Three historic buildings in the Indiana Dunes National Park will be restored with the help of $22 million from the Great American Outdoors Act Legacy Restoration Fund.
Work will begin this spring on the Bailly Homestead, the Good Fellow Camp Lodge and the Century of Progress District’s House of Tomorrow. Each has historical significance in the Region.
“Through the restoration of these iconic buildings, we are preserving key elements of the park's cultural heritage and creating opportunities for current and future visitors to experience the beauty and history of the park,” said Deputy Superintendent Chris Pergiel in a press release.
The Bailly Homestead, which is a national historic landmark, was built in the early 19 century. It first served as a trading post between Chicago and Detroit.
The Good Fellow Camp Lodge was a summer camp for children of employees at the U.S. Steel Co. from 1941 to 1976. The National Park Service acquired the 63-acre site in 1976 and turned it into the Dunes Learning Center.
Chicago architect George Fred Keck constructed the House of Tomorrow for the 1933 Chicago World’s Fair. It was moved to Beverly Shores in 1933.
The Indiana Dunes National Park counted 2.8 million visitors in 2022. Officials estimate $141 million was spent in the Region because of tourism related to the park.
The Dunes were made the 61st national park in 2019.
Caption: Bailly Homestead became a National Historic Landmark in 1962. (Provided by the National Park Service / J. Manuszak)
