LaPorte County, Indiana explained

Settlement Type:County
Mapsize:130px
Image Map1:Map of USA IN.svg
Mapsize1:200px
Map Caption1:Indiana's location in the U.S.
Coordinates:41.6°N -129°W
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Type1:State
Subdivision Type2:Regions
Subdivision Name2:Northwest Indiana and Michiana
Subdivision Type3:Metro area
Subdivision Name3:Chicago Metropolitan
Established Title:Established
Established Date:April 1, 1832
Named For:"The Door" fr.)[1]
Seat Type:County seat
Seat:La Porte
Seat1 Type:Largest city
Seat1:Michigan City
(population and total area)
Parts Type:Incorporated
municipalities
Parts:11 cities and towns
Parts Style:coll
P1:Kingsbury (town)
P2:Kingsford Heights (town)
P3:La Porte (city)
P4:LaCrosse (town)
P5:Long Beach (town)
P6:Michiana Shores (town)
P7:Michigan City (city)
P8:Pottawattamie Park (town)
P9:Trail Creek (town)
P10:Wanatah (town)
P11:Westville (town)
Government Type:County
Governing Body:Board of Commissioners
Leader Title:Commissioner
Leader Name:Connie Gramarossa (R, 1st)
Leader Title1:Commissioner
Leader Name1:Richard Mrozinksi (R, 2nd)
Leader Title2:Commissioner
Leader Name2:Joe Haney (R, 3rd)
Unit Pref:US
Area Total Sq Mi:613.26
Area Land Sq Mi:598.30
Area Water Sq Mi:14.96
Area Metro Sq Mi:10874
Area Rank:2nd largest county in Indiana
Area Blank1 Title:Region
Area Blank1 Sq Mi:2726
Elevation Footnotes: (mean)
Elevation Ft:778
Elevation Max Footnotes:[2] – SW Galena Twp
Elevation Min Footnotes:[3] – at Lake Michigan
Elevation Max Ft:957
Elevation Min Ft:581
Population Total:112417
Population As Of:2020
Pop Est As Of:2023
Population Est:111706
Population Density Sq Mi:auto
Population Metro:9618502
Population Rank:16th largest county in Indiana
Population Blank1 Title:Region
Population Blank1:819537
Timezone:Central
Utc Offset:−6
Timezone Dst:Central
Utc Offset Dst:−5
Postal Code Type:ZIP Codes
Area Code Type:Area code
Area Code:219
Blank Name Sec1:Congressional districts
Blank Info Sec1:1st and 2nd
Blank1 Name Sec1:Indiana Senate districts
Blank1 Info Sec1:5th and 8th
Blank2 Name Sec1:Indiana House of Representatives districts
Blank2 Info Sec1:7th, 9th, 17th and 20th
Blank3 Name Sec1:FIPS code
Blank3 Info Sec1:18-091
Blank4 Name Sec1:GNIS feature ID
Blank4 Info Sec1:0450507
Blank Name Sec2:Interstates
Blank Info Sec2: ----
Blank1 Name Sec2:U.S. Routes
Blank1 Info Sec2: ----
Blank2 Name Sec2:State Routes
Blank2 Info Sec2: ----
Blank3 Name Sec2:Airports
Blank3 Info Sec2:La Porte Municipal
Michigan City Municipal----
Blank4 Name Sec2:Waterways
Blank4 Info Sec2:East Arm Little Calumet River
Kankakee River
Lake Michigan
Little Calumet River
Trail Creek----
Blank5 Name Sec2:Amtrak station
Blank5 Info Sec2:Michigan City (closed)----
Blank6 Name Sec2:South Shore Line stations
Blank6 Info Sec2:11th StreetCarroll Avenue Hudson Lake----
Blank7 Name Sec2:Public transit
Blank7 Info Sec2:Michigan City Transit
Website:www.laportecounty.org
Footnotes:
  • Indiana county number 46
LaPorte County

LaPorte County[4] is a county located in the U.S. state of Indiana. As of 2020, the population was 112,417.[5] The county seat is the city of La Porte,[6] 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.

History

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.[7] [8]

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.[9] [10]

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.[11]

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.[12]

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".[13] 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.

Whether the correct spelling of the city and county is "La Porte" or "LaPorte" is disputed,[14] although state law refers to "LaPorte County."[15] [16]

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

According to the 2010 census, the county has a total area of, of which (or 97.56%) is land and (or 2.44%) is water.[17] The highest point, at,[2] is in southwestern Galena Township near County Roads East 600 North and North 150 East. The lowest point, at,[3] is along the Lake Michigan shoreline.

Adjacent counties

National protected area

Major highways

Railroads

Municipalities

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

Unincorporated communities

Townships

LaPorte County contains 21 townships, more than any other county in the state.[18] The townships, with their populations as of the 2010 Census, are:

Unincorporated towns

Demographics

LaPorte County racial composition as of 2020(NH = Non-Hispanic)!Race!Pop 2010[19] !Pop 2020[20] !% 2010!% 2020
White (NH)90,69585,95781.4%76.5%
Black or African American (NH)11,85311,87410.6%10.6%
Native American or Alaska Native (NH)2462500.2%0.2%
Asian (NH)5707430.5%0.7%
Pacific Islander (NH)13180.0%0.0%
Some Other Race (NH)974670.1%0.4%
Mixed/Multi-Racial (NH)1,9185,1231.7%4.6%
Hispanic or Latino6,0937,9855.5%7.1%
Total111,467112,417
As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 111,467 people, 42,331 households, and 28,228 families residing in the county.[21] The population density was . There were 48,448 housing units at an average density of . 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. 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.[22]

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.

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.[23]

Education

K-12 schools

School districts include:[24]

Public libraries

The county is served by five different public library systems:

Hospitals

Climate and weather

In recent years, average temperatures in La Porte have ranged from a low of in January to a high of in July, although a record low of was recorded in January 1977 and a record high of was recorded in June 1988. Average monthly precipitation ranged from in February to in June.

Education

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

Colleges and Universities

Government

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.

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.[40] [41]

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.[40] [41]

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.[41] 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.[41]

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[42] and Indiana House of Representatives districts 7, 9, 17 and 20.[43]

County elected officials:

Board of Commissioners:[44]

County Council:[45]

Elected Officials

See also

External links


Notes and References

  1. Web site: Origin of Indiana County Names . Indiana Historical Bureau . October 14, 2014.
  2. United States Geological Survey. Springville Quadrangle – Indiana – LaPorte Co. . 2013 . 1:24,000 . 7.5-Minute Series (Topographic) .
  3. United States Geological Survey. Michigan City West Quadrangle – Indiana – LaPorte Co. . 2013 . 1:24,000 . 7.5-Minute Series (Topographic) .
  4. Web site: LaPorte County Online Government. LaPorte County Information Technology. laportecounty.org.
  5. Web site: La Porte County, Indiana. June 2, 2023. United States Census Bureau.
  6. Web site: Find a County. June 7, 2011. National Association of Counties.
  7. Calumet Beginnings: Schoon, Kenneth J. (2003)
  8. Book: De Witt Clinton Goodrich & Charles Richard Tuttle. R. S. Peale & co.. 1875. Indiana. An Illustrated History of the State of Indiana. 560.
  9. Web site: La Porte County Historical Society. https://web.archive.org/web/20080517164346/http://laportecountyhistory.org/history.htm. dead. May 17, 2008.
  10. Web site: History of 1838 Trail of Death. potawatomi-tda.org.
  11. 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
  12. 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.
  13. La Porte Herald, October 19, 1861, p. 2
  14. News: Dave . Stephens . La(?)Porte's Space Odyssey . https://archive.today/20120716141752/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/southbendtribune/access/2570281421.html?FMT=ABS . dead . July 16, 2012 . . January 22, 2012 . January 26, 2012 .
  15. http://www.in.gov/legislative/ic/code/title33/ar33/ch46.pdf Indiana Code 33-33-46
  16. http://www.in.gov/legislative/ic/code/title3/ar3/ch5.html Indiana Code 3-3-5
  17. Web site: Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 - County . dead . https://archive.today/20200212202535/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/GCTPH1.CY10/0500000US18091 . February 12, 2020 . July 10, 2015 . United States Census Bureau.
  18. Book: A twentieth century history and biographical record of La Porte County, Indiana . Lewis Publishing Co. . Daniels, E. D. . 1904 . 38.
  19. Web site: American Fact Finder . dead . https://archive.today/20200212095403/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/DPDP1/0500000US18091 . February 12, 2020 . March 11, 2024 . American Fact Finder.
  20. Web site: Explore Census Data . March 11, 2024 . data.census.gov.
  21. Web site: DP-1 Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data . dead . https://archive.today/20200212095403/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/DPDP1/0500000US18091 . February 12, 2020 . July 10, 2015 . United States Census Bureau.
  22. Web site: DP02 SELECTED SOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS IN THE UNITED STATES – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates . dead . https://archive.today/20200214003324/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP02/0400000US18%7C0500000US18091 . February 14, 2020 . July 10, 2015 . United States Census Bureau.
  23. Web site: DP03 SELECTED ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates . dead . https://archive.today/20200214002609/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP03/0400000US18%7C0500000US18091 . February 14, 2020 . July 10, 2015 . United States Census Bureau.
  24. Web site: 2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: LaPorte County, IN. U.S. Census Bureau. July 22, 2022. - Text list
  25. Web site: LaCrosse Public Library. June 28, 2014.
  26. Web site: LaPorte County Public Library. June 28, 2014.
  27. Web site: Michigan City Public Library. June 28, 2014.
  28. Web site: Wanatah Public Library. June 28, 2014.
  29. Web site: Westville-New Durham Township Public Library. June 28, 2014.
  30. Web site: Northwest Health – La Porte . April 27, 2023 . Gresham Smith . en-US.
  31. Web site: Franciscan Health is New Name for Leading Hospital System . September 6, 2016. . September 11, 2016.
  32. Web site: John Glenn School Corporation.
  33. Web site: LaPorte Community School Corporation.
  34. Web site: Metropolitan School District of New Durham Township.
  35. Web site: Michigan City Area Schools.
  36. Web site: New Prairie United School Corporation.
  37. Web site: South Central Community School Corporation.
  38. Web site: Tri-Township Consolidated School Corporation.
  39. News: Joseph S. Pete. Purdue University Northwest now officially exists. The Times of Northwest Indiana. March 5, 2016. March 5, 2016.
  40. Web site: Indiana Code. Indiana Code. Title 36, Article 2, Section 3. September 16, 2008. IN.gov.
  41. Web site: Indiana Code. Indiana Code. Title 2, Article 10, Section 2 . September 16, 2008. IN.gov.
  42. Web site: Indiana Senate Districts . State of Indiana . July 14, 2011.
  43. Web site: Indiana House Districts . State of Indiana . July 14, 2011.
  44. Web site: LaPorte County Information Technology . Board of Commissioners . laportecounty.org.
  45. Web site: LaPorte County Information Technology . LaPorte County Council . laportecounty.org.
  46. Web site: Democrat John Lake wins race for LaPorte County prosecutor. Bob Kasarda. bob.kasarda@nwi.com, 219-548-4345. nwitimes.com.