Merrillville, Indiana | |
|---|---|
 Merrillville's skyline in May 2012 | |
 Flag  Seal | |
 Location of Merrillville in Lake County, Indiana. | |
| Coordinates:41°29′08″N87°20′07″W / 41.48556°N 87.33528°W /41.48556; -87.33528 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Indiana |
| County | Lake |
| Township | Ross |
| Established | 1834 |
| Incorporated | 1971 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Town |
| • Town Manager | Patrick J. Reardon[citation needed] |
| Area | |
• Total | 33.29 sq mi (86.21 km2) |
| • Land | 33.24 sq mi (86.08 km2) |
| • Water | 0.046 sq mi (0.12 km2) |
| Elevation | 679 ft (207 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 36,444 |
| • Density | 1,096.5/sq mi (423.36/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (CST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| ZIP codes | 46410, 46411, 46342(Partial) |
| Area code | 219 |
| FIPS code | 18-48528[3] |
| GNIS feature ID | 2396754[2] |
| Website | www.merrillville.in.gov |
Merrillville (/ˈmɛrəlvɪl/MAIR-əl-vil,locally/ˈmɛərvɪl/) is a town inRoss Township, Lake County, Indiana, United States. The population was 36,444 at the 2020 census. Merrillville is in east-central Lake County, in theChicago metropolitan area. On January 1, 2015, Merrillville became themost populated town in Indiana, asFishers inHamilton County was converted from a town to a city. The town serves as a major shopping hub forNorthwest Indiana.
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According to the 2010 census, Merrillville has a total area of 33.26 square miles (86.14 km2), of which 33.22 square miles (86.04 km2) (or 99.88%) is land and 0.04 square miles (0.10 km2) (or 0.12%) is water.[4]
The town is centered on the intersection ofU.S. Route 30 andInterstate 65.
TheLincoln Highway runs through Merrillville. The original alignment of Lincoln Highway is known as 73rd Avenue (also called Old Lincoln Highway) in Merrillville, while the current Lincoln Highway (US 30) is known as 81st Avenue.State Road 53 (Broadway) andState Road 55 (Taft Street) traverse the town from north to south.
Merrillville's asymmetric shape results in numerous boundaries with other municipalities. It is bordered byGary and unincorporatedCalumet Township, Lake County, to the north;Hobart to the northeast;Union Township, Porter County, to the east;Winfield andCrown Point to the south;Schererville to the west; andGriffith to the northwest.
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Merrillville occupies what used to be woodland belonging to thePotawatomi Indians. In 1834, a clearing was created for ceremonial purposes and called McGwinn Village. A year later, a white man, Jeremiah Wiggins, settled in the place; McGwinn Village became Wiggins Point.[5]
Wiggins Point became a well-known stop for wagon trains heading toJoliet, Illinois along theSauk Trail (also called the Sac Trail), an old Indian trail. At one time, 16 trails radiated outward from Wiggins Point. In 1838, Wiggins died. Sometime afterward, local settlers renamed the place Centerville. Later still, it was renamed Merrillville after the brothers Dudley and William Merrill.[5] Dudley Merrill operated a hotel and store in Centerville, and his son John P. Merrill was a Township Trustee.[6]
Nearby, in the same former Potawatomi hunting grounds, other settlements had sprung up. Near Deep River creek was a settlement named Deep River; near Turkey Creek was another settlement with that creek's name. Others included Ainsworth, Lottaville, and Rexville. At one time, the post office for the area was named Lottaville.
In 1848, all of these settlements, including Merrillville (that is, the old McGwinn Village) were collected into one and called Ross Township. As time went by, bits and pieces of Ross Township were taken byHobart andCrown Point when those towns incorporated.
In 1971, the area officially became Merrillville (which now includes the old Merrillville as well as other settlements nearby) and was incorporated as a town under Indiana law.[5] During this time, the majority of the town's growth was due to white flight fromGary.[7]
In 1993, Merrillville tried to annex unincorporatedWinfield Township to get more land. The residents blocked Merrillville by creating the town ofWinfield.[8]
In 2009, a pedestrian bridge at Hidden Lake Park collapsed, injuring at least 25 people[9][10] The catastrophe occurred around 10 PM after the annual Fourth of July fireworks display,[11] when several dozen people attempted to cross the wood suspension bridge.[12] Police officers stationed at either side of the bridge were unable to stop the advancing parkgoers, and with numerous people jumping up and down the 30-year-old bridge collapsed, sending somewhere around 50 people into the waters of Hidden Lake.
TheMorgan-Skinner-Boyd Homestead andJohn Wood Old Mill are listed in theNational Register of Historic Places.[13][14]
Merrillville is a hub for retail trade inNorthwest Indiana. The US 30 corridor between Taft Street and Colorado Street harbors a large concentration ofbig-box retailers, hotels, restaurants, and automobile dealerships.
Ameriplex at the Crossroads, an industrial and technology park, opened at Broadway between 93rd Avenue and 101st Avenue in 2005. The development is designated an Indiana Certified Technology Park and includes a business incubator and technology center operated by thePurdue Research Foundation.
Heavy industry such assteelmaking andpetroleum refining, which characterizes the economy of northern Lake County, does not have a significant presence in Merrillville. The town is home to the corporate headquarters of Fortune 500 energy companyNiSource, hospitality management firmWhite Lodging, andCentier Bank, Indiana's largest privately owned independent bank.[15]
Merrillville's nearest commercial airports areGriffith-Merrillville Airport inGriffith andGary/Chicago International Airport inGary.
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 15,918 | — | |
| 1980 | 27,677 | 73.9% | |
| 1990 | 27,257 | −1.5% | |
| 2000 | 30,560 | 12.1% | |
| 2010 | 35,246 | 15.3% | |
| 2020 | 36,444 | 3.4% | |
| Source: US Census Bureau. | |||
| Race / Ethnicity(NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 2000[16] | Pop 2010[17] | Pop 2020[18] | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 19,701 | 14,095 | 10,827 | 64.47% | 39.99% | 29.71% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 6,908 | 15,410 | 18,262 | 22.60% | 43.72% | 50.11% |
| Native American orAlaska Native alone (NH) | 59 | 47 | 56 | 0.19% | 0.13% | 0.15% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 450 | 412 | 486 | 1.47% | 1.17% | 1.33% |
| Native Hawaiian orPacific Islander alone (NH) | 3 | 4 | 5 | 0.01% | 0.01% | 0.01% |
| Other race alone (NH) | 49 | 62 | 116 | 0.16% | 0.18% | 0.32% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | 440 | 683 | 1,317 | 1.44% | 1.94% | 3.61% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 2,950 | 4,533 | 5,375 | 9.65% | 12.86% | 14.75% |
| Total | 30,560 | 35,246 | 36,444 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
As of thecensus of 2020, there were 36,444 people and 15,176 households living in the town. Thepopulation density was 1,095.7 inhabitants per square mile (423.1/km2). The racial and ethnic makeup of the town excluding Hispanics from the racial categories was 29.7%White (non-Hispanic), 50.1%African American (non-Hispanic), 0.2%Native American (non-Hispanic), 1.3%Asian (non-Hispanic), 3.6%Multiracial (non-Hispanic), and 14.8%Hispanic orLatino of any race.[18]
There were 15,176 households, of which 22.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 32.5% weremarried couples living together, 37.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 23.2% had a male householder with no wife present. The average family size was 3.27. The median age in the town was 39.1 years.
As of 2020, the median income for a household in the town was $62,221 while the median income for a family in the town was $84,667. About 14.5% of the population were estimated to be below the poverty line.[19]
As of thecensus[20] of 2010, there were 35,246 people, 13,696 households, and 9,016 families living in the town. Thepopulation density was 1,061.0 inhabitants per square mile (409.7/km2). There were 14,842 housing units at an average density of 446.8 per square mile (172.5/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 46.4%White, 44.5%African American, 0.2%Native American, 1.2%Asian, 4.6% fromother races, and 3.2% from two or more races.Hispanic orLatino of any race were 12.9% of the population.
There were 13,696 households, of which 34.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.3% weremarried couples living together, 17.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 34.2% were non-families. 29.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.54 and the average family size was 3.16.
The median age in the town was 36.7 years. 25.5% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.6% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 26.8% were from 25 to 44; 25.5% were from 45 to 64; and 13.7% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 47.0% male and 53.0% female.
As of 2010, the median income for a household in the town was $49,469 while the mean income for a household in the town was $57,728. The median income for a family was $56,911 and the mean income for a family was $65,925. The estimated per capita income for the town was $22,993. About 8.9% of families and 12.0% of the population were estimated to be below the poverty line.[21]
As of thecensus[3] of 2000, there were 30,560 people, 11,678 households, and 8,127 families living in the town. The population density was 918.2 inhabitants per square mile (354.5/km2). There were 12,303 housing units at an average density of 369.6 per square mile (142.7/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 69.65%White, 22.86%African American, 0.33%Native American, 1.51%Asian, 0.02%Pacific Islander, 3.39% fromother races, and 2.24% from two or more races.Hispanic orLatino of any race were 9.65% of the population.
There were 11,678 households, out of which 32.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.9% weremarried couples living together, 12.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.4% were non-families. 26.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 3.12.
In the town, the population was spread out, with 24.6% under the age of 18, 8.7% from 18 to 24, 29.4% from 25 to 44, 22.2% from 45 to 64, and 15.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.7 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $49,545, and the median income for a family was $56,355. Males had a median income of $41,820 versus $29,005 for females. Theper capita income for the town was $22,293. About 2.6% of families and 4.3% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 4.1% of those under age 18 and 5.5% of those age 65 or over.
Barons Bus Lines services Merrillville seven days per week as part of schedule 0025, westbound, with local service betweenCleveland, Ohio and Chicago, Illinois.[22]
Gary Public Transportation Corporation provides bus service along the Broadway Avenue Corridor via theBroadway Metro Express and within the US 30 retail/office corridor. The closest South Shore Line station is indowntown Gary and can be reached using theBroadway Metro Express or Barons Bus schedule 0025. The closest Amtrak station is inDyer, Indiana. It cannot be directly reached by public transit.[citation needed]
Public education in the town is provided by theMerrillville Community School Corporation.Andrean High School, a Roman Catholic institution operated by theDiocese of Gary, is also in Merrillville.
Lake County Public Library operates the Central Library at 1919 West 81st Avenue in Merrillville.[23]
Municipalities and communities ofLake County, Indiana,United States | ||
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| Ghost town | ||
| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties. | |
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