Indiana City

Indiana's ghost towns are canal towns, coal camps, and railroad stops the interstates finished off.

Indiana City was a notional community in northern Lake County, Indiana, at the mouth of the Grand Calumet River. It was located in present-day Marquette Park in Miller Beach, near the southern tip of Lake Michigan. Indiana City was one of a handful of early contenders to be a port city on southern Lake Michigan, alongside Chicago, City West, and Michigan City. Plats for the town were drawn up in 1836 or 1837, but it was never built. Like City West to its east, the Indiana City project was doomed by the panic of 1837.

Calling it Indiana City was either optimism or a very good joke — boomtowns were never modest about their ambitions.

The on-the-ground condition of Indiana City is unverified — it's listed here with unknown status. That could mean standing buildings, or an empty field. Go prepared for either, and consider sharing what you find so the record improves.

Nobody has confirmed the access situation, so treat any visit as reconnaissance: verify land ownership first, and be ready to admire from the road.

Here's the honest truth: access to Indiana City is unverified. We couldn't confirm whether the site sits on public land, private property, or something in between — so verify land ownership and local rules before visiting, and respect private property at all times. The mapped point for Indiana City is roughly 41.6183, -87.2600 — use it as a starting point and cross-reference a current topographic map before leaving pavement.

Ghost-town etiquette is simple: take only photographs. Removing artifacts is illegal on public lands and disrespectful everywhere else — and on federal land it can be a serious offense.