Porter county was organized in 1836 from LaPorte and Newton counties, It was named for David Porter who was a Captain in the US Navy during the War of 1812 and the Barbary Wars. Population in 2020 was 173,215 and Valparaiso is the county seat.
Porter County
indiana counties
Contents
Porter county
Historical Overview
Porter County Information
Townships
Boone, Center, Jackson, Liberty, Morgan, Pine, Pleasant, Portage, Porter, Union, Washington, Westchester
Towns
Beverly Shores, Burns Harbor, Chesterton, Dune Acres, Hebron, Kouts, Ogden Dunes, Porter, Town of Pines, Portage, Valparaiso
Surrounding Counties
LaPorte, Starke, Jasper, Lake, Cook in Illinois, Berrien in Michigan
Porter County Genealogist
County genealogists are invaluable resources for anyone seeking to delve into the past. They can answer general questions about the county, providing insights into its history, culture, and communities. Need to know where specific records are held or where to find them? County genealogists are experts at pointing you in the right direction. They’ll also inform you about what records exist and, just as importantly, which records do not exist, saving you valuable research time.
County genealogists can recommend search avenues and tools tailored to your specific needs, ensuring you’re on the right track to uncovering your family’s history. Please note that while they are fantastic information resources, they are not typically able to conduct genealogy research for you. Instead, they empower you with the knowledge and tools you need to embark on your own genealogical journey.
County Genealogist
KayLynn Mathews
Contact Information
icg-porter@indygenes.org
Porter County Research
Beverly Shores Historical Society
The Depot
525 Broadway
PO Box 305
Beverly Shores, IN 46301-0242
Phone: 219-874-8000
bevshrshist@bevshrshistsoc.org
https://www.facebook.com/DepotMAG/
https://thedepotmag.org/
Duneland Historical Society
PO Box 2034
Chesterton, IN 46304
Phone: 219-983-9715
dunelandhistoricalsociety@gmail.com
https://www.facebook.com/dunelandhistoricalsociety/
https://dunelandhistoricalsociety.weebly.com/
Hebron Historical Society
PO Box 679
Hebron, IN 46341-0679
Phone: 219-996-3192
Historical Society of Ogden Dunes
115 Hillcrest Road
Portage, IN 46368-8503
Phone: 708-491-8319 or 219-763-0658
rmeister@depaul.edu
https://members.tripod.com/~ogden_dunes/index.html
The "Hour Glass", a historic house at 8 Lupine Lane, houses the Society's collections of books, papers and records; artifacts; and paintings and sculpture.
Historical Society of Porter County
153 Franklin Street
Valparaiso, IN 46385
Phone: 219-465-3595
https://www.pocomuse.org/
Kankakee Valley Historical Society
22 W 1050 S
Kouts, IN 46347
Phone: 219-766-2302
president@kankakeevalleyhistoricalsociety.org
http://www.kankakeevalleyhistoricalsociety.org/
Northwest Indiana Genealogical Society
PO Box 595
Griffith, IN 46319
nwigsweb@gmail.com
https://www.facebook.com/NWIGenealogicalSociety/
https://www.nwigs.com/
The Depot
525 Broadway
PO Box 305
Beverly Shores, IN 46301-0242
Phone: 219-874-8000
bevshrshist@bevshrshistsoc.org
https://www.facebook.com/DepotMAG/
https://thedepotmag.org/
Duneland Historical Society
PO Box 2034
Chesterton, IN 46304
Phone: 219-983-9715
dunelandhistoricalsociety@gmail.com
https://www.facebook.com/dunelandhistoricalsociety/
https://dunelandhistoricalsociety.weebly.com/
Hebron Historical Society
PO Box 679
Hebron, IN 46341-0679
Phone: 219-996-3192
Historical Society of Ogden Dunes
115 Hillcrest Road
Portage, IN 46368-8503
Phone: 708-491-8319 or 219-763-0658
rmeister@depaul.edu
https://members.tripod.com/~ogden_dunes/index.html
The "Hour Glass", a historic house at 8 Lupine Lane, houses the Society's collections of books, papers and records; artifacts; and paintings and sculpture.
Historical Society of Porter County
153 Franklin Street
Valparaiso, IN 46385
Phone: 219-465-3595
https://www.pocomuse.org/
Kankakee Valley Historical Society
22 W 1050 S
Kouts, IN 46347
Phone: 219-766-2302
president@kankakeevalleyhistoricalsociety.org
http://www.kankakeevalleyhistoricalsociety.org/
Northwest Indiana Genealogical Society
PO Box 595
Griffith, IN 46319
nwigsweb@gmail.com
https://www.facebook.com/NWIGenealogicalSociety/
https://www.nwigs.com/
Porter County Public Library, Genealogy Department
https://catalog.pcpls.org/genealogy
Valparaiso Branch
103 Jefferson Street
Valparaiso, IN 46383
219-462-0524 x 5
Valparaiso University Archives & Special Collections
Christopher Center Library
1410 Chapel Drive
Valparaiso, IN 46383
university.archives@valpo.edu; library@valpo.edu
219-464-5500
https://library.valpo.edu/archives/index.html
Calumet Regional Archives
Indiana University Northwest
3400 Broadway
Library Room 331
Gary, Indiana 46408
Archivist, Jeremy Pekarek,
jpekarek@iu.edu
219-980-6547
https://cra.iun.edu/collections/regional.shtml
FamilySearch - Family History Center
503 Burlington Beach Road
Valparaiso, IN 46383
219-
Porter County digital images, microfilms, various topics under search catalog https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/results?count=20&placeId=197941&query=%2Bplace%3A%22United%20States%2C%20Indiana%2C%20Porter%22
https://catalog.pcpls.org/genealogy
Valparaiso Branch
103 Jefferson Street
Valparaiso, IN 46383
219-462-0524 x 5
Valparaiso University Archives & Special Collections
Christopher Center Library
1410 Chapel Drive
Valparaiso, IN 46383
university.archives@valpo.edu; library@valpo.edu
219-464-5500
https://library.valpo.edu/archives/index.html
Calumet Regional Archives
Indiana University Northwest
3400 Broadway
Library Room 331
Gary, Indiana 46408
Archivist, Jeremy Pekarek,
jpekarek@iu.edu
219-980-6547
https://cra.iun.edu/collections/regional.shtml
FamilySearch - Family History Center
503 Burlington Beach Road
Valparaiso, IN 46383
219-
Porter County digital images, microfilms, various topics under search catalog https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/results?count=20&placeId=197941&query=%2Bplace%3A%22United%20States%2C%20Indiana%2C%20Porter%22
Alton Goin Museum
Portage Community Historical Society
5250 US Highway 6
Portage, IN 46368
Phone: 219-762-8349
pchs.1@frontier.com
https://www.inpchs.com/
Porter County Museum
20 Indiana Ave
Valparaiso, IN 46383
Phone: 219-510-1836
info@pocomuse.org
https://www.pocomuse.org/
Westchester Township History Museum
700 W Porter Avenue
Chesterton, IN 46304
Phone: 219-983-9715
serena@wpl.lib.in.us
https://wpl.lib.in.us/westchester-township-history-museum/
Portage Community Historical Society
5250 US Highway 6
Portage, IN 46368
Phone: 219-762-8349
pchs.1@frontier.com
https://www.inpchs.com/
Porter County Museum
20 Indiana Ave
Valparaiso, IN 46383
Phone: 219-510-1836
info@pocomuse.org
https://www.pocomuse.org/
Westchester Township History Museum
700 W Porter Avenue
Chesterton, IN 46304
Phone: 219-983-9715
serena@wpl.lib.in.us
https://wpl.lib.in.us/westchester-township-history-museum/
Birth and death records begin in 1884
Porter County Health Department
1155 Indiana Avenue
Suite 104
Valparaiso, IN 46383
219-465-3525
porterhealth@porterco.org
https://www.in.gov/localhealth/portercounty/
Porter County Health Department
1155 Indiana Avenue
Suite 104
Valparaiso, IN 46383
219-465-3525
porterhealth@porterco.org
https://www.in.gov/localhealth/portercounty/
Marriage, probate, and court records begin in 1836, land records in 1833, census records begin in 1807
Porter County Courthouse Clerk’s office
16 E Lincolnway
Valparaiso, IN 46383
Phone: 219-465-3450
https://www.porterco.org/142/Clerks-Office
Porter County Courthouse Clerk’s office
16 E Lincolnway
Valparaiso, IN 46383
Phone: 219-465-3450
https://www.porterco.org/142/Clerks-Office
Porter County Families
Lola May Landfair
Lola May Landfair birth: 27 April 1891 in Black Creek Township, Mercer, Ohio to Francis "Frank"...
Thilda “Anna Matilda” Johansdotter
Thilda "Anna Matilda" Johansdotter birth: 26 October 1848 in Jönköping, Sweden to Johannes and...
Anders Ludvig “Gust” Johannesson Johnson
Anders Ludvig "Gust" Johannesson Johnson birth: 8 August 1839 in Norra Vi, Östergötland, Sweden to...
Lovisa “Louise” Carlson
Lovisa "Louise" Carlson birth: 21 April 1857 in Gränna, Jonkoping, Sweden to Carl Gustaf and Anna...
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