LaPorte County | |
|---|---|
 LaPorte County Courthouse in La Porte, Indiana | |
 Location in the state ofIndiana | |
 Indiana's location in theU.S. | |
| Coordinates:41°36′N86°43′W / 41.600°N 86.717°W /41.600; -86.717 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Indiana |
| Regions | Northwest Indiana andMichiana |
| Metro area | Chicago Metropolitan |
| Established | April 1, 1832 |
| Named after | French for "the door"[1] |
| County seat | La Porte |
| Largest city | Michigan City (population and total area) |
| Incorporated municipalities | 11 cities and towns
|
| Government | |
| • Type | County |
| • Body | Board of Commissioners |
| • Commissioner | Connie Gramarossa (R, 1st) |
| • Commissioner | Steve Holifield (R, 2nd) |
| • Commissioner | Joe Haney (R, 3rd) |
| • County Council | |
| Area | |
• County | 613.26 sq mi (1,588.3 km2) |
| • Land | 598.30 sq mi (1,549.6 km2) |
| • Water | 14.96 sq mi (38.7 km2) |
| • Metro | 10,874 sq mi (28,160 km2) |
| • Rank | 2nd largest county in Indiana |
| • Region | 2,726 sq mi (7,060 km2) |
| Elevation [2](mean) | 778 ft (237 m) |
| Highest elevation [3]– SW Galena Twp | 957 ft (292 m) |
| Lowest elevation [4]– at Lake Michigan | 581 ft (177 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
• County | 112,417 |
• Estimate (2023) | 111,706 |
| • Rank | 16th largest county in Indiana |
| • Density | 187.89/sq mi (72.546/km2) |
| • Metro | 9,618,502 |
| • Region | 819,537 |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (Central) |
| ZIP Codes | 46340, 46345-46, 46348, 46350, 46352, 46360-61, 46365, 46371, 46382, 46390-91, 46532, 46552, 46554, 46574 |
| Area code | 219 |
| Congressional districts | 1st and2nd |
| Indiana Senate districts | 5th and 8th |
| Indiana House of Representatives districts | 7th, 9th, 17th and 20th |
| FIPS code | 18-091 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0450507 |
| Interstates |     |
| U.S. Routes |       |
| State Routes |       |
| Airports | La Porte Municipal Michigan City Municipal |
| Waterways | East Arm Little Calumet River Kankakee River Lake Michigan Little Calumet River Trail Creek |
| Amtrak station | Michigan City (closed) |
| South Shore Line stations | 11th Street –Carroll AvenueHudson Lake |
| Public transit | Michigan City Transit |
| Website | www.laportecounty.org |
| |
LaPorte County[5] is acounty located in theU.S. state ofIndiana. As of 2020, the population was 112,417.[6] Thecounty seat is the city ofLa Porte,[7] and the largest city isMichigan City. This county is part of theNorthwest Indiana andMichiana regions of theChicago metropolitan area. TheLaPorte County Courthouse is located in the county seat ofLa Porte and is listed on theNational Register of Historic Places.
LaPorte County was formed in 1832.La porte means "the door" or "the port" inFrench.[1] 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.[8][9]
From 1832 to 1835 LaPorte County had its boundaries and jurisdiction of the land west of it going all the way to the east border of Chicago in Cook County, IL (land which is now Porter and Lake Counties).
Before European-American settlement, all of the land that forms modern-day LaPorte County, and adjacentStarke County to the south belonged to thePotawatomi Indian nation. These Indians were forcibly removed to Kansas by the United States government in 1838, and many died on what survivors called theTrail of Death.[10][11]
LaPorte County's initialEuropean-American settlers wereYankee migrants, that is to say they were fromNew England or were fromupstate New York and had parents who were fromNew England, and were descended from theEnglishPuritans who settledNew England in the colonial era. They were part of a wave ofNew England settlers moving west into what was then theNorthwest Territory after the completion of theErie Canal through the Mohawk Valley of New York State.
These first settlers in LaPorte County specifically hailed from theMassachusetts towns of Granville, Boston, Bridgewater, West Bridgewater, Andover, Nantucket Island, andHampshire County; theConnecticut towns of Colchester, Wethersfield, Granby, and New Haven; theNew Hampshire towns ofBradford,Amherst and Goffstown; the Vermont villages of Dorset, Albany and Fairfax; many also came fromOrange County, Vermont,Caledonia County, Vermont andPenobscot County, Maine. They were mainly members of theCongregational Church. As result of theSecond Great Awakening, many becameBaptists and many also converted toPentecostalism andMethodism. When they arrived in what is now LaPorte County, there was nothing but virgin forest and prairie. TheNew England settlers cleared roads and brush, developed farms, constructed churches, erected government buildings, and established post routes. As a result of this migration, La Porte County was partially culturally continuous with earlyNew England culture for many years.[12]
But by 1850, the three Eastern states that had contributed the most residents to LaPorte County were New York, Pennsylvania and Virginia, surpassing those migrants from New England. LaPorte County had the largest number of Southerners north of the Wabash Valley.[13]
During the Civil War, theLouisville 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".[14] Three Union Camps reigned in LaPorte County helping the Union to Civil War victory.
When the county was initially proposed and organized, its boundaries did not extend as far south or east as they do today. A section of land north of theKankakee River originally belonged to Starke County. However, residents living in that area had difficulty crossing the Grand Kankakee Marsh that surrounded the river in order to reach the rest of the county. It was necessary to travel some distance east to Lemon's bridge, before making the journey south. Effectively isolated from the rest of Starke County, these residents asked that their land be annexed to LaPorte County, which was completed on January 28, 1842. Thereafter, the Kankakee River formed the southern boundary of the county. Finally, on January 10, 1850, some twenty sections of land were annexed fromSt. Joseph County to the east, giving LaPorte County the boundaries that essentially exist to this day.[10]
Whether the correct spelling of the city and county is "La Porte" or "LaPorte" is disputed,[15] although state law refers to "LaPorte County."[16][17]
LaPorte County is noted for being the last-known place of theBelle Gunness serial murders. Bodies of her victims were discovered after her house burned and she disappeared in 1908. Gunness lived on a farm on the outskirts of the county seat.
According to the 2010 census, the county has a total area of 613.26 square miles (1,588.3 km2), of which 598.30 square miles (1,549.6 km2) (or 97.56%) is land and 14.96 square miles (38.7 km2) (or 2.44%) is water.[18] The highest point, at 957 feet (292 m),[3] is in southwestern Galena Township near County Roads East 600 North and North 150 East. The lowest point, at 581 feet (177 m),[4] is along theLake Michigan shoreline.
I-80 /I-90 /Indiana Toll Road
I-94U.S. Route 6U.S. Route 12U.S. Route 20U.S. Route 30U.S. Route 35
U.S. Route 421
State Road 2
State Road 4
State Road 8
State Road 39
State Road 104
State Road 212The municipalities in LaPorte County and their populations as of the 2010 Census:
LaPorte County contains 21 townships, more than any other county in the state.[19] The townships, with their populations as of the 2010 Census, are:
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1840 | 8,184 | — | |
| 1850 | 12,145 | 48.4% | |
| 1860 | 22,919 | 88.7% | |
| 1870 | 27,062 | 18.1% | |
| 1880 | 30,985 | 14.5% | |
| 1890 | 34,445 | 11.2% | |
| 1900 | 38,386 | 11.4% | |
| 1910 | 45,797 | 19.3% | |
| 1920 | 50,443 | 10.1% | |
| 1930 | 60,490 | 19.9% | |
| 1940 | 63,660 | 5.2% | |
| 1950 | 76,808 | 20.7% | |
| 1960 | 95,111 | 23.8% | |
| 1970 | 105,342 | 10.8% | |
| 1980 | 108,632 | 3.1% | |
| 1990 | 107,066 | −1.4% | |
| 2000 | 110,106 | 2.8% | |
| 2010 | 111,467 | 1.2% | |
| 2020 | 112,417 | 0.9% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 111,706 | [20] | −0.6% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[21] 1790-1960[22] 1900-1990[23] 1990-2000[24] 2010[25] | |||
| Race / Ethnicity(NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 2000[26] | Pop 2010[27] | Pop 2020[28] | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 93,330 | 90,695 | 85,957 | 84.76% | 81.36% | 76.46% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 11,052 | 11,835 | 11,874 | 10.04% | 10.62% | 10.56% |
| Native American orAlaska Native alone (NH) | 306 | 246 | 250 | 0.28% | 0.22% | 0.22% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 483 | 570 | 743 | 0.44% | 0.51% | 0.66% |
| Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 16 | 13 | 18 | 0.01% | 0.01% | 0.02% |
| Other race alone (NH) | 126 | 97 | 467 | 0.11% | 0.09% | 0.42% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | 1,391 | 1,918 | 5,123 | 1.26% | 1.72% | 4.56% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 3,402 | 6,093 | 7,985 | 3.09% | 5.47% | 7.10% |
| Total | 110,106 | 111,467 | 112,417 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
As of the2010 United States census, there were 111,467 people, 42,331 households, and 28,228 families residing in the county.[29] The population density was 186.3 inhabitants per square mile (71.9/km2). There were 48,448 housing units at an average density of 81.0 per square mile (31.3/km2).[18] The racial makeup of the county was 84.1% white, 10.8% black or African American, 0.5% Asian, 0.3% American Indian, 2.0% from other races, and 2.3% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 5.5% of the population.[29] In terms of ancestry, 30.7% wereGerman, 15.3% wereIrish, 11.5% werePolish, 8.3% wereEnglish, and 5.9% wereAmerican.[30]
Of the 42,331 households, 31.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.3% were married couples living together, 12.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 33.3% were non-families, and 27.3% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 3.00. The median age was 39.6 years.[29]
The median income for a household in the county was $47,697 and the median income for a family was $56,679. Males had a median income of $45,537 versus $30,774 for females. The per capita income for the county was $22,599. About 9.9% of families and 13.8% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 22.7% of those under age 18 and 7.1% of those age 65 or over.[31]
School districts include:[32]
The county is served by five different public library systems:
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In recent years, average temperatures in La Porte have ranged from a low of 12 °F (−11 °C) in January to a high of 84 °F (29 °C) in July, although a record low of −28 °F (−33 °C) was recorded in January 1977 and a record high of 104 °F (40 °C) was recorded in June 1988. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 1.68 inches (43 mm) in February to 4.79 inches (122 mm) in June.[40]
Public schools in LaPorte County are administered by seven different districts:
From 1992 to 2012, LaPorte County had been reliably Democratic althoughJohn Kerry came within 198 votes of losing the county in 2004. But in recent years it has been increasingly Republican withDonald Trump winning the county in all 3 of his presidential runs.
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1888 | 3,722 | 44.11% | 4,607 | 54.60% | 109 | 1.29% |
| 1892 | 3,548 | 41.95% | 4,703 | 55.61% | 206 | 2.44% |
| 1896 | 4,691 | 50.28% | 4,511 | 48.35% | 127 | 1.36% |
| 1900 | 4,809 | 49.52% | 4,783 | 49.25% | 119 | 1.23% |
| 1904 | 5,952 | 55.68% | 4,472 | 41.84% | 265 | 2.48% |
| 1908 | 5,824 | 49.52% | 5,680 | 48.30% | 256 | 2.18% |
| 1912 | 2,701 | 24.87% | 4,847 | 44.62% | 3,314 | 30.51% |
| 1916 | 5,726 | 50.29% | 5,276 | 46.33% | 385 | 3.38% |
| 1920 | 11,204 | 65.00% | 5,459 | 31.67% | 575 | 3.34% |
| 1924 | 11,597 | 61.22% | 5,214 | 27.52% | 2,132 | 11.25% |
| 1928 | 14,763 | 61.32% | 9,254 | 38.44% | 58 | 0.24% |
| 1932 | 10,739 | 41.31% | 14,890 | 57.28% | 366 | 1.41% |
| 1936 | 11,722 | 42.79% | 15,359 | 56.07% | 311 | 1.14% |
| 1940 | 15,771 | 53.29% | 13,732 | 46.40% | 90 | 0.30% |
| 1944 | 16,543 | 54.12% | 13,896 | 45.46% | 129 | 0.42% |
| 1948 | 15,661 | 52.45% | 13,923 | 46.63% | 275 | 0.92% |
| 1952 | 22,576 | 59.83% | 15,011 | 39.78% | 146 | 0.39% |
| 1956 | 24,622 | 62.90% | 14,417 | 36.83% | 103 | 0.26% |
| 1960 | 22,738 | 52.71% | 20,317 | 47.10% | 85 | 0.20% |
| 1964 | 16,270 | 42.16% | 22,220 | 57.57% | 104 | 0.27% |
| 1968 | 20,295 | 49.76% | 15,780 | 38.69% | 4,708 | 11.54% |
| 1972 | 26,243 | 65.98% | 13,222 | 33.24% | 311 | 0.78% |
| 1976 | 21,989 | 54.09% | 18,217 | 44.81% | 449 | 1.10% |
| 1980 | 22,424 | 55.32% | 15,387 | 37.96% | 2,727 | 6.73% |
| 1984 | 23,346 | 59.00% | 15,904 | 40.20% | 317 | 0.80% |
| 1988 | 20,537 | 53.64% | 17,585 | 45.93% | 163 | 0.43% |
| 1992 | 14,962 | 35.24% | 17,717 | 41.72% | 9,784 | 23.04% |
| 1996 | 14,106 | 35.82% | 19,879 | 50.48% | 5,392 | 13.69% |
| 2000 | 18,994 | 47.79% | 19,736 | 49.65% | 1,017 | 2.56% |
| 2004 | 20,916 | 49.09% | 21,114 | 49.56% | 576 | 1.35% |
| 2008 | 17,918 | 38.11% | 28,258 | 60.10% | 842 | 1.79% |
| 2012 | 18,615 | 42.62% | 24,107 | 55.19% | 959 | 2.20% |
| 2016 | 22,687 | 49.74% | 19,798 | 43.41% | 3,124 | 6.85% |
| 2020 | 25,997 | 52.54% | 22,427 | 45.32% | 1,059 | 2.14% |
| 2024 | 26,726 | 56.09% | 20,007 | 41.99% | 914 | 1.92% |
LaPorte County is split between Indiana's 1st andIndiana's 2nd congressional district and is represented byRudy Yakym and Frank Mrvan in theUnited States Congress. It is also part ofIndiana Senate districts 5 and 8[50] andIndiana House of Representatives districts 7, 9, 17 and 20.[51]
County elected officials:
Source:[52]
Source:[53]
Media related toLaPorte County, Indiana at Wikimedia Commons
Places adjacent to LaPorte County, Indiana | |
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Municipalities and communities ofLaPorte County, Indiana,United States | ||
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| Cities |  | |
| Towns | ||
| Townships | ||
| CDPs | ||
| Other communities | ||
| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
| International | |
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| National | |
| Geographic | |
| Other | |
