Miller Beach - Knowledge (XXG)

736:, proprietress of Carr's Beach (now Lake Street Beach), collected rent on more than a hundred beach cottages. With attractions including a shooting gallery, bath house, miniature railroad and "night spots", Carr's Beach was Gary's most popular summer destination in the late 1920s. With the construction and expansion of Marquette Park in the 1930s, and an influx of affluent residents from other parts of Gary in the late 1940s, the neighborhood became increasingly a resort community. It also became a segregated white community, with African-Americans banned from the beaches, and also from the neighborhood except for day workers. 40: 1325: 421: 875: 1073: 463: 1658: 1640: 985: 907: 363: 1532: 334:, is a national landmark containing architecturally significant and historic structures, two bronze sculptures and the location of early experiments in aviation which predate the Wright Brothers flights. Less than an hour from downtown Chicago by car, Miller Beach has attracted Chicagoans as tourists and residents for more than a century. The most affluent area within the municipal boundaries of Gary, Miller Beach contains multiple business districts, including the 1631: 1550: 583: 1523: 105: 1541: 52: 1649: 1247: 1227: 795: 774:, ending a struggle that had begun in the 1890s. The Lakeshore's initial boundaries, however, did not include the Miller Woods and Long Lake areas in Miller Beach. After the death of Senator Douglas in 1976, a Lakeshore expansion bill gained bipartisan support in Congress, as a memorial to him. With the bill's passage, the Lakeshore was expanded by 4,300 acres, including Miller Woods and Long Lake. 721: 125: 3943: 949:, the dune-and-swale ridges of the Tolleston Beach were formed across much of the Calumet Region, including the southern part of Miller Beach. The later and lower Nipissing stage created the high dunes that mark the northern, lakeward part of Miller Beach. Around 2600 BP, the Grand Calumet River formed; prior to the 19th century, it emptied into Lake Michigan at 433:

built during the period of Miller's political independence such as Miller Town Hall and Miller School. The northern part of Miller Beach is chiefly residential and surrounded entirely by national parkland. At the far northeast corner, along County Line Road, Miller's most expensive development, East Edge, rubs shoulders with the Miller Village apartment complex.

1438: 1376: 1287: 378:. The majority of Gary's lakefront is occupied by heavy industry, Miller Beach is the only residential area within Gary's municipal boundaries with unspoiled lake frontage. The shoreline of Miller is publicly owned either by the municipal or federal governments, and beachfront homes are separated from the lake by "an apron of dunes". 1234:

The economy of Miller Beach is dominated by retail and tourism, with no heavy industry. Because of its relatively affluent population and scenic lakefront setting, Miller Beach is also able to attract luxury high-end housing development. Many Miller homeowners commute to work in Chicago or have their

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Downtown Miller Beach is home to the South Shore Centre for the Arts, located in the building once occupied by the Miller School. The Centre provides classes for the general public on subjects including dance, piano, voice, and self-defense. The Centre is also home to the South Shore Dance Alliance,

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Commercial activity in Miller Beach is clustered primarily along Lake Street and U.S. 20, in the neighborhood's southwestern corner. The Lake Street corridor is a traditional downtown area, described by the city government as having a "pedestrian-friendly, 'Main Street' character." The downtown area

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of any part of Miller Beach. Most retail catering to neighborhood residents is concentrated along this corridor. Near the southern end of downtown, the historic Miller Train Station was relocated just a few yards from its original location and is now the main dining room for Miller Pizza Station, a

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As a legacy of the cycles of expansion it has undergone since the 19th century, Miller Beach contains a number of distinct neighborhoods. Miller's traditional core, The Grandlake Historic District, between Lake Street and Grand Boulevard, is home to Miller's oldest homes and civil structures, many

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As of 2011, a US$ 28 million project to improve Marquette Park was underway, funded by a grant from the Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority. Begun in 2009, the project was the first capital improvement to Marquette Park since 1931. In addition to Marquette Park itself, the project

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occurring elsewhere in Gary would be replicated in Miller Beach, local residents formed the Miller Citizens Corporation (MCC) in 1971. Unlike similar groups elsewhere in the city, the goal of the MCC was not to prevent integration, but to slow the process so that events did not spiral out of

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1 million for the first time. As of 2008, the "East Edge" development in northeastern Miller Beach was the city's most expensive, with single-family home prices in excess of $ 500,000. As of 2000, Miller's 4,773 housing units had an owner-occupancy rate of 47.4% and a vacancy rate of 10.3%.

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and disruption during the sudden changes of the 1970s, the MCC quickly expanded into other ways of promoting community stability, including through environmental preservation and zoning ordinances. In the 21st century, the MCC has also been active in addressing city fees and taxation issues.

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and economic dislocation during this period, Miller Beach underwent a stable and peaceful transition through the 1970s to an integrated population with most of the new African-American residents being "upwardly mobile" black professionals. Miller Beach and the previously little-developed

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revenue due to a state-imposed change in assessments of industrial property, the city of Gary nearly doubled tax rates, leading to widespread outcry. Together with other organizations around the state, the Miller Citizens Corporation lobbied successive state governments to impose

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West of Miller's downtown is another multi-block apartment complex, Duneland Village, containing a small baseball park, the 3.47-acre Gibson Fields, home field of Miller Little League for generations. In the opposite direction, more than a mile to the east of downtown on the

627:, ice harvesting, and railroad maintenance. Miller remained very small in this period; only twelve families were present in 1870. Miller acquired its first schoolhouse in the 1860s, and its own post office in 1879. Beginning in the 1880s, the town hosted a small commercial 603:

beginning in 1908. The person for whom the town was named is unknown. An early railroad agent recalled the name as coming from a construction engineer named John Miller who lived in the area, and at whose home the early trains would stop for water and wood between

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in 1851, a train stop first called "Miller's Station" and later "Miller's Junction" or "Miller's", and ultimately "Miller", was established in the present-day downtown area of Miller Beach. A railroad town from its inception, Miller would later also be served by the

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church was organized, meeting originally in the Miller schoolhouse. The town's first English-speaking church, Chapel of the Dunes, was built in 1901. Miller is unusual among communities in the region, in that both of these early churches are still standing. The

1145:"Where else could you catch salmon or trout in the morning, be in easy access to your metropolitan office, attend a major league game in the afternoon, and still enjoy a dinner with the family in a home near the big water or nestled in the wooded dunes?" 763:

control. The MCC worked to stem flight from the community with techniques including positive publicity about Miller's advantages, and banning "For Sale" signs. As part of this effort, the organization also took on environmental issues, including banning

521:, which used the southern end of Lake Michigan as the tract's southern limit. By 1836, the Potawatomi nation had been deprived of all of its lands throughout Indiana. Some Potawatomi, however, remained in the Miller Beach area as landowners, including 689:

first attempted to annex Miller in 1910 as part of a larger territorial dispute with East Chicago. According to the 1910 census, at that time the Town of Miller had a population of 638 people. This initial annexation effort was successfully resisted.

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neighborhood as Gary's wealthiest area, a distinction it has retained ever since. Along with other areas on Gary's periphery, Miller saw strong 70% growth during the 1950s. During this period, Miller Beach developed a sizable Jewish population.

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in Miller Beach, where the Grand Calumet Lagoons are today. The direction of the Grand Calumet was changed in 1862. Because the river is nearly flat, however, the direction of flow through the lagoons sometimes reverses after heavy rains.

1317:. At the neighborhood's edge, a private religious school is operated by Christ Baptist Church in the Glen Ryan area; another private school is located in Aetna. The Miller Beach area is also served by the Roman Catholic schools of the 860:. Another wave of migration from Chicago began in the 1990s. The live and let live style of Miller Beach has also attracted numerous lesbian and gay families to the community over the years- both as part-time and full-time residents. 1688:, it fell into disuse in the mid-20th century and was closed and nearly demolished in 1971. With the support of a society of local residents, the building was remodeled as a combination of an aviation museum and public event space. 890:

The natural landscape of Miller Beach includes "some of the most pristine habitats that remain in Northwest Indiana". The freshwater panne habitat, found at Miller Woods and West Beach, is considered globally imperiled by the

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passed along the south shore of Lake Michigan in 1675, attempting to return to Canada after he had fallen gravely ill on the Mississippi River. According to local tradition, Marquette camped for a night at the mouth of the

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became increasingly aware of the need for a lakefront park for the millworkers and their families. In view of this, Miller and Gary formed a joint parks department in 1915 to administer part of the land that is now

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The Miller Garden Club, founded in 2000, hosts an annual garden walk and plant sale. Miller also hosts several community gardens, one of which is a joint project between Miller's Lutheran and Jewish congregations.

299:. First settled in 1851, Miller Beach was originally an independent town. However, the "Town of Miller" was eventually annexed by the then flourishing city of Gary in 1918. Located in the northeastern corner of 1202:

at Marquette Park. The biweekly farmer's market also functions as a sort of community fair, with information booths from groups such as the Miller Historical Society. In 2011, Miller was the site of the only

2862: 1298:. Public elementary schools in Miller include Marquette Elementary, near Marquette Park, and Banneker Elementary near Long Lake. The public high school for the area is West Side Leadership Academy in Gary. 1588:. The beach of the park, known as Marquette Beach, has been a popular summer destination since the early 20th century. Because of Octave Chanute's experiments in the area, the park has been designated a 3602: 818:

population. The neighborhood's demographic makeup became wealthier and more diverse beginning in the late 1940s as it attracted affluent residents from elsewhere. In 1950, Miller supplanted the

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to residents and visitors. Numerous scheduled lectures, classes and workshops are held there each year. The trails around the Douglas Center additionally provide a self-guided nature tour.

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Miller Beach and the adjacent West Beach area of the National Park provide a stopping point for many migratory birds, thanks to their position at the southernmost tip of Lake Michigan. The

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was elected mayor of Gary, becoming the first African-American mayor of any major US city. The voting in his election was almost entirely along racial lines, with white Democrats voting

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Millerites rallied to incorporate their community as the Town of Miller in 1907, hoping to prevent annexation by Gary following the founding of that then booming city in 1906. Gary mayor

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Smith, S. & Mark, S. (2009). The Historical Roots of the Nature Conservancy in the Northwest Indiana/Chicagoland Region: From Science to Preservation. The South Shore Journal, 3.

4833:"Modification of an index of biotic integrity for assessing vernal ponds and small palustrine wetlands using fish, crayfish, and amphibian assemblages along southern Lake Michigan" 1449:. On weekdays, Miller Station is served by 14 eastbound trains and 12 westbound trains. The South Shore Line has served the neighborhood since 1908, when the line was built as an 1618:. The lagoon has been extensively landscaped in accordance with Jensen's park design. In the center of the lagoon stands a small man-made island, Patterson Island, built by the 1163:

Other major civic organizations in the neighborhood include the Humane Society of Northwest Indiana and Crisis Center. Located in Miller Beach since 1988, Crisis Center provides

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architectural firm. Restoration work on the statue began in October 2010. The Marquette Park Pavilion, constructed in 1924 by Maher, stands immediately across from the statue.

4396: 903:, with only a few isolated pockets remaining. Sand oak savanna, of which Miller Woods provides "one of the finest in the Chicago region", is both globally and state imperiled. 486:

moved in from the north to replace them. The Potawatomi frequently came into the areas now within the Indiana Dunes National lakeshore to hunt, fish and gather food including

413:. In addition, a strip of National Park property separates Miller's northern and southern halves, making the northern half of Miller Beach one of four beachfront communities 1913: 1599:, stands at the park entrance. The statue was installed in 1931 when the park, formerly known as Lake Front Park, was rededicated under its current name. It was created by 838:

Since early in the community's history, many people have moved to Miller Beach from nearby Chicago, "seeking a getaway from the city". Early examples included nonconformist

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has its northern terminus at U.S. 20, at Miller's the southern limit, and connect Miller Beach to communities south of the Little Calumet River, such as Lake Station and

1321:. As of 2011, there were no Catholic schools in Miller Beach, although the local parish did operate a K-8 institution, Saint Mary of The Lake School, from 1949 to 1993. 5161: 4223: 1680:. The Miller Town Hall, built in 1911, was added to the Register in 1978. The Chanute Aquatorium on the Marquette Park lakefront was added to the Register in 1994. A 347: 330:

areas. Indiana Dunes' West Beach area lies immediately to the east of Miller Beach. The entire shoreline of Miller is public beachfront. Miller's large lakefront park,

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A 2.0-mile bicycle trail, the Marquette Greenway, runs through National Lakeshore property from downtown Miller Beach to West Beach in Porter County. Paved with fine

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Home to some of the world's most threatened ecosystems, Miller Beach contains a high proportion of legally protected land. Miller encompasses the westernmost part of

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As white settlement spread across the Upper Midwest in the 19th century, many promoters and speculators sought to attract settlers and commercial development to the

574:. The plat bore the name of "Ewing's Subdivision", as the lots within it still do. Development in Ewing's Subdivision took off when the railroad arrived in 1851. 1267:

neighborhood, is another commercial center. Businesses along U.S. 20 cater primarily to highway and interstate travelers. This corridor is also home to several

354:, Miller Beach exhibits extraordinary socioeconomic, racial and bio diversity. The community has been described as "an island of integration and natural beauty". 3610: 445:. All property in Inland Manor has been acquired by the US government to become part of the National Park, however many residents remain in their homes under 39: 3269: 2529: 1399:(Interstate 90) shares both the Borman's exit at State Road 51, and the Interstate 65 exit. Using the Toll Road, Miller Beach is 36 miles from downtown 600: 1155:

The Miller Citizens Corporation (MCC) has played a key role in Miller Beach politics and society since its foundation in 1971. Founded to help prevent

751:. A key exception to this was in Miller Beach, where Hatcher obtained decisive support from a group of primarily Jewish Millerites who had opposed the 2114: 1558:

Historic structures of downtown Miller Beach: Bethel Lutheran church (1894), Chapel of the Dunes (1901), Miller School (1910), Miller Town Hall (1911).

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At 1,445 plant species, the Park has more species per unit of area than any other national park in the United States. Among these, numerous species of

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as the glaciers melted. Some boreal species remained in hospitable habitats after the climate had warmed, while more heat-tolerant species such as the

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The middle of the three Grand Calumet Lagoons in Miller Beach. The lagoons mark the former mouth and modern-day headwaters of the Grand Calumet River.

1278:, the Farmers' Market seeks to promote a sustainable local economy and allow residents access to high-quality, fresh produce and gourmet foodstuffs. 311:. Miller Beach is also the closest beach/resort community to Chicago, and has been a popular vacation spot since the early 20th century. As of the 2423: 1238:

Home values in Miller are the highest of any area within the municipal boundaries of Gary. In 2006, a home on Miller's lakefront sold for more than

642:, who staged a series of experimental flights from the 70-foot dunes near Lake Street Beach in 1896. Around the same time, the pioneering botanist 591: 4194: 1622:

in the 1930s. The island is connected to the shore by two footbridges: a suspension bridge on the north and a Japanese-style bridge on the south.

5285: 5031: 1275: 536:, but were defeated by the difficult terrain and lack of transportation. In 1833, an inn called the Bennett Tavern was built at the mouth of the 335: 826:

The first house in Miller Beach to be purchased by an African-American family was sold in 1964. Unlike other Gary neighborhoods that saw abrupt

4280: 1840:"South Shore Journal - the Historical Roots of the Nature Conservancy in the Northwest Indiana/Chicagoland Region: From Science to Preservation" 1274:

During the summer months, the Miller Beach Farmers' Market provides an alternative source of fresh food. Begun in 2008 and now sponsored by the

5254: 4065: 1487:, as of 2010, the Marquette Greenway was one of only two bicycle trails within Gary. The Gary Green Links plan calls for additional trails and 1461: 1302: 638:

The combination of proximity to Chicago and a pristine natural environment soon drew visitors from the city. Among them was aviation pioneer

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Miller Beach lies near the nexus of four major interstates: 65, 80, 90, and 94, although none of them pass directly through the neighborhood.

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a "pre-professional" contemporary dance company drawing members from throughout Northwest Indiana and performing throughout the Chicago area.

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As the United States expanded westward in the early 19th century, the Potawatomi were removed from Indiana through a series of treaties and

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and Chicago. Other possible namesakes include an innkeeper for whom train crews dropped off milk, and a foreman who buried his son nearby.

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Landmarks of Marquette Park: Pere Marquette statue by Henry Hering, Marquette Beach, Chanute Aquatorium, Japanese bridge on East Lagoon

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This varied landscape of dunes and wetlands is the legacy of fluctuations in Lake Michigan and the Grand Calumet River since the

446: 612: 65: 2912: 979: 702:. Encountering difficulties purchasing this land, however, Gary sought to annex Miller so that it could seize the property by 474:

When Lake Michigan first entered recorded history in the early 1600s, the land at the lake's southern end was populated by the

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rebound of the earth's crust led to a series of different lake levels, each of which left a mark on the landscape. During the

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in downtown Gary. At the Metro Center, passengers can transfer to buses serving other parts of Gary and towns as distant as

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in the 1820s and 1830s. Indian Boundary Road in Miller Beach marks the border of a tract ceded in one such treaty, the 1826

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covers the entire lakefront of Miller Beach, including the Lake Street and Wells Street beaches, for a total of 241 acres.

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that ran along the shoreline. It stood for only a few years. The first man to plat a town in modern-day Miller Beach was

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The South Shore Centre for the Arts in downtown Miller Beach. The building was constructed in 1910 as the Miller School.

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in the early 1900s. In the 1950s, as it gained prominence as a resort area. Miller's many new residents included author

3917: 1003:, which includes large areas in and around Miller Beach, is a place of extremely high biodiversity. The neighborhood's 5024: 3771: 3273: 1760: 1710: 1000: 963: 869: 856: 442: 390: 319: 308: 137: 4501: 3752: 1324: 5264: 5166: 1568:. Covering 159.4 acres of dunes and beaches, the park was designed in the 1920s by pioneering landscape architect 971: 632: 2533: 1349: 1341: 1306: 935: 351: 303:, the former town is now known as "The Miller Beach Community." Miller Beach borders Lake Michigan to the north, 149: 366:

Map of Miller Beach and environs, showing the neighborhood's approximate boundary as defined by the City of Gary

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presidential campaign in 1968 and had subsequently supported Hatcher in his bid for the Gary Common Council.

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Protected lands separate Miller Beach from most of its neighbors, except for the smaller Gary neighborhood of

5137: 2294: 1600: 1577: 1360: 1027: 728:, in downtown Miller Beach. The branch dates to 1913, although the current building was constructed in 1991. 663: 518: 678: 5017: 2908: 1199: 1042: 1023: 946: 919: 874: 4458:

A Signature of Time and Eternity: The Administrative History of Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, Indiana

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Additional community education facilities include the Paul Douglas Center for Environmental Education in

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also passes along the community's southern edge. Highways 12 and 20 connect Miller to the interstates,

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The Miller Town Hall, built in 1911. After Miller's annexation, the structure was used as a firehouse.

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has been conducted, several species are believed to be present in the area, including the endangered

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Miller Beach has had a vibrant religious life dating back to 1874, when the Swedish-speaking Bethel

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in Valparaiso. There are no colleges or universities within Miller Beach itself. The 2005-2009

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Miller Woods is home to 18 species of reptiles and amphibians, giving it one of the most diverse

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A wide range of species of wild mammals inhabit the natural areas of Miller Beach, including the

989: 892: 883: 803: 4456: 3993: 1211:. Called "Northwest Indiana Rainbow Days," the annual parade has been held in Gary since 2006. 566:

In 1837, the area that would become downtown Miller was purchased and platted by Indian traders

1391:, Interstates 80 and 94 have exits just southwest and south of Miller, at Interstate 65 and at 706:. In 1918, the town board voted to accept annexation, ending Miller's political independence. 4984: 4947: 4928: 4909: 4874: 4801: 4782: 4721: 4686: 4667: 4597: 4578: 4559: 4535: 4511: 4487: 4425: 4381: 4362: 4343: 3534: 3143: 1681: 1596: 1465: 1396: 1388: 1208: 1058: 611:

Swedes began to migrate to the United States in large numbers in the 1860s as a result of the

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Environmental Inequalities: Class, Race, and Industrial Pollution in Gary, Indiana, 1945-1980

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GPTC bus with bike rack, passing through the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore in Miller Beach

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area alone is home to 287 species of plants and animals, including the federally endangered

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neighborhood were the only areas in Gary to experience population growth during the 1970s.

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connecting Miller Beach to other towns and neighborhoods. As of 2011, however, the 46403

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found that approximately 28% of Miller Beach residents had a bachelor's degree or higher.

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Wirt Emerson, a magnet school for the visual and performing arts, located in Miller Beach

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