THE TM 911 Franklin Street Weekly Newspaper Michigan City, IN 46360 Volume 37, Number 34 Thursday, September 2, 2021 THE Page 2 September 2, 2021 THE 911 Franklin Street • Michigan City, IN 46360 219/879-0088 Beacher Company Directory e-mail: News/Articles - [email protected] Don and Tom Montgomery Owners email: Classifieds - [email protected] Andrew Tallackson Editor http://www.thebeacher.com/ Drew White Print Salesman PRINTE ITH Published and Printed by Janet Baines Inside Sales/Customer Service T Randy Kayser Pressman T A S A THE BEACHER BUSINESS PRINTERS Dora Kayser Bindery Jacquie Quinlan, Jessica Gonda Production Delivered weekly, free of charge to Birch Tree Farms, Duneland Beach, Grand Beach, Hidden Shores, Long Beach, Michiana Shores, Michiana MI and Shoreland Hills. The Beacher is John Baines, Karen Gehr, Tom Montgomery Delivery also delivered to public places in Michigan City, New Buffalo, LaPorte and Sheridan Beach. AAnn IIdyllicdyllic LLifeife by Connie Kuzydym Micky Gallas is photographed by The Beacher’s Bob Wellinski along the Lake Michigan shoreline. Editor’s note — This is the next in an ongoing se- ries amid this year’s Long Beach centennial anni- versary highlighting history, individuals and orga- nizations in the community. hen Long Beach was fi rst established 100 years ago, it was a resort community draw- Wing predominantly from Chicago. Eventu- ally, the area near Lake Michigan began resonating with those who wanted to raise their children near the sand and water. As the years passed, there were generations of families sprinkled throughout the beach area. One such family is the O’Haras. Five generations have grown up in the beach area. John O’Hara, grandfather of Micky Gallas, im- migrated from Belfast, Ireland, to Chicago. During the week, he traveled the Midwest selling men’s clothing. He wanted a place where his wife, Flor- ence, and their three children, Kay, John and Ber- nard (Barney), were near water and could enjoy the outdoors. In the early 1930s, their search brought them to Long Beach, where they purchased a home at Stop 18. Following in their parents’ footsteps, the three The pride and joy of Micky’s life: her family. Pictured are siblings purchased homes in Long Beach. Jordan (from left), Griffi n and Bridgette Gallas; Brittany, Barney, Micky’s dad, was an Air Force bomber pi- Sloane and Sean Gallas; Lydia and Braedan Gallas. THE September 2, 2021 Page 3 lot when he met his future wife, Helen. He spotted her passing by a huge window in New York, where he was picking up parts for a plane. E[_b^kkfZWW4Weff “He got halfway down the block and said, ‘I’ll be right back, I have to go talk to her’,” Micky said. “He went in, tapped her on the shoulder had a brief conversation, said he would be back in the area in another week or two, he would like to take her out.” Corporate Functions • Weddings Birthdays & Anniversaries • Holiday Parties Non-profit Fundraisers 219.873.9401 Barney and Helen O’Hara on their wedding day. [email protected] After their second date, Barney proposed. Helen’s response: “What took you so long?” They were mar- ried in Michigan City about six months later. Micky lovingly refers to her parents as spitfi res, not sur- prising as Barney was Irish Catholic and Helen was French Catholic. Barney and Helen purchased their fi rst home in Long Beach. He was a commercial pilot for a brief time, then was self-employed, selling heavy road equipment, primarily cranes and tower cranes. Hel- en was a homemaker who volunteered at the hos- pital. Eventually, they built a home on a corner lot at Lake Shore Drive and Stop 21, where Micky and her brother, Michael, were raised. Long Beach was an idyllic place for the O’Hara clan to raise their families. Winters were snowy and cold, especially when the northern winds blew off the lake, but summer days more than made up for winter’s gray skies and temperatures. The community was predominately full-time res- idents who watched out for each other’s children, especially during the summer. According to Micky, everyone had the same rules. A few people had a bell. They would ring the bell. If you heard the bell, it meant everybody go home. When the streetlights came on, you better be hightailing it home within seconds, because you lived close enough to get there quickly. Helen was the type of mother who had expecta- tions of help from her children. She also was smart. Continued on Page 4 THE Page 4 September 2, 2021 baby pool, lap pool and the Roman Plunge, which An Idyllic Life Continued from Page 3 had a low and high dive, providing tons of fun for the town’s youth. She gave them a choice: They could take all day to do their chores, or get them done so they could spend the rest of the day at the beach. Naturally, living across the street from the lake, Micky and Michael chose to get their chores done by 10 a.m. Micky has numerous fond memories of her child- hood and living by the lake. Her earliest one is play- ing on the beach. Instead of collecting beach glass, she loved collecting crinoids, better known as In- dian Beads. During the summers, the community stops had weekly beach parties. At one such gathering, a huge thunderstorm made its way across the lake. They stayed on the beach longer than they should have. She recalls how a neighbor carrying her uncut wa- termelon home was struck by lightning, which split the watermelon, but fortunately didn’t cause her any harm. Ronnie’s, Micky Gallas says, was a fun place in Long Beach. Provided by Throughout the years, Micky has seen numerous Debbie Steele-Semla of the Long Beach Historical Society. sunsets and storms. Many times, her father would Another fun place across the street was Ronnie’s wake them to watch the storms approach. She has located in the brick building now home to Little never seen a tornado on the lake, as it deters that Giant Pizza. The town’s “convenience” store had a kind of storm, but she has seen water spouts swirl- large butcher section where meats were cut fresh. ing and straight-line wind sheers, which do massive It carried staples such as produce, break, milk and damage to property and homes. canned goods. In the back was an old-fashioned din- “We had this huge picture window that faced the er with a counter, seats that twirled and a griddle. lake,” Micky said. “On the lake side, there was a According to Micky, it is where the best hamburgers carport and a picket fence, and the fence went down and milkshakes were served. It was an after-school as the sheer line went right through. The sticks hangout, but also a place to grab a burger with your were fl ying and I’m thinking, this is so cool.” mom. Micky’s parents afforded their children numerous opportunities and guided them in a fun, positive manner. Micky was always tossing ideas out of things to do. Her dad es- pecially encouraged her spirit. “My dad was a girl dad before it was popular,” Micky said. “He never infl uenced me to just be this. His in- fl uence was be all of it…‘What are you dreaming? OK, you should do it.’” She learned the art of persua- sion. She told her dad she “needed a horse.” His response was, “You’re not getting one.” Instead of giving up, she continued asking for one at every holiday and on special occa- The Long Beach Country Club pool, a source of wonderful memories for Micky Gallas. sions such as confi rmation. Provided by Debbie Steele-Semla of the Long Beach Historical Society. “One day, he blindfolded me and Another source of enjoyment was Long Beach took me for a ride. My mom was in the car,” Micky Country Club and its pools. Prior to having chil- said. “He got me a horse. It was the worst horse. My dren, Barney and Helen were lifeguards at the mom goes, ‘You bought the cheapest horse.’ He goes, club during the time when Tarzan himself, Johnny ‘pretty much.’ The horse was 17 hands high. It was Weissmuller, was there training. big and I was little. I had many accidents on that Micky has fond memories of the old Long Beach horse, but I loved her. Not well-trained, but I had a Country Club. The community’s beloved pools: a horse.” THE September 2, 2021 Page 5 As a child, she benefi tted from In her early 20s, Micky worked her parents’ love of traveling. for her dad while looking for She was introduced to Florida at teaching jobs. a young age. They would spend She recalls one particular trip extended periods there as her to Boston where she was watch- grandfather moved to Clearwa- ing a crane, owned by her father, ter Beach and her father’s work being disassembled. Her job was took them there. She still trav- to make sure all the parts were els to Florida numerous times loaded onto a barge headed for throughout the year. Liverpool, England. They kept Whether it’s Indiana or Flori- wanting to know when her dad da, she still lives by large bodies was coming. After repeated of water. questioning, and feeling their “I love Lake Michigan. I love disdain, she called and told him the Gulf of Mexico,” Micky said.