Dunes Blog

Welcome back!

LIFE Magazine and Google recently teamed up to create an archive of every LIFE magazine picture from their archives. You can view the pictures and order your own prints.

I did a search for the Dunes and found a ton of really cool pictures that provide a unique window into the history of the Region.

You can see the whole Google / LIFE Magazine Collection Here.

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Boy Scouts racing down a dune at the Indiana Dunes in 1960

A view of the Indiana Dunes.

Sen. Paul H. Douglas (C) in the company of botanists who are studying plants in Indiana Dunes Park, an area threatened by industrial expansion.

Sen. Paul H. Douglas (L) with Sec’y of Interior Stewart L. Udall (C) campaigning for preservation of Indiana Dunes as a state park free from industrial encroachment.

Sun rising over Cole’s Bog in Indiana Dunes State Park.

Birds flying over the waters of Lake Michigan in Indiana Dunes State Park.

Sen. Paul H. Douglas standing in the Indiana Dunes.

A view of people playing at sunset at the Indiana Dunes.

The last time I took pictures of the World’s Fair Homes was last spring. Much has changed since then. I was unable to do the tour of the homes this year, but I drove by last weekend and took some pics to update people interested to know how the restoration is going.

Click here to read my original article on the Beverly Shores World’s Fair Homes.

Doesn’t look like there has been much progress on the House of Tomorrow, at least externally.

The Florida House has seen some work done on the inside, while externally some concrete foundations have been laid to shore up the rear of the house along with a new concrete sidewalk.

The Wieboldt-Rostone looks like it’d has a lot done to it. A lot more of the original moldings have been taken off the building. I’m assuming they are in the process of being restored. Glad I snapped pics of them before they were removed.

I can’t tell much that has been done on the Armco-Ferro House. It looks like a lot of work has been done on the inside though.

Restoration on the homes is coming along, slowly but surely. I hope I can take the tour next year so I can see what the new owners/lessees have in store.

The fall is by far my favorite time of the year. I love the cool weather, the changing leaves and the general feeling of the season. I also happened to have gotten married in October so it has that bit of special meaning. As we prepare to bundle up for the winter, what are some fun things you can do one last time before it gets too cold to get out of bed?

Well, in the Indiana Dunes there is plenty to do in the fall. So, here’s my Guide to Indiana Dunes in the Fall.

Final Trip To Redamak’s

Redamak’s is a summer institution. They have the best Hamburger in the 4 state area. Believe me, I know, I live on hamburgers and I’ve had them all over the world. It’s great fun in the summer, but it’s also fun in the fall as the crowds have dissipated and there is a more intimate feel. The food is cheap and the atmosphere is nice. They close every October and re-open in March, so if you want that tasty burger one more time, now is the time to go, especially if you combine this with a leaf peeping journey down Route 12.

Redamak’s Official Website - They close on October 26th this year.

Bailly Chellberg Farm Harvest Fest

The Harvest Festival is always great fun. See how the first European settlers in the area lived. You get to see the animals and explore the grounds of the homestead. I did this many times as a kid and it’s a ton of fun. You can also tour the old homes which are in excellent condition considering their age. This year the festival is September 19th and 20th. It costs $5 to park. In March it’s also maple sugar time, you can see how the maple sryup is harvested and made.

Leaf Peeping

We are blessed with beautiful forests in Northwest Indiana. One of the best things (and cheapest) is to climb in the car and go for a drive up US Route 12 to see the changing leaves. I recommend going off 12 onto some of the side roads to see some incredible scenery. Leaves start to peak in mid-October. It’s been a relatively warm year, so that should mean the leaves will be particularly vibrant this year.

Michigan City Beachwalk

Do you remember the movie “The Truman Show?” It took place in an idyllic planned community by the seaside that was just beautiful. Well, the planners of that community also developed Beachwalk in Michigan City. Many of the houses look the same and it’s laid out in a similar fashion. The place is mostly second homes for rich people in Illinois and it’s swamped in the summer. Once the fall approaches though, the place becomes a ghost town so it’s a perfect to visit. My wife and I love driving through and looking at all the really nicely designed houses. You can also rent out the villas for a couple nights, they’re pretty affordable and you’re guaranteed to have the place to yourself.

Michigan City Beachwalk Website

World’s Fair Home Tour

I’ve written extensively about the Beverly Shores World’s Fair Homes before and I’m looking forward to taking the tour this year. It’s costs $10 and you can take a tour of all the houses, including the one that has been fully restored. You’ll get to peek around the house and see the progress of the restoration works and hear about the latest plans. Tickets go on sale September 22nd and they’ll probably go fast. Tours are October 11th and 12 this year.

To buy tickets, you’ll need to register here:

Beverly Shores World’s Fair Homes Tour Tickets

Apple Orchards

There is nothing like an Apple fresh off the tree. There are many orchards in the area that will let you pick the apples yourself. My wife and I have gone to the County Line Orchard in Hobart for the last few years, even though they’ve been bought out. You get a bit of sticker shock when you go to pay, but the deliciousness of the Apple is worth it. Don’t forget the classic Apple Donuts which are treated as crack in my house.

County Line Orchard Website (pretty nice website, by the way) - Be sure to check out the list of what apples are ripe and at what time.

I can’t wait to sink my teeth into a Red Delicious Apple.

Enjoying the Empty Beaches

The beaches are by far what makes Northwest Indiana a jewel on Lake Michigan’s shores. After Labor Day and when the weather cools, the beaches become empty. They’re a great place to go for a walk and take in a cool breeze. Great place to have a bonfire and snuggle close with someone special. I recommend the beaches around Ogden Dunes. They’re surrounded by National Parkland and the parking restrictions are lifted in the off season so you can park near the beach. Ogden Dunes has great beaches and it’s great to walk through the dunes nearby in the fall. Some of my happiest days were spent walking through the Dunes with my Irish Setter, Cutter (since passed away).

If you have anything that you do in the fall everywhere, please feel free to share in the comments. I’d love to hear suggestions!

Quick post to let everyone know that I’m doing a series of NWI Sunset Pictures this week.

I’ll be out of town later this week so things will be running on autopilot from Wednesday.

Jon’s NWI Photoblog.

Introduction

This is an article I’ve been meaning to write for a while. It was actually the inspiration to start this blog in the first place.

This past spring, my wife and I went for a bike ride through Beverly Shores. I was armed with my shiny new camera (EOS Digital Rebel, which I had to sell two months ago for various reasons) and my goal was to document the Beverly Shores World’s Fair Homes in their derelict/ongoing restoration state. I thought it would present an excellent opportunity for arty looking pictures.

So, armed with a camera and my lovely wife, we set out for a very memorable ride and I got some excellent pictures. So, without further ado, here’s the best pictures from the day along with a write up the famous World’s Fair Homes in Beverly Shores also known as the Century of Progress Homes.

If you’re interested in seeing more artistic photos of the Beverly Shores World’s Fair Homes, check out this gallery I set up.

What Are They Doing There?

The Chicago World’s Fair Century of Progress homes were a feature of the 1933 Chicago World’s Fair. Called the ‘Century of Progress Homes,’ they were designed by leading architects of the day to demonstrate the latest technologies and designs in home construction. They were also meant to be a look forward into the optimistic future of home construction.

When the 1933 Chicago World’s Fair ended and the massive displays began to be dismantled, a local Beverly Shores developer named Robert Bartlett bought the homes and had them moved by barge over Lake Michigan to their new location in Beverly Shores. That was in 1935 and it was meant as a sort of publicity stunt to help encourage settlement in Bartlett’s new development, Beverly Shores.

They were lived in and loved for many years and became local landmark of sorts. In Chicago itself, there are very few remnants of the 1933 World’s Fair and here in the Indiana Dunes we have 5.

Each house is distinctive and, while they may look antiquated to us, they were cutting edge in the 30’s and showed what direction home architecture would be going in the proceeding years.

While the homes were modern and cutting edge, they were not made to stand the test of time as it was thought they were only temporary. So, they’ve been decaying for many years. Then when the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore was founded, they were appropriated by the Federal Government and subsequently abandoned as the National Park swallowed up large parts of Beverly Shores.

The Beverly Shores World’s Fair homes were later added to the National Register of Historic Places, ensuring their ongoing survival. See the end of the article for details on the future of these magnificent homes. They all are being lovingly restored under a historic agreement between leasees and the National Park Service.

The Wieboldt-Rostone House - Walter Scholar

The Wieboldt-Rostone House in 1933.

This home was sponsored by the Rostone Corporation and was meant to be a showcase of it’s new pioneering cladding material that they called, Rostone. Rostone was a composite material made up of shale, limestone and Alkali.

Despite the fact that the material was cutting edge, it did not stand the test of time and had to be replaced in the 1950’s with Perma-Stone. As the home is restored, the original Rostone Exteroir will be restored to it’s former glory.

The Wieboldt-Rostone House Today

As you can see, the house is quite a shambles currently. It’s restoration is in process, but it’s slow going. It’s been reported that restoration is costing way more than estimated due to the unique nature of these homes. Currently, the exterior is clad in plywood. One day the Rostone Exterior will make a new appearance. You can see a hint of what it will look like in the moldings around the door.

The Florida Tropical House - Robert Law Weed

The Florida Tropical House in 1933

The Florida house was sponsored by the state of Florida to encourage Tourism to the state. As you can see, the house in designed in that distinctive Miami Art-Deco Style. This is probably my favorite house. They don’t design them like this anymore.

The house is wood framed and the exterior cladding is stucco. It was designed to blend indoor and outdoor living, which you can see with it’s sweeping balconies and outdoor spaces. Though, one may not wish to combine indoor and outdoor living with Lake Michigan winters. The current color is the original color.

The Florida Tropical House Today

Restoration is in progress and this one looks a little further along compared to other houses. The big bay living windows are an amazing site and when you look inside, you see a huge open plan living room area and you can also see the lake on the other side.

The Cypress Log Cabin - Murray D. Heatherington

The Cypress Log Cabin in 1933

The Cypress Log Cabin was sponsored by the Southern Cypress Association to help sell the qualities and multuple uses of the venerable wood.

It was designed in a Swiss-chalet mountain lodge style. Originally the house had many wood carvings of animals and distinct molding features. All of these wonderful details were lost when the house was relocated in 1935.

The Cypress Log Cabin Today

This house is fortunate, it has been completely restored and is actually being lived in. The people are very lucky, they have an incredible lakeview in a sparsely populated area. They’ve restored the house lovingly and returned it to it’s former glory. Very impressive.

The House of Tomorrow - George Keck

The House of Tomorrow in 1933

The House of Tomorrow was designed by the famous George Keck and was designed to show off futurisitic home design. The house featured a steel frame, something usually reserved for skyscrapers. Oriignally it featured class curtain walls but these were thrown out by Bartlett after the relocation.

The house was spacious and unique in it’s geometric shape. The house also featured an airplane hanger, garage and machine shop.

The House of Tomorrow today

The restorers will recreate the original glass curtain wall according to the original specs. Currently the house is surrounded by plastic and is in the midst of full restoration.

Armco-Ferro House - Robert Smith Junior

The Armco-Ferro House in 1933

The Armco-Ferro house was sponsored by the American Rolling Mill Company and Ferro Enamel Corporation to show off the potential of steel and porcelain as construction materials.

This was the first house to have a frameless steel construction and an enamel exterior. This house would later inspure the Lustron Homes and many gas stations built in the same period.

The Armco-Ferro House Today

The house is also being full restored to it’s former glory. The unique enamel exterior will also be restored. Right now, it’s still looking a bit rough.

Old North Church

Old Picture of the Old North Church

The Old North Church is a replica of a church in the American Neo-classical style. I could not find as much information on this house as the others.

The Old North Church Today

Along with the Cypress Log House, only one of the only other six homes still inhabited as a private residence. This house is not part of the restoration project and is in a different location in Beverly Shores. Still very worth the visit.

The Future

All the homes are in various states of restoration. I haven’t been up there since the spring (2008), so I don’t know what progress the restoration has taken over the summer. I plan to make a trip up there soon and get some more pictures and see the progress.

All the homes are being restored under a historic agreement between the National Park Service, Indiana Historic Landmarks Foundation and private buyers. The buyers get a 30 year, renewable lease of the homes and have to pay all the restoration cost themselves. They get the house at no cost.

So, they get a prime lakefront home for 60 years if they bear the restoration costs themselves. The catch is that the homes HAVE to be restored to their original glory (some changes are allowed as long as the fronts stay the same and are restored).

Progress is slow but in a few years time all of these homes will be fully restored. Many local contractors and unions have donated time and materials so the houses can be used to train people in skilled labor.

Visiting The Beverly Shore World’s Fair Homes

Another part of the agreement is that once a year the homes have to be opened for tours to the public. The last time there were tours was October 2007. So, stay tuned, I’ll keep my ear out for when the next tours of the Beverly Shores World’s Fair Homes are.

Keep in mind that two of the homes are occupied, so you are asked to respect the privacy of occupants during times when the homes are not being shown. Also, they sit on a fairly busy road, to take care when walking between the homes.

See below for a map of where the homes are.

View Larger Map

With the exception of the Old North Church, all the houses are on Lakeshore Drive in Beverly Shores. Drive down US Route 12 and look for the signs for Kimmel Beach or Beverly Shores. It’s very easy to find.

More Pictures of the World’s Fair Homes

Check out the gallery of World’s Fair Home Pictures I’ve set up on my main site to show off the best arty pictures I took of the day. If you’re interested in prints, please contact me and I can arrange it.

jonathanwthomas.net - Beverly Shores World’s Fair Pictures