LaPorte County is named for the French word meaning “the door” or “the port”.
Surrounding County Courthouses:
N – Lake Michigan and Berrien County, Michigan
S – Starke County
W – Porter County
Created: April 1, 1831 
County Seat:
LaPorte 1832 – present
County Courthouse – LaPorte
Location: 813 West Lincolnway / Michigan Avenue
Built: 1892 – 1894
Style: Richardsonian Romanesque
Architect: Brentwood S Tolan of Fort Wayne
Contractor: Charles A Moses of Chicago, Illinois.
Description: The building faces south and is a two story Lake Superior Red Sandstone structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of LaPorte.The building projects from the main section on each side with the projections rising to separate peaked roofs. On the center of the roof is a large square clock tower with open arch and green peaked roof. The building has a 270 piece skylight, gilded friezes and at least 45 gargoyle faces throughout. On the north side is the three story concrete Courthouse Annex constructed in 2004. The architect was DLZ Indiana, LLC and the contractor was Larson-Danielson Construction Company, Inc.
See: The architect, Brentwood S Tolan of Fort Wayne also designed courthouses in Allen County, Kosciusko County, LaGrange County, Parke County and Whitley County.
See: The 3rd Judicial District includes Pulaski County and Starke County.
History: LaPorte was named as the county seat in 1832. The first courthouse was a brick structure built by Simon G Bruce on the Public Square at a cost of $3,975. The second courthouse was a Greek Revival structure designed by John M Van Osdel of Chicago built by Luther Mann Jr. in 1848 at a cost of $9,350. The third and present courthouse was constructed in 1892 to 1894 at a cost of $328,000. A courthouse was constructed in Michigan City in 1908 to 1909.
County Courthouse – Michigan City
Location: 300 Washington Street / Michigan Boulevard
Built: 1908 – 1909
Style: Classical Revival
Architect: Mahurin & Mahurin of Fort Wayne
Contractor: William Stillwell
Description: The building faces north and is a three story gray colored stone and concrete structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of Michigan City. The building is rectangular shaped. The north front has a projecting central section with pedimented entrance on the first story an\nd recessed section on the second story flanked by a column on each side. And above at the roof line is a raised section with pediment.
See: The architect, Mahurin & Mahurin ( Wing ) of Fort Wayne also designed courthouses in DeKalb County, Hancock County, Monroe County and Starke County
County Courthouse – LaPorte
County Courthouse Annex – LaPorte
Photos taken 2008