Located in the northwestern part of the state of Indiana and a city in Lake County, Hammond sits in the industrial of Calumet that is situated between Chicago and Gary, in the Grand Calumet River near Lake Michigan. The area was founded by George Hammond in 1869, and the area became a pioneer in the shipping of refrigerated beef products, and wherein the Marcus Towle the State Line Slaughterhouse. Hammond was first called Hohman and then the State Line because of its location on the Illinois-Indiana borderline but was then renamed in honor of the meatpacking pioneer and magnate. The ice in the river and in the inland lakes was used for packing the meat products. The packing house was destroyed in 1901 after it became Hammond’s largest industry. Because of the city’s lack of harbor, it then failed to attract the heavy industry that can be found in the neighboring cities.