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(219) 873-3042 | 100 E. 4th Street, Michigan City, IN 46360 | Open Monday-Thursday 9:00 AM - 8:00 PM, Friday-Saturday 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Local History Resources
Michigan City by Mueller book cover

Local History Books & Materials

The Indiana Room and non-fiction collections contain many local histories, atlases, maps, city directories, memoirs, church records, military records, and more.

Portable La Porte County cover

The Portable LaPorte County (c.1978)

The Portable LaPorte County introduces the reader to the history of LaPorte County. It was written around 1978 as part of a larger LaPorte County History Project.

tape recorder

Oral Histories

Get a unique look at Michigan City history by listening to and reading the remembrances of the past by Michigan City citizens collected in these oral history projects. Watch the library’s oral history series, Getting There: Oral Histories about Transportation in Michigan City (available through Indiana University digital archives), or read transcripts from the library’s 1977-78 oral history project History: Live from La Porte County.

old Evening Dispatch and Evening News

Michigan City Newspapers

Past issues of the Michigan City News Dispatch and earlier newspapers are available on microfilm at the library. Click here to learn more about our collection. Looking for an obituary? Try the library’s obituary index.

Pamphlet Files

The library’s pamphlet files contain newspaper clippings, pamphlets, and other miscellanea related to the city’s history. The files can be read in the Indiana Room at the library.

Indiana Memory

Local History Websites

Historical societies, Indiana Memory, Indiana State Digital Archives, Hoosier State Chronicles, Chronicling America, and more.

Michigan City Old Lighthouse Museum

Other Local Historical Organizations

Additional local resources for information about the history of Michigan City.

Our Heritage Bicentennial Editions cover

Our Heritage (1976)

The Michigan City News-Dispatch published Our Heritage in installments between June 29, 1976 and July 3, 1976. It is reproduced here with their permission.

postcard of Indiana Days parade

Historical Slide Collection

The library holds a collection of over 6,000 slides containing historical photos of Michigan City.

Abraham Lincoln funeral train at station.

Timeline of Michigan City History

A chronology of important dates in Michigan City history. Updated regularly.

City Directories

Michigan City and LaPorte city directories are available for use within the library. Click here to see the editions held by the library.

Sanborn map of Michigan City

Land Records, Atlases & Maps

Information on Sanborn maps, property records, local atlases, and more.

Elstonian yearbook

Yearbooks

Yearbooks from Elston, Rogers, Marquette, Michigan City, and more schools can be used within the library. Click here to find a complete list of yearbooks held by the library.

Naomi Anderson, Hometown Suffragette

Celebrating Naomi Anderson Project

“Celebrating Naomi Anderson” is a project of the Michigan City Mainstreet Association, in partnership with NAACP of La Porte County Unit 3601, Lubeznik Center for the Arts, and Unity Foundation of La Porte County. The project celebrates the life and achievements of Naomi Bowman Talbert Anderson, noted 19th century African American suffragist, civil rights activist and writer. Born in 1843 and raised in Michigan City, Anderson was celebrated throughout America as an early suffragist and civil rights activist, author and orator. She appeared frequently with women’s rights leaders such as Susan B. Anthony. She died in 1899.

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Looking for an obituary? Go to our genealogy page to search.