One afternoon not long ago, after lunch at a small Midwestern diner, I stumbled onto a forgotten archive. In the back of the B & J’s American Cafe were box upon box of studio portraits of the townspeople of LaPorte, Indiana—over 18,000 in total.
Taken over three decades by local photographer Frank Pease, the photos marked many important milestones—a sailor in uniform, a graduate in cap and gown, a couple newly-engaged—while others made modest attempts at posterity. Though in subsequent decades, conventional portrait studios have fallen out of favor to snapshots and iPhone pics, Frank Peases’ archive collects many of the significan moments and events that define all of our lives. I instantly fell in love with these photographs and soon compiled many of them into the book “LaPorte, Indiana.”
The feature documentary film, LaPorte, Indiana will bring these Frank Pease photographs to life, sharing the vivid stories which create this tight-knit American community.
Emmy-nominated editor and first-time Director, Joe Beshenkovsky, was equally taken by these photos and understood that the story of an entire town rested in those twenty-two boxes. We soon travelled to Indiana in search of these personalities, to learn how their lives unfolded forty years after their portrait was snapped.
After multiple trips and shoots, we’re thrilled with the stories we’ve uncovered. We’ve already shot sit-down interviews with fifteen characters from the Frank Pease photos, and have tagged along with young LaPorteans as they graduate from high school, get married and decide where they will settle down in town, or set off elsewhere to raise their kids.
Falling somewhere between The Straight Story, Errol Morris’ films, and the Up Series, LaPorte, Indiana will help shed some light on how communities help shape their citizens and how and why people make the decision to stay in the town where they were raised, or how they decide to find their way elsewhere.
Comments ( 12 )
Sounds great. I’m a LaPortean, but I just moved to New Orleans to be a teacher. I’ll be back periodically and look forward to the film!
Grant wrote on
Jul 31 09 at
10:07 pm
Having left LaPorte shortly after graduation one might think I felt The Maple City had nothing further to offer me. Not true. Based on a great education, from the likes of Misters Edwards, Linneman, Shei, Rhodes, Carnell and others, I studied further and have shared my memories of a wonderful LaPorte with many since. This movie proves me correct in that what I shared with LaPorte, music/artwork/writing, was because the town, was and is, something very special and deserves something in return. LaPorte will finally garner the respect and notoriety it has long deserved. Bravo to the “visitors” to LaPorte who recognized the essential qualities the small town offers in a big city fashion. Kudos to LaPorte and the entire production staff. Thanks for this opportunity.
Lin Curtis wrote on
Aug 02 09 at
1:23 am
My parents wedding picture is in the film. My parents moved to Illinois and I graduated from Plainfield High School. But they moved back soon after my graduation and started a business in town. I moved back a year later. I am one of five of their children. Three live in LaPorte, one in South Bend, and one in South Carolina. Thanks!
Kim Goethals wrote on
Aug 11 09 at
10:21 pm
i moved from laporte indiana october 1st 2008 to start a new live in the city of san antonio tx with my wife and daughter. We still have property around clear lake and they are now asking us to buy it to put condos up. it is a project in the making of bring more people to laporte indiana. i really like our house on 302 clear lake blvd. currently we have renters there and are not looking at selling. but someday it will happen and those condos will go up. everyone has a number.
Julio Santos wrote on
Aug 25 09 at
5:26 pm
I am extremely impressed with this effort and would love to share photos and information about my La Porte experience. Is there any way to make contact with the film makers?
Mike Kellems wrote on
Sep 21 09 at
10:08 pm
I grew up a block away from Mr.& Mrs. Pease, When we were kids we would stop by their house in the evening and they would push us on a homemade ferris wheel they had in the back yard. It four seats talk about fun for a kid. They always made Halloween fun, they would invite everybody inside and would have games. Which sometimes included small electrical shocks. It was one of the best places to trick or treat.
Joe Chrobak wrote on
Oct 09 09 at
11:03 am
LaPorte was a great town to grow up in. Lived on Philadelphia St. across from Hailman grade school. Always playing football, baseball and basketball with “Eastside Gang”–Brendas, Jankoviaks, Parkhouses, Phil Kindig, Ned Shaffner, Bill Gangwer, Reinharts,…..played hockey at two ponds; one off Jefferson and one off Roberts. Nets made out of 2×4’s and chicken wire. LaPorte has always been a great golf town–Beechwood is a timeless course and in better condition than ever. What a history of excellent golfers: Rick and Gene Suitor, all the Boyds–Mason, Rudy Charlie, Sonny Uebele, Dave Homann, Tom Swanson, Rich Hahn, the Hokes–Coach Bob and Mike, Pat Ford, Julie Jeffery, Kenny Young, Red Schreiber, Jack Lindsay–that’s just in my era. My best vacations now are back to Mom and Dad’s on Beechwood Drive.
Bill Euler wrote on
Mar 21 10 at
11:15 pm
Just the trailer makes me love the film and makes me wonder if I went to school there in the fifties. Sure seems like the place. Anyone remember me?
Jasper Estes wrote on
Jul 16 10 at
8:37 am
I just ordered 6 sets of the Fall version coming out. I know that my sisters and I had pictures taken at Pease Studio. I’m really looking forward to viewing this film and will use the extras as wonderful Christmas gifts for my children and sisters. The remaining pictures from the 22 boxes…is there a place to contact to see if we can obtain our copies? We love eating at BJ’s Cafe…
will ask the next time I have lunch there…Thank you for this exciting look back at our wonderful life in a great city!!
Betty Daniel-Lanie (Fitzgerald) wrote on
Jul 31 10 at
7:50 pm
Well, now the word is out and everybody will want to come here.
La Porte has been the best kept secret in Northern Indiana for a long time.Until recently you could go to the movies for a buck or two.
You could keep your airplane parked outside at the airport for 16 bucks a month. Dulles airport is 175 a month to park outside last time I checked.It has been hidden in plain sight just far enough away from Chicago and South Bend to go somewhat unnoticed.
Great midwestern people and family owned businesses with a lot of great memories of the folks that grew up here.
I was just lucky that my folks settled here and I was able to work for a big time company and live in a little time town and carve out a good living.
It has been great!
Rich Dugger wrote on
Sep 28 10 at
7:18 pm
We just watched the show on wttw simply awesome. Great show for the day after Christmas and I told my fiance Terri that I am having Mucho Mas for dinner Friday night
WE LOVE La Porte lol see spelling !!!!!
TJ Youngman wrote on
Dec 26 10 at
8:05 pm
I have not watched the entire film yet, i just saw the last ten minutes of it on wttw,channel 11 in chicago. When i heard the name Frank Pease, it got my attention. I grew up on the same block where frank lived. He lived on ne corner at Virigina and Lawerence, i lived at tne other side of the block at Niles and Sutherland. I lived there from 1946 to 1962. I can remember two things about frank, other than what an interesting person he was, he had a working ferris wheel in his back yard and he would let the neighberhood kids play on and he had a carbide cannon that he would shoot off to scare the blackbirds away. I also still have several pictures of myself and my sister that he took in the 40’s and 50’s. Those were fun times
Phillip S. King wrote on
Jan 06 11 at
7:28 pm
