Lost Barrios of Indiana: “Block and Pennsy” of Indiana Harbor, Part I

Lost Barrios of Indiana: “Block and Pennsy” of Indiana Harbor, Part I

The first acknowledgement of the Indiana Harbor barrio came in newsprint; The Lake County Times (now The Hammond Times) on July 10, 1923, labeled this area “little Mexico.” This nickname would be used continuously to describe Indiana Harbor throughout the decades. As this lakefront area grew, so did the approximately half-mile square known as Block and Pennsy. Short for Block and Pennsylvania Avenues; the north and south boundaries of this neigh…