NW Indiana's border limits

[Mr.Robo]

I must say that I agree with RRAH. Even Southern Lake County is different than Northern Lake County. The original "Region" was always Gary, Hammond, and East Chicago, and then their suburbs. Jasper and Newton counties came later since they were too far from Indy and closer to us plus with some of ours and Chicago's Population moving there and commuting for work up North since land is cheaper there. I think that will even slow since Gas Prices have never been higher. I spent thirty three years in the Glen Park section of Gary where my entire family is from and was the last one to get out two years ago where I now Live in Crown Point and yes I'm white with and even have a college degree. I now have nine years in at Mittal Steel (Former Inland Steel in East Chicago, was still inland when I started). I find my new neighbors a world apart from where I came from and really don't fit in too well. They think I am beneath them in not so many words and some type of bad ass rift raft from up North when in fact I was a Gary Police Officer for five years but left for better pay in the mill. I don't know which is worse to tell people, That I am from Gary or was a Gary cop or both. Shame that people think that every single one of us is a bad apple.

[WildWestDude]

from above:
"I don't know which is worse to tell people, That I am from Gary or was a Gary cop or both. Shame that people think that every single one of us is a bad apple."

I fell ya. I was born in Gary and will rarely admit to that fact. Somehow people think you're lower class. Never mind that it was one of the best places to live in the early 60's

[aar2697]

Originally Posted by Mr.Robo

I must say that I agree with RRAH. Even Southern Lake County is different than Northern Lake County. The original "Region" was always Gary, Hammond, and East Chicago, and then their suburbs. Jasper and Newton counties came later since they were too far from Indy and closer to us plus with some of ours and Chicago's Population moving there and commuting for work up North since land is cheaper there. I think that will even slow since Gas Prices have never been higher. I spent thirty three years in the Glen Park section of Gary where my entire family is from and was the last one to get out two years ago where I now Live in Crown Point and yes I'm white with and even have a college degree. I now have nine years in at Mittal Steel (Former Inland Steel in East Chicago, was still inland when I started). I find my new neighbors a world apart from where I came from and really don't fit in too well. They think I am beneath them in not so many words and some type of bad ass rift raft from up North when in fact I was a Gary Police Officer for five years but left for better pay in the mill. I don't know which is worse to tell people, That I am from Gary or was a Gary cop or both. Shame that people think that every single one of us is a bad apple.

My uncle and dad grew up in Glen Park and my uncle still lives there, but my dad moved to Cedar Lake and died here. My English teacher called us region rats so I googled that and saw this.

[domergurl]

Originally Posted by aar2697

My uncle and dad grew up in Glen Park and my uncle still lives there, but my dad moved to Cedar Lake and died here. My English teacher called us region rats so I googled that and saw this.

you can buy "region rat" t-shirts!

[cmitseff]

Let's admit that the region is basically an extension of the Chicago suburbs which are highly populated in large part due to the people who work in or around Chicago. So to answer the question, the borders of the region would be anywhere where people find it too far to commute to Chicago for work. In my mind, this stretches as far east as La Porte, as far south as Lowell (but not Hebron or Kouts or De Motte), and obviously the Illinois border to the west and lake to the north. Any towns within that area have many residents that commute to Chicago.

[rustynail8]

I would say Lake and Porter county, and small portions of La Porte County. These are the counties that get their news from Chicago. So the counties that get their weather info from Chicago I would put them into that category.

[04JETTA]

I think the census bureau definition is fine

[Chuckity]

Originally Posted by rustynail8

I would say Lake and Porter county, and small portions of La Porte County. These are the counties that get their news from Chicago. So the counties that get their weather info from Chicago I would put them into that category.

You would also need to include Newton & Jasper by that definition.

[Tk101]

Originally Posted by Mr.Robo

Ok, The term Region Rat derives from the lake county area because the little calumet river flows thru and the term "Rat" from the old steel mill term "Millrat" which derives from the huge rat infestations decades ago and the size of them in the steelmills along northern Indiana. Hence a union steelworker employee was a "millrat" and people who lived in a area that was around steel mills were coined region rats just because of the proximity to the mills which helped form the area as we know it and funded the local economies as well as workers and ever support companies and businesses to the mills. We are shunned by the rest of the state of Indiana and made fun of from Chicagoans who think we are still the same as "Indiana Bumpkins" so since we are basically on our own, we have a thick skin and call ourselves Region rats since we fit in nowhere but in our "Region"

pretty much agree with the above. I find it funny that people from chicago think that becuase NWI residence aren't apart of chicago's metro area or they think we are "rural backwards folk common in the rest of the state"... Some of friends in the northwest suburbs(Barrington, Hoffman Estates and Schuamburg) of chicago would joke about me being from as you meantioned.. Indiana bumpkins... its funny becuase i was actually born in chicago city proper and moved to NWI before grammar school.