THE TM 911 Franklin Street Weekly Newspaper Michigan City, IN 46360 Volume 21, Number 40 Thursday, October 13, 2005 Visiting the Indiana Welcome Center by Paula McHugh Just a few miles from the Illinois border along Interstate 80/94, the Indiana Welcome Center building in Hammond delivers an archi- tectural metaphor of Northwest Indiana’s prominent features. One needs to exit I80/94 at Kennedy Avenue south to get a full view of the building. Looking at it from the north, tsunami-sized stainless steel waves create a sculpture of Lake Michigan. On a sunny day, those oversized waves glisten and sparkle almost blindingly, in ways familiar to us beach-lovers. Next, the eye catches sight of the sculptured dune hills, a form in concrete that reaches way above the waves. And true to the region’s history, steel smokestacks rise beside the dunes. As the eyes continue to pan southward, the view levels out and is anchored on the southern edge by an over- sized and unmistakable silo. Lake to the north, farmland to the south. Even the Kankakee River, Lake County’s southern border, is rep- resented in a horizontal wall of flowing lines. We first brought you a story about the Indiana Welcome Center five years ago (“Three Visits, Three Lessons”, January 2000), when we explored the John Dillinger Museum located inside the facili- ty. Our most recent visit gave us an opportunity to appre- ciate the season’s still-blooming flowers outside the vis- itor entrance, as well as the added touch of dune grasses that compliment the building’s architecture. Also, a flowing fountain of water outside the entrance is something we had missed on our previous visit—and it certainly added to the sensory aesthetic. Welcome Center Continued on Page 2 Looking at it from the north, tsunami-sized stainless steel waves create a sculpture of Lake Michigan. On a sunny day, those oversized waves glisten and sparkle almost blindingly. The Indiana Welcome Center building in Hammond delivers an architectural metaphor of Northwest Indiana’s prominent features. (Photo provided by the LCVCB). THE Page 2 October 13, 2005 THE 911 Franklin Street • Michigan City, IN 46360 219/879-0088 • FAX 219/879-8070 In Case Of Emergency, Dial e-mail: News/Articles - [email protected] email: Classifieds - [email protected] http://www.bbpnet.com/ PRINTED WITH Published and Printed by TM Trademark of American Soybean Association THE BEACHER BUSINESS PRINTERS Delivered weekly, free of charge to Birch Tree Farms, Duneland Beach, Grand Beach, Hidden 911 Shores, Long Beach, Michiana Shores, Michiana MI and Shoreland Hills. The Beacher is also Subscription Rates delivered to public places in Michigan City, New Buffalo, LaPorte and Sheridan Beach. 1 year $28 6 months $16 3 months $10 1 month $5 But a visitor has to step away—quite a distance away—to absorb the impact of the entire building. And that is not an easy task. Kennedy Avenue is in the way. The Borman Expressway and its clog of traffic are in the way. Taking a photograph of the entire struc- ture requires more than the average photographer can handle. The Indiana Welcome Center’s size is close to 23,000 square feet, wrongly reported in our first story as 6,000 square feet. The latter measurement equals the portion of the building earmarked for exhibits— the W.F. Wellman Exhibit Hall actually measures closer to 6,500 square feet. Exhibits in the Wellman Exhibit Hall focus on local people, places, and things, and change approx- imately monthly. Currently through November 6, the hall is hosting its Innovations: “Celebrate NWI: Series (Manufacturing).” Some of the displays include As the eyes continue to pan southward, the view levels out and is historic steel mill photos from Indiana University anchored on the southern edge by an oversized and unmistakable silo. Northwest’s Calumet Regional Archives; and two Welcome Center Continued from Page 1 familiar dairy cows from Fair Oaks’ Dairy Adventure During that first visit five years ago, we found (“Adventures in Dairyland”, in the February, 2005 ourselves among a bunch of other locals, not tourists, Beacher issue). And much, much more. Mittal Steel— who wanted to get first glimpses of the new home of the world’s largest steel company and one of the the Lake County Convention and Visitors Bureau. The region’s largest employers, is represented, along with locals had mixed emotions of the architecture, too— innovations from Purdue Technology Center, Task Force many had said that they just “didn’t get it.” Perhaps Tips, manufacturer of fire fighting equipment, and even it takes a visit on a milder day (not deep in winter), vintage photographs—banner size—of Octave Chanute’s preferably sunny (not cloudy with impending snow) flying experiments in the dunes. to “get it.” No one who grew up in the Calumet Region can deny the visual poetry that the building’s exte- rior radiates, at least in this writer’s humble opinion. Exhibits in the Wellman Exhibit Hall focus on local people, places, and things, and change approximately monthly. Currently through November 6, the hall is hosting its Innovations: “Celebrate NWI: Series Historic steel mill photos from Indiana University Northwest’s Calumet (Manufacturing).” Regional Archives are part of the current exhibit. THE October 13, 2005 Page 3 Open ‘til 6 p.m. Evenings www.littlehousefashions.comElegant Apparel for the [email protected] Conscious Woman Women’s Apparel Tent Sale Blow Out! Take an Extra 30% Off the Last Sale Price Mittal Steel—the world’s largest steel company and one of the region’s Susan largest employers, is represented, too. Bristol... Long sleeve 1-button shrug with wide rib, pointelle border and rhinestone button. Oh So Cute! 68% Rayon/ 32% Nylon. Black or Pink. $120. Vintage photographs—banner size—of Octave Chanute’s flying experiments in the dunes. Be sure to use your Fun Fall Discounts on New Fall Arrivals! FUN FALL FUN FALL DISCOUNTS DISCOUNTS 20% Off 20% Off One Regular Priced Item One Regular Priced Item Expires October 31st, 2005. Not Valid with Expires October 31st, 2005. Not Valid with any Other Offer. Cannot be combined with any any Other Offer. Cannot be combined with any other coupons or sale. other coupons or sale. Must Be Presented at Time of Purchase Must Be Presented at Time of Purchase Meet Us For Lunch And A Style Show WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 26 - HANNAH’S, NEW BUFFALO 409409 Alexander StreetStreet, LaPorte, IN 326-8602 On Hwy 35 - 5 Blocks South of Lincolnway TurnTurn Rightright on AlexanderAlexander Monday-FridayMonday - Friday10 am 9:30to 6 pmto 7 Saturday Saturday 9:30 9:30 am to to5 5 pm Welcome Center Continued on Page 4 THE Page 4 October 13, 2005 Our biggest surprise among the displays was the offering from the Cedar Lake Historical Society featuring Dr. Scholl’s work tools and products. Welcome Center Continued from Page 3 Our biggest surprise among the displays was the offering from the Cedar Lake Historical Society fea- turing Dr. Scholl’s work tools and products, including his patented Ped-O-Graph. Even with his connec- tion to Long Beach, we are assuming that Dr. Scholl practiced in Cedar Lake. The display made that unclear to us. Another wall features “Northwest Indiana Legends” and contributors to the region’s quality of life. Captain Bill Eddy of Michigan City, broad- cast television pioneer and aerial photographer, is among those on the wall of honor. Other familiar faces include environmental activists Charlotte and Herb Read, and Lee Botts. The Dillinger Museum is still accessible for tours (for a fee). The hands-on highlights we covered in our first (and only) museum visit included the opportu- nity to don a very heavy bulletproof vest and have our fingerprints recorded. Artist Mitchell Markovitch’s wall mural of the Biograph Theater area in front of this museum is rich with eye appeal. Ear appeal comes into Another wall features “Northwest Indiana Legends” and contributors play, too at the Welcome Center. Near the cushy, to the region’s quality of life. Captain Bill Eddy of Michigan City, 120-seat IN-Vision Theater that provides visitors broadcast television pioneer and aerial photographer, is among those on with a video tour of the region, a vintage jukebox fea- the wall of honor. Artist Mitchell Markovitch’s wall mural of the Biograph Theater area in front of the Dillinger museum is rich with eye appeal. THE October 13, 2005 Page 5 tures tunes of well-known (and not-so-well-known) Hoosier musical stars, including John Mellencamp, Michael Jackson and Cole Porter. No one visiting took advantage of playing any tunes while we visit- ed, sad to say. Look no further than Dan Coffey 25 ACRE "ENCHANTED FOREST" comes with 2 houses, several outbuild- ings and is just 15 min- utes from New Buffalo. You are surrounded by scores of 50' trees and the poten- tial for a pond on the Northwest corner of the property. The main house has 3 bedrooms and rec room on the walkout level in the back of the house. Second house could be a wonderful guest house. $590,000 MODERNIST HOUSE just 2 blocks from a very pri- vate beach. 3 spacious bedrooms, each with its Other eye-catching displays include an oversized, painted duck from the own outdoor patio. City of Highland’s former outdoor art project. Fireplace in master bed- room with large master Other eye-catching displays include an oversized, bath that includes 2 painted duck from the City of Highland’s former out- water closets. Bright kitchen with loads of door art project.