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La Porte, Indiana, contains several historic buildings and homes. Most are located along Lincolnway, Michigan, and Indiana Avenues.
Lincolnway
First, along Lincolnway in the Downtown LaPorte Historic District is the biggest concentration of these 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 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 is the LaPorte County Courthouse, which is the seat of LaPorte County. This Richardsonian Romanesque structure was built by architect Brentwood S. Tolan 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
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.
Library
On the next block is the La Porte County Public Library, which is a Carnegie library. Industrialist and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie 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
Finally, 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, which is well worth a 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.
