Springville, LaPorte County, Indiana facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Springville, Indiana
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The Springville Free Methodist Church, built in 1891.
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 Springville, LaPorte County, Indiana
Location in Indiana
Springville, LaPorte County, Indiana
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Indiana |
| County | LaPorte |
| Township | Springfield |
| Elevation | 771 ft (235 m) |
| ZIP code |
46350
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| Area code(s) | 219 |
| GNIS feature ID | 444019 |
Springville is a small place in northern LaPorte County, Indiana, in the United States. It's called an unincorporated community, which means it's not officially a town with its own local government. Springville is located where two important roads meet: U.S. Route 20 and Indiana Route 39. It's also very close to the Indiana Toll Road.
The name "Springville" comes from a large natural spring that used to flow there. Today, you can find the Springville Free Methodist Church, which was built in 1891. There are also businesses like gas stations for travelers and a large mobile home park. Students in Springville go to schools in the Michigan City Area Schools district.
The land around Springville was once mostly covered by forests. Now, it's a mix of forests and farms. The community sits on a small hill. This hill divides the water flow between Trail Creek and the Galena River. The Galena River starts nearby in a special wetland called the Springfield Fen. This fen is home to many rare plants and animals.
A Look at Springville's Past
Springville was first settled by people in 1833. It was officially mapped out on August 19, 1835. The community was located on the Michigan Road. This was an important early road that connected the Ohio River to Michigan City, Indiana.
In the mid-1800s, Springville was a busy place. It had different businesses like a mill for grinding grain and a sawmill for cutting wood. There was also a schoolhouse, a tannery (where leather was made), a shoemaker, and a general store. Both Baptist and Methodist churches were present. Springville even had its own post office from 1835 to 1863.
During the 1840s, many people in Springville hoped their community would become the main town, or "county seat," for the area. However, their hopes changed when the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway decided to build its tracks through LaPorte instead of Springville. Later, in the 1850s, a group in Springville tried to build a special road made of wooden planks from Michigan City to South Bend, but this plan didn't work out either.
Even though those plans didn't happen, a different railroad did come through Springville later. This was the LaCrosse Division of the Pere Marquette Railroad. It ran from New Buffalo to LaCrosse. Trains used to stop in Springville. Eventually, the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway took over this railroad line. However, the tracks were removed in the late 1900s.
