LaPorte County (pop. 111,467), east of Porter County, is Indiana’s second-largest county in square miles.
The county is considered part of Michiana, a seven-county area in northwestern Indiana and southwestern Michigan. The name dates from 1934, when it was the winner of a contest held by South Bend merchants.
The county seat of LaPorte County is the city of LaPorte (pop. 22,053). The Courthouse dates from 1894.
Richardsonian Romanesque style
In the late 19th century, LaPorte was the home of the Parsons Horological Institute – the first watchmaking school in the country. After a few years, the school was moved to Peoria, Illinois.
It became part of Bradley Polytechnic Institute.
The LaPorte County Historical Society Museum has a display on Belle Gunness (born 1858), a local Norwegian immigrant and serial killer who reportedly murdered 25-40 people (including her suitors, husbands, and children) before disappearing from the area.
6 feet tall, 200 pounds
The largest city in LaPorte County is Michigan City (pop. 31,479), on Lake Michigan. Michigan City reached its peak population of 39,369 in 1970.
Barker Mansion (1855)
The 90-mile South Shore Line, one of America’s few remaining interurban railroads, runs down the middle of 11th Street in Michigan City.
It runs from downtown Chicago to the South Bend airport.
Pitcher Don Larsen, who threw the only perfect game in World Series history (for the Yankees in 1956), was born in Michigan City in 1929.
Celebrating with catcher Yogi Berra
The Michigan City East Lighthouse was built in 1904. One of Indiana’s few lighthouses, it has an unusual iron walkway (no longer in use) above the pier.
Now a museum
The Washington Park Zoo in Michigan City has a 70-foot observation tower, open to the public.
A WPA project from 1937
Purdue University North Central is south of Michigan City, near the town of Westville (pop. 5,857). It has about 4,000 students.
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