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Please add profiles of those who were born, lived or died in LaPorte County, Indiana.
Official Website
Overview
LaPorte County was formed in 1832. La porte means "the door" or "the port" in French. French travelers or explorers so named the area after discovering a natural opening in the dense forests that used to exist in this region, providing a gateway to lands further west.
All of the land that forms LaPorte County belonged to the Potawatomi Indian nation. These Indians were forcibly removed to Kansas by the United States government in 1838, and many died on what survivors called the Trail of Death.
During the Civil War, the Louisville Journal noted that the 29th Indiana Regiment (mustered out of LaPorte) "may almost be regarded as a Kentucky regiment for a large majority of its members are either natives or descendants of native Kentuckians". Three Union Camps reigned in LaPorte County helping the Union to Civil War victory.
LaPorte County is noted for being the place of the Belle Gunness serial murders. Gunness lived on a farm on the outskirts of the county.
Adjacent Counties
Cities & Towns
- Kingsbury
- Kingsford Heights
- La Porte (County Seat)
- LaCrosse
- Long Beach
- Michiana Shores
- Michigan City
- Pottawattamie Park
- Trail Creek
- Wanatah
- Westville
Other Townships & Communities: Alida, Birchim, Byron, Cass, Center, Clinton, Coolspring, Dewey, Door Village, Duneland Beach, Fish Lake, Galena, Hanna, Hesston, Holmesville, Hudson, Hudson Lake, Johnson, Kankakee, Lake Park, Lincoln, Michigan, Mill Creek, New Durham, Noble, Otis, Pinhook, Pinola, Plainfield, Pleasant, Prairie, Riverside, Rolling Prairie, Salem Heights, Scipio, Smith, South Center, South Wanatah, Springfield, Springville, Stillwell, Thomaston, Tracy, Union, Union Mills, Washington, Waterford, Wellsboro, Wilders and Wills
Links
Indiana Dunes National Park (part)