Valparaiso in Porter County, Indiana — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Central Triangle
Photographed by Lou Donkle, August 17, 2024
1. Central Triangle Marker
The Triangle, as it is known today, looks considerably different than it did in the early 1900's. At that time, the Triangle was decorated with a large fountain and would be bustling with people waiting for the interurban. The Valparaiso & Northern Railway interurban stopped here and then began its journey north to Flint Lake - a 16-minute, three-mile trip - and then on to Chesterton. The railway became one of the feeder lines of the Chicago-New York Electric Air Line Railroad.
Interurban travel first appeared around 1900. Between 1900 and the mid-1930s, the best way to get from city to city in Indiana, and much of the rest of the United States, was the "interurban" rail car. These single-car, electric trains were tethered to power lines running just above the track.
Interurban service to Valparaiso ceased on October 23, 1938, largely due to the increasing use of automobiles, an improved highway system and the Great Depression.
Erected 2023 by Central Neighborhood Association with a Neighborhood Improvement Grant funded by the Valparaiso Redevelopment Commission.
Topics. This historical marker is listed
this page online
Location. 41° 28.276′ N, 87° 3.577′ W. Marker is in Valparaiso, Indiana, in Porter County. It is at the intersection of Franklin Street and Calumet Avenue, on the right when traveling north on Franklin Street. The marker is on the south-end of the triangle-island that is east of Central Elementary School. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 305 Franklin St, Valparaiso IN 46383, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Northwest Indiana and in the Calumet Region. It is also in the American Midwest, on the Great Lakes, and in the Corn Belt. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture and also the Northwest Territory.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Heritage Lutheran Church (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line);
Photographed by Lou Donkle, August 17, 2024
2. Central Triangle Marker in front of Central Elementary School
Photographed by Lou Donkle, August 17, 2024
3. Central Triangle - 2024
Photographed by Lou Donkle, August 17, 2024
4. Central Elementary School
Credits. This page was last revised on August 22, 2024. It was originally submitted on August 18, 2024, by Lou Donkle of Valparaiso, Indiana. This page has been viewed 380 times since then and 23 times this year. Last updated on August 21, 2024, by Lou Donkle of Valparaiso, Indiana. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on August 18, 2024, by Lou Donkle of Valparaiso, Indiana. 3, 4. submitted on August 19, 2024, by Lou Donkle of Valparaiso, Indiana. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.
