La Porte or LaPorte, a Hoosier word problem...

I have a problem with LaPorte. And my problem is La Porte.

Growing up in NWI, I've always thought it was the city of LaPorte in the county of LaPorte. But several years ago, I saw it starting to be written La Porte.

Now, if you look it up on a website, or a state map, or even road signs, there's a 45 percent chance its going to be spelled wrong. My problem is, I don't know which answer is right.

Luckily, I fancy myself a bit of a professional asker of questions. So I decided I was going to figure this conundrum out. First thing to do is: Ask people who should know.

I say should, because apparently nobody is exactly sure. Except for the mayor of LaPorte, who stressed to me, that it's La Porte.


"It means 'the door' in French. There is a space between the a and p. That is the proper way to spell it. I know some do not put the space in but that's not really correct," Mayor Kathy Chroback wrote me in an email on Aug. 20.

Of course, what does she know? She's just the mayor. And what about the fact that it's often LaPorte County and sometimes La Porte County. I wanted to confirm this with someone in the field of academia. So I emailed Purdue North Central Chancellor James Dworkin.

"It is the same in both the city and the county," Dworkin responded. "Personally I always use LaPorte, but when you go online you often see it as La Porte."

The chancellor then followed up my question by positing a question.

"I would suggest that you speak to some historian of the area to see what kind of answer you get from him or her. Let me know what you find out," he wrote.

Great. I thought I was getting an answer from some people who are a part of the LaPorte County community -- and apparently they aren't even sure. I mean, I do appreciate what Chancellor Dworkin said, and from my college days, it seems he's using that professor-mind-trick of "ask yourself the same question in a different format, you will."

But I took his recommendation and ran with it, getting in email touch with La Porte County Historical Society historian Fern Eddy Schultz. I kind of already knew what her answer was going to be. But Ms. Schultz was polite in her message back, acting like she bunts this question down the third base line three times a week.

"This is a frequently asked question. La Porte is 'The Door' and it would seem only correct that La Porte should be two words. As you note, I, too, often see it written as LaPorte," she said, then diagnosing what she thinks may be a reason.

"I know that publications seem to consider it one word in order to save on the word count. The City of La Porte's website uses La Porte; the La Porte County page, however, seems to think LaPorte if right.  I, personally, like and favor La Porte."

Ah, slimey publications and their word counts! I should have known it was that crazy left-wing mainstream media, killing the La Porte space like it was the Freedom of Religion! OK, maybe that is reading too much into her answer.

While looking at the historical's society website, I did find this painting posted from 1915, suggesting the city was then named "LaPorte." I mean, that by now wasn't shocking. It would have been more shocking than having it named "Gunness," but it wasn't shocking.

  

http://www.dunelady.com/laporte/lpcityphotos.htm

Well, that throws things back around. So I had decided to avoid members of the print media, since I'm a part of them and I know most of them in LaPorte County. Except that country music station in downtown LaPorte. Is it country music? I think so. I've heard rumors, but if I'm listening to local radio, it's probably WIMS because I know on a facebook-level many of the good folks there.

But interviewing friends? Always odd. So I emailed Dennis Siddall of The Eagle -- 96.7 on your FM Dial! (They are not the Rock of Chesterton, WDSO-FM!). Anyway, Siddall is the general manager and morning guy who wakes up probably at 4 a.m. I imagine he, like many people in journalism, and many more in radio, is torn between the love of his job and the loathing of his paycheck. Sorry, I'm getting off track. He didn't say or suggest any of that, it's just a pretty standard stereotype. What he did say was this:

"I'm originally from Knox but since I"ve been in this area I've always wrote it as LaPorte."

Argh.

What about the fine folks at the LaPorte County Convention and Visitor's Bureau?

"I have asked some friends in city hall and in the chamber and am awaiting a response -- but the initial response I have gotten is LaPorte! That is what I have always used," LCCVB Executive Director Jack Arnett wrote to me when quizzed. "That is what is used by the state in most official documentation that I am aware of," he added, noting he'd let me know if he heard anything further.

I can tell him what he'll hear. La Porte.

There must be some justice to this LaPorte situation! I mean, am I going to have to start writing my last name La Wson? This madness must be solved! I mean, I can't justify taking this to court ...

But I can justify emailing a judge. And one who is generally known as a hard ass. And, really, that's a good thing. Someone who cuts to the chase. Makes sure the prosecutor isn't overstepping his bounds; makes sure the guilty get a good long sentence for serious crimes. What say you, the Honorable Judge Tom Alevizos?

"Officially It is LaPorte County and the City of La Porte," he wrote back. Yes! We have an answer, I thought. Then he continued. "At least that's what I've been told. Then again I'm from Michigan City. I've seen it done many ways."

Noooooooooo! The humanity!

He did point out to me that, as per Indiana statute, it is LaPorte County. Even going sofar as to give the code's curvy figure (IC 36-2-1-1). So that much is solved. I think.

Who could give this controversy a passing or failing grade? Well, of course, a teacher at LaPorte High School (And yes, LaPorte is how the high school spells LaPorte. So this answer should be easy.) I looked up some teachers in the English Department of LaPorte High School and decided to touch base with LaPorte High School graduate and I assume longtime community member Linda Arney.



"To answer your question directly, the original spelling is the French, 'la porte,' which means 'the door,'" she wrote. Well, I already knew that, but I always appreciate the head's up.

"That was the nickname given to this area because it was one of the gateways to the rest of the Plains areas, following the Little Calumet, Trail Creek and the Chicago rivers. My preference is La Porte, two words, for this reason. I think people just got lazy with the spelling, and then you have the cost of changing the names that are incorrect. Most of the town seems to not mind the confusion...I wonder if the town of La Porte, TX has the same issue! Once the government had us adding zip codes, the corrections didn't matter anymore, and people stopped caring about it. Now, in the era of electronic communication, it is again easier to run the words together, sometimes leaving out the capital P. I, however, will continue to make corrections to 'La Porte' whenever I see the word spelled incorrectly," she added.

Well, that's solved. It's LaPorte if I'm writing the mayor, La Porte if I'm writing the radio station. Er, wait, La Porte if I'm writing the judge about county issues and LaPorte if it's a city issue. Um... It's La Porte if I don't want to fail Ms. Arney's class...

It's apparent this confusion has reined on some level for probably close to 200 years (the lovely city was founded in 1832, if memory serves. I mean, sure I was just looking at the historical society's website, but you don't suggest I go check a fact while I type, do you?) And, if fate has its druthers, another century from now, some people will still write it La Porte while others write it LaPorte.

They are all wrong. And right. I'm just not sure who...