Editing West Lafayette, Indiana (section)

==History==
Augustus Wylie laid out a town in 1836 in the [[Wabash River]] floodplain south of the present Levee. Due to regular flooding of the site, Wylie's town was never built. The present city was formed in 1888 by the merger of the adjacent suburban towns of Chauncey, Oakwood, and Kingston, located on a bluff across the [[Wabash River]] from [[Lafayette, Indiana]].<ref name = "cityhistoryweb"/> The three towns had been small suburban villages which were directly adjacent to one another. Kingston was laid out in 1855 by Jesse B. Lutz. Chauncey was platted in 1860 by the Chauncey family of Philadelphia, wealthy land speculators. Chauncey and Kingston formed a municipal government in 1866 which selected the name "Chauncey".<ref name="cityhistoryweb">{{cite web | url = http://www.westlafayette.in.gov/egov/docs/1225677108990.htm | title = The History of West Lafayette | access-date = 2009-06-01 | publisher = City of West Lafayette}}</ref>

The new town of Chauncey remained a small suburban village until [[Purdue University]] opened in 1869. In 1871 Chauncey voted to be annexed by Lafayette because it was unable to provide the infrastructure (such as improved streets, waterworks, police and fire protection). Lafayette voted against annexing Chauncey because of the high cost of the many improvements that the village lacked.<ref>{{cite book|title=Old Lafayette volume 2: 1854-1876|author=Robert Kriebel|publisher=Tippecanoe County Historical Association|year=1990}}</ref> In May 1888, the town of Chauncey voted to change its name to West Lafayette after a petition signed by 152 electors.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.westlafayette.in.gov/egov/docs/1225677108990.htm|title=West Lafayette, Indiana - History of West Lafayette|website=www.westlafayette.in.gov|access-date=18 April 2019}}</ref> By that time, the growth of the university was fueling the growth of the little town. The address of [[Purdue University]] was given as "Lafayette, Indiana" until well into the twentieth century. West Lafayette never gained a railroad depot and lagged several years behind Lafayette in the establishment of municipal infrastructure and services.  Today, West Lafayette has established itself as a separate city, with independent services and unique neighborhoods distinct from those of its sister city, Lafayette.

In November 2013, the City of West Lafayette approved an [[municipal annexation|annexation]] that placed much of the [[Purdue University]] academic campus and residence hall system within the official boundaries of the municipality for the first time. This expansion also included a large section of the US Highway 231 corridor that was previously part of unincorporated Tippecanoe County.<ref name="annexationarticle">{{cite web | url = http://www.jconline.com/article/20131107/NEWS02/311070068/Annexation-west-lafayette-council-vote | title = West Lafayette council votes 6-1 for annexation plan | access-date = 2013-11-13 | publisher = Lafayette Journal and Courier}}</ref>

[[Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity House (West Lafayette, Indiana)|Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity House]], [[Jesse Andrew House]], [[Chauncey-Stadium Avenues Historic District]], [[John E. and Catherine E. Christian House]], [[Curtis-Grace House]], [[Happy Hollow Heights Historic District]], [[Hills and Dales Historic District]], [[Morton School (West Lafayette, Indiana)|Morton School]], and [[The Varsity (West Lafayette, Indiana)|The Varsity]] are listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]].<ref name="nris">{{NRISref|version=2010a}}</ref><ref name="nps">{{cite web|url=http://www.nps.gov/nr/listings/20120420.htm|title=National Register of Historic Places Listings|date=2012-04-20|work=Weekly List of Actions Taken on Properties: 4/09/12 through 4/13/12|publisher=National Park Service}}</ref>