| Page Views: 2,035 Last Visit to Valparaiso: October, 2006 I Live Here | Great Place to Raise a Family by Toughluck - last update: Mar 2, 2007 |
You have to go, to get there! Like most county seats in Indiana, you have to be headed to Valparaiso to get there. Yes, you can go through on US 30 or State Route 49, but you're really passing through the commecial/retail areas only. The charm and interest is in the old town itself. But to get there, you'll have to go looking.
In every county of Indiana, all road lead to the county seat. This is true for Porter County also. Every road that leads to the center of the county takes you to the center of Valparaiso. It's only the new roads (mentioned above) that now by-pass the town completely. |
| Porter County Courthouse on Courthouse Square |
|  | Named for a defeat Porter County, Indiana was named for Capt. David Porter, a hero of the War of 1812. Admiral Porter (of Civil War Fame) is assumed to be his son or grandson. Capt. Porter was one of the most victorious Capt's of the small American Navy at the turn of the 17th to 18th Century. He sailed the South Atlantic and the South Pacific raiding British merchant vessels, sending nearly 20 prizes home.
With the county named for this great patriot, the public and the town council voted to name the town after his greatest battle, the Battle of Valparaiso. It was off the Chillean Coast from the port of Valparaiso that Capt Porter meet a flotilla of British Naval vessels. These ships had been sent to the South Pacific just to locate Porter and stop his activities. It was here that, out numbered and out gunned, Capt Porter and his crew ended through rampage through the southern hemisphere.
Capt Porter and much of his crew returned home by the end of the war having spent time as prisoners of the British Navy. |
| | Growing Community Valparaiso continues to expand as the County Seat. It's not only one of the fast growing cities in the county, the county continues to grow as Chicago discovers it's Indiana suburbs. We're still far enough away that we don't live with the hustle of the city, but during elections, we'll know who is running for Illinois' Governor before we discover who's running in Indiana. |
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| Pros: | "Small town feeling" | | Cons: | "Chicago keeps getting closer" | | In A Nutshell: | "It's a great place to raise kids." |
Toughluck's Valparaiso Travel Tips
 Toughluck's Valparaiso Travelogues | | | |
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 Comments for Toughluck about Valparaiso | | | | |
wife2004 Thu Jul 2, 2009 22:09 UTC
We have an old-time Drive-In outdoor movie place in northern NY (near Massena, NY) on Route 56. Same idea - two movies for the price of one! Snack stand and bathrooms. However, we now listen via radio vs. speakers nside the door windows!!! | SteedJnr Tue Dec 16, 2008 01:18 UTC
Great restaurant tips. Yep! Steamed up windows are always a good sign. Cheers, John. PS Great HP too and love the pics. | marcbrazil Wed Oct 24, 2007 19:07 UTC
Valpo sounds way more interesting than Valparaiso near Brasilia, it is a little town with that name in Brazil, I know that is another one in Chile!;) | Dabs Mon Jan 22, 2007 22:48 UTC
Nice coverage of Valpo! We head out that way at least once a year to eat at Don Quioxte :-) Pretty cool that the root beer barrel is still there. |
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