Historic Structures of
Whiting, Indiana
Apartments and Public Buildings
Whiting Indiana (pop. 5,155) is a city with good harbor facilities
on Lake Michigan just southeast of Chicago.
Because it is nestled between the cities of
East Chicago and Hammond and has areas of dense development,
this 1.3 square mile community gives the impression of being
bigger than it is. Whiting and the nearby cities of East Chicago,
Hammond, and Gary are part of the Calumet region, one of the
nation's most highly industrialized areas. Products manufactured
in Whiting include chemicals, metal products, and soap products.
Whiting is the home of Calumet College of Saint Joseph.
Whiting's "main street" is 119th
Street. The city is fortunate to have maintained a viable downtown
area throughout its history. As a result Whiting boasts a large
number of well-maintained and occupied historic structures and
119th Street maintains a unified and attractive appearance. Whiting
is the home of picturesque neighborhoods and block after block
of significant historic structures.
The city began its growth around the railroad
crossing that intersects 119th street and connects Whiting to
Chicago. But the real driving engine of Whiting's development
was the Standard Oil Co. refinery, which almost single-handedly
laid out the town. In 1889 that company began buying up Marsh
and duneland for the construction of what would eventually become
the world's biggest refinery. Whiting became a town and 1903
and experienced a period of dramatic growth during the 1920's.
In 1905, Standard Oil donated land and the
Carnegie Foundation granted funds for a public
library. The outstanding Romanesque Revival building was
completed that same year.
Whiting's architectural assets are so great
that it has received four pages on this site. Surprisingly, Whiting
has not adopted historic tax credits or applied for recognition
on the National Register of Historic Places, something it should
do to maintain the appeal of its historic areas for the future.
All photos by Tim Arends
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