We have thousands of items on permanent display. We are now able to have more programs that involve the community. We try to have a current display that changes every few months. The majority of the downstairs level of the museum is given over to the W. A Jones Collection of Ancient Weapons. William A. Jones owned an iron foundry in Chicago, traveling around the world in search of items for his collection. Many of the guns you can see on display were purchased in such faraway locations as Mexico City, Paris, Dublin, Constantinople, Jerusalem, Cairo, as well as all over the United States. On view in the La Porte County Historical Society Museum is the Kesling Automobile Collection, consisting of more than 30 vintage automobiles collected by Dr. Peter C. Kesling and his wife Charlene. They range in age from a 1903 Winton to a 1982 DeLorean, the car made famous in the movie “Back to the Future.” The 1903 Winton was driven from California to New York City by Dr. and Mrs. Kesling in 2003, retracing the path of the first coast to coast auto journey by Dr. Horatio Jackson, one hundred years earlier.
Historical Society is 102 years old. Recently moved into a beautiful building.
Kesling Automobile collection. W.A. Jones Gun Collection. Thousands of artifacts dealing with the history of La Porte County
Research Library, archives
La Porte Co. Historical Society Board of Directors
Access: General Public, Students, Scholars, Members
Appointment required: False
Handicapped accessible
Regular museum admissions apply.