We at WNLP wish all of our readers and contributors a warm, safe and happy Christmas. Here for your enjoyment are a few vintage scenes of LaPorte at Christmastime, courtesy of the LaPorte County Historical Society Museum. Be sure to click on the photos to view them larger and see all the details.

Christmas in downtown LaPorte, 1930s

Looking something like Bedford Falls in “It’s a Wonderful Life,” here’s a view of downtown LaPorte in the 1930s. The photo was taken from the north side of Lincolnway at about Jackson Street, looking west down Lincolnway. The photographer was at a high enough vantage point that we wonder if he was in the cupola of the old LaPorte Theatre. Some of the stores whose signs are visible are (on left, from bottom) Levine’s Boston Store, Roule’s Cafe, Steinberg’s Jewelry, Kinney Shoes and Low’s, and (on right, from bottom) Sears (sign partially visible), Marshall Smith Shoes, Cut Rate Drug Store and J.C. Penney. Note the greenery, lights and stars strung across the street. (CLICK ON PHOTO TO ENLARGE)

Santa Parade float, early 1960s

This photo of Santa and his reindeer was taken during an early 1960s Santa Parade in LaPorte, a tradition still carried on to this day. The large building behind Santa was the Jacob Rose Studebaker Garage, at the northwest corner of Indiana Avenue and State Street (pre-overpass days). The address of the building was 512-516 Indiana Avenue. (CLICK ON PHOTO TO ENLARGE)