Valparaiso is a city in northern Indiana. The land was originally occupied by the Potawatomi people until 1832. It was named Valparaiso in 1837 after the town of the same name in Chile. (The county’s namesake David Porter—Valparaiso is in Porter County—fought in the Battle of Valparaíso in the War of 1812.) The city has long been a transportation hub and is still at the intersection of many major US highways. Valparaiso is home to Valparaiso University, and Purdue University Northwest. Every year the city holds a Popcorn Festival to honor Orville Redenbacher who built a popcorn factor in Valparaiso.