An advanced mound-building culture (the Mississippians) flourished in this area of North America from 800 A.D., up to the mid-15th century.

As a result of the mid-17th century French and Iroquois Wars in New France, a large slice of North America, many indigenous Indian tribes were forced further west into the central Great Lakes area just to survive. The Miami and Pottawatomie came first, followed by the Delaware and Shawnee nations.

The most famous haunted house in LaPorte is currently the site of the "I" Street Clinic on the corner of "I" and Tenth streets. There was originally a mansion at the site built by Dr. George L. Andrew between 1845 and 1850. There were many families who subsequently lived in this home.

The United States War Department chose LaPorte County as one of the sites for a munitions plant during World War II. It was called the Kingsbury Ordnance Plant (KOP).

There were several reasons LaPorte was chosen as a site for this munitions plant. It was far enough away from both coasts to escape invasion or bombing. Additionally, three railroads served the area, there were thousands of people available to work, there was enough land available for the plant, and there was an adequate water supply.

In the early morning hours of April 28, 1908, a farm house on the outskirts of La Porte, Indiana burned to the ground. The home, located on McClung Rd., belonged to Belle Gunness who had lived in La Porte since 1901. Later that day, while workers sifted through the ruins, four bodies were discovered — one adult female and three young children. At first these bodies were believed to be those of Belle Gunness and her three children Myrtle (age 11), Lucy (age 9), and Phillip (age 5).