​Welcome to the
Duneland Historical Society

​The Duneland Historical Society (DHS) is an organization, founded in 1948 and dedicated to researching, sharing, and celebrating the history of the people and the communities of Northern Porter County, Indiana.

​The DHS offers seven programs each year as a part of their February to May and September to November meetings.  The programs are on a variety of local and regional historical topics as well as current events related to the Duneland area, defined by Westchester, Liberty, Pine and Jackson townships in Porter County and includes the communities of Chesterton, Porter, Burns Harbor, Beverly Shores and Dunes Acres.

The DHS works closely with the Westchester Township History Museum, although they are separate entities.  Museum Curator and Historian, Serena Ard, serves as the museum liaison on the historical society's board.

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Program Information

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Historically themed programs are offered in February, March, April, May, September, October and November on the third Thursday starting at 1:00pm in the Hawthorne Park Community Building, 500 Ackerman Drive, Porter, IN.  All our programs are open to the public and ​free of charge. 

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From the Collections at Westchester Township
History Museum

                      Jesse Morgan’s Gun
​Believed to have been owned by Benjamin Franklin, this gun was given to Chief Half King in 1752 after signing a peace treaty in Carlisle, Pennsylvania.  A medal medallion on the stock is inscribed: “On behalf of the Greater Council of Pennsylvania to CHK.” 
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According to family legend, the gun later came to Killbuck, a Delaware chief, who presented it to Jesse Morgan on behalf of the “Indians of Indiana” as a token of gratitude for Jesse Morgan’s to them.  The gun shows evidence of having been retrofitted with hardware of a later period, possibly during the Civil War.

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