Editing Merrillville, Indiana (section)

==History==
Merrillville occupies what used to be woodland belonging to the [[Potawatomi]] Indians. In 1834, a clearing was created for ceremonial purposes and called McGwinn Village. A year later, a white man, Jeremiah Wiggins, settled in the place; McGwinn Village became Wiggins Point.<ref name="autogenerated1">[http://www.townofmerrillville.com/town_history.html] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060923173039/http://www.townofmerrillville.com/town_history.html|date=September 23, 2006}}</ref>

Wiggins Point became a well-known stop for wagon trains heading to [[Joliet, Illinois]] along the [[Sauk Trail]] (also called the Sac Trail), an old Indian trail. At one time, 16 trails radiated outward from Wiggins Point. In 1838, Wiggins died. Sometime afterward, local settlers renamed the place Centerville. Later still, it was renamed Merrillville after the brothers Dudley and William Merrill.<ref name="autogenerated1" /> Dudley Merrill operated a hotel and store in Centerville, and his son John P. Merrill was a Township Trustee.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lowellpl.lib.in.us/merrill.htm |title=Dudley Y. Merrill (1814-1890) |publisher=Lowellpl.lib.in.us |date=March 22, 2008 |access-date=September 7, 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160203084535/http://www.lowellpl.lib.in.us/merrill.htm |archive-date=February 3, 2016 }}</ref>

Nearby, in the same former Potawatomi hunting grounds, other settlements had sprung up. Near Deep River creek was a settlement named Deep River; near Turkey Creek was another settlement with that creek's name. Others included Ainsworth, Lottaville, and Rexville. At one time, the post office for the area was named Lottaville.

In 1848, all of these settlements, including Merrillville (that is, the old McGwinn Village) were collected into one and called Ross Township. As time went by, bits and pieces of Ross Township were taken by [[Hobart, Indiana|Hobart]] and [[Crown Point, Indiana|Crown Point]] when those towns incorporated.

In 1971, the area officially became Merrillville (which now includes the old Merrillville as well as other settlements nearby) and was incorporated as a town under Indiana law.<ref name="autogenerated1" /> During this time, the majority of the town's growth was due to [[white flight]] from [[Gary, Indiana|Gary]].<ref>{{cite encyclopedia|title=Merrillville, IN |url=http://encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/pages/815.html |encyclopedia=Encyclopedia of Chicago |publisher=Chicago Historical Society |access-date=May 2, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120626161613/http://www.encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/pages/815.html |archive-date=June 26, 2012 }}</ref>

In 1993, Merrillville tried to annex unincorporated [[Winfield Township, Lake County, Indiana|Winfield Township]] to get more land. The residents blocked Merrillville by creating the town of [[Winfield, Indiana|Winfield]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nwitimes.com/uncategorized/annexation-diary-graphic/article_a962e20f-4e4f-54e4-a600-aef7874c2ba6.html|title=Annexation Diary|date=July 4, 1993 |publisher=The Times of Northwest Indiana|access-date=July 17, 2015}}</ref>

[[File:Purdue Technology Center, Merrillville, Indiana.jpg|thumb|Purdue Technology Center at Ameriplex at the Crossroads in Merrillville]]

In 2009, a pedestrian bridge at Hidden Lake Park collapsed, injuring at least 25 people<ref name="chicagotribume.com">{{Cite web|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-2009-07-06-0907050246-story.html|title=Why did bridge collapse?|last=Janssen|first=Kim|website=chicagotribune.com|date=July 6, 2009 }}</ref><ref name="indystar.com">{{Cite web|url=http://www.indystar.com/article/20090705/LOCAL/90705001/16+hurt+after+Merrillville+bridge+collapses|title=25 hurt after Merrillville bridge collapses|date=July 8, 2009|website=Indianapolis Star|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090708091300/http://www.indystar.com/article/20090705/LOCAL/90705001/16+hurt+after+Merrillville+bridge+collapses|archive-date=July 8, 2009}}</ref> The catastrophe occurred around 10&nbsp;PM after the annual Fourth of July fireworks display,<ref name="nwitimes.com">{{Cite web|url=https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/dozens-plummet-into-hidden-lake-in-merrillville-after-fireworks-display/article_470fd203-ee52-54d4-8a07-1f21b8655a10.html|title=Dozens plummet into Hidden Lake in Merrillville after fireworks display|date=July 5, 2009|website=nwitimes.com}}</ref> when several dozen people attempted to cross the wood suspension bridge.<ref name="thetimesonline.com">{{Cite web|url=https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/official-bridge-at-hidden-lake-was-overcrowded/article_4d8abac5-9aac-5537-9282-ebfcc32bd572.html|title=Official: Bridge at Hidden Lake was overcrowded|last=Tweh|first=Bowdeya|website=nwitimes.com|date=July 5, 2009 |url-status=live|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130204045428/http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/official-bridge-at-hidden-lake-was-overcrowded/article_4d8abac5-9aac-5537-9282-ebfcc32bd572.html|archive-date=February 4, 2013}}</ref> Police officers stationed at either side of the bridge were unable to stop the advancing parkgoers, and with numerous people jumping up and down the 30-year-old bridge collapsed, sending somewhere around 50 people into the waters of Hidden Lake.

The [[Morgan-Skinner-Boyd Homestead]] and [[John Wood Old Mill]] are listed in 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/20110107.htm|title=National Register of Historic Places Listings|date=January 7, 2011|work=Weekly List of Actions Taken on Properties: 12/27/10 through 12/30/10|publisher=National Park Service}}</ref>