cemetery was founded in 1878.
In addition to the Joseph Bailly Homestead, the Good Fellow Club Youth Camp and Porter Town Hall are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Geography
According to the 2010 census, Porter has a total area of 6.48 square miles (16.78 km2), of which 6.2 square miles (16.06 km2) (or 95.68%) is land and 0.28 square miles (0.73 km2) (or 4.32%) is water.
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1880 | 224 | — | |
| 1910 | 524 | — | |
| 1920 | 699 | 33.4% | |
| 1930 | 805 | 15.2% | |
| 1940 | 1,190 | 47.8% | |
| 1950 | 1,458 | 22.5% | |
| 1960 | 2,189 | 50.1% | |
| 1970 | 3,058 | 39.7% | |
| 1980 | 2,988 | −2.3% | |
| 1990 | 3,118 | 4.4% | |
| 2000 | 4,972 | 59.5% | |
| 2010 | 4,858 | −2.3% | |
| 2020 | 5,210 | 7.2% | |
| Source: US Census Bureau | |||
2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 4,858 people, 1,832 households, and 1,310 families living in the town. The population density was 783.5 inhabitants per square mile (302.5/km2). There were 1,978 housing units at an average density of 319.0 per square mile (123.2/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 94.3% White, 1.1% African American, 0.3% Native American, 0.9% Asian, 1.6% from other races, and 1.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.6% of the population.
There were 1,832 households, of which 35.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.3% were married couples living together, 9.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.5% had a male householder with no wife present, and 28.5% were non-families. 21.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.65 and the average family size was 3.12.
The median age in the town was 39.1 years. 25.6% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.6% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 27% were from 25 to 44; 29.2% were from 45 to 64; and 10.7% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 49.5% male and 50.5% female.
See also
In Spanish: Porter (Indiana) para niños
