La Porte County Historical Society, Inc.

Genealogical / Historical Resources
(see also our publications and maps for sale)

VETERAN GRAVE REGISTRATIONS: Card file of information about all veterans buried in the county. Each card contains individual veteran records, including family and military service information as available, and name of the cemetery where buried.

FAMILY HISTORIES: bound and manuscript: Donated family history files may contain obituaries, family group sheets, photographs, and legal documents. Some of the collection is in file folders, and some is in book form and shelved in the research area. This collection is expanding with current donations.

DIRECTORIES: Earliest La Porte city directory is 1859, and collection is considerable through current years for La Porte and the county. A few in collection for Michigan City. Earliest telephone directory is for the year 1930.

PHOTOGRAPHS: Extensive collection of photographs of historical and genealogical interest such as buildings, schools, school groups, churches, houses, industries, individuals, retail stores, and much more. Most have been identified. Copies available for nominal fee.
See our virtual photo album online.

NEWSPAPER CLIPPINGS: Private collection donated to the Society is topically arranged covering a broad spectrum of categories including agriculture, archaeology, biography, cemeteries, chronology, commerce, inventions, lakes, libraries, music, newspapers, schools, social clubs and lodges, townships, veterans, weather, and others. This collection enhances the Society's files which include these and other topics.

LA PORTE COUNTY CENSUS INDICES: 1850 abstraction in book form, 1870 and 1880.

LA PORTE COUNTY MARRIAGE RECORD INDICES: 1832-1850 (DAR), 
1850-1920 (WPA), Supplemental Marriage Application Index, 1850-1920 (WPA)

LA PORTE COUNTY BIRTH & DEATH RECORD INDICES: 1882-1920 (WPA), Michigan City 1882-1920 (WPA)

HISTORIES:

    Index of Names of Persons and Firms in La Porte County, Indiana (WPA; 1927)
    History of the Lake and Calumet Region of Indiana, Counties of Lake, Porter, and
    La Porte, Vol.1 & 11, Cannon, etc.
    History of La Porte County, 1880, Chas. C. Chapman
    20th Century History and Biographical Record of La Porte County, 1904,
    Rev. E. D. Daniels
    Pictorial & Biographical Record of La Porte, Porter, Lake & Starke Counties, 1894, Goodspeed
    La Porte County, Indiana and Its Townships, Towns, and Cities, 1872, Packard
    La Porte, Indiana: First 100 Years, 1832-1932, Centennial Edition
    The Portable La Porte County, CETA
    Michigan City Illustrated, 1900, Evening News
    Michigan City's First 100 Years, Munger
    The Life of a Town, Michigan City, Indiana, Nicewarner
    History of Michigan City, Oglesbee & Hale
    La Porte Today, 1904, La Porte Prtg. Co.
    La Porte Now and Then, 1832-1982, Sesquicentennial Edition
    Michigan City: First 100 Years, 1833-1983, Michigan City News-Dispatch
    Inventory of the County Archives, 1939, WPA
    Centennial and sesquicentennial books of La Porte County towns villages and townships of Stillwell, Wanatah, Westville, Lincoln Twp., La Porte, La Crosse, Hanna, Noble Town. and Union Twp.
CHURCH RECORDS: Histories, minutes, list of members and photographs.

SCHOOL RECORDS: Photographs of schools and school groups, historical data, graduation announcements, teacher license and contract ledgers, county school yearbooks, complete collection of La Porte High School yearbooks (El-Pe), abstractions of enumerations (1840s), La Porte High School Alumnus Directory 1869-1947, small collection of Michigan City High School yearbooks (Elstonian).

OBITUARY FILE: Mostly from La Porte Herald-Argus mid-1930s to current. Indices 1989 through current. Michigan City News-Dispatch indices 1992 through current.

DAR LINEAGE BOOKS: Nos. 10-125, indices to volumes 1-120.

INFORMATION FILES: Topical files on such subjects as banks, houses & buildings, business & industry, doctors and hospitals, lakes, politics, riverboat casino, schools, theater, transportation, etc.

CEMETERY INFORMATION: Maps of locations, Pioneer Cemetery Assn., records of burials in La Porte County cemeteries, history.

MAPS / ATLASES / PLAT BOOKS:

NATURALIZATION INFORMATION:Index to Indiana Naturalization Records found in Various Order Books of the 92 Local Courts Prior to 1907, IHS
the following abstractions by the La Porte County (IN) Genealogical Society:
First Book of Intentions (1854-1856), Intentions (1856-1858), Intentions (1858-1870), Intentions (1870-1876), Intentions (1876-1884), Intentions (1884-1894), Intentions (1894-1906), Intentions (1908-1910), First Book of Second Papers (1854-1858), Second Papers (1888-1903)

SURNAME INDEX FILE: Card file of family names being researched, including all names contained in applications of the La Porte County (IN) Genealogical Society's project "First Families of La Porte County." This file continues to grow as researchers include their names of interest and the First Family membership increases.

LA PORTE COUNTY MISCELLANEOUS (all indexed):

    Michigan City Headlight, 1894
    Our Heritage; Souvenir of Police & Fire Departments of Michigan City, Indiana
    Roll Call Book of Westville School
    La Porte Fire Department History
    Impressions of La Porte, Indiana, 1893
    The City of Maples
    Leaves from the City of Maples
    La Porte County Churches
    Old Mills of La Porte County
    Did You Know?
    Pictorial La Porte: Homecoming 1929
    La Porte, Indiana, and Its Lakes
    Northern Indiana--La Porte and Vicinity
    Cruise of the (Michigan City) Zoo Board
    Washington Park (La Porte)
    Political History of La Porte
    Michigan City Fire Department
    Lake Shore Outlook
    Pioneer La Porte County
    Old Settlers, 1869-1894.
MILITARY/WAR RECORDS: Various military records/history:
    Civil, WWI, WWII, Vietnam and Gulf wars
    Grand Army of Republic records
    "List of Hero Dead of La Porte County, Indiana"
    Gold Star Honor Roll, 1914-1918
    WWII "In Service."
OTHER MISCELLANEOUS:
    Photograph clippings (from La Porte Herald-Argus) indexed
    La Porte County authors; various topics of historical interest, poetry, and also novels
    Records of organizations (Kiwanis, Lions, Little Theater, etc.)
    Journals, land sales, business treasurer's and account books, scrapbooks, slides, financial records of trustees, estrays
    Ordinances of La Porte (1881, 1898 & 1916)
    "Kankakee River History"
    "Abstracts from physicians certificates and licenses (1897-1926)"
    La Porte Headlight (1894)
    Will abstracts (1844-1871)
    Forgotten Towns
    History of La Porte City Parks
    Soil Survey (1944)

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Updated June 1, 2001