West Lafayette

History

Augustus Wylie laid out a town in 1836 in the Wabash River floodplain south of the present Levee. Due to regular flooding of the site, Wylie's town was never built. The present city was formed in 1888 by the merger of the adjacent suburban towns of Chauncey, Oakwood, and Kingston, located on a bluff across the Wabash River from Lafayette, Indiana. The new town of Chauncey remained a small suburban village until Purdue University opened in 1869. In 1871 Chauncey voted to be annexed by Lafayette because it was unable to provide the infrastructure (such as improved streets, waterworks, police and fire protection). Lafayette voted against annexing Chauncey because of the high cost of the many improvements that the village lacked. In May 1888, the town of Chauncey voted to change its name to West Lafayette after a petition signed by 152 electors. By that time, the growth of the university was fueling the growth of the little town. The address of Purdue University was given as "Lafayette, Indiana" until well into the twentieth century. West Lafayette never gained a railroad depot and lagged several years behind Lafayette in the establishment of municipal infrastructure and services. Today, West Lafayette has established itself as a separate city, with independent services and unique neighborhoods distinct from those of its sister city, Lafayette. In November 2013, the City of West Lafayette approved an annexation that placed much of the Purdue University academic campus and residence hall system within the official boundaries of the municipality for the first time. This expansion also included a large section of the US Highway 231 corridor that was previously part of unincorporated Tippecanoe County. Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity House, Jesse Andrew House, Chauncey-Stadium…

Geography

West Lafayette lies in central Tippecanoe County and overlooks the Wabash River, which borders the city on the east and south. Most of the city lies in eastern Wabash Township, though a small portion on the northeast side extends into Tippecanoe Township. Elevations range from slightly over near the river to more than in northern parts of the city near U.S. Route 52. According to the 2010 census, West Lafayette has a total area of , of which (or 99.87%) is land and (or 0.13%) is water.

Race & ethnicity

Largest nearby schools

• William Henry Harrison High School
  High · West Lafayette · 2,136 students · 17.5:1 ratio
• Jefferson High School
  High · Lafayette · 2,118 students · 15:1 ratio
• McCutcheon High School
  High · Lafayette · 1,825 students · 15.7:1 ratio
• West Lafayette Jr/Sr High School
  High · West Lafayette · 1,112 students · 15:1 ratio
• Lafayette Sunnyside Intermediate
  Middle · Lafayette · 1,047 students · 13.8:1 ratio
• Lafayette Tecumseh Jr High School
  Middle · Lafayette · 1,043 students · 13:1 ratio
• Klondike Elementary School
  Elementary · West Lafayette · 981 students · 18.2:1 ratio
• Burnett Creek Elementary School
  Elementary · West Lafayette · 762 students · 20.1:1 ratio