Liberty Township, Porter County, Indiana

Liberty Township
Township
Coordinates: 41°33′38″N 87°04′33″W / 41.56056°N 87.07583°W / 41.56056; -87.07583
CountryUnited States
StateIndiana
CountyPorter
Government
 • TypeIndiana township
 • Township TrusteeMatthew Keiser (R)
Area
 • Total
25.03 sq mi (64.84 km2)
 • Land24.75 sq mi (64.1 km2)
 • Water0.28 sq mi (0.73 km2)
Elevation
[1]
640 ft (195 m)
Population
 (2020)[2]
 • Total
10,908
 • Density376.5/sq mi (145.38/km2)
Time zoneUTC-6 (Central (CST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC-5 (CDT)
Area code219
FIPS code18-43362[3]
GNIS feature ID453559
Websitehttps://libertytrustee.com/

Liberty Township is one of twelve townships in Porter County, Indiana. As of the 2010 census, its population was 9,319.[4]

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1890855—
19008772.6%
19108810.5%
19208880.8%
19301,00913.6%
19401,26725.6%
19501,66631.5%
19602,43946.4%
19703,26033.7%
19805,36764.6%
19905,7406.9%
20006,72717.2%
20109,31938.5%
202010,90817.1%
[5]

History

Liberty Township was organized in 1836.[6]

Cities and towns

The town of Chesterton has grown south from Westchester Township and has incorporated parts of Liberty Township along State Route 49 near the Indiana Toll Road. Otherwise, there are no incorporated communities within the township.[7]

Other locations

Goodrum Junction was a rail junction in the township located east of the intersection of present-day County Road 950 North and Indiana State Road 49. The Goodrum station was the intersection of interurban feeder routes arriving from Valparaiso (the Valparaiso and Northern Railway) and Chesterton and the terminus of the only constructed section of the Chicago – New York Electric Air Line Railroad. The station connected the line to Gary and LaPorte with passengers from northern and southern portions of Porter County.[8]

The station was also the location of a 300-kilowatt power generation plant that supplied electricity to the railroad. It was named after George C. Goodrum, a significant investor in the railroad. The plant began operation on July 17, 1911, and was destroyed after it was struck by lightning in 1925. It was rebuilt the next year in a different location.[8]

Education

Liberty Township is served by the Duneland School Corporation. The elementary school is Liberty Elementary, which serves grades K-4. Liberty Intermediate School serves grades 5 and 6. Chesterton Middle School serves grades 7 and 8. Its high school is Chesterton High School which serves grade 9–12.

References

  1. ^ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. October 25, 2007. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  2. ^ "Census Bureau profile: Liberty Township, Porter County, Indiana". United States Census Bureau. May 2023. Retrieved March 18, 2024.
  3. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  4. ^ "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (DP-1): Liberty township, Porter County, Indiana". U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder. Archived from the original on February 12, 2020. Retrieved March 22, 2013.
  5. ^ "Township Census Counts: STATS Indiana". www.stats.indiana.edu. Retrieved August 18, 2024.
  6. ^ History of Porter County, Indiana : a narrative account of its historical progress, its people and its principal interests. Lewis Publishing Company. 1912. p. 146.
  7. ^ Porter County, Indiana Sesquicentennial, 150, 1836-1986
  8. ^ a b "Historical Images of Porter County Chicago-New York Electric Airline Railroad, Goodrum Power Station Liberty Township, Porter County, Indiana". inportercounty.org. Indiana GenWeb Project. Retrieved September 7, 2019.


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