Small Town Breakdown No. 25: Whiting, Indiana
In 2025 we are highlighting 52 small towns across the state of Indiana in 52 weeks. For our 25th small town breakdown of the year, we’re going from Syracuse in Kosciusko County to Whiting in Lake County. Whiting is 2 hours and 40 minutes north of Indianapolis, 2 hours and 50 minutes northwest of Fort Wayne, 1 hour and 25 minutes west of South Bend, and 45 minutes south of downtown Chicago.
The History of Lake County and Whiting, Indiana
Lake County was founded in 1837 and named for its location on the southern end of Lake Michigan. It is the second-most populated county in Indiana behind Marion County and sits in the northwest corner of the state. Liverpool was Lake County’s original county seat until Lake Court House (eventually renamed Crown Point) was chosen in 1840.
The area where Whiting sits today was initially part of what was classified as swamp land. Then in 1851, the Michigan Southern Railroad was built – the first of three railroads in the area that attracted German settlers.
The town was originally named “Pop Whiting’s Siding” for railroad engineer Herbert Lloyd “Pop” Whiting, who was involved in a significant railroad accident in 1869 when he ditched his heavy freight train to give way for a fast passenger train coming behind him. It then became Whiting in 1871 but was officially founded in 1889 when the Standard Oil Company purchased lakefront land for its much-needed Midwestern site. Whiting eventually incorporated as a town in 1895 and city in 1903.
As of the 2023 census Whiting’s population was 4,506, making it the third-smallest of 19 incorporated towns/cities in Lake County – bigger than only New Chicago and Schneider. Whiting is the 143rd largest city in Indiana.
Things to Do In or Near Whiting, Indiana
Festivals are commonplace in the region, and none are bigger than the annual Pierogi Fest in Whiting. The first Pierogi Fest took place in 1993 and was just 50 feet in length with a few vendors, a few dozen people in the parade, and approximately 1,200 pierogies served. Nowadays, Pierogi Fest has grown to a mile long with dozens of food vendors, live musical entertainment, over 300,000 attendees and over a million pierogies served annually. The Pierogi Fest parade and festival have been featured on the Food Network and the Travel Channel. This year’s Pierogi Fest is July 25-27.
In nearby Hammond, Festival of the Lakes – which began as AugustFest in 1984 to commemorate Hammond’s 100th anniversary and the Centennial of Wolf Lake Park – has free concerts, carnival rides, food vendors and more. Mark your calendar for July 16-20 and take in one or all of the concerts, including John Fogerty, Brantley Gilbert, Akon or Third Eye Blind.
The first Empanada Fest was organized in September 2022 by the Whiting Hispanic Heritage Organization. It was created as a scholarship fundraiser and also brings awareness to the Latino Hispanic community in Whiting. It is celebrated each year now during Hispanic Heritage Month. This year’s event runs from 10 a.m. - 11 p.m. on Saturday, September 6, and includes empanada, food and craft vendors, music, a beer garden and entertainment.
Stroll the boardwalk in Whiting Lakefront Park along the shores of Lake Michigan. The park has pavilions available for rent, four tennis courts, two sand volleyball courts, a baseball diamond, fishing pier and fishing pond.
Adjacent to Whiting Lakefront Park is Whihala Beach Park, the perfect spot for swimming, kayaking and paddleboarding. It’s also home to the WhoaZone, an inflatable on-water obstacle course where kids and teens can jump, bounce, run, splash and play. The WhoaZone is open daily through August 17.
Take in a ballgame at Oil City Stadium at Standard Diamonds Park, home to the baseball programs from Whiting High School, Calumet College of St. Joseph, and Northwest Indiana Oilmen of the collegiate Northern League. Oil City Stadium was part of Whiting’s $50 million Lakefront Development Project and was named as such to celebrate the city’s history as a refinery town. The BP Refinery is located beyond the outfield fence.
Places to Eat or Grab a Drink in Whiting, Indiana
Get your day started at Cielito Lindo Cafe, which has locations in both Whiting and Hammond. The Latino-inspired coffee shop and bakery serves up Mexican pastries like Pan Dulce (sweet bread) along with horchata lattes, champurrado, abuelita frappes, iced coffee, boba tea, and more.
Open since 1990, Keith’s Bar and Grill is a favorite for locals. The appetizer menu suggests Keith’s Shrimp Cocktail, even mentioning that when you’re in Indy, you try St. Elmo, but when you’re in Whiting, you try Keith’s. The main menu includes seafood options like salmon, tuna and scallops along with baby back ribs, chicken saltimbocca and prime rib.
Rudy, Rudy, Rudy!
Part of the 1993 biographical sports movie “Rudy” was filmed in Whiting. Daniel “Rudy” Ruettiger had dreams of playing football at the University of Notre Dame, but his family didn’t have the income to cover tuition and his grades didn’t qualify him for a scholarship. He eventually broke away from the steel mill in which his dad worked and made his dream a reality with the Fighting Irish.
Whiting High School History and State Championships
Whiting High School was founded in 1898 when locals decided that eight students attending neighboring high schools were enough to start a local high school. Since then the school has won three IHSAA state championships.
Boys swimming & diving won the school’s first state title in 1933, and it took another seven decades until the Oilers climbed to the top in any sport. That sport was softball, with championships coming in 2006 and 2008. The ‘06 squad finished a perfect 33-0 season with a 3-0 win over Lanesville in the 1A state finals, and the ‘08 team went 34-0 and defeated Tecumseh 3-0 in the 1A championship game. The softball team also lost in the state semifinals to the eventual 1A champions in 2003, 2004 and 2009.
That’s it for small town breakdown No. 25 of 2025. Where should we head next?
Small Town Breakdown No. 25: Whiting, Indiana
In 2025 we are highlighting 52 small towns across the state of Indiana in 52 weeks. For our 25th small town breakdown of the year, we’re going from Syracuse in Kosciusko County to Whiting in Lake County. Whiting is 2 hours and 40 minutes north of Indianapolis, 2 hours and 50 minutes northwest of Fort Wayne, 1 hour and 25 minutes west of South Bend, and 45 minutes south of downtown Chicago.
The History of Lake County and Whiting, Indiana
Lake County was founded in 1837 and named for its location on the southern end of Lake Michigan. It is the second-most populated county in Indiana behind Marion County and sits in the northwest corner of the state. Liverpool was Lake County’s original county seat until Lake Court House (eventually renamed Crown Point) was chosen in 1840.
The area where Whiting sits today was initially part of what was classified as swamp land. Then in 1851, the Michigan Southern Railroad was built – the first of three railroads in the area that attracted German settlers.
The town was originally named “Pop Whiting’s Siding” for railroad engineer Herbert Lloyd “Pop” Whiting, who was involved in a significant railroad accident in 1869 when he ditched his heavy freight train to give way for a fast passenger train coming behind him. It then became Whiting in 1871 but was officially founded in 1889 when the Standard Oil Company purchased lakefront land for its much-needed Midwestern site. Whiting eventually incorporated as a town in 1895 and city in 1903.
As of the 2023 census Whiting’s population was 4,506, making it the third-smallest of 19 incorporated towns/cities in Lake County – bigger than only New Chicago and Schneider. Whiting is the 143rd largest city in Indiana.
Things to Do In or Near Whiting, Indiana
Festivals are commonplace in the region, and none are bigger than the annual Pierogi Fest in Whiting. The first Pierogi Fest took place in 1993 and was just 50 feet in length with a few vendors, a few dozen people in the parade, and approximately 1,200 pierogies served. Nowadays, Pierogi Fest has grown to a mile long with dozens of food vendors, live musical entertainment, over 300,000 attendees and over a million pierogies served annually. The Pierogi Fest parade and festival have been featured on the Food Network and the Travel Channel. This year’s Pierogi Fest is July 25-27.
In nearby Hammond, Festival of the Lakes – which began as AugustFest in 1984 to commemorate Hammond’s 100th anniversary and the Centennial of Wolf Lake Park – has free concerts, carnival rides, food vendors and more. Mark your calendar for July 16-20 and take in one or all of the concerts, including John Fogerty, Brantley Gilbert, Akon or Third Eye Blind.
The first Empanada Fest was organized in September 2022 by the Whiting Hispanic Heritage Organization. It was created as a scholarship fundraiser and also brings awareness to the Latino Hispanic community in Whiting. It is celebrated each year now during Hispanic Heritage Month. This year’s event runs from 10 a.m. - 11 p.m. on Saturday, September 6, and includes empanada, food and craft vendors, music, a beer garden and entertainment.
Stroll the boardwalk in Whiting Lakefront Park along the shores of Lake Michigan. The park has pavilions available for rent, four tennis courts, two sand volleyball courts, a baseball diamond, fishing pier and fishing pond.
Adjacent to Whiting Lakefront Park is Whihala Beach Park, the perfect spot for swimming, kayaking and paddleboarding. It’s also home to the WhoaZone, an inflatable on-water obstacle course where kids and teens can jump, bounce, run, splash and play. The WhoaZone is open daily through August 17.
Take in a ballgame at Oil City Stadium at Standard Diamonds Park, home to the baseball programs from Whiting High School, Calumet College of St. Joseph, and Northwest Indiana Oilmen of the collegiate Northern League. Oil City Stadium was part of Whiting’s $50 million Lakefront Development Project and was named as such to celebrate the city’s history as a refinery town. The BP Refinery is located beyond the outfield fence.
Places to Eat or Grab a Drink in Whiting, Indiana
Get your day started at Cielito Lindo Cafe, which has locations in both Whiting and Hammond. The Latino-inspired coffee shop and bakery serves up Mexican pastries like Pan Dulce (sweet bread) along with horchata lattes, champurrado, abuelita frappes, iced coffee, boba tea, and more.
Open since 1990, Keith’s Bar and Grill is a favorite for locals. The appetizer menu suggests Keith’s Shrimp Cocktail, even mentioning that when you’re in Indy, you try St. Elmo, but when you’re in Whiting, you try Keith’s. The main menu includes seafood options like salmon, tuna and scallops along with baby back ribs, chicken saltimbocca and prime rib.
Rudy, Rudy, Rudy!
Part of the 1993 biographical sports movie “Rudy” was filmed in Whiting. Daniel “Rudy” Ruettiger had dreams of playing football at the University of Notre Dame, but his family didn’t have the income to cover tuition and his grades didn’t qualify him for a scholarship. He eventually broke away from the steel mill in which his dad worked and made his dream a reality with the Fighting Irish.
Whiting High School History and State Championships
Whiting High School was founded in 1898 when locals decided that eight students attending neighboring high schools were enough to start a local high school. Since then the school has won three IHSAA state championships.
Boys swimming & diving won the school’s first state title in 1933, and it took another seven decades until the Oilers climbed to the top in any sport. That sport was softball, with championships coming in 2006 and 2008. The ‘06 squad finished a perfect 33-0 season with a 3-0 win over Lanesville in the 1A state finals, and the ‘08 team went 34-0 and defeated Tecumseh 3-0 in the 1A championship game. The softball team also lost in the state semifinals to the eventual 1A champions in 2003, 2004 and 2009.
That’s it for small town breakdown No. 25 of 2025. Where should we head next?
Small Town Breakdown No. 25: Whiting, Indiana
In 2025 we are highlighting 52 small towns across the state of Indiana in 52 weeks. For our 25th small town breakdown of the year, we’re going from Syracuse in Kosciusko County to Whiting in Lake County. Whiting is 2 hours and 40 minutes north of Indianapolis, 2 hours and 50 minutes northwest of Fort Wayne, 1 hour and 25 minutes west of South Bend, and 45 minutes south of downtown Chicago.
The History of Lake County and Whiting, Indiana
Lake County was founded in 1837 and named for its location on the southern end of Lake Michigan. It is the second-most populated county in Indiana behind Marion County and sits in the northwest corner of the state. Liverpool was Lake County’s original county seat until Lake Court House (eventually renamed Crown Point) was chosen in 1840.
The area where Whiting sits today was initially part of what was classified as swamp land. Then in 1851, the Michigan Southern Railroad was built – the first of three railroads in the area that attracted German settlers.
The town was originally named “Pop Whiting’s Siding” for railroad engineer Herbert Lloyd “Pop” Whiting, who was involved in a significant railroad accident in 1869 when he ditched his heavy freight train to give way for a fast passenger train coming behind him. It then became Whiting in 1871 but was officially founded in 1889 when the Standard Oil Company purchased lakefront land for its much-needed Midwestern site. Whiting eventually incorporated as a town in 1895 and city in 1903.
As of the 2023 census Whiting’s population was 4,506, making it the third-smallest of 19 incorporated towns/cities in Lake County – bigger than only New Chicago and Schneider. Whiting is the 143rd largest city in Indiana.
Things to Do In or Near Whiting, Indiana
Festivals are commonplace in the region, and none are bigger than the annual Pierogi Fest in Whiting. The first Pierogi Fest took place in 1993 and was just 50 feet in length with a few vendors, a few dozen people in the parade, and approximately 1,200 pierogies served. Nowadays, Pierogi Fest has grown to a mile long with dozens of food vendors, live musical entertainment, over 300,000 attendees and over a million pierogies served annually. The Pierogi Fest parade and festival have been featured on the Food Network and the Travel Channel. This year’s Pierogi Fest is July 25-27.
In nearby Hammond, Festival of the Lakes – which began as AugustFest in 1984 to commemorate Hammond’s 100th anniversary and the Centennial of Wolf Lake Park – has free concerts, carnival rides, food vendors and more. Mark your calendar for July 16-20 and take in one or all of the concerts, including John Fogerty, Brantley Gilbert, Akon or Third Eye Blind.
The first Empanada Fest was organized in September 2022 by the Whiting Hispanic Heritage Organization. It was created as a scholarship fundraiser and also brings awareness to the Latino Hispanic community in Whiting. It is celebrated each year now during Hispanic Heritage Month. This year’s event runs from 10 a.m. - 11 p.m. on Saturday, September 6, and includes empanada, food and craft vendors, music, a beer garden and entertainment.
Stroll the boardwalk in Whiting Lakefront Park along the shores of Lake Michigan. The park has pavilions available for rent, four tennis courts, two sand volleyball courts, a baseball diamond, fishing pier and fishing pond.
Adjacent to Whiting Lakefront Park is Whihala Beach Park, the perfect spot for swimming, kayaking and paddleboarding. It’s also home to the WhoaZone, an inflatable on-water obstacle course where kids and teens can jump, bounce, run, splash and play. The WhoaZone is open daily through August 17.
Take in a ballgame at Oil City Stadium at Standard Diamonds Park, home to the baseball programs from Whiting High School, Calumet College of St. Joseph, and Northwest Indiana Oilmen of the collegiate Northern League. Oil City Stadium was part of Whiting’s $50 million Lakefront Development Project and was named as such to celebrate the city’s history as a refinery town. The BP Refinery is located beyond the outfield fence.
Places to Eat or Grab a Drink in Whiting, Indiana
Get your day started at Cielito Lindo Cafe, which has locations in both Whiting and Hammond. The Latino-inspired coffee shop and bakery serves up Mexican pastries like Pan Dulce (sweet bread) along with horchata lattes, champurrado, abuelita frappes, iced coffee, boba tea, and more.
Open since 1990, Keith’s Bar and Grill is a favorite for locals. The appetizer menu suggests Keith’s Shrimp Cocktail, even mentioning that when you’re in Indy, you try St. Elmo, but when you’re in Whiting, you try Keith’s. The main menu includes seafood options like salmon, tuna and scallops along with baby back ribs, chicken saltimbocca and prime rib.
Rudy, Rudy, Rudy!
Part of the 1993 biographical sports movie “Rudy” was filmed in Whiting. Daniel “Rudy” Ruettiger had dreams of playing football at the University of Notre Dame, but his family didn’t have the income to cover tuition and his grades didn’t qualify him for a scholarship. He eventually broke away from the steel mill in which his dad worked and made his dream a reality with the Fighting Irish.
Whiting High School History and State Championships
Whiting High School was founded in 1898 when locals decided that eight students attending neighboring high schools were enough to start a local high school. Since then the school has won three IHSAA state championships.
Boys swimming & diving won the school’s first state title in 1933, and it took another seven decades until the Oilers climbed to the top in any sport. That sport was softball, with championships coming in 2006 and 2008. The ‘06 squad finished a perfect 33-0 season with a 3-0 win over Lanesville in the 1A state finals, and the ‘08 team went 34-0 and defeated Tecumseh 3-0 in the 1A championship game. The softball team also lost in the state semifinals to the eventual 1A champions in 2003, 2004 and 2009.
That’s it for small town breakdown No. 25 of 2025. Where should we head next?
Written By:
Carson Whiteman
Written By:
Cheyne Reiter
Cheyne Reiter
