Although these archives are organized in a rather haphazard manner, they are invaluable for anyone wishing to do original research. Both societies also have collections of historic photographs. The Michigan City Public Library has both of these photographic collections as well as some private collections on 35 mm slides. The Michigan City Public Library has an archive of oral histories, recorded interviews with county residents on topics ranging from children's games to ice harvesting to general reminiscences of county life. There are also published monographs of interviews with county residents available for circulation.
Oral history is a valuable addition to historical research.
All that is needed to preserve a bit of our history is a recording machine, tapes, a willing subject and an hour or two of time. The 56 cemeteries in LaPorte County are more than burial sites. They are fascinating places to learn of the development of the area. The dates on the tombstones reveal the change in lifespans, the settlement of a community and the occurrence of epidemics. Names indicate ethnic backgrounds as well as the intermarriages between a few families common in small isolated communities.