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La Porte, Indiana, contains several historic buildings and homes. Most are located along Lincolnway, Michigan, and Indiana Avenues.
Downtown La Porte Historic District
The Downtown La Porte Historic District features a large concentration of historic buildings. Most were built between the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The earliest date back to just after the Civil War.
The majority of the buildings are along Lincolnway and have three stories. The ground floors are typically for commercial use while the upper floors are a mix of professional and residential use.
LaPorte County Courthouse
The most prominent building in town is the LaPorte County Courthouse, which is the seat of LaPorte County. This Richardsonian Romanesque structure was built by architect Brentwood S. Tolan (1855-1923) between 1892 and 1894 out of Lake Superior red sandstone. It’s the third courthouse built on the site. The first was built in 1833 and the second in 1847.
Rumely Companies Historical Marker
A couple blocks west of the courthouse is a historical marker indicating the spot where Meinrad Rumely founded a blacksmith shop in 1853. It grew into Advance-Rumely, an important agricultural machinery manufacturer known internationally for its threshers and Rumely Oil Pull tractors. The company was acquired by Allis-Chalmers in 1933 and the La Porte plant closed in 1983.
Plaza 618
At the corner of Lincolnway and Monroe is Plaza 618, which is a nice city park. A mural painted on the building next to the park depicts the history of the city. It was painted in 2019.
Masonic Temple
Down Indiana Avenue at the corner of Jefferson Avenue is the Masonic Temple. It was built in 1913 and is now an office building.
Carnegie Library
On the next block is the La Porte County Public Library, which is a Carnegie library. Industrialist and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie (1835-1919) donated 2,509 libraries worldwide between 1883 and 1919. This one was built thanks to a public grant of US$27,500 on March 31, 1916.
Odd Fellows Hall
On the corner of Michigan and Jefferson is the Odd Fellows Hall. It was originally the home of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and is now an office building. Across the street is La Porte City Hall.
St. Paul’s Episcopal Church
At the corner of Michigan and Harrison is St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. It was built between 1895 and 1898 in the English Gothic style and was considered the most impressive church in Northern Indiana at that time. The church was founded on July 25, 1839.
Francis H. Morrison House
Several beautiful historic homes line Indiana and Michigan Avenues, but the most famous is the Francis H. Morrison House. It was built in 1904 and combines several different architectural styles, including Tudor Revival, Gothic Revival, Classical Revival, and American Craftsman.
Door Prairie Barn
A short drive south of downtown La Porte down Indiana Avenue is the Door Prairie Barn. It was built in 1878 by Marion Ridgeway and has nine sides with a conical roof. The barn was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on May 27, 1993. It’s located near the La Porte County Historical Society Museum.
La Porte County Historical Society Museum
The La Porte County Historical Society Museum is an excellent place to learn about the history of the city and county. It was incorporated on October 17, 1921 and has been housed in the former Door Prairie Auto Museum since September 30, 2006. Every piece in the museum comes from LaPorte County.
The museum is located a short drive south of downtown La Porte along Indiana Avenue. Admission is US$5 for adults, US$4 for seniors, and free for kids under 18 (as of September 2024). It’s open Tuesday through Saturday from 10am to 4:30pm.
Main Level of the La Porte County Museum
The collection is displayed on the main level, basement, and second level. The main level contains several historic artifacts, including clothing, toys, dolls, camera, furniture, and more.
A replica of downtown La Porte sits along the back wall. It’s lined by a few cars from the Kesling Auto Collection (see below), including a rare 1948 Playboy. Only 99 Playboys were ever made, and it was the inspiration for the name of Hugh Hefner’s (1926-2017) men’s magazine.
Another interesting artifact on the main level is an original Lincoln Highway marker. The stone marker once stood on Lincolnway in La Porte.
Period Rooms at the La Porte County Museum
14 period rooms are set up to the rear of the main level. They depict life during different times in La Porte County history. On display are a 1950s living room, a general store, a 1920s kitchen and living room, and a school room.
The doctor’s and dentist’s office displays antique medical equipment and furniture. An interesting photo shows Dr. William Worrall Mayo (1819-1911), the founder of Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. Mayo attended courses at the Indiana Medical College in La Porte in 1849 and 1850.
Next are a Victorian bedroom, dining room, and parlor. Furnishings from the Victorian era were popular in the area between 1850 and 1900.
A music room features antique musical instruments and items from the luxurious La Porte Theater. The theatre was built in 1923 by architect Henry Newhouse and stood until 1977. It was located on Lincolnway between Jackson and Detroit Streets.
The period rooms continue with an Empire room (1840s-1850s), a pioneer log cabin, an office, and beauty shop.
Kesling Auto Collection
On the upper level are several cars from the Kesling Auto Collection. There are over 30 cars in the collection, which is on loan from Dr. Peter C. Kesling and his wife Charlene.
The oldest is a 1903 Winton and the newest is a 1982 DeLorean. Also on display is a 1948 Tucker Torpedo used in the 1988 movie Tucker: A Man and His Dream starring Jeff Bridges. Only 50 Tuckers were ever made.
Other interesting cars include a 1911 Ford Model T that finished third in the 1976 Around the World Race from Istanbul to San Francisco; a 1951 Studebaker; a 1967 Amphicar;
A custom 1930 Ford with two engines, gas tanks, and dashboards (only one is functional); a 1968 Daimler; and a 1958 Lambretta motorscooter.
Basement of the La Porte County Museum
In the basement are more historic artifacts as well as natural items such as bones, birds, rocks, and minerals. Working model trains are also included.
A sports display includes photos, memorabilia, and items used by locals who became professional athletes. There’s also sports equipment used as early as the late 19th century.
The Belle Gunness Exhibit chronicles the mysterious brutal murders that occurred on the Gunness farm between 1901 and 1908. Nearby is the W. A. Jones Exhibit, featuring nearly 850 antique weapons purchased from all over the world as well as uniforms dating back to the Civil War.
Finally, there are a few more cars from the Kesling Auto Collection scattered throughout the basement. The most interesting is a 1976 Yare. It was built by Dr. Kessling and displayed at the 1977 Electric Vehicle Exhibition in Chicago.
Where to Eat in La Porte
We stopped into one place for lunch during our visit.
Mama T’s Diner
If you’re looking for something to eat, stop at Mama T’s Diner on Lincolnway. It’s a simple place with friendly service and decent food. I had a chicken sandwich while Marisol had the chicken fajita soup.
