Once part of a wide swath of land encompassing the Wabash River, LaPorte got its name from the French explorers and fur traders who arrived in the late 1600s. The name translates to “the door,” so called because of the Indian trail used as a trade route by explorers, Natives and early settlers. The route to LaPorte is much easier now—and quicker—though for those who love Petrolina (collections of antique and vintage memorabilia related to gas stations and the petroleum industry of yore) add a few miles to your trip with a stop at the intersection of SR 39 and County Road 900 N.
for a photo opp of an old Sinclair gas station. No you can’t buy gas at what could be a scene from a period movie. Surrounded by antique cars and trucks, the old pumps and service station are a living history exhibit of what travelers would have experienced in the 1930s.
Though there’s no advertising, a Google search shows that it belongs to Lemons Enterprises, a company that buys antique cars, trucks and parts and antique gas station items as well as old pop machines. For a small town of about 30,000, the LaPorte County Historical Society Museum is outstanding—two stories with a variety of exhibits including the Kesling Auto Collection which has more than 30 vintage vehicles and almost 850 armaments that are part of the W. A.
Jones Collection of Ancient Weapons. There are also period rooms and Native American artifacts but probably the most popular is the space dedicated to Belle Gunness.
