While the city of Hammond may not typically be referred to as a college town, a portion of the city’s Woodmar and Hessville sections has been designated “Peregrine Country,” representative of Purdue University Calumet’s athletic mascot.

Spearheaded by the Purdue Calumet alumni association (Purdue Alumni Calumet) and its vice president, Thomas Mavronicles, in partnership with city of Hammond and the university, 40 street banners proclaiming, “This Is Peregrine Country,” are now displayed on street light pole standards along the west side of Kennedy Avenue and east side of Indianapolis Boulevard between 169th and 173rd Streets.

The banners feature three distinct looks. While each displays the head of Purdue Calumet’s swift flying Peregrine falcon mascot and the words, “This Is Peregrine Country,” on the lower half, the above portion shows either the official logo of Purdue University Calumet, Purdue Alumni Calumet or the city of Hammond.

Purdue Alumni Calumet funded the $2,500 project, which Mavronicles, a 1972 Purdue Calumet graduate, said has been a dream of his for more than two years.

“During my travels around the country, frequently, when I would come into a town, I became impressed by the banner pendants announcing that I was in a college community,” he said. “So I thought, ‘Why not banners for Purdue Cal?”

Other Purdue Alumni Calumet board members supported Mavronicles’ idea. So did Purdue Calumet Chancellor Howard Cohen and Hammond Mayor Thomas McDermott, Jr., who also is a Purdue Calumet alumnus.

“I am proud of the education Purdue University Calumet provided me; yet, there are relatively few signs and displays of where the university is located,” Mavronicles said. “So I’m excited to get behind a project that identifies this section of south Hammond as Purdue Cal territory and Peregrine country.”

Aside from designating the Purdue Calumet campus neighborhood, Purdue Calumet Director of Annual Giving and Alumni Relations Diana Virijevich said the banners represent a partnership among the university, city and alumni association. “These banners symbolize a sense of pride and collaboration,” she said.