Merrillville, Indiana is located in east-central Lake County, in the Chicago metropolitan area. Spanning 31 square miles, the city was once densely covered with forest and inhabited by the Potawatomi Indians. Originally known as McGwinn Village, the town went through several name changes before being named Merrillville, in honor of brothers Dudley and William Merrill. In 1971, it officially became a city under Indiana law. Merrillville is situated 33 miles southeast of the Loop and is known as “Downtown Northwest Indiana”.
It is 7 miles south of Gary and 30 miles southeast of Chicago, Illinois. The city is included in the greater Gary area and is home to a wealth of restaurants, banks, malls and businesses typical of late 20th century American suburbs.
