Hammond

Hessville brings many words to mind, but the most prominent is “classic,” owing to its important history. Hammond, the city where the community is located, was integral to the rise of Chicago’s meatpacking industry and quintessential retailers like Sears. In 2022, Hessville’s mayor announced an initiative to reconstruct sidewalks and pathways downtown, which can help recreate the bustling atmosphere of its glory days. Residents appreciate the neighborhood’s convenient location, with access to Interstate 90 to the north and interstates 80 and 94 to the south. “Here, we have a bird watching sanctuary, a sandy beach on Lake Michigan next to the Horseshoe Casino, all a stone's throw from Chicago,” says Tom Novak, President of the Hammond Historical Society. When it comes to housing stock, construction peaked in this older neighborhood before the 1970s. The most common types of housing are ranch-style and Cape Cod, listing between $91,000 and $287,000. The median single-family home price is $185,000, which is what a three-bedroom home costs. Houses feature flat lots with street parking and the occasional driveway or single-car garage. The neighborhood is laid out like a grid, bordered by green space and commercial corridors. This community design promotes Hessville’s vision of being a place where locals can walk everywhere and enjoy convenient access to amenities. The community is filled with local gems, such as family-owned Zantes Restaurant, where locals grab fast food, including their renowned gyros. Over at Chuck and Irene’s, the community sips brews under Tiffany lamps in a space that has been open since 1959. While there are a few pubs and restaurants locals can walk to along the main streets, most people hop in their cars to pick up groceries from Aldi or shop the shelves at Menards home improvement store. While the area boasts its own everyday entertainment, from the parks to the lake, Hammond is home to special events that garner large turnouts. “We have the Festival of the Lakes, which is always the third week in July; that is a seven-day festival featuring five nights of music from some pretty big names, all completely free,” Novak says. “We’ll have 10,000 to 20,000 people on the busiest nights.” Within the School City of Hammond, students may attend Morton Elementary School and Charles N. Scott Middle School; each school earns a Grade of C-minus from Niche. Starting in ninth grade, students may attend Morton High School, which Niche gives a C grade. To graduate, students may complete classes within an assortment of pathways: honors, Career Technical Education (CTE), Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB) and Dual Credit. After high school graduation, students may choose to continue their education close to home at Purdue University Northwest (PNW). PNW is a public university that offers more than 70 areas of study spread across six colleges. One of the latest amenities open to Hessville residents is a new $70 million YMCA facility in the former Woodmar Mall site near the eastern border of Kennedy Avenue. The facility features an indoor track, a gym to host basketball games and youth sports, and three pools for locals wanting to splash around for fun or swim laps. Residents find outdoor entertainment by hiking the 179 acres filled with endangered flora at Gibson Woods Nature Preserve. Meanwhile, Hessville Park boasts 14 acres of recreation, from the skate park to the splash pad and playground, where kids lose track of time running around. Hessville borders the Chicago metro area, with East Chicago Station to the north. When traveling north and south, Indiana State Road 912 provides a path of travel to desired locations such as Gary International Airport, less than nine miles north. Interstates 80, 94 and 90 make long-distance travel by road convenient. Hessville not only centers residents in history while surrounding them with green spaces and local businesses but also connects them to the wider region.