2014 Events & Programs
Spring Programs
- On February 20, DHS viewed the DVD Everglades of the North: The Story of the Grand Kankakee Marsh. One of the producers and some others who were involved with the video spoke about the process and research for the video as well as their upcoming video about the Indiana Dunes.
- On March 20, Bill Jamerson presented his program about the Civilian Conservation Corps, which was active in the Indiana Dunes State Park in the 1930s.
- On April 17, Mary Catterlin and Amy Lukas regaled us with the story of their experience on Lake Michigan in a dugout. From the building of the canoe to the experience on the water, Mary and Amy had a fascinating tale to tell.
- On May 15, DHS members enjoyed their spring dinner before hearing Eva Hopkins and Nancy Hokanson present Local Life in the New Century, 1900-1910. The program highlighted what it was like to live in this area during the first decade of the 20th century, including the movers and shakers , big events, businesses and factories, what people did for fun and much more.
Fall Programs
- Thursday, September 18--The Prairie Club and the Indiana Dunes State Park
Westchester Township History Museum Curator, Serena Sutliff, will present the story of how the Prairie Club helped create the Indiana Dunes State Park. The Prairie Club began as a group of Chicagoans who enjoyed nature walks in the dunes and became a force in the movement to conserve the dunes as a national park. When other national concerns impeded their plans for a national park, the Club turned their attention to the new Indiana State Park system and helped create the Indiana Dunes State Park. The presentation will include numerous photographs from the Prairie Club Archives, which are housed at the Museum. - Thursday, October 16--Railroad Remembrances
Jim Ton will present the history of the New York Central Railroad in Westchester Township, focusing on the history of freight and passenger trains, changes in technology, and the impact on local life. He will also have on hand some interesting artifacts from the railroad.
Thursday, November 20--The Local Steel Industry
Jim Diffenbach, a retired Bethlehem Steel employee, will present an overview of the steel industry in Northwest Indiana from approximately 1900 to the present. Primary emphasis will be on Bethlehem Steel and its Burns Harbor Plant. The part played by the steel industry in our area and its effect on our way of life is a significant part of our historical legacy.