The New International Encyclopædia/Michigan City

MICHIGAN CITY. A city in Laporte County, Ind., 50 miles east of Chicago, Ill.; on Lake Michigan, and on the Lake Erie and Western, the Chicago, Indianapolis and Louisville, and the Michigan Central railroads (Map: Indiana, C 1). It is the seat of the Northern Indiana State Prison, and has a public library, a United States life-saving station, a public park on the lake front, and a soldiers' monument. There are good transportation facilities, to which are due the city's large commercial interests, the trade being principally in lumber, salt, and iron ore. The manufactures of railroad cars, chairs, hosiery and knit goods, lumber and products of lumber are important. The government, as provided by the charter of 1867 and numerous amendments thereto, is vested in a mayor, who holds office for two years, and a common council, which elects all administrative officials, excepting the statutory municipal officers, who are chosen by popular vote. The city owns and operates the water-works. Michigan City was laid out in 1832 and settled in the following year. It was incorporated in 1837. Population, in 1890, 10,776; in 1900, 14,850.