8 FIELD OPERATIONS OF THE BUREAU OF SOILS, 191G. 



the Kankakee River, where they turn toward the west and flow into 

 that stream, which is a tributary of the Mississippi River. 



Surface drainage is quite complete through the morainic belt, 

 except for minor depressions. It is also fairly good in the lake 

 plains, although in the Kankakee Basin it is largely effected by 

 dredged ditches and smaller laterals. The higher outwash soils are 

 well drained through their porous substratum. In the lake plain in 

 the northwestern part of the county the stream channels are cut 

 down about 15 to 30 feet, at which depth there are evidences of 

 more porous strata. However, these sand beds are too deep to afford 

 underdrainage. The drainage of a large part of the county could be 

 improved by the extension of the ditches and the use of tile. 



Porter County was organized in 1836. The early settlers were 

 largely from other parts of Indiana and the eastern States. Eighty 

 years ago much of the land was occupied by Indians of the Potta- 

 watamie, Chippewa, Sac, and other tribes. In later years there was 

 a considerable influx of settlers of Swedish, Norwegian, and German 

 descent. Recently farmers from Illinois have come into the county 

 and settled on the black lands. 



The census of 1880 gives the urban population of Porter County as 

 4,461, and the rural population as 12,766. .In 1910 the urban popu- 

 lation was 6,987 and the rural population 13,553, or about 33 persons 

 per square mile.^ Of the population classed as rural probably 3,000 

 reside in small towns. The most densely populated districts are 

 found around the old settlements such as Valparaiso, Chesterton, 

 and Hebron. The population of the Kankakee region, which has 

 more recently been reclaimed, is relatively sparse. There are very 

 few houses north of the Chicago, Lake Shore & South Bend traction 

 hue, along Lake Michigan. 



Valparaiso, the county seat, has a population of 6,987, according 

 to the 1910 census. It was established before Chicago, and is a weU- 

 improved, prosperous town. Valparaiso University is located here. 

 Chesterton, in the northern part of the county, is a prosperous town 

 of about 1,400. In Porter, an adjoining town, there are several 

 factories. Hebron has a population of about 850. Hebron and 

 Kouts are in the southern part of the county. Wheeler, McCool, 

 Crocker, Burdick, Boone Grove, and Maiden are small railroad towns. 



Porter County is traversed in a general cast and west direction by 

 10 main-Hue raih-oads and several branch railroad lines and traction 

 lines. From north to south these are the branch hne of the Chicago 

 & Indiana Southern Raih'oad to Dune Park, the main double-track 

 line of the New York Central Railroad, the Chicago, Lake Shore & 

 South Bend Electric line, the double-track main Une of the Baltimore 

 & Ohio Railroad, the Wabash main line, the Elgin, Joliet & Eastern 



' The census classes only the population of towns of over 2,500 as urban. 



