Portage, IN

Portage is the largest city in Porter County, Indiana, and part of the industrial and commuter landscape of Northwest Indiana. Before European settlement, Native peoples lived in the area, and later growth was shaped by railroads, highways, and Lake Michigan industry. National Steel opened a plant along the lakefront, tying Portage to the region's heavy manufacturing story. Today the Portage Township Schools system includes elementary, middle, and high schools, while the city functions as a practical link between Chicago, the dunes, and Indiana's steel corridor.