NW Indiana's border limits (Indianapolis, South Bend: work, college, businesses)

[Chuckity]

Originally Posted by rrah

I don't think Newton, Jasper, and Starke will ever be part of the Region. (That highway has been discussed for decades just as the extension of 355 has been discussed for years.) The Region is more than a geographical place, but also an attitude and maybe a history. That history doesn't exist in those places.

I propose we differentiate NWI and the Region. Porter County is NW, but definitely, imho, not part of the Region.

I'm not a Hoosier by birth so I've never understood "the Region". And honestly, I lived 2 miles from the Indiana state line most of my life (on the Illinois side) and never heard the term "the Region" thrown around as much as I've heard in the last few years.

Here's my question: if "the Region" is supposed to only encompass Lake county, than why does the term even exist? Or is "the Region" supposed to only be northern Lake county?

[WildWestDude]

Originally Posted by Chuckity

I'm not a Hoosier by birth so I've never understood "the Region". And honestly, I lived 2 miles from the Indiana state line most of my life (on the Illinois side) and never heard the term "the Region" thrown around as much as I've heard in the last few years.

Here's my question: if "the Region" is supposed to only encompass Lake county, than why does the term even exist? Or is "the Region" supposed to only be northern Lake county?

Correct me if I am wrong, but I believe the term the Region was started downstate/Indy. The term covers all of the populated area of NW Indiana in at least Porter and Lake counties. Perhaps it has something to do with the democratic vote in this republican state and/or the area's cultural diversity
Is it also true that Region is more used in Indy and areas south than it is actually used in NW Indiana?

[artemis]

Originally Posted by WildWestDude

Correct me if I am wrong, but I believe the term the Region was started downstate/Indy. The term covers all of the populated area of NW Indiana in at least Porter and Lake counties. Perhaps it has something to do with the democratic vote in this republican state and/or the area's cultural diversity
Is it also true that Region is more used in Indy and areas south than it is actually used in NW Indiana?

Nope, most of us who grew up in the area have heard the term before. We were the the outcasts that the rest of Indiana put up with due to the amount of money we sent downstate. We were the area that was polluted by the steel mills and people who got their hands dirty for a living. And the cultural diversity was ours. We embraced our heritage, and were friends with those from other backgrounds.

And now the casinos are making even more $$ for the State.

Lake & Porter Counties voted Democrat, we were more in tune with Chicago politics than downstate.

Mostly we didn't care what they called us. :-)

[domergurl]

Originally Posted by rrah

I don't think Newton, Jasper, and Starke will ever be part of the Region. (That highway has been discussed for decades just as the extension of 355 has been discussed for years.) The Region is more than a geographical place, but also an attitude and maybe a history. That history doesn't exist in those places.

I propose we differentiate NWI and the Region. Porter County is NW, but definitely, imho, not part of the Region.

You are a true region rat then! Hubby feels the same way .. the Region begins and ends with Lake County!!!

Get on with your bloomington self!

[domergurl]

Originally Posted by artemis

Nope, most of us who grew up in the area have heard the term before. We were the the outcasts that the rest of Indiana put up with due to the amount of money we sent downstate. We were the area that was polluted by the steel mills and people who got their hands dirty for a living. And the cultural diversity was ours. We embraced our heritage, and were friends with those from other backgrounds.

And now the casinos are making even more $$ for the State.

Lake & Porter Counties voted Democrat, we were more in tune with Chicago politics than downstate.

Mostly we didn't care what they called us. :-)

Great post art! When I was in school, we learned that the region was The Calumet Region ... which I suppose is Lake County.

[rrah]

Originally Posted by domergurl

You are a true region rat then! Hubby feels the same way .. the Region begins and ends with Lake County!!!

Get on with your bloomington self!

I had to stop and think about why that was my take on it. I think artemis is on to something. I never really heard the term "Region" or "region rat" used frequently until I went to IU. Then it was one of my peers from Indianapolis that used the term. I actually recall the first time someone asked where I was from and her response was, "Oh, the Region." I had to pause and think about that for awhile. The only reason I knew what she was talking about was because of a free newspaper we received when I was a child: The Calumet Press. I believe somewhere on the front page it said something about the Calumet Region.

Like one poster mentioned, the term has become more pervasive in recent years. My personal theory is that is related to the number of people moving into Lake County from Illinois or other places. I don't think most people that grew up there during a certain time period refer to it that way. I still rarely say I'm from the "region." I tell people I'm from Lake County or from the Hammond/Gary area of the state. I know my family members that still live in Lake County don't say their from the Region. It has nothing to do with embarassment. It's just we don't think of it that way.

Another definition: If you grew up breathing in air pollution from the steel mills or oil refineries, you're from the Region. If you're familiar with a particularly pungent smell while driving north on Cline Ave, you're from the region. (heck, if you can remember when Cline Ave was a simple one or two lane road north of 80/94 you're from the region)

[domergurl]

Well here's a monkey wrench!

Calumet Region

[domergurl]

And another!

How to know you're a region rat

Fifty ways to know if you are a Region Rat (Northwest Indiana) ... I'm guilty of the red highlighted ones and I'm a region rat by marriage

50 If anyone asks where you are from that is not from da region you tell them Chicago.
49 You are pale as a ghost from the lack of sun.
48 Oil tanks are more common than trees in your neighborhood.
47 You don't know anything about farming...at least not legal farming.
46 When you need to run out to the store you go to Jewel.
45 You call the interstate the "Tollroad"
44 You know what good pizza tastes like, and its not Papa John's.
43 Running red lights is normal!
42 Midway's not an island, its an airport.
41 You know the night sky is not black, its orange!
40 You know roads are just a place for trains to park across. 39 Only a true region rat can tell which town they are in at any given time.
38 You love Kohl's (store).
37 You measure distance in minutes instead of miles.
36 You understand what "Lake-Effect" is.
35 You don't pronounce the 's' in Illinois and you get aggravated when people do.
34 "What's a sheriff?"
33 School isn't cancelled unless there is at least 20 feet of snow on the ground.
32 You know more about what's going on in Illinois than Indiana.
31 You don't drink soda, you drink pop.
30 You don't consider pigs as being a domestic pet.
29 Your favorite holiday movie is "A Christmas Story." 28 You can see downtown Chicago from your neighborhood, yet it takes an hour to get there!
27 You think bridges were invented to cross railroad tracks, not rivers.
26 You like White Castle.
25 Your bumper is rusted from road salt.
24 You know that country music sucks.
23 Sometimes you forget that Indiana HAS a football team (Colts?)
22 You don't "Cruise the strip."
21 You are skilled at lane changing and know that "All five lanes on I-80 were MEANT to be used!"
20 You can appreciate the humor of Mancow.
19 You know that beaches exist in places other than Florida and California.
18 You always keep at least $5 in change in your car for tolls.
17 You think all amusement parks are called "Great America"
16 You know that not all passenger trains are powered by steam.
15 You're neighborhood IS a proposed third airport.
14 You know better than to light a match within 5 miles of the Little Calumet River .
13 What the hell is Hardee's?
12 You're not really a "Hoosier"
11 Even though you go to school three hours away, you still cant help but watch WGN news on cable each night.
10 You have motion-sensor lights on your garage and house, but don't lock the doors on either of them!
9 You leave your car running in the parking lot at the store.
8 You end sentences with unnecessary prepositions ("Where is my coat at?" or "I want to go with!")
7 You forget we even have a county fair. Went to my first county fair last year
6 Who needs a county fair anyway when there is August Fest?
5 There is only one LAKE, everything else is a pond.
4 Everyone else at the gas station is from Illinois.
3 The "northern lights" are the flames from Amoco's refinery.
2 You think anything south of US-30 is "Southern Indiana" I've been saying this for years
1 588-2300-EMPIIIIIIIRE

[missteacherlady]

Originally Posted by domergurl

And another!

How to know you're a region rat

Fifty ways to know if you are a Region Rat (Northwest Indiana) ... I'm guilty of the red highlighted ones and I'm a region rat by marriage

50 If anyone asks where you are from that is not from da region you tell them Chicago.
49 You are pale as a ghost from the lack of sun.
48 Oil tanks are more common than trees in your neighborhood.
47 You don't know anything about farming...at least not legal farming.
46 When you need to run out to the store you go to Jewel.
45 You call the interstate the "Tollroad"
44 You know what good pizza tastes like, and its not Papa John's.
43 Running red lights is normal!
42 Midway's not an island, its an airport.
41 You know the night sky is not black, its orange!
40 You know roads are just a place for trains to park across. 39 Only a true region rat can tell which town they are in at any given time.
38 You love Kohl's (store).
37 You measure distance in minutes instead of miles.
36 You understand what "Lake-Effect" is.
35 You don't pronounce the 's' in Illinois and you get aggravated when people do.
34 "What's a sheriff?"
33 School isn't cancelled unless there is at least 20 feet of snow on the ground.
32 You know more about what's going on in Illinois than Indiana.
31 You don't drink soda, you drink pop.
30 You don't consider pigs as being a domestic pet.
29 Your favorite holiday movie is "A Christmas Story." 28 You can see downtown Chicago from your neighborhood, yet it takes an hour to get there!
27 You think bridges were invented to cross railroad tracks, not rivers.
26 You like White Castle.
25 Your bumper is rusted from road salt.
24 You know that country music sucks.
23 Sometimes you forget that Indiana HAS a football team (Colts?)
22 You don't "Cruise the strip."
21 You are skilled at lane changing and know that "All five lanes on I-80 were MEANT to be used!"
20 You can appreciate the humor of Mancow.
19 You know that beaches exist in places other than Florida and California.
18 You always keep at least $5 in change in your car for tolls.
17 You think all amusement parks are called "Great America"
16 You know that not all passenger trains are powered by steam.
15 You're neighborhood IS a proposed third airport.
14 You know better than to light a match within 5 miles of the Little Calumet River .
13 What the hell is Hardee's?
12 You're not really a "Hoosier"
11 Even though you go to school three hours away, you still cant help but watch WGN news on cable each night.
10 You have motion-sensor lights on your garage and house, but don't lock the doors on either of them!
9 You leave your car running in the parking lot at the store.
8 You end sentences with unnecessary prepositions ("Where is my coat at?" or "I want to go with!")
7 You forget we even have a county fair. Went to my first county fair last year
6 Who needs a county fair anyway when there is August Fest?
5 There is only one LAKE, everything else is a pond.
4 Everyone else at the gas station is from Illinois.
3 The "northern lights" are the flames from Amoco's refinery.
2 You think anything south of US-30 is "Southern Indiana" I've been saying this for years
1 588-2300-EMPIIIIIIIRE

#11 is so true!!! I watch WGN... it feels like keeping up with home... I still have a hankering for ABC 7!
588-2300-EMPIIIIIIIRE.... you're crazy for this one LOL... but so true!! (I have this in my head now... thanks LOL)

[domergurl]

I gotta get my Tom Skilling fix!!!