Valparaiso, Indiana#Government

The site of present-day Valparaiso was included in the purchase of land from the Potawatomi people by the U.S. Government in October 1832. Chiqua's town or ChipuawOne of the earliest Authentic histories of Porter County, Indiana, From 1832 to 1876; Deborah H. Shults-Gay; ca 1917 was located a mile east of the current Courthouse along the Sauk Trail. Chiqua's town existed from or before 1830 until after 1832.Atlas of Great Lakes Indian History; Helen Hornbeck Tanner; University of Oklahoma Press; Norman, Oklahoma, 1987; map 25 The location is just north of the railroad crossing on State Route 2 and County Road 400 North.

Located on the ancient Native American trail from Rock Island to Detroit, the town had its first log cabin in 1834.{{cite web|title=History of Valparaiso|url=http://www.ci.valparaiso.in.us/index.aspx?nid=283|publisher=Valparaiso, Indiana|access-date=25 April 2014|archive-date=14 July 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714223722/http://www.ci.valparaiso.in.us/index.aspx?nid=283|url-status=dead}} Established in 1836 as Portersville, county seat of Porter County, it was renamed to Valparaiso (meaning "Vale of Paradise" in Old Spanish) in 1837 after Valparaíso, Chile, near which the county's namesake David Porter battled in the Battle of Valparaiso during the War of 1812.{{cite book|first=Ronald L.|last=Baker|author2=Marvin Carmony |title=Indiana Place Names|publisher=Indiana University Press|location=Bloomington|year=1995|isbn=0-253-28340-X|page=170}} The city was once called the "City of Churches" due to the large number of churches located there at the end of the 19th century. Valparaiso Male and Female College, one of the earliest higher education institutions admitting both men and women in the country, was founded in Valparaiso in 1859, but closed its doors in 1871 before reopening in 1873 as the Northern Indiana Normal School and Business Institute. In the early 20th century, it became Valparaiso College, then Valparaiso University. It was initially affiliated with the Methodist Church but after 1925 with the Lutheran University Association (which has relationships both with the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod, and with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America) and expanded significantly after World War II.

From the 1890s until 1969, there were no African-American residents in Valparaiso. This has been attributed to Valparaiso being a sundown town.{{Cite news|last=Mitchell|first=David|date=June 30, 2003|title=A struggled balance of hope and fear|work=The Times of Northwest Indiana|url=https://www.nwitimes.com/news/state-and-regional/a-struggled-balance-of-hope-and-fear/article_ad5fb23f-55de-5954-ae4c-73dc520d2198.html|access-date=July 12, 2021|quote=More than 30 years ago, Barbara Frazier-Cotton, a single, black mother raising her six children in Chicago's public housing projects, brought her family to Valparaiso where they became the first to breach the city's color barrier. The house butted against a thick wooded area at the end of a short, curved drive. Officials refused to hook up municipal water, even though they lived within city limits. The family relied on well water. Thinking back, Walt Reiner to this day says he wouldn't wish on an enemy what Frazier-Cotton went through that first year in Valparaiso. On occasion, Frazier-Cotton also wonders aloud why she didn't just pack up and leave. More moments than she'd like to remember forced her to question whether she made the right decision. The phone rang often in the middle of the night. "Go home," the voice on the other end would say. "You don't belong here." Strange cars rolled down the driveway late at night. "I was afraid to call the police," she says. "They said earlier they wouldn't come." One summer night, she awoke, sat up in bed and looked straight at a man staring at her through an open window. The windows remained closed for a long time after that. People gawked at her in stores or on the street. A stranger once handed her a business card that read, "Keep Valparaiso Clean" on one side and "KKK" on the other. Crosses were burned on her lawn." For the most part, the schools and churches stood strong and supportive. Some Valparaiso educators even took the opportunity to have Frazier-Cotton speak to their students, offering them exposure to an otherwise inaccessible perspective on cultural diversity. Many Valparaiso University students befriended the family, regardless of race. Others in the city also accepted Frazier-Cotton into the community. Still, her children's names would often be the first mentioned when something turned up missing or vandalized.}}{{Cite book|last=Loewen|first=James W.|title=Sundown Towns: A Hidden Dimension of American Racism|publisher=New Press|year=2005|isbn=0743294483|location=New York|pages=67, 199, 200, 413|quote="I identified a total of 231 Indiana towns as all-white. I was able to get information as to the racial policies of 95, and of those, I confirmed all 95 as sundown towns. In Indiana, I have yet to uncover any overwhelmingly white town that on-site research failed to confirm as a sundown town. Ninety-five out of 95 is an astounding proportion; statistical analysis shows that it is quite likely that 90 to 100% of all 231 were sundown towns. They ranged from tiny hamlets to cities in the 10,000-50,000 population range, including Huntington (former vice president Dan Quayle's hometown) and Valparaiso (home of Valparaiso University)."}} There was also substantial activity by the Ku Klux Klan, which negotiated to purchase Valparaiso University in 1923.{{Cite web|last=Taylor|first=Stephen J.|date=2016-01-06|title=Ku Klux U: How the Klan Almost Bought a University|url=https://blog.newspapers.library.in.gov/ku-klux-u-how-the-klan-almost-bought-a-university/|access-date=2021-07-12|website=Hoosier State Chronicles: Indiana's Digital Newspaper Program|language=en-US}} The first African-American family to move to Valparaiso faced intimidation and eventually left the city when a visiting relative was murdered.{{Cite news|last=Mitchell|first=David|date=June 30, 2003|title=A struggled balance of hope and fear – continued|work=The Times of Northwest Indiana|url=https://www.nwitimes.com/news/state-and-regional/a-struggled-balance-of-hope-and-fear----continued/article_1dff323a-f9f8-5c6c-a3b1-a6ebb7c9ccd4.html|access-date=July 12, 2021|quote= In recent years, the city's racial composition has diversified.

Valparaiso also has a long history of being a transportation hub for the region. In 1858, the Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne and Chicago Railroad reached Valparaiso, connecting the city directly to Chicago. By 1910, an interurban railway connected the city to Gary, Indiana. Today, while the city no longer has a passenger train station, it is still very much a part of the "Crossroads of America" due to its proximity to I-65, I-80, I-90, and I-94. Additionally, the Canadian National railroad still runs freight on the tracks, including through the downtown area.

Until 1991, Valparaiso was the terminal of Amtrak's Calumet commuter service.

The city is situated at the junctions of U.S. Route 30, State Road 2, and State Road 49.

According to the 2010 census, Valparaiso has a total area of {{convert|15.578|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, of which {{convert|15.53|sqmi|sqkm|2}} (or 99.69%) is land and {{convert|0.048|sqmi|sqkm|2}} (or 0.31%) is water.{{cite web

|url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/1600000US1878326

|title=G001 - Geographic Identifiers - 2010 Census Summary File 1

|access-date=2015-07-29

|publisher=United States Census Bureau

|archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213052917/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/1600000US1878326

|archive-date=2020-02-13

|url-status=dead

}}

The city is situated on the Valparaiso Moraine, a prominent glacial feature formed by receding glaciers and creating a distinct hilly landscape in the region.

Glaciation has left numerous features on the landscape here. Kettle lakes and knobs make up much of this particular area of Northwest Indiana. The Pines Ski Area is the only remaining kame in the city; the other one is under the university's Chapel of the Resurrection, however, grading of land in that area makes that particular kame almost nonexistent. Many glacial erratics can be found throughout the city. The moraine has left the city with mostly clay soil.

{{Weather box

|location = Valparaiso, Porter County Regional Airport, Indiana (1991-2020 normals)

|single line = Y

|Jan record high F = 66

|Feb record high F = 72

|Mar record high F = 87

|Apr record high F = 90

|May record high F = 98

|Jun record high F = 105

|Jul record high F = 102

|Aug record high F = 101

|Sep record high F = 96

|Oct record high F = 89

|Nov record high F = 77

|Dec record high F = 70

|Jan high F = 33.9

|Feb high F = 37.9

|Mar high F = 49.1

|Apr high F = 62.1

|May high F = 73.0

|Jun high F = 82.2

|Jul high F = 85.0

|Aug high F = 83.3

|Sep high F = 77.6

|Oct high F = 65.1

|Nov high F = 50.5

|Dec high F = 38.8

| Jan mean F =26.2

| Feb mean F =29.8

| Mar mean F =39.8

| Apr mean F =50.9

| May mean F =61.7

| Jun mean F =71.4

| Jul mean F =74.6

| Aug mean F =72.8

| Sep mean F =66.2

| Oct mean F =54.6

| Nov mean F =42.3

| Dec mean F =31.6

| year mean F =

|Jan low F = 18.4

|Feb low F = 21.8

|Mar low F = 30.5

|Apr low F = 39.7

|May low F = 50.5

|Jun low F = 60.5

|Jul low F = 64.2

|Aug low F = 62.3

|Sep low F = 54.8

|Oct low F = 44.2

|Nov low F = 34.2

|Dec low F = 24.5

|Jan record low F = −26.0

|Feb record low F = −21.0

|Mar record low F = −7.0

|Apr record low F = 10

|May record low F = 26

|Jun record low F = 33

|Jul record low F = 42

|Aug record low F = 38

|Sep record low F = 27

|Oct record low F = 18

|Nov record low F = 2

|Dec record low F = −20

|precipitation colour = green

|Jan precipitation inch = 2.38

|Feb precipitation inch = 2.24

|Mar precipitation inch = 2.63

|Apr precipitation inch = 3.74

|May precipitation inch = 4.59

|Jun precipitation inch = 4.33

|Jul precipitation inch = 4.10

|Aug precipitation inch = 3.57

|Sep precipitation inch = 2.92

|Oct precipitation inch = 3.93

|Nov precipitation inch = 3.26

|Dec precipitation inch = 2.58

| unit precipitation days = 0.01 inch

| Jan precipitation days =12.6

| Feb precipitation days =8.4

| Mar precipitation days =10.2

| Apr precipitation days =11.2

| May precipitation days =13.4

| Jun precipitation days =10.9

| Jul precipitation days =9.5

| Aug precipitation days =9.6

| Sep precipitation days =9.1

| Oct precipitation days =10

| Nov precipitation days =10.9

| Dec precipitation days =11

| year precipitation days =

|Jan snow inch = 14.6

|Feb snow inch = 5.5

|Mar snow inch = 6.7

|Apr snow inch = 1.2

|May snow inch = 0

|Jun snow inch = 0

|Jul snow inch = 0

|Aug snow inch = 0

|Sep snow inch = 0

|Oct snow inch = 0.3

|Nov snow inch = 2.3

|Dec snow inch = 9.4

|year snow inch =

|source 1 = NOAA (temperatures){{cite web |url=https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&stations=USC00128999&format=pdf&dataTypes=MLY-TMAX-NORMAL,MLY-TMIN-NORMAL,MLY-TAVG-NORMAL,MLY-PRCP-NORMAL,MLY-SNOW-NORMAL |title =Station: VALPARAISO PORTER CO MUNI AP, IN US USW00004846 |access-date=25 June 2024 |work=Summary of Monthly Normals for 1991-2020 | publisher =National Oceanic and atmospheric administration}} (precipitation and snow at water pumping station){{Cite web |url=https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&stations=USC00128999&format=pdf&dataTypes=MLY-TMAX-NORMAL,MLY-TMIN-NORMAL,MLY-TAVG-NORMAL,MLY-PRCP-NORMAL,MLY-SNOW-NORMAL |title=Station: VALPARAISO WTR WKS, IN US USC00128999 |access-date=25 June 2024 |website=ncei.noaa.gov |publisher=National Centers for Environmental Information}}

|source 2=The Weather Channel (records),{{cite web|url=http://www.weather.com|title = Monthly Averages for Valparaiso, IN |publisher=The Weather Channel}}

}}

{{US Census population

|1850= 522

|1860= 1698

|1870= 2765

|1880= 4461

|1890= 5090

|1900= 6280

|1910= 6987

|1920= 6518

|1930= 8079

|1940= 8736

|1950= 12028

|1960= 15227

|1970= 20020

|1980= 22247

|1990= 24414

|2000= 27428

|2010= 31730

|2020= 34151

|footnote=Source: US Census Bureau

}}

As of the census{{cite web|title=U.S. Census website|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=2012-12-11}} of 2010, there were 31,730 people, 12,610 households, and 7,117 families residing in the city. The population density was {{convert|2043.1|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|1}}. There were 13,506 housing units at an average density of {{convert|869.7|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units |units|}}. The racial makeup of the city was 89.9% White, 3.3% African American, 0.3% Native American, 2.1% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 2.2% from other races, and 2.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.1% of the population.

There were 12,610 households, of which 28.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.6% were married couples living together, 10.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.9% had a male householder with no wife present, and 43.6% were non-families. 34.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.28 and the average family size was 2.99.

The median age in the city was 33.4 years. 21.3% of residents were under the age of 18; 15.9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 26.9% were from 25 to 44; 22.8% were from 45 to 64; and 13.1% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.6% male and 51.4% female.

As of the census of 2000, there were 27,428 people, 10,867 households, and 6,368 families residing in the city. The population density was {{convert|971.6|/km2|/mi2|disp=preunit|people|people|abbr=on}}. There were 11,559 housing units at an average density of {{convert|409.4|/km2|/mi2|disp=preunit|units|units|abbr=on}}. The racial makeup of the city was 94.35% White, 1.60% African American, 0.23% Native American, 1.49% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.79% from other races, and 1.52% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.34% of the population.

There were 10,867 households, out of which 28.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.9% were married couples living together, 9.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.4% were non-families. 33.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.27 and the average family size was 2.93.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 21.2% under the age of 18, 17.4% from 18 to 24, 28.1% from 25 to 44, 20.2% from 45 to 64, and 13.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.5 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $45,799, and the median income for a family was $60,637. Males had a median income of $46,452 versus $26,544 for females. The per capita income for the city was $22,509. About 4.8% of families and 9.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.1% of those under age 18 and 7.5% of those age 65 or over.

• Featured in Valparaiso, a play by Don DeLillo
• The Valparaiso Downtown Commercial District, Washington Street Historic District, and the Banta Neighborhood feature many historic homes; architectural designs include, Italianate, Arts & Crafts, and English/Cottswold.

• Chicago Street Theatre, run by the local Community Theater Guild.{{cite web|url=http://www.chicagostreet.org/|title=Home - Chicago Street Theatre|work=chicagostreet.org|access-date=15 June 2015}}
• The Memorial Opera House, a musical theater venue.
• Valparaiso Theatrical Company, a non-profit community theatre group focused on providing fund-raising opportunities for other non-profit organizations through theatrical performance.{{cite web|url=http://valparaisotheatricalcompany.org/|title=Valparaiso Theatrical Company - The Theater That Cares|work=valparaisotheatricalcompany.org|access-date=15 June 2015}}

• Brauer Museum of Art at Valparaiso University
• Museum of Fire Fighting{{cite web |url=https://www.tft.com/Museum-and-Tours |title=Task Force Tips - Task Force Tips-Museum and Tours |publisher=Tft.com |access-date=2019-05-16 |archive-date=April 27, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190427123807/https://www.tft.com/Museum-and-Tours |url-status=dead }}
• Porter County Museum, also known as the Old Jail Museum{{cite web|url=http://pocomuse.org/ |title=Porter County Museum |publisher=Pocomuse.org |date=2019-05-11 |access-date=2019-05-16}}

File:Valpo 08 Popcorn.jpg

The city holds two major festivals every year: the Popcorn Festival and the Porter County Fair. The Popcorn Festival is held on the first Saturday after Labor Day. It honors Orville Redenbacher, a former resident who built a popcorn factory there. Redenbacher participated in most of the festival's parades until his death in 1995. The festival also features foot racing events and multiple concerts in addition to typical fair activities. The Porter County Fair consists of carnival attractions and hosts a variety of shows such as a demolition derby, motocross races, and live musical performances.

Valparaiso has a public library, a branch of the Porter County Public Library System.{{cite web | url=http://pcpls.org/library-information/#locations | title=Locations | publisher=Porter County Public Library System | access-date=14 March 2018}}

• Porter County Courthouse replaced an earlier brick building in 1883. The current building is 128 feet by 98 feet. It was built with a square tower rising out of the center. The tower was 168 feet tall with a clock on each side. A fire in 1934 damaged in the interior requiring the removal of the tower.Neeley, George E.; City of Valparaiso, A Pictorial History; G. Bradley Publishing, Inc.; St. Louis, Missouri; 1989

{{see also|National Register of Historic Places listings in Porter County, Indiana}}

There are a number of buildings and districts in the city listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

{{div col}}

• Conrad and Catherine Bloch House
• Haste-Crumpacker House
• Heritage Hall
• Immanuel Lutheran Church
• Dr. David J. Loring Residence and Clinic
• William McCallum House
• Charles S. and Mary McGill House
• Porter County Jail and Sheriff's House
• Porter County Memorial Opera Hall
• David Garland Rose House
• DeForest Skinner House
• Valparaiso Downtown Commercial District
• Washington Street Historic District (Valparaiso, Indiana)

{{div col end}}

Valparaiso has an extensive city park district. In 2005 there were 13 parks with another in the planning stages.Your Guide to Summer Fun! Indiana Dunes, The Casual Coast; Porter County Convention and Recreation and Visitors Commission, 2005

File:Valparaiso Indiana Fairground Park 37.jpg

File:Valparaiso Indiana Valplayso Glenrose North 07.jpg

200 East (East McCord Rd) – a community park with a playground; where many of the city's legendary athletes played football as youngsters. Football at 200 East Park is a staple for young kids growing up in the neighborhood.

Bicentennial Park (Burlington Beach Road & Campbell St) – Provides a full range of activities, including a playground, basketball courts, ball diamond and picnic shelters. A prairie restoration is under way in the north half of the park.

Central Park Plaza (Lincolnway and Lafayette St) – is the centerpiece of the Downtown Valparaiso revitalization and opened the summer of 2011. It has an outdoor amphitheater for concerts and other special events as well as a splash pad in the center of the park for kids to play.

Fairgrounds Park (Calumet & Evans Avenues) – Has the largest complex of ball diamonds and soccer fields in the city. A playground and basketball court are available. Numerous city sports leagues use Fairgrounds Park for their games and tournaments. The park is surrounded by a paved walking circuit that is well occupied on nice days.

Foundation Meadows (Campbell Street & Bullseye Lake Rd) – One of the city's newer parks.

Glenrose South (1500 Roosevelt Road) – Provides several ball diamonds and when school is out, Thomas Jefferson Middle Schools track is available for those interested in walking. Glenrose South has been the home of the Valparaiso Fourth of July Fireworks display and celebration since 2005.

Jessee-Pifer Park (Elmhurst & Madison Streets) – a community park with a basketball court and picnic shelter.

Kirchhoff Miller Woods, (Roosevelt Road & Institute St – a community park that provides for basketball, baseball, tennis, picnicking and a playground.

Ogden Gardens/Forest Park (Campbell Street and Harrison Blvd) – Ogden Gardens is the home of the city's botanical garden. The Campbell Street end is a formal garden with a variety of planting that bloom throughout the year. The Gazebo is a favorite place for weddings, wedding pictures and high school prom pictures. A Japanese garden is included with a 22,000-gallon Koi pond. Forest Park is to the west with an open grassy picnic area below a wooded picnic area with a shelter.

Rock Island (Coolwood Dr &, Frontage Rd) is a "tourist attraction" found in front of the Strack & Van Til grocery store just off of the US 30 highway. The curb that splits the right and left turn lanes has been responsible for a number car crashes and accidents. Over the weekend between May 17 and May 19 of 2024, community members decorated the curb with rocks, signs, traffic cones, and other miscellaneous decor, including a flamingo and a blanket for one of the rocks. This has since been considered an inside joke, featuring its own Google reviews as an official tourist attraction.{{Cite web |last=joseph.pete@nwi.com, 219-933-3316 |first=Joseph S. Pete |date=2024-05-19 |title=Long a hazard to cars, Rock Island has become the talk of Valparaiso |url=https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/long-a-hazard-to-cars-rock-island-has-become-the-talk-of-valparaiso/article_639871ce-160d-11ef-bbd9-774d36e81758.html |access-date=2024-05-20 |website=nwitimes.com |language=en}}

Rogers-Lakwood Park (Meridian Road (N Campbell Street)) – Provide opportunities for swimming, fishing, and hiking trails. It is connected to the north side communities of Valparaiso by the Campbell Street Bike Trail (hiking and biking).

Tower Park (Evans Ave and Franklin St.) is a community park that offers basketball, baseball, tennis, pickleball, picnicking, and a playground. During winter months, one of the basketball courts is turned into the community skating rink.{{cite web |title=Tower Park |url=https://www.valpoparks.org/facilities/facility/details/Tower-Park-16 |publisher=City of Valparaiso |access-date=April 25, 2023}}

Valplayso/Glenrose North (Glendale Blvd and Roosevelt Rd) is the home of Valplayso, a community-designed and community-built playground. At the other end of the parking lot are several ball fields. Separated from Glenrose South by only the Middle Schools track, Glenrose North hosts over half of the community during the Fourth of July Celebration.

West Side Park (Joliet Rd) is a community park with a ball field and a playground.

Will Park (Morgan Blvd and Brown St) is a community park with a basketball court, playground, and picnic shelter.

• Valparaiso Country Club
• Forest Park
• Creekside
• Mink Lake (Closed)
• The Course at Aberdeen

Valparaiso is building a series of bike trails across the city. Currently, (March 2012) most of the identified bike routes are part of the county's system of recommended roads and streets.Northwest Indiana Bike Map, Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission, Spring 2008

Campbell Street Bikeway runs from Rogers-Lakewood Park south {{convert|2.5|mi|km}} to Vale Park Road (CR 400 N). It continues south on the opposite side of Campbell St. base Valparaiso High School, ending {{convert|2|mi|km}} south at Ogden Gardens (Harrison Blvd).

At Vale Park, it connects to the Vale Park trail to Valparaiso Street {{convert|1|mi|km}}. A new bike loop {{convert|3|mi|km}} is being built that circles north along Valparaiso Street to Bullseye Lake Rd, east to Cumberland Crossing (not open to the public (2008), south to Vale Park, turning west to on Vale Park to return to the corner of Vale Park and Valparaiso Street.

At Glendale, the Campbell Street Bikeway connects to the Glendale cross town bike lane. These travel east {{convert|2|mi|km}} on Glendale, ending on North Calumet at the Walgreens corner.

Valparaiso has an elected mayor, an elected clerk-treasurer, and an elected council. All of these positions are elected for four-year terms in November of the year before a presidential election year and assumes office on January 1.Sesquicentennial, The way We Were in 1986, Sesquicentennial Board; Porter County, Indiana; 1986

Valparaiso University was founded in 1859, and occupies {{convert|310|acre|}} on the south side of the city near downtown. The university is a cultural center of the city, hosting venues such as the Brauer Museum of Art, with more than 2,700 pieces of 19th- and 20th century American art.

Ivy Tech operates one of its 23 regional campuses in the city. From 2006 until 2016, Purdue University North Central had a two-building satellite campus in Valparaiso.{{cite news |title=Future of Purdue campus in Valparaiso uncertain |url=https://www.nwitimes.com/news/education/future-of-purdue-campus-in-valparaiso-uncertain/article_41b95640-1f7e-5d9b-8f2d-80ac2375ab43.html |date=March 8, 2016 |work=nwi.com |author=McCollum, Carmen |access-date=April 4, 2021}}

• Public schools File:Valparaiso Public School District.gif
• Valparaiso Community Schools
• Valparaiso High School
• Porter County Career and Technical Center
• Benjamin Franklin Middle School
• Thomas Jefferson Middle School
• Central Elementary
• Cooks Corner Elementary School
• Heavilin Elementary
• Flint Lake Elementary School
• Thomas Jefferson Elementary School
• Memorial Elementary
• Northview Elementary School
• Parkview Elementary
• East Porter County Schools
• Washington Township Middle-High School; serves part of the city of Valparaiso
• Private schools
• Immanuel Lutheran School (K-8)
• Montessori School of Valparaiso
• Saint Paul's Catholic School (K-8)
• Victory Christian Academy (K-12)

Valparaiso is served by two regional newspapers:

• The Times of Northwest Indiana (or NWI Times), was founded in 1906 and is the second largest of Indiana's 76 daily newspapers. It is based on Munster.{{cite web|url=http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/porter/|title=Porter County News|work=nwitimes.com|access-date=15 June 2015}}
• The Post-Tribune of Northwest Indiana was founded in 1907, serving the Northwest Indiana region. The Post-Tribune is owned by Tribune Company and is based in Merrillville.{{cite news | url=http://posttrib.suntimes.com/news/porter/index.html | work=Chicago Sun-Times | title=Porter County | access-date=2012-07-14 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120718154509/http://posttrib.suntimes.com/news/porter/index.html | archive-date=2012-07-18 | url-status=dead }}

North Valpo Neighbors and South Valpo Neighbors are published in Valparaiso.

The primary local radio stations are WLJE 105.5 FM "Indiana 105", which broadcasts country music, WAKE 1500 AM, which plays adult standards, and WVLP 98.3 FM "ValpoRadio", a non-profit, low power FM community radio station. Valparaiso formerly had a fourth local station, WNWI 1080 AM, which relocated to Oak Lawn, Illinois in 1998 and is now a Chicago-market station. Radio is usually from the Chicago market.

Valparaiso gets all of its water from wells that draw water from depths between 90 and {{convert|120|ft|m}}. The supply is treated with chlorine solution to remove the iron.{{cite web |url=http://ci.valparaiso.in.us/DocumentCenter/Home/View/939 |title=Archived copy |access-date=2014-05-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140517121223/http://ci.valparaiso.in.us/DocumentCenter/Home/View/939 |archive-date=2014-05-17 |url-status=dead }} Valparaiso also has three sewer retention basins.

Valparaiso's energy is provided by NIPSCO. The Schaeffer Power Plant is located south of Valparaiso, in Wheatfield.{{Cite web |url=http://www.nipsco.com/Libraries/About_NIPSCO/serviceterritorymap_SEPT_2011.sflb.ashx |title=Archived copy |access-date=2012-07-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121005004414/http://www.nipsco.com/Libraries/About_NIPSCO/serviceterritorymap_SEPT_2011.sflb.ashx |archive-date=2012-10-05 |url-status=dead }}

A city bus service, the V-Line, was founded in 2007. It operates between downtown, the university, shopping centers, the city's northern neighborhoods, and Dune Park station of the Northern Indiana Commuter Transit District.

On October 6, 2008, Valparaiso inaugurated an express bus service to and from Chicago, Illinois called ChicaGo DASH. Buses depart Valparaiso on weekday mornings and return from Chicago in the evenings.

Valparaiso is served by four highways. U.S. Route 30 is the major east–west artery on the southern side of the city. Indiana State Road 49, the major north–south artery, connects with Chesterton, Indiana and the Indiana Toll Road. Indiana Route 130 runs northwest to Hobart, Indiana. Indiana State Road 2, which connects South Bend and Lowell, passes through the southeast corner of the city.{{cite map |url= http://www.in.gov/indot/files/StateTransportationMap.pdf |format= PDF |publisher= Indiana Department of Transportation |cartography= INDOT |title= Indiana Transportation Map |year= 2011 |edition= 2011–12 |access-date= May 26, 2012 |archive-date= December 15, 2010 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20101215222535/http://www.in.gov/indot/files/StateTransportationMap.pdf |url-status= dead }}

Three railroads pass through the city. The Norfolk Southern Railway operates on the tracks that were previously the Nickel Plate Road, the Canadian National is the former Grand Trunk Western Railroad and the Chicago, Fort Wayne and Eastern Railroad operates on the tracks that were previously used by the Pennsylvania Railroad.{{cite map |publisher= Indiana Department of Transportation |date= August 23, 2011 |url= http://www.in.gov/indot/files/MAIN-RR-11_V1.pdf |title= Indiana Railroad Map |format= PDF |cartography= INDOT |access-date= May 26, 2012 |archive-date= June 15, 2011 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110615200542/http://www.in.gov/indot/files/MAIN-RR-11_V1.pdf |url-status= dead }}

{{See also|Valparaiso University#Notable people}}

{{div col}}

• Douglas J. Adams, U.S. Navy admiral
• Newton Arvin, literary critic{{cite web|title=Newton Arvin|url=http://sophia.smith.edu/blog/smithipedia/faculty-staff/arvin-newton/|publisher=Smithipedia|access-date=27 November 2013}}
• John L. Bascom, politician{{cite web|title=John L. Bascom |url=https://www.legis.iowa.gov/Legislators/legislatorAllYears.aspx?PID=3242 |publisher=legis.iowa.gov |access-date=27 November 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120801022216/https://www.legis.iowa.gov/Legislators/legislatorAllYears.aspx?PID=3242 |archive-date=August 1, 2012 }}
• Harry Benham, actor
• Beulah Bondi, actress{{cite web|title=Beulah Bondi|url=https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/person/18861%7C20673/Beulah-Bondi/|publisher=TURNER ENTERTAINMENT NETWORKS, INC|access-date=27 November 2013}}
• Mary Blatchley Briggs (1846– 1910), writer and women's organizer
• Kevin L. Brown, former Major League Baseball (MLB) player{{cite web|title=Kevin Brown|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/brownke04.shtml|publisher=Pro-Baseball Reference . Com|access-date=27 November 2013}}
• Mark N. Brown, astronaut{{cite web|title=Mark N. Brown|url=http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/brown-mn.html|publisher=jsc.nasa.gov|access-date=27 November 2013}}
• Josephine Cochrane, invented and patented the modern dishwasher
• Bryce Drew, professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association (NBA){{cite web|title=Bryce Drew|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/d/drewbr01.html|publisher=Pro-Basketball Reference . Com|access-date=27 November 2013}}
• Michael Essany, reality television talk show host and author{{cite news|title=Whatever Happened To?: Here are the Next Chapters of Notable Northwest Indiana TV Reality Stars|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/post-tribune/ct-ptb-ent-reality-stars-0724-20200710-ndvelfet7nfkfnntrlls5ofehi-story.html|access-date=July 22, 2023|newspaper=The Chicago Tribune|date=July 10, 2020}}
• Gina Fattore, producer and writer of Dawson's Creek, Gilmore Girls, Parenthood and showrunner of Dare Me
• Chris Funk, guitarist for The Decemberists{{cite web|title=Chris Funk|url=http://www.nwitimes.com/entertainment/music/article_c9b99325-3377-554c-b8e6-fcdc53836c3e.html|publisher=nwitimes.com|access-date=27 November 2013}}
• Henry C. Gordon, astronaut{{cite web|url= http://www.spacefacts.de/bios/astronauts/english/gordon_henry.htm|title=Biographies of U.S. Astronauts|publisher=Spacefacts |access-date= November 14, 2013}}
• Mark A. Heckler, 18th president of Valparaiso University
• Zach Holmes, new Jackass member{{cite web |title=Zach Holmes Zerocool trading card |url=https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/UQMAAOSwQB1if0Aw/s-l1600.png |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220529142415/https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/UQMAAOSwQB1if0Aw/s-l1600.png |access-date=April 22, 2023|archive-date=2022-05-29 }}
• Robbie Hummel, professional basketball player in the NBA since 2012{{cite web|title=Robbie Hummel|url=https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/6633/|publisher=ESPN Internet Ventures|access-date=27 November 2013}}
• Samuel Austin Kendall, politician{{cite encyclopedia|title=Samuel Austin Kendall|url=http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=K000097|dictionary=Biographical Directory of the United States Congress|access-date=27 November 2013}}
• Mike Kellogg, retired Moody Radio announcer{{cite web|url=http://www.cpci.org/Sharathon/introducing-mike-kellogg|title=Introducing Mike Kellogg|publisher=CPCI.org|access-date=December 15, 2013|archive-date=February 22, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222003220/http://www.cpci.org/Sharathon/introducing-mike-kellogg|url-status=dead}}
• Hub Knolls, former pitcher in Major League Baseball
• Heather Kuzmich, 4th runner-up of America's Next Top Model, Cycle 9{{cite news|title=Valpo's Heather Kuzmich a TV 'Top Model'|url=https://www.nwitimes.com/entertainment/columnists/offbeat/valpos-heather-kuzmich-a-tv-top-model/article_a19935a6-1596-5073-9c55-8a06ccd291ee.html|access-date=July 22, 2023|work=The Times of Northwest Indiana|date=October 28, 2007}}
• Earl F. Landgrebe, politician, staunch defender of Richard Nixon{{cite encyclopedia|title=Earl F. Landgrebe|url=http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=L000049|dictionary=Biographical Directory of the United States Congress|access-date=27 November 2013}}
• Charles F. Lembke, architect and contractor. He built many downtown area buildings.National Register of Historic Places Inventory – Nomination Form; US Dept of the Interior, National Park Service; Dr. David J. Loring Residence and Clinic; Bertha Stalbaum & Alice Vietzke; Valparaiso Woman’s Club; Valparaiso, Indiana, June 11, 1984
• David E. Lilienthal, politician{{cite book|title=David E. Lilienthal|year = 1996|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XhaK3yHpKUwC&q=David+E.+Lilienthal+Valparaiso+Ind&pg=PA8-IA2|publisher=David E. Lilienthal: The Journey of an American Liberal|isbn = 9780870499401|access-date=27 November 2013}}
• Sean Manaea, professional baseball player in MLB{{cite web |last1=Glenesk |first1=Matthew |title=How MLB players from Indiana are faring so far in 2018 |url=https://www.indystar.com/story/sports/high-school/2018/05/11/current-mlb-players-born-indiana/590557002/ |website=The Indianapolis Star |date=May 11, 2018}}{{cite web |title=Sean Manaea Stats |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/manaese01.shtml |website=Baseball-Reference.com |quote=Born: February 1, 1992 (Age: 28-110d) in Valparaiso, IN}}
• Orville Redenbacher, hybrid popcorn developer{{cite web|title=Orville Redenbacher|url=http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/porter/valparaiso/orville-redenbacher-a-passion-for-popcorn/article_40ac46e0-c82d-59e4-985b-377b994510f3.html|publisher=nwitimes.com|access-date=27 November 2013}}
• Henry P. Rusk, dean of the Department of Agriculture at the University of Illinois
• Jeff Samardzija, professional baseball player in MLB{{cite web|title=Jeff Samardzija|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/samarje01.shtml|publisher=Pro-Baseball Reference . Com|access-date=27 November 2013}}
• Carly Schroeder, actress{{cite web|title=Carly Schroeder|url=http://www.nwitimes.com/entertainment/columnists/offbeat/valparaiso-s-carly-schroeder-shines-at-film-premiere/article_a19e78c2-af7c-5708-a3c9-c5971372756d.html|publisher=nwitimes.com|access-date=27 November 2013}}
• Walter Wangerin, Jr., author and professor at Valparaiso University{{cite web|title=Walter Wangerin, Jr|url=http://www.valpo.edu/english/faculty/wangerin.php|publisher=Valparaiso University|access-date=27 November 2013|archive-url=https://archive.today/20121213005003/http://www.valpo.edu/english/faculty/wangerin.php|archive-date=13 December 2012|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}
• R. Harold Zook, architect{{cite news|title=Historical society opens Zook Studio to public|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2013/10/21/historical-society-opens-zook-studio-to-public/|publisher=Chicago Tribune|access-date=27 November 2013|date=21 October 2013}}

{{div col end}}

{{Portal|Indiana}}

• List of cities in Indiana
• Valpo Velvet

{{Reflist}}

{{Commons category}}

{{Wikivoyage}}

• {{Official website|http://www.ci.valparaiso.in.us/}}
• [http://www.valparaisochamber.org/ Greater Valparaiso Chamber of Commerce] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060427105244/http://www.valparaisochamber.org/ |date=2006-04-27 }}

{{Porter County, Indiana}}

{{County Seats of Indiana}}

{{Chicagoland}}

{{Indiana}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Cities in Porter County, Indiana

Category:Chicago metropolitan area

Category:County seats in Indiana

Category:Cities in Indiana

Category:Populated places established in 1836

Category:Northwest Indiana

Category:1836 establishments in Indiana