Valparaiso High School - Valenian Yearbook (Valparaiso, IN)

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Valparaiso: A community with something for everyone Valparaiso: an ideal place to grow up. A quaint “lit- tle” growing town with a top-rated educational system, beautifully kept parks, and people from every part of the nation. In the beginning, it belonged to the Potawatomi Indi- ans, until 1832 when the United States government purchased the land, and the first settler, a French Canadian named Joseph Bailley moved in. Early settlers dubbed the new found territory “Por- tersville” and it was officially named as the county seat of Porter County. In 1837, the name was changed to Valparaiso, liter- ally meaning “vale of paradise”. The Indiana General A UNIQUE TRAIT of Valparaiso, according to Mayor Elden Kuehl. is a downtown preserved in an up-to-date fashion Nonetheless, parking spaces were all too few and far between for shoppers and business- men on busy afternoons. 8 Valparaiso

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REPRESENTING A $1.6 MILLION investment. 40 busses are used to transport Valparaiso students to and from school every day.

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Assembly thought this appropriate because Commo- dore David Porter, for whom Porter County was named, fought a famous battle in Valparaiso, Chile, during the War of 1812. Valparaiso was incorporated as a town in 1850, then received its charter as a city in 1865. The new city grew rapidly. In 1850 the population was 520, but by 1875 approximately 3,560 people made Valpo their home. Today the population has grown to approximately 24,000. According to Mayor Elden Kuehl, families are attracted to Valpo because of its ' almost ideal atmo- sphere. “Valpo offers the best schools, churches, and re- creation found anywhere, explained Kuehl who has lived in Valpo all his life. Everyone that comes here is happy and satisfied,” he further noted. A downtown preserved in an up to date fashion and the fact that Valpo is the county seat are also unique features of the city, according to the mayor. Kuehl stated that future plans for Valparaiso includ- ed a waste water treatment plant and a solid waste disposal system, both to be completed within the next few years. At first glance, Valparaiso may not have seemed so ideal. In fact to many teenagers, it may have seemed ordinary and dull compared to the liveliness of larger cities, like Chicago. But, if looked at a little more close- ly, Valpo proved that it really did have a lot to offer. In comparison to many cities, Valparaiso was unique and ideal. Well, almost. — Kimberly Page THE END OF the 1982-83 school year marked the end of 88 years of service, as Flint Lake Elementary School was closed, due to a stabilized population growth and safety precautions. AFTER A FIRE in 1835. Porter County’s first courthouse was rebuilt in Valparaiso ' s downtown square, with two more stories added, making it a four level, limestone structure, as it appears today. In 1863. then Governor Wright, declared it one of the best in the state. OFTEN LEFT UNNOTICED, scenic views like the railroad tracks un- der the bridge on Campbell Street were evident in Valparaiso if one had the time to notice them. Although the trains often infuriated drivers, they provided a speedy means of transporting goods. 9 Valparaiso