Hammond, city, Lake county, northwestern Indiana, U.S. It is located in the Calumet industrial complex between Chicago and Gary, on the Grand Calumet River, near Lake Michigan. It was founded in 1869 when George Hammond, a pioneer in the shipping of refrigerated beef, established with Marcus Towle the State Line Slaughterhouse. Ice from the river and inland lakes was used for packing the meat. Until it was destroyed by fire in 1901, the packinghouse was the city’s largest industry. The city, first called Hohman and then State Line because of its location on the Illinois-Indiana border, was renamed in 1873 to honour the meatpacking magnate. Handicapped by the lack of a harbour, it failed to attract the heavy industry found in neighbouring cities but did develop diversified light manufacturing. Purdue University Calumet (1946) is there. Inc. 1884. Pop. (2000) 83,048; (2010) 80,830.