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LaPorte County, Indiana

April 10, 2024

LaPorte County[5] is a county located in the U.S. state of Indiana. As of 2020, the population was 112,417.[6] The county seat is the city of La Porte,[7] and the largest city is Michigan City. This county is part of the Northwest Indiana and Michiana regions of the Chicago metropolitan area. The LaPorte County Courthouse is located in the county seat of La Porte and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

LaPorte County
County
LaPorte County Courthouse in La Porte, Indiana
Location in the state of Indiana
Indiana's location in the U.S.
Coordinates: 41°36′N 86°43′W / 41.600°N 86.717°W / 41.600; -86.717
Country United States
State Indiana
RegionsNorthwest Indiana and Michiana
Metro areaChicago Metropolitan
EstablishedApril 1, 1832
Named for"The Door" or "The Port" (fr.)[1]
County seatLa Porte
Largest cityMichigan City
(population and total area)
Incorporated
municipalities
11 cities and towns
Government
 • TypeCounty
 • BodyBoard of Commissioners
 • CommissionerConnie Gramarossa (R, 1st)
 • CommissionerRichard Mrozinksi (R, 2nd)
 • CommissionerJoe Haney (R, 3rd)
 • County Council
Members
  • Justin Kiel(R)
  • Randy Novak (D)
  • Mark Yagelski (D)
  • Michael Rosenbaum (R)
  • Earl Cunningham (R)
  • Mike Mollenhauer (D)
  • Adam Koronka (R)
Area
 • County613.26 sq mi (1,588.3 km2)
 • Land598.30 sq mi (1,549.6 km2)
 • Water14.96 sq mi (38.7 km2)
 • Metro
10,874 sq mi (28,160 km2)
 • Rank2nd largest county in Indiana
 • Region2,726 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)
 • County112,417
 • Rank16th largest county in Indiana
 • Density180/sq mi (71/km2)
 • Metro
9,618,502
 • Region
819,537
Time zoneUTC−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 code219
Congressional districts1st and 2nd
Indiana Senate districts5th and 8th
Indiana House of Representatives districts7th, 9th, 17th and 20th
FIPS code18-091
GNIS feature ID0450507
Interstates
U.S. Routes
State Routes
AirportsLa Porte Municipal
Michigan City Municipal
WaterwaysEast Arm Little Calumet River
Kankakee River
Lake Michigan
Little Calumet River
Trail Creek
Amtrak stationMichigan City (closed)
South Shore Line stations11th Street – Carroll Avenue Hudson Lake
Public transitMichigan City Transit
Websitewww.laportecounty.org
  • Indiana county number 46

History edit

LaPorte County was formed in 1832. La porte means "the door" or "the port" in French.[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 adjacent Starke County to the south 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.[10][11]

LaPorte County's initial European-American settlers were Yankee migrants, that is to say they were from New England or were from upstate New York and had parents who were from New England, and were descended from the English Puritans who settled New England in the colonial era. They were part of a wave of New England settlers moving west into what was then the Northwest Territory after the completion of the Erie Canal through the Mohawk Valley of New York State.

These first settlers in LaPorte County specifically hailed from the Massachusetts towns of Granville, Boston, Bridgewater, West Bridgewater, Andover, Nantucket Island, and Hampshire County; the Connecticut towns of Colchester, Wethersfield, Granby, and New Haven; the New Hampshire towns of Bradford, Amherst and Goffstown; the Vermont villages of Dorset, Albany and Fairfax; many also came from Orange County, Vermont, Caledonia County, Vermont and Penobscot County, Maine. They were mainly members of the Congregational Church. As result of the Second Great Awakening, many became Baptists and many also converted to Pentecostalism and Methodism. When they arrived in what is now LaPorte County, there was nothing but virgin forest and prairie. The New 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 early New 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, 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".[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 the Kankakee River originally belonged to Starke County. However, residents living in that area had difficulty crossing 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 from St. 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 place of the Belle Gunness serial murders. Gunness lived on a farm on the outskirts of the county seat.

Geography edit

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 the Lake Michigan shoreline.

Adjacent counties edit

National protected area edit

Major highways edit

Railroads edit

Municipalities edit

The municipalities in LaPorte County and their populations as of the 2010 Census:

Cities edit

Towns edit

Census-designated places edit

Unincorporated communities edit

Townships edit

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:

Unincorporated towns edit

Demographics edit

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
18408,184—
185012,14548.4%
186022,91988.7%
187027,06218.1%
188030,98514.5%
189034,44511.2%
190038,38611.4%
191045,79719.3%
192050,44310.1%
193060,49019.9%
194063,6605.2%
195076,80820.7%
196095,11123.8%
1970105,34210.8%
1980108,6323.1%
1990107,066−1.4%
2000110,1062.8%
2010111,4671.2%
2020112,4170.9%
2023 (est.)111,706[20]−0.6%
U.S. Decennial Census[21]
1790-1960[22] 1900-1990[23]
1990-2000[24] 2010[25]
LaPorte County racial composition as of 2020 (NH = Non-Hispanic)[a]
Race Pop 2010[28] Pop 2020[29] % 2010 % 2020
White (NH) 90,695 85,957 81.4% 76.5%
Black or African American (NH) 11,853 11,874 10.6% 10.6%
Native American or Alaska Native (NH) 246 250 0.2% 0.2%
Asian (NH) 570 743 0.5% 0.7%
Pacific Islander (NH) 13 18 0.0% 0.0%
Some Other Race (NH) 97 467 0.1% 0.4%
Mixed/Multi-Racial (NH) 1,918 5,123 1.7% 4.6%
Hispanic or Latino 6,093 7,985 5.5% 7.1%
Total 111,467 112,417

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 111,467 people, 42,331 households, and 28,228 families residing in the county.[30] 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.[30] In terms of ancestry, 30.7% were German, 15.3% were Irish, 11.5% were Polish, 8.3% were English, and 5.9% were American.[31]

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.[30]

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 the poverty line, including 22.7% of those under age 18 and 7.1% of those age 65 or over.[32]

Education edit

K-12 schools edit

School districts include:[33]

Public libraries edit

The county is served by five different public library systems:

  • LaCrosse Public Library[34]
  • LaPorte County Public Library has its main location in La Porte as well as the Coolspring, Fish Lake, Hanna, Kingsford Heights, Rolling Prairie and Union Mills branches.[35]
  • Michigan City Public Library[36]
  • Wanatah Public Library[37]
  • Westville-New Durham Township Public Library has its main location in Westville.[38]

Hospitals edit

Climate and weather edit

La Porte, Indiana
Climate chart (explanation)
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█ Average max. and min. temperatures in °F
█ Precipitation totals in inches
Source: The Weather Channel[41]
Metric conversion
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47
 
 
−1
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2
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91
 
 
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−7
█ Average max. and min. temperatures in °C
█ Precipitation totals in mm

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.[41]

Education edit

Public schools in LaPorte County are administered by seven different districts:

Colleges and Universities edit

Government edit

See also: Government of Indiana

The county government is a constitutional body and is granted specific powers by the Constitution of Indiana, and by the Indiana Code.

United States presidential election results for LaPorte County, Indiana[50]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2020 25,997 52.54% 22,427 45.32% 1,059 2.14%
2016 22,687 49.74% 19,798 43.41% 3,124 6.85%
2012 18,615 42.62% 24,107 55.19% 959 2.20%
2008 17,918 38.11% 28,258 60.10% 842 1.79%
2004 20,916 49.09% 21,114 49.56% 576 1.35%
2000 18,994 47.79% 19,736 49.65% 1,017 2.56%
1996 14,106 35.82% 19,879 50.48% 5,392 13.69%
1992 14,962 35.24% 17,717 41.72% 9,784 23.04%
1988 20,537 53.64% 17,585 45.93% 163 0.43%
1984 23,346 59.00% 15,904 40.20% 317 0.80%
1980 22,424 55.32% 15,387 37.96% 2,727 6.73%
1976 21,989 54.09% 18,217 44.81% 449 1.10%
1972 26,243 65.98% 13,222 33.24% 311 0.78%
1968 20,295 49.76% 15,780 38.69% 4,708 11.54%
1964 16,270 42.16% 22,220 57.57% 104 0.27%
1960 22,738 52.71% 20,317 47.10% 85 0.20%
1956 24,622 62.90% 14,417 36.83% 103 0.26%
1952 22,576 59.83% 15,011 39.78% 146 0.39%
1948 15,661 52.45% 13,923 46.63% 275 0.92%
1944 16,543 54.12% 13,896 45.46% 129 0.42%
1940 15,771 53.29% 13,732 46.40% 90 0.30%
1936 11,722 42.79% 15,359 56.07% 311 1.14%
1932 10,739 41.31% 14,890 57.28% 366 1.41%
1928 14,763 61.32% 9,254 38.44% 58 0.24%
1924 11,597 61.22% 5,214 27.52% 2,132 11.25%
1920 11,204 65.00% 5,459 31.67% 575 3.34%
1916 5,726 50.29% 5,276 46.33% 385 3.38%
1912 2,701 24.87% 4,847 44.62% 3,314 30.51%
1908 5,824 49.52% 5,680 48.30% 256 2.18%
1904 5,952 55.68% 4,472 41.84% 265 2.48%
1900 4,809 49.52% 4,783 49.25% 119 1.23%
1896 4,691 50.28% 4,511 48.35% 127 1.36%
1892 3,548 41.95% 4,703 55.61% 206 2.44%
1888 3,722 44.11% 4,607 54.60% 109 1.29%

County Council: The county council is the fiscal-legislative branch of the county government and controls all the spending and revenue collection in the county. Representatives are elected from county districts. The council members serve four-year terms. They are responsible for setting salaries, the annual budget, and special spending. The council also has limited authority to impose local taxes, in the form of income and property taxes that are subject to state-level approval, excise taxes, and service taxes.[51][52]

Board of Commissioners: The executive-legislative body of the county is the board of commissioners. The commissioners are elected county-wide, in staggered terms, and each serves a four-year term. One of the commissioners, typically the most senior, serves as president. The commissioners are charged with executing the acts legislated by the council, collecting revenue, and managing the day-to-day functions of the county government.[51][52]

Court: The county has five elected trial court judges. They include the LaPorte Circuit Court and Superior Courts one through four. The judges are elected to six-year terms on partisan ballots. Superior Courts three and four maintain small claims dockets. Decisions from any trial court may be appealed to the Indiana Court of Appeals.[52] The Circuit Court and Superior court three are located in the city of La Porte; Superior courts one, two and four are located in Michigan City.

County Officials: The county has several other elected offices, including sheriff, coroner, auditor, treasurer, recorder, surveyor, and circuit court clerk. Each of these elected officers serves a term of four years and oversees a different part of county government. Members elected to county government positions are required to declare party affiliations and to be residents of the county.[52]

LaPorte County is split between Indiana's 1st and Indiana's 2nd congressional district and is represented by Rudy Yakym and Frank Mrvan in the United States Congress. It is also part of Indiana Senate districts 5 and 8[53] and Indiana House of Representatives districts 7, 9, 17 and 20.[54]

County elected officials:

Board of Commissioners:[55] edit

  • Richard Mrozinski (R, 1st)
  • Connie Gramarossa (R, 2nd)
  • Joe Haney (R, 3rd)

County Council:[56] edit

  • Adam Koronka (R)
  • Justin Kiel(R)
  • Michael Rosenbaum (R)
  • Randall Novak (D)
  • Earl Cunningham (R)
  • Mike Mollenhauer (D)
  • Mark Yagelski (D)

See also edit

Notes edit

  1. ^ Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race.[26][27]

References edit

  1. ^ a b "Origin of Indiana County Names". Indiana Historical Bureau. Retrieved October 14, 2014.
  2. ^ "LaPorte County". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  3. ^ a b Springville Quadrangle – Indiana – LaPorte Co (Map). 1:24,000. 7.5-Minute Series (Topographic). United States Geological Survey. 2013.
  4. ^ a b Michigan City West Quadrangle – Indiana – LaPorte Co (Map). 1:24,000. 7.5-Minute Series (Topographic). United States Geological Survey. 2013.
  5. ^ LaPorte County Information Technology. "LaPorte County Online Government". laportecounty.org.
  6. ^ "La Porte County, Indiana". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 2, 2023.
  7. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  8. ^ Calumet Beginnings: Schoon, Kenneth J. (2003)
  9. ^ De Witt Clinton Goodrich & Charles Richard Tuttle (1875). An Illustrated History of the State of Indiana. Indiana: R. S. Peale & co. p. 560.
  10. ^ a b . Archived from the original on May 17, 2008.
  11. ^ "History of 1838 Trail of Death". potawatomi-tda.org.
  12. ^ The Expansion of New England: The Spread of New England Settlement and Institutions to the Mississippi River, 1620-1865, by Lois Kimball Matthews, pp. 201-202
  13. ^ Lang, Elfrieda. “Southern Migration to Northern Indiana Before 1850.” Indiana Magazine of History, Volume 50, Issue 4, pp 349-356. 1954. Lang, Elfrieda. “An Analysis of Northern Indiana’s Population in 1850.” Indiana Magazine of History, Volume 49, Issue 1, March 1953. Rose, Gregory C.” Upland Southerners: The County Origins of Southern Migrants.” Indiana Magazine of History, Volume 82, Issue 3, September 1991.
  14. ^ La Porte Herald, 19 October 1861, p. 2
  15. ^ Stephens, Dave (January 22, 2012). "La(?)Porte's Space Odyssey". South Bend Tribune. Retrieved January 26, 2012.
  16. ^ Indiana Code 33-33-46.
  17. ^ Indiana Code 3-3-5.
  18. ^ a b "Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 - County". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 12, 2020. Retrieved July 10, 2015.
  19. ^ Daniels, E. D. (1904). A twentieth century history and biographical record of La Porte County, Indiana. Lewis Publishing Co. p. 38.
  20. ^ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 2, 2024.
  21. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
  22. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
  23. ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
  24. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
  25. ^ . United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 7, 2011. Retrieved September 25, 2011.
  26. ^ https://www.census.gov/ [not specific enough to verify]
  27. ^ "About the Hispanic Population and its Origin". www.census.gov. Retrieved May 18, 2022.
  28. ^ "American Fact Finder". American Fact Finder. Archived from the original on February 12, 2020. Retrieved March 11, 2024.
  29. ^ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved March 11, 2024.
  30. ^ a b c "DP-1 Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 12, 2020. Retrieved July 10, 2015.
  31. ^ "DP02 SELECTED SOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS IN THE UNITED STATES – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 14, 2020. Retrieved July 10, 2015.
  32. ^ "DP03 SELECTED ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 14, 2020. Retrieved July 10, 2015.
  33. ^ "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: LaPorte County, IN" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved July 22, 2022. - Text list
  34. ^ "LaCrosse Public Library". Retrieved June 28, 2014.
  35. ^ "LaPorte County Public Library". Retrieved June 28, 2014.
  36. ^ "Michigan City Public Library". Retrieved June 28, 2014.
  37. ^ "Wanatah Public Library". Retrieved June 28, 2014.
  38. ^ "Westville-New Durham Township Public Library". Retrieved June 28, 2014.
  39. ^ "Northwest Health – La Porte". Gresham Smith. Retrieved April 27, 2023.
  40. ^ "Franciscan Health is New Name for Leading Hospital System". Franciscan Alliance, Inc. September 6, 2016. Retrieved September 11, 2016.
  41. ^ a b "Monthly Averages for La Porte, Indiana". The Weather Channel. Retrieved January 27, 2011.
  42. ^ "John Glenn School Corporation".
  43. ^ "LaPorte Community School Corporation".
  44. ^ "Metropolitan School District of New Durham Township".
  45. ^ "Michigan City Area Schools".
  46. ^ "New Prairie United School Corporation".
  47. ^ "South Central Community School Corporation".
  48. ^ "Tri-Township Consolidated School Corporation".
  49. ^ Joseph S. Pete (March 5, 2016). "Purdue University Northwest now officially exists". The Times of Northwest Indiana. Retrieved March 5, 2016.
  50. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved May 18, 2018.
  51. ^ a b Indiana Code. "Title 36, Article 2, Section 3". IN.gov. Retrieved September 16, 2008.
  52. ^ a b c d Indiana Code. "Title 2, Article 10, Section 2" (PDF). IN.gov. Retrieved September 16, 2008.
  53. ^ "Indiana Senate Districts". State of Indiana. Retrieved July 14, 2011.
  54. ^ "Indiana House Districts". State of Indiana. Retrieved July 14, 2011.
  55. ^ LaPorte County Information Technology. "Board of Commissioners". laportecounty.org.
  56. ^ LaPorte County Information Technology. "LaPorte County Council". laportecounty.org.

External links edit

  Media related to LaPorte County, Indiana at Wikimedia Commons

  • Official website
  • Access LaPorte County official community site November 12, 2020, at the Wayback Machine


April 10, 2024
laporte, county, indiana, laporte, county, county, located, state, indiana, 2020, population, county, seat, city, porte, largest, city, michigan, city, this, county, part, northwest, indiana, michiana, regions, chicago, metropolitan, area, laporte, county, cou. LaPorte County 5 is a county located in the U S state of Indiana As of 2020 the population was 112 417 6 The county seat is the city of La Porte 7 and the largest city is Michigan City This county is part of the Northwest Indiana and Michiana regions of the Chicago metropolitan area The LaPorte County Courthouse is located in the county seat of La Porte and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places LaPorte CountyCountyLaPorte County Courthouse in La Porte IndianaLocation in the state of IndianaIndiana s location in the U S Coordinates 41 36 N 86 43 W 41 600 N 86 717 W 41 600 86 717Country United StatesState IndianaRegionsNorthwest Indiana and MichianaMetro areaChicago MetropolitanEstablishedApril 1 1832Named for The Door or The Port fr 1 County seatLa PorteLargest cityMichigan City population and total area Incorporatedmunicipalities11 cities and towns Kingsbury town Kingsford Heights town La Porte city LaCrosse town Long Beach town Michiana Shores town Michigan City city Pottawattamie Park town Trail Creek town Wanatah town Westville town Government TypeCounty BodyBoard of Commissioners CommissionerConnie Gramarossa R 1st CommissionerRichard Mrozinksi R 2nd CommissionerJoe Haney R 3rd County CouncilMembers Justin Kiel R Randy Novak D Mark Yagelski D Michael Rosenbaum R Earl Cunningham R Mike Mollenhauer D Adam Koronka R Area County613 26 sq mi 1 588 3 km2 Land598 30 sq mi 1 549 6 km2 Water14 96 sq mi 38 7 km2 Metro10 874 sq mi 28 160 km2 Rank2nd largest county in Indiana Region2 726 sq mi 7 060 km2 Elevation 2 mean 778 ft 237 m Highest elevation 3 SW Galena Twp957 ft 292 m Lowest elevation 4 at Lake Michigan581 ft 177 m Population 2020 County112 417 Rank16th largest county in Indiana Density180 sq mi 71 km2 Metro9 618 502 Region819 537Time zoneUTC 6 Central Summer DST UTC 5 Central ZIP Codes46340 46345 46 46348 46350 46352 46360 61 46365 46371 46382 46390 91 46532 46552 46554 46574Area code219Congressional districts1st and 2ndIndiana Senate districts5th and 8thIndiana House of Representatives districts7th 9th 17th and 20thFIPS code18 091GNIS feature ID0450507InterstatesU S RoutesState RoutesAirportsLa Porte MunicipalMichigan City MunicipalWaterwaysEast Arm Little Calumet RiverKankakee RiverLake MichiganLittle Calumet RiverTrail CreekAmtrak stationMichigan City closed South Shore Line stations11th Street Carroll Avenue Hudson LakePublic transitMichigan City TransitWebsitewww laportecounty orgIndiana county number 46 Contents 1 History 2 Geography 2 1 Adjacent counties 2 2 National protected area 2 3 Major highways 2 4 Railroads 3 Municipalities 3 1 Cities 3 2 Towns 3 3 Census designated places 3 4 Unincorporated communities 4 Townships 4 1 Unincorporated towns 5 Demographics 6 Education 6 1 K 12 schools 6 2 Public libraries 6 3 Hospitals 7 Climate and weather 8 Education 8 1 Colleges and Universities 9 Government 9 1 Board of Commissioners 55 9 2 County Council 56 10 See also 11 Notes 12 References 13 External linksHistory editLaPorte County was formed in 1832 La porte means the door or the port in French 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 adjacent Starke County to the south 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 10 11 LaPorte County s initial European American settlers were Yankee migrants that is to say they were from New England or were from upstate New York and had parents who were from New England and were descended from the English Puritans who settled New England in the colonial era They were part of a wave of New England settlers moving west into what was then the Northwest Territory after the completion of the Erie Canal through the Mohawk Valley of New York State These first settlers in LaPorte County specifically hailed from the Massachusetts towns of Granville Boston Bridgewater West Bridgewater Andover Nantucket Island and Hampshire County the Connecticut towns of Colchester Wethersfield Granby and New Haven the New Hampshire towns of Bradford Amherst and Goffstown the Vermont villages of Dorset Albany and Fairfax many also came from Orange County Vermont Caledonia County Vermont and Penobscot County Maine They were mainly members of the Congregational Church As result of the Second Great Awakening many became Baptists and many also converted to Pentecostalism and Methodism When they arrived in what is now LaPorte County there was nothing but virgin forest and prairie The New 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 early New 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 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 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 the Kankakee River originally belonged to Starke County However residents living in that area had difficulty crossing 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 from St 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 place of the Belle Gunness serial murders Gunness lived on a farm on the outskirts of the county seat Geography editAccording 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 the Lake Michigan shoreline Adjacent counties edit Berrien County Michigan North Eastern Time Zone Border St Joseph County East Eastern Time Zone Border Starke County South Jasper County Southwest Porter County West Cook County Illinois NorthWest Boundary in Lake MichiganNational protected area edit Indiana Dunes National Park also in Lake and Porter countiesMajor highways edit nbsp nbsp nbsp I 80 I 90 Indiana Toll Road nbsp I 94 nbsp U S Route 6 nbsp U S Route 12 nbsp U S Route 20 nbsp U S Route 30 nbsp U S Route 35 nbsp U S Route 421 nbsp State Road 2 nbsp State Road 4 nbsp State Road 8 nbsp State Road 39 nbsp State Road 104 nbsp State Road 212Railroads edit Canadian National Railway Chesapeake and Indiana Railroad Chicago Fort Wayne and Eastern Railroad Chicago South Shore and South Bend Railroad CSX Transportation Norfolk Southern Railway South Shore Line commuter rail Municipalities editThe municipalities in LaPorte County and their populations as of the 2010 Census Cities edit La Porte 22 053 Michigan City 31 479 Towns edit Kingsbury 242 Kingsford Heights 1 435 LaCrosse 551 Long Beach 1 179 Michiana Shores 313 Pottawattamie Park 235 Trail Creek 2 052 Wanatah 1 048 Westville 5 853 Census designated places edit Fish Lake 1 016 Hanna 463 Hudson Lake 1 297 Rolling Prairie 582 Unincorporated communities edit Alida Birchim Byron Door Village Duneland Beach Hesston Holmesville Lake Park Mill Creek Otis Pinhook Pinola Plainfield Riverside Salem Heights Smith South Center South Wanatah Springfield Springville Stillwell Thomaston Tracy Union Mills Waterford Wellsboro WildersTownships editLaPorte County contains 21 townships more than any other county in the state 19 The townships with their populations as of the 2010 Census are Cass 1 833 Center 25 075 Clinton 1 507 Coolspring 14 718 Dewey 935 Galena 1 899 Hanna 965 Hudson 1 883 Johnson 198 Kankakee 4 830 Lincoln 1 794 Michigan 27 522 New Durham 8 664 Noble 1 625 Pleasant 3 380 Prairie 209 Scipio 4 570 Springfield 4 045 Union 2 348 Washington 1 357 Wills 2 110 Unincorporated towns edit LakelandDemographics editHistorical population CensusPop Note 18408 184 185012 14548 4 186022 91988 7 187027 06218 1 188030 98514 5 189034 44511 2 190038 38611 4 191045 79719 3 192050 44310 1 193060 49019 9 194063 6605 2 195076 80820 7 196095 11123 8 1970105 34210 8 1980108 6323 1 1990107 066 1 4 2000110 1062 8 2010111 4671 2 2020112 4170 9 2023 est 111 706 20 0 6 U S Decennial Census 21 1790 1960 22 1900 1990 23 1990 2000 24 2010 25 LaPorte County racial composition as of 2020 NH Non Hispanic a Race Pop 2010 28 Pop 2020 29 2010 2020White NH 90 695 85 957 81 4 76 5 Black or African American NH 11 853 11 874 10 6 10 6 Native American or Alaska Native NH 246 250 0 2 0 2 Asian NH 570 743 0 5 0 7 Pacific Islander NH 13 18 0 0 0 0 Some Other Race NH 97 467 0 1 0 4 Mixed Multi Racial NH 1 918 5 123 1 7 4 6 Hispanic or Latino 6 093 7 985 5 5 7 1 Total 111 467 112 417As of the 2010 United States Census there were 111 467 people 42 331 households and 28 228 families residing in the county 30 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 30 In terms of ancestry 30 7 were German 15 3 were Irish 11 5 were Polish 8 3 were English and 5 9 were American 31 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 30 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 the poverty line including 22 7 of those under age 18 and 7 1 of those age 65 or over 32 Education editK 12 schools edit School districts include 33 John Glenn School Corporation La Porte Community School Corporation Michigan City Area Schools New Durham Township Metropolitan School District New Prairie United School Corporation South Central Community School Corporation Tri Township Consolidated School CorporationPublic libraries edit The county is served by five different public library systems LaCrosse Public Library 34 LaPorte County Public Library has its main location in La Porte as well as the Coolspring Fish Lake Hanna Kingsford Heights Rolling Prairie and Union Mills branches 35 Michigan City Public Library 36 Wanatah Public Library 37 Westville New Durham Township Public Library has its main location in Westville 38 Hospitals edit Northwest Health La Porte La Porte 84 beds 39 Franciscan Health Michigan City Michigan City 310 beds 40 Climate and weather editLa Porte IndianaClimate chart explanation J F M A M J J A S O N D 1 8 30 12 1 7 36 16 3 47 27 4 1 60 37 4 3 71 47 4 8 80 58 3 9 84 62 3 9 81 60 3 3 75 51 3 63 39 3 6 48 30 2 7 35 19 Average max and min temperatures in F Precipitation totals in inchesSource The Weather Channel 41 Metric conversionJ F M A M J J A S O N D 47 1 11 43 2 9 75 8 3 104 16 3 110 22 8 122 27 14 98 29 17 98 27 16 85 24 11 76 17 4 91 9 1 69 2 7 Average max and min temperatures in C Precipitation totals in mmIn 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 41 Education editPublic schools in LaPorte County are administered by seven different districts John Glenn School Corporation 42 LaPorte Community School Corporation 43 Metropolitan School District of New Durham Township 44 Michigan City Area Schools 45 New Prairie United School Corporation 46 South Central Community School Corporation 47 Tri Township Consolidated School Corporation 48 Colleges and Universities edit Ivy Tech Community College Purdue University Northwest 49 Government editSee also Government of Indiana The county government is a constitutional body and is granted specific powers by the Constitution of Indiana and by the Indiana Code United States presidential election results for LaPorte County Indiana 50 Year Republican Democratic Third partyNo No No 2020 25 997 52 54 22 427 45 32 1 059 2 14 2016 22 687 49 74 19 798 43 41 3 124 6 85 2012 18 615 42 62 24 107 55 19 959 2 20 2008 17 918 38 11 28 258 60 10 842 1 79 2004 20 916 49 09 21 114 49 56 576 1 35 2000 18 994 47 79 19 736 49 65 1 017 2 56 1996 14 106 35 82 19 879 50 48 5 392 13 69 1992 14 962 35 24 17 717 41 72 9 784 23 04 1988 20 537 53 64 17 585 45 93 163 0 43 1984 23 346 59 00 15 904 40 20 317 0 80 1980 22 424 55 32 15 387 37 96 2 727 6 73 1976 21 989 54 09 18 217 44 81 449 1 10 1972 26 243 65 98 13 222 33 24 311 0 78 1968 20 295 49 76 15 780 38 69 4 708 11 54 1964 16 270 42 16 22 220 57 57 104 0 27 1960 22 738 52 71 20 317 47 10 85 0 20 1956 24 622 62 90 14 417 36 83 103 0 26 1952 22 576 59 83 15 011 39 78 146 0 39 1948 15 661 52 45 13 923 46 63 275 0 92 1944 16 543 54 12 13 896 45 46 129 0 42 1940 15 771 53 29 13 732 46 40 90 0 30 1936 11 722 42 79 15 359 56 07 311 1 14 1932 10 739 41 31 14 890 57 28 366 1 41 1928 14 763 61 32 9 254 38 44 58 0 24 1924 11 597 61 22 5 214 27 52 2 132 11 25 1920 11 204 65 00 5 459 31 67 575 3 34 1916 5 726 50 29 5 276 46 33 385 3 38 1912 2 701 24 87 4 847 44 62 3 314 30 51 1908 5 824 49 52 5 680 48 30 256 2 18 1904 5 952 55 68 4 472 41 84 265 2 48 1900 4 809 49 52 4 783 49 25 119 1 23 1896 4 691 50 28 4 511 48 35 127 1 36 1892 3 548 41 95 4 703 55 61 206 2 44 1888 3 722 44 11 4 607 54 60 109 1 29 County Council The county council is the fiscal legislative branch of the county government and controls all the spending and revenue collection in the county Representatives are elected from county districts The council members serve four year terms They are responsible for setting salaries the annual budget and special spending The council also has limited authority to impose local taxes in the form of income and property taxes that are subject to state level approval excise taxes and service taxes 51 52 Board of Commissioners The executive legislative body of the county is the board of commissioners The commissioners are elected county wide in staggered terms and each serves a four year term One of the commissioners typically the most senior serves as president The commissioners are charged with executing the acts legislated by the council collecting revenue and managing the day to day functions of the county government 51 52 Court The county has five elected trial court judges They include the LaPorte Circuit Court and Superior Courts one through four The judges are elected to six year terms on partisan ballots Superior Courts three and four maintain small claims dockets Decisions from any trial court may be appealed to the Indiana Court of Appeals 52 The Circuit Court and Superior court three are located in the city of La Porte Superior courts one two and four are located in Michigan City County Officials The county has several other elected offices including sheriff coroner auditor treasurer recorder surveyor and circuit court clerk Each of these elected officers serves a term of four years and oversees a different part of county government Members elected to county government positions are required to declare party affiliations and to be residents of the county 52 LaPorte County is split between Indiana s 1st and Indiana s 2nd congressional district and is represented by Rudy Yakym and Frank Mrvan in the United States Congress It is also part of Indiana Senate districts 5 and 8 53 and Indiana House of Representatives districts 7 9 17 and 20 54 County elected officials Board of Commissioners 55 edit Richard Mrozinski R 1st Connie Gramarossa R 2nd Joe Haney R 3rd County Council 56 edit Adam Koronka R Justin Kiel R Michael Rosenbaum R Randall Novak D Earl Cunningham R Mike Mollenhauer D Mark Yagelski D See also editNational Register of Historic Places listings in LaPorte County IndianaNotes edit Note the US Census treats Hispanic Latino as an ethnic category This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category Hispanics Latinos can be of any race 26 27 References edit a b Origin of Indiana County Names Indiana Historical Bureau Retrieved October 14 2014 LaPorte County Geographic Names Information System United States Geological Survey United States Department of the Interior a b Springville Quadrangle Indiana LaPorte Co Map 1 24 000 7 5 Minute Series Topographic United States Geological Survey 2013 a b Michigan City West Quadrangle Indiana LaPorte Co Map 1 24 000 7 5 Minute Series Topographic United States Geological Survey 2013 LaPorte County Information Technology LaPorte County Online Government laportecounty org La Porte County Indiana United States Census Bureau Retrieved June 2 2023 Find a County National Association of Counties Retrieved June 7 2011 Calumet Beginnings Schoon Kenneth J 2003 De Witt Clinton Goodrich amp Charles Richard Tuttle 1875 An Illustrated History of the State of Indiana Indiana R S Peale amp co p 560 a b La Porte County Historical Society Archived from the original on May 17 2008 History of 1838 Trail of Death potawatomi tda org The Expansion of New England The Spread of New England Settlement and Institutions to the Mississippi River 1620 1865 by Lois Kimball Matthews pp 201 202 Lang Elfrieda Southern Migration to Northern Indiana Before 1850 Indiana Magazine of History Volume 50 Issue 4 pp 349 356 1954 Lang Elfrieda An Analysis of Northern Indiana s Population in 1850 Indiana Magazine of History Volume 49 Issue 1 March 1953 Rose Gregory C Upland Southerners The County Origins of Southern Migrants Indiana Magazine of History Volume 82 Issue 3 September 1991 La Porte Herald 19 October 1861 p 2 Stephens Dave January 22 2012 La Porte s Space Odyssey South Bend Tribune Retrieved January 26 2012 Indiana Code 33 33 46 Indiana Code 3 3 5 a b Population Housing Units Area and Density 2010 County United States Census Bureau Archived from the original on February 12 2020 Retrieved July 10 2015 Daniels E D 1904 A twentieth century history and biographical record of La Porte County Indiana Lewis Publishing Co p 38 Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties April 1 2020 to July 1 2023 United States Census Bureau Retrieved April 2 2024 U S Decennial Census United States Census Bureau Retrieved July 10 2014 Historical Census Browser University of Virginia Library Retrieved July 10 2014 Population of Counties by Decennial Census 1900 to 1990 United States Census Bureau Retrieved July 10 2014 Census 2000 PHC T 4 Ranking Tables for Counties 1990 and 2000 PDF United States Census Bureau Retrieved July 10 2014 La Porte County QuickFacts United States Census Bureau Archived from the original on June 7 2011 Retrieved September 25 2011 https www census gov not specific enough to verify About the Hispanic Population and its Origin www census gov Retrieved May 18 2022 American Fact Finder American Fact Finder Archived from the original on February 12 2020 Retrieved March 11 2024 Explore Census Data data census gov Retrieved March 11 2024 a b c DP 1 Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics 2010 Demographic Profile Data United States Census Bureau Archived from the original on February 12 2020 Retrieved July 10 2015 DP02 SELECTED SOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS IN THE UNITED STATES 2006 2010 American Community Survey 5 Year Estimates United States Census Bureau Archived from the original on February 14 2020 Retrieved July 10 2015 DP03 SELECTED ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS 2006 2010 American Community Survey 5 Year Estimates United States Census Bureau Archived from the original on February 14 2020 Retrieved July 10 2015 2020 CENSUS SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP LaPorte County IN PDF U S Census Bureau Retrieved July 22 2022 Text list LaCrosse Public Library Retrieved June 28 2014 LaPorte County Public Library Retrieved June 28 2014 Michigan City Public Library Retrieved June 28 2014 Wanatah Public Library Retrieved June 28 2014 Westville New Durham Township Public Library Retrieved June 28 2014 Northwest Health La Porte Gresham Smith Retrieved April 27 2023 Franciscan Health is New Name for Leading Hospital System Franciscan Alliance Inc September 6 2016 Retrieved September 11 2016 a b Monthly Averages for La Porte Indiana The Weather Channel Retrieved January 27 2011 John Glenn School Corporation LaPorte Community School Corporation Metropolitan School District of New Durham Township Michigan City Area Schools New Prairie United School Corporation South Central Community School Corporation Tri Township Consolidated School Corporation Joseph S Pete March 5 2016 Purdue University Northwest now officially exists The Times of Northwest Indiana Retrieved March 5 2016 Leip David Dave Leip s Atlas of U S Presidential Elections uselectionatlas org Retrieved May 18 2018 a b Indiana Code Title 36 Article 2 Section 3 IN gov Retrieved September 16 2008 a b c d Indiana Code Title 2 Article 10 Section 2 PDF IN gov Retrieved September 16 2008 Indiana Senate Districts State of Indiana Retrieved July 14 2011 Indiana House Districts State of Indiana Retrieved July 14 2011 LaPorte County Information Technology Board of Commissioners laportecounty org LaPorte County Information Technology LaPorte County Council laportecounty org External links edit nbsp Media related to LaPorte County Indiana at Wikimedia Commons Official website Access LaPorte County official community site Archived November 12 2020 at the Wayback Machine Greater LaPorte Chamber of Commerce Healthy Communities of LaPorte County Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title LaPorte County Indiana amp oldid 1216937835, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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