Schererville is a town in
St. John Township,
Lake County,
Indiana
Indiana () is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States. It is the 38th-largest by area and the 17th-most populous of the 50 States. Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis. Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th s ...
, United States. The population was 29,646 at the 2020 census It is a suburb of
Chicago
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
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located just 30 miles south of the city
History
Long before Indiana became a state, long before the founding of Schererville, people called the area the "Crossroads," as several Native American trails intersected here, that later became routes for the wagons of settlers traveling west.
One of those settlers was Nicholas Scherer, who was born in 1830 at Scheuern, today part of
Tholey
Tholey () is a municipality in the district of Sankt Wendel, in Saarland, Germany. It is situated approximately west of Sankt Wendel, and north of Saarbrücken.
History
Local history
The first traces of settlement in the area of today's Thole ...
,
Saarland
The Saarland (, ; french: Sarre ) is a state of Germany in the south west of the country. With an area of and population of 990,509 in 2018, it is the smallest German state in area apart from the city-states of Berlin, Bremen, and Hamburg, and ...
, in southwestern
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
, who arrived in the U.S. in 1846. When he came to this place at the southern tip of Lake Michigan in 1865, he founded the community that bears his name.
Today, trails still cross at Schererville, the modern trails of a motorized society, U.S. Highways 41 and 30. Nearby are newer trails, I-80/94 and I-65. All these are primary transcontinental routes and gives Schererville its slogan: "Crossroads of the Nation."
The town was named one of the "100 Best Places to Live in the U.S." by
Money Magazine
''Money'' is an American personal finance brand and website owned by Ad Practitioners LLC and formerly also a monthly magazine, first published by Time Inc. (1972–2018) and later by Meredith Corporation (2018–2019). Its articles cover the g ...
in 2007.
Schererville's former Town Council President, Perry Ferrini, died on December 13, 2009. The Town Council's new president became Jerry Tippy, and the vacant seat held by Perry was filled by Sharon Moore on January 9, 2010.
The town of Schererville celebrated its sesquicentennial in September, 2016.
Geography
Schererville is located at (41.489135, -87.443137)
in Lake County, Indiana. Schererville is 11 miles south of the Lake Michigan shore and 2 miles east of the Indiana/Illinois state line.
Considered part of the
Chicago metropolitan area
The Chicago metropolitan area, also colloquially referred to as Chicagoland, is a metropolitan area in the Midwestern United States. Encompassing 10,286 sq mi (28,120 km2), the metropolitan area includes the city of Chicago, its suburbs and hi ...
and located just 30 miles from
Chicago
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
, image_map =
, map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago
, coordinates =
, coordinates_footnotes =
, subdivision_type = Country
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, Schererville is considered a suburb of this municipality. Many residents commute daily for school and work.
According to the 2010 census, Schererville has a total area of , of which (or 99.64%) is land and (or 0.36%) is water.
One of Schererville's neighborhoods,
Briar Ridge
Briar Ridge is a gated, upscale residential community partly in Dyer and partly in Schererville, in Lake County, Indiana. The neighborhood has a golf course, a community pool, and a dining hall.
Overview
Bordered on the south by 213th St, on ...
, spans both Schererville and adjacent
Dyer.
The ridge south of Route 30 is the
Glenwood Shoreline
The Glenwood Shoreline is an ancient shoreline of the precursor to Lake Michigan, Lake Chicago. It is named after the town of Glenwood, Illinois. The shoreline was formed when the lake was higher during the last ice age, while ice blocked the Stra ...
.
Demographics
2010 census
As of the
census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...
of 2010, there were 29,243 people, 11,883 households, and 7,981 families living in the town. The
population density
Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...
was . There were 12,393 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 86.8%
White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...
, 5.4%
African American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 0.2%
Native American, 2.8%
Asian
Asian may refer to:
* Items from or related to the continent of Asia:
** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia
** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia
** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, 2.9% from
other races
Other often refers to:
* Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy
Other or The Other may also refer to:
Film and television
* ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack
* ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...
, and 1.8% from two or more races.
Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad.
The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...
or
Latino
Latino or Latinos most often refers to:
* Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America
* Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States
* The people or cultures of Latin America;
** Latin A ...
of any race were 10.6% of the population.
There were 11,883 households, of which 29.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.3% were
married couples
Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...
living together, 9.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.2% had a male householder with no wife present, and 32.8% were non-families. 27.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 3.03.
The median age in the town was 40.9 years. 22.1% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.7% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 25.9% were from 25 to 44; 30.3% were from 45 to 64; and 14% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 48.5% male and 51.5% female.
As of 2010, the median income for a household in the town was $66,160 while the mean income for a household in the town was $77,738. The median income for a family was $84,507 and the mean income for a family was $92,404. The estimated per capita income for the town was $31,983. About 4.3% of families and 7.1% of the population were estimated to be below the poverty line.
2000 census
As of the
census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...
of 2000, there were 24,851 people, 9,660 households, and 6,829 families living in the town. The population density was . There were 10,006 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 91.45%
White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...
, 2.14%
African American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 0.11%
Native American, 2.56%
Asian
Asian may refer to:
* Items from or related to the continent of Asia:
** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia
** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia
** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, 0.04%
Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe the original p ...
, 2.03% from
other races
Other often refers to:
* Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy
Other or The Other may also refer to:
Film and television
* ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack
* ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...
, and 1.66% from two or more races.
Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad.
The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...
or
Latino
Latino or Latinos most often refers to:
* Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America
* Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States
* The people or cultures of Latin America;
** Latin A ...
of any race were 6.34% of the population.
There were 9,660 households, out of which 32.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.0% were
married couples
Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...
living together, 8.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.3% were non-families. 24.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.08.
In the town, the population was spread out, with 24.3% under the age of 18, 8.7% from 18 to 24, 30.6% from 25 to 44, 26.1% from 45 to 64, and 10.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.9 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $59,243, and the median income for a family was $70,474. Males had a median income of $50,732 versus $30,745 for females. The
per capita income
Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population.
Per capita i ...
for the town was $28,528. About 1.4% of families and 3.1% of the population were below the
poverty line
The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...
, including 1.9% of those under age 18 and 2.2% of those age 65 or over.
Education
Schererville is served by the
Lake Central School Corporation
Lake Central School Corporation is a public school district
A school district is a special-purpose district that operates local public primary and secondary schools in various nations.
North America United States
In the U.S, most K†...
, which also services the adjacent towns of
St. John and
Dyer.
''List of schools - Lake Central School Corporation:''
*
Lake Central High School
Lake Central High School (LCHS) is a high school in St. John, Indiana, for students in grades nine through twelve. Its students come from St. John Township which includes the towns of St. John and Dyer (north of 101st Ave), the entire town of ...
(St. John)
*Grimmer Middle School
*Kahler Middle School (Dyer)
*Clark Middle School (St. John)
*Peifer Elementary
*Bibich Elementary (Dyer)
*Kolling Elementary (St. John)
*Homan Elementary
*Protsman Elementary (Dyer)
*Watson Elementary
*St. Michael School
Private schools in the town includ
St. Michael Catholic School a Roman Catholic school run by the
Diocese of Gary and the Forest Ridge Academy. The campus of Hammond Baptist Schools, affiliated with the
First Baptist Church of Hammond, is also located in Schererville. Other private schools Schererville residents attend include
Andrean High School
Andrean High School is a co-educational, college preparatory secondary school in Merrillville, Indiana. It is located in the Diocese of Gary.
The school was founded in 1959, and named for St. Andrew, the patron saint of the first bishop of the di ...
(Merrillville),
Bishop Noll Institute
Bishop Noll Institute is a private, Roman Catholic high school in Hammond, Indiana. It is part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Gary.
History
The school opened as Catholic Central High School on September 16, 1921. It was founded by the Sisters ...
(Hammond), St. John Evangelist School (St. John),
Illiana Christian High School
Illiana Christian High School is a private Christian school in Dyer, Indiana.
History
Illiana Christian was founded in 1945 as a school for the children of Dutch Reformed immigrants in the area.
The original campus was located at 2261 Indiana ...
(Dyer),
Marian Catholic High School (Chicago Heights, IL), and
Mount Carmel High School (Chicago, IL)
Public libraries
Lake County Public Library operates the Dyer-Schererville Branch, which also serves
Dyer, at 1001 West Lincoln Highway in Schererville.
Newspaper
Schererville is served by ''
The Times of Northwest Indiana
''The Times of Northwest Indiana'' (NWI) is a daily newspaper headquartered in Munster, Indiana. It is the second-largest newspaper in Indiana, behind only ''The Indianapolis Star''.
History
The paper was founded on June 18, 1906, as ''The Lake ...
'', and ''The Post-Tribune'', which is owned by the ''
Chicago Tribune
The ''Chicago Tribune'' is a daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States, owned by Tribune Publishing. Founded in 1847, and formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" (a slogan for which WGN radio and television ar ...
''.
Recreational sports
The Schererville Soccer Club provides a soccer environment for boys and girls ages 4–17 (U6 through REC Plus.)
There is also Tri-Town Football for ages going all the way to 15 or 16 years of age.
Transportation
Schererville residents and visitors fly via Chicago's
O'Hare International or
Midway.
The
Borman Expressway (I-80/94/US 6), the
Indiana Toll Road
The Indiana Toll Road, officially the Indiana East–West Toll Road, is a tolled freeway that runs for east–west across northern Indiana from the Illinois state line to the Ohio state line. It has been advertised as the "Main Street of the ...
,
Interstate 65
Interstate 65 (I-65) is a major north–south Interstate Highway in the central United States. As with most primary Interstates ending in 5, it is a major crosscountry, north–south route, connecting between the Great Lakes and the Gulf ...
,
US 12
U.S. Route 12 (US 12) is an east–west United States highway, running from Aberdeen, Washington, to Detroit, Michigan, for almost . The highway has mostly been superseded by Interstate 90 (I-90) and I-94, but unlike most U.S. routes tha ...
and
US 20
U.S. Route 20 or U.S. Highway 20 (US 20) is an east–west United States Numbered Highway that stretches from the Pacific Northwest east to New England. The "0" in its route number indicates that US 20 is a major coast-to-coast route. S ...
are within a radius of Schererville.
Commuters to nearby Chicago rely on local South Shore Line with train service from
Millennium Station
Millennium Station (formerly Randolph Street Terminal; sometimes called Randolph Street station or Randolph/South Water Street station) is a major commuter rail terminal in the Loop (downtown), Chicago. It is the northern terminus of the Metra E ...
in Chicago to the South Bend International Airport in South Bend, IN. In 2014 an extensive expansion and improvement project was started to improve reliability, frequency and efficiency for daily commuters. Completion of this upgraded service is expected in 2024.
Nickname
The town's nickname, "The Crossroads of America," stems from the fact that
U.S. Route 41
U.S. Route 41, also U.S. Highway 41 (US 41), is a major north–south United States Numbered Highway that runs from Miami, Florida, to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Until 1949, the part in southern Florida, from Naples to Miami, ...
, (stemming from Upper Peninsula Michigan to
Miami, Florida
Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a East Coast of the United States, coastal metropolis and the County seat, county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade C ...
)
U.S. Route 30
U.S. Route 30 or U.S. Highway 30 (US 30) is an east–west main route in the system of the United States Numbered Highways, with the highway traveling across the northern tier of the country. With a length of , it is the third longest ...
, (stemming from
Atlantic City, New Jersey
Atlantic City, often known by its initials A.C., is a coastal resort city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States. The city is known for its casinos, boardwalk, and beaches. In 2020, the city had a population of 38,497. to
Astoria, Oregon
Astoria is a port city and the seat of Clatsop County, Oregon, United States. Founded in 1811, Astoria is the oldest city in the state and was the first permanent American settlement west of the Rocky Mountains. The county is the northwest corne ...
) and the old
Lincoln Highway
The Lincoln Highway is the first transcontinental highway in the United States and one of the first highways designed expressly for automobiles. Conceived in 1912 by Indiana entrepreneur Carl G. Fisher, and formally dedicated October 31, 1913 ...
(the east end starting in
Times Square
Times Square is a major commercial intersection, tourist destination, entertainment hub, and neighborhood in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. It is formed by the junction of Broadway, Seventh Avenue, and 42nd Street. Together with adjacent ...
and the west end starting in
Lincoln Park
Lincoln Park is a park along Lake Michigan on the North Side of Chicago, Illinois. Named after US President Abraham Lincoln, it is the city's largest public park and stretches for seven miles (11 km) from Grand Avenue (500 N), on the south, ...
in
San Francisco, CA
San Francisco (; Spanish for " Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the fourth most populous in California and 17th ...
) intersect in Schererville.
Notable residents
*
Tyler Wideman
Tyler Wideman (born November 18, 1995) is an American professional basketball player for A.S. Ramat HaSharon of the Israeli National League. He played college basketball at Butler Bulldogs from 2014 to 2018 before playing professionally in Croati ...
(born 1995), American basketball player in the
Israeli National League
References
External links
Town of Schererville, Indiana website
{{Authority control
Northwest Indiana
Towns in Indiana
Chicago metropolitan area
Towns in Lake County, Indiana
Populated places established in 1866
1866 establishments in Indiana