Highland, Lake County, Indiana

Highland is a town in Lake County, Indiana, United States. The population was 23,727 at the 2010 census. The town was incorporated on April 4, 1910. It is a part of the Chicago metropolitan area and North Township, and is surrounded by Hammond to the north, Munster to the west, Schererville to the south, and Griffith to the east.

History
In 1847, two pioneers from Ohio, Michael and Judith Johnston, became Highland's first settlers. The town slowly expanded until the early 1880s, when the development of Chicago & Atlantic railroad trackage through the town attracted agriculture and manufacturing industries. Dutch settlers began moving to Highland shortly thereafter from nearby Munster. 304 people resided in Highland when it was incorporated in 1910.

In 1927, President Calvin Coolidge visited and delivered the dedication address for Wicker Memorial Park, located on the west side of the town. Highland, as with other towns along the Little Calumet River, has historically been subject to flooding, particularly during spring, and particularly in areas away from Ridge Road, which runs along the highest land in the town. Significant floods have affected Highland in 2008, 2007, and especially in September 2006.

On October 31, 2008, Barack Obama, who four days later would be elected the 44th President of the United States, stopped in Highland for a rally that drew 40,000 people to Wicker Park. It was the largest crowd there since President Coolidge dedicated the park in 1927.



Architecture
Highland's Downtown area features a number of buildings exhibiting Mid-Century Modern style architecture.

Notable residents

 * Debra A. Kemp, author
 * Georgette Mosbacher, businesswoman, political activist

Neighborhoods
Highland has several neighborhoods/subdivisions. They include: Homestead, Wicker Park Manor, Wicker Park Estates, Brantwood, Meadows, White Oak Estates (of Highland), Lakeside, Ellendale, Hook's, Arbor Hill, Pettit Park, Golfmoor, Wicker Highlands and Southridge.

Geography
Highland is located at 41.54972°N, -87.45806°W (41.549851, -87.458064). According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 6.9 square miles (17.8 km²), of which, 6.9 square miles (17.8 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km²) of it (0.29%) is water.

Demographics
As of the census of 2010, there were 23,727 people, 9,924 households, and 6,547 families residing in the town. The population density was 3,428.3 people per square mile (1,323.3/km²). There were 9,925 housing units at an average density of 1,445.1 per square mile (557.8/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 88.60% White, 4.20% African American, 0.20% Native American, 1.60% Asian, 0.00% Pacific Islander, 3.40% from other races, and 2.00% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 12.80% of the population.

As of 2009, the median income for a household in the town was $59,525 while the mean income for a household in the town was $68,485. The median income for a family was $70,691 and the mean income for a family was $79,386. The estimated per capita income for the town was $29,369. About 5.3% of families and 6.4% of the population were estimated to be below the poverty line.

Transportation
The commercial airport closest to Highland is the Gary/Chicago International Airport in Gary, but most Highland residents and visitors travel from Chicago's O'Hare International Airport or Chicago Midway International Airport.

Highland lies just south of the Borman Expressway. U.S. Route 41, known locally as Indianapolis Boulevard, is a major North-South artery in the town. Due to Highland's proximity to Chicago, several other Interstate and U.S. highways are within a 20 mi radius.

The town's pedestrians and cyclists are served by the Erie-Lackawanna Trail, a cycling/multiuse, paved rail trail, which cuts diagonally through Highland, connecting the town with Griffith, and Crown Point, to the southeast. The Highland portion of the trail is also known locally as the Crosstown Trail. The trail runs along the former right-of-way of the Erie-Lackawanna and Baltimore and Ohio Railroads, and will eventually connect pedestrians to Chicago, Illinois, to the northwest and beyond Crown Point to the southeast by planned trail extensions. The trail also links Highland, by connections with other trails, with Porter County, Indiana, to the east.

EasyGo Lake Transit Green Route provides public transportation in Highland, traversing Indianapolis Boulevard. The route extends from northern Schererville to Chicago's East Side neighborhood, making stops in Hammond, East Chicago and Whiting. The route provides connections to the East Chicago South Shore Line station and Hammond-Whiting Amtrak station.

Education
School Town of Highland, the town's public school system, operates one high school, one middle school, and four elementary schools (formerly seven): Johnston (north side), Southridge (central), Warren (south), and Merkley (central). Their two private schools are Highland Christian and Our Lady of Grace (OLG). The area where one of the now-defunct schools (Main school) once stood is marked by a gazebo, which was demolished in October 2006, and rebuilt in 2007. It and the surrounding land is named Main Square Park, after Main Elementary, which stood on the site until the early 1980s. One of the other defunct schools, Lincoln Elementary, was converted into a community center in the early 1980s. The other, Orchard Park Elementary, became a Calumet Baptist School in the early 1990s.

Highland High School and Highland Middle School are located in the same building, at 9135 Erie Street. Highland High School was established in 1960. At the time the school was established, there were about 280 students graduating in each class. The Northwest Indiana Education Service Center is currently housed in part of Highland Middle School.

Public libraries
Lake County Public Library operates the Highland Branch at 2841 Jewett Street.

Police Department - Fallen Officers
In the history of the Highland Police Department, two officers have been killed in the line of duty.