Portage is a city located in Portage and Westchester townships, Porter County, in the U.S. state of Indiana. It lies on the border between Porter County and Lake County. According to the 2020 census, the population of Portage was 37,926. It is the largest city in Porter County and the third largest city in Northwest Indiana. The name is pronounced "POR-tij."

History

Before European settlers arrived, Native Americans lived in Northwest Indiana. The Mound Builders created a mound in the area now called McCool, but the mound was destroyed in the early 1900s. Later, the Wea tribe lived in the area. The Wea were forced to move south by the Potawatomi.

Jacques Marquette, Louis Jolliet, Louis Hennepin, or François Pétis de la Croix may have explored the area. A Potawatomi chief named Leopold Pokagon encouraged his tribe to sell their land to European settlers. In 1812, Garyton became one of the first communities in Portage Township.

Samuel Putnam Robbins was one of the first settlers. He came from Hocking County, Ohio, and settled near modern-day Robbins Road, between McCool Road and Indiana Highway 149. In 1834, Joseph Wolf lived on land near the modern-day community of South Haven and ran dairy and beef farms there. Other early settlers included Berret Door, Reuben Hurlburt, Wilford Parrott, the Spurloch brothers, William McCool, Benjamin James (and his son, Allen James), and William Holmes. Jacob Blake arrived in Portage in 1833.

Before Portage became a town, it had three main communities and farmland. These communities were named McCool, Crisman, and Garyton. In 1950, those communities had 2,116 residents. In 1835, La Porte County controlled Porter County and created Portage Township that year.

Portage Township was mainly a farming area until railroads were built in the 1850s and 1860s. The first railroad in the area was the Michigan Central, completed in 1852. This railroad connected Detroit to Chicago, allowing farmers to send livestock, dairy, and crops to Chicago and other stops. This helped farmers buy more land for farming. Later, the Michigan Central was bought by the New York Central Railroad.

The next railroad to build through Portage was the Baltimore and Ohio in 1874. This railroad crossed the Michigan Central at Willow Creek, near Crisman. In 1874, the Michigan Central refused to let the Baltimore and Ohio cross its tracks. The issue was resolved peacefully, and a crossing was made. Sand mining was also an industry in Portage because of demand from Chicago. Railroads helped move sand to Chicago more efficiently.

Between the 1870s and the Great Depression, Portage grew slowly. It is estimated that from 1880 to 1950, the population grew by about 64 people each year. This happened even as nearby towns like Gary, Hammond, and East Chicago grew because of steel mills. Portage was affected by the Great Depression because steel mills faced economic problems, reducing demand for farmers’ products. Farmers had food but no money, and some lost their farms.

World Wars I and II greatly affected Portage’s economy. Steel mills increased production, and jobs became available, drawing many people to the area. After the wars, the economy stayed strong because of high demand for cars and appliances, which required steel from the mills. Portage’s population grew quickly in the early 1950s, with people moving from Kentucky, southern Indiana, and Illinois to find steady jobs in steel mills and related industries.

In 1959, National Steel opened a plant along Lake Michigan in Portage, creating about 1,600 jobs. The Port of Indiana was built in 1961 to support trade via Lake Michigan. In 1963, Bethlehem Steel started building a plant partly in Portage, bringing about 6,000 jobs.

In 1959, Portage became a town. Ogden Dunes and South Haven were not included because their residents did not want to join the town. After the war, many farmers sold land for homes to be built. In 1967, Portage became a city. During the 1950s and 1960s, Gary experienced "white flight," and Portage saw an increase in white residents moving there to avoid racial integration.

Portage remains an industrial city, mainly relying on steel. However, the steel industry declined in the 1980s. To help the area, the Community Organization on Industrial Location (C.O.I.L.) was formed. This group promoted other industries, such as the Coca-Cola bottling plant and the Port of Indiana. Few farms remain in Portage, but many descendants of early settlers still live there.

Since the early 2000s, new green technology industries, like Fronius USA, have moved to Portage. In 2016, the city opened a new police station and fire station in the downtown area. The new police station is three times larger than the previous one on Irving Street.

Geography

According to the 2010 census, Portage has a total area of 27.614 square miles (71.52 km²). Of this area, 25.63 square miles (66.38 km²) is land, which is 92.82% of the total area, and 1.984 square miles (5.14 km²) is water, which is 7.18% of the total area.

Demographics

As of the 2020 census, Portage had a population of 37,926. The median age was 39.1 years. 22.6% of residents were under the age of 18, and 16.1% were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females, there were 93.7 males, and for every 100 females aged 18 and over, there were 91.3 males aged 18 and over.

99.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 1.0% lived in rural areas.

There were 14,767 households in Portage. 31.6% of these households had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 44.5% were married-couple households, 19.0% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 28.1% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 26.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 15,600 housing units, of which 5.3% were vacant. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.5%, and the rental vacancy rate was 5.6%.

As of the 2010 census, there were 36,828 people, 13,992 households, and 9,751 families living in the city. The population density was 1,436.9 inhabitants per square mile (554.8/km²). There were 14,807 housing units at an average density of 577.7 per square mile (223.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 83.6% White, 7.3% African American, 0.4% Native American, 0.9% Asian, 5.2% from other races, and 2.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 16.4% of the population.

There were 13,992 households, of which 36.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them. 49.0% were married couples living together, 14.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 6.1% had a male householder with no wife present, and 30.3% were non-families. 24.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.61, and the average family size was 3.10.

The median age in the city was 36.4 years. 25.7% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.5% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 27.5% were from 25 to 44; 26.2% were from 45 to 64; and 12.1% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.4% male and 51.6% female.

As of the 2000 census, there were 33,496 people, 12,746 households, and 9,011 families living in the city. The population density was 1,315.8 inhabitants per square mile (508.0/km²). There were 13,375 housing units at an average density of 525.4 per square mile (202.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 92.52% White, 1.45% African American, 0.27% Native American, 0.64% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 3.20% from other races, and 1.86% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 9.94% of the population.

There were 12,746 households, out of

Transportation

The closest commercial airport to Portage is the Gary/Chicago International Airport in Gary. Chicago's O'Hare International Airport and Chicago Midway International Airport are also nearby and provide most of the flights that serve Portage.

Coach USA's Airport SuperSaver service stopped at the Central & Irving intersection, connecting Portage to Chicago's airports and several other cities and towns in northern Indiana. Riders could take westbound buses to Highland, Crestwood, and O'Hare and Midway Airports, and eastbound buses to Michigan City, South Bend, and Notre Dame. Westbound buses ran every hour. Eastbound buses to Michigan City ran every hour, while eastbound buses to South Bend and Notre Dame ran every two hours. Coach USA stopped operating its Indiana Airport SuperSaver service on January 1, 2020.

Portage is also connected to Chicago, Illinois, and South Bend, Indiana, by the South Shore Line. Passengers can board the train at the Portage/Ogden Dunes Station, which is located just east of Ogden Dunes in Portage.

Portage is crossed by several major highways, including Interstate 94 and Interstates 80/90 (Indiana Toll Road), as well as U.S. Route 6, U.S. Route 12, U.S. Route 20, and Indiana 149 and Indiana 249.

Also located on the shores of Lake Michigan is the Port of Indiana.

Education

The Portage Township School system includes 11 public schools: 8 elementary schools (grades K–5), 2 middle schools (grades 6–8), and 1 senior high school (grades 9–12). Portage Township Schools is an Indiana Exemplary District and has two schools that are rated Four Star.

There are two private schools in Portage:

• Portage Christian School – A Christian school that serves children in grades Pre-K–12
• Nativity of Our Savior School – A Roman Catholic school that serves children in grades Pre-K–8

There was a third private school, Maranatha Christian Academy, but it is now closed.

Portage has a public library, which is a branch of the Porter County Public Library System.

Local media

• The Times of Northwest Indiana (or NWI Times) was started in 1906 and is the second largest among Indiana's 76 daily newspapers. [1]
• The Post-Tribune of Northwest Indiana was founded in 1907 and serves the Northwest Indiana region. The Post-Tribune is owned by the Sun Times Media Group. [2]

• Shore Magazine is a publication created by the NWI Times, which also produces ShoreLines, a weekly newsletter.

• PortageLife.com is a website launched in early 2010 that shares information about community and city events and projects in Portage, Indiana. [3]
• The Greater Portage Chamber of Commerce Website is a resource provided by the Greater Portage Chamber of Commerce for people living in, visiting, or moving to Portage. [4]

Notable people

• Darren Elkins (born 1984), Indiana State Champion wrestler; professional mixed martial artist in the UFC's Featherweight Division
• Gable Steveson (born 2000), professional wrestler, former NFL player for the Bills, former WWE star. Two-time NCAA Division One national champion. Most notably won the 2020 Olympic Games in freestyle wrestling in the Heavyweight weight class (125 kg)