THE TM 911 Franklin Street Weekly Newspaper Michigan City, IN 46360 Volume 31, Number 44 Thursday, November 12, 2015 Preserving the Past of Long Beach by William Halliar estled among the effort to save the land the dunes of in its pristine condition. Lake Michi- Many residents from Chi- Ngan’s southern cago’s crowded suburbs shores lays the pictur- made their ways east to esque town of Long Beach. settle in the grass lands It is 3.3 square miles of and rolling hills of Lake winding roads and quaint Michigan’s dune land. homes of eclectic, often They called their little fantastic styles. settlement Long Beach in Large and small, simple honor of the sandy beach and ornate, the historic that formed their north- homes huddle in the un- ern boundary. dulating landscape, safe Eventually, the area havens for families who was incorporated into a have grown up here and town with its own water stay because of the love department, police and they have for this beauti- volunteer fi re depart- ful spot in the dunes. ments. Many summer Until the 1920s, this residents became perma- area just east of Michigan nent during the Great City was sand, swales, for- Depression. A school was ests and meadows. Beau- built and traditions estab- tiful in a wild, untamed lished. way, it was rarely ex- The heart of a commu- plored, and the only roads nity was born. across the dunes and Debbie Steele-Semla stands with a display inside the Debbie Steele-Semla, around swamp land were community center that commemorates Long Beach’s past. a retired grade-school the trails of wild animals and Native Americans teacher, grew up in Long Beach and graduated from who hunted in the forests and fi shed in the streams. Long Beach School in the 1960s. Her father, Ray The old Michigan Road, Indiana’s fi rst true high- Steele, was its principal for many years. Debbie, way, was built in the 1830s and 1840s from Madi- along with a group of dedicated volunteers, have son, Ind., through Indianapolis to Michigan City. established Long Beach Historical Society. She, in Franklin Street follows part of that route. In the fact, is in the process of writing a book to capture 1920s, the area to the east of Michigan City began the colorful history of the town where she grew up. to be explored and settled by businessmen from In- Although she and her husband now live in La Porte, dianapolis, drawn to the lakeshore by the Michigan Debbie and her family still maintain the old family Road and seeking property to build summer homes residence in the hills of Long Beach. in the dunes. As Debbie talks of her town, and growing up here, The popularity of the Indiana Dunes became the her voice takes on a wistful tone. She recalls so many talk of the more affl uent folks of Chicago, especial- wonderful memories of what this little community ly members of the Prairie Club, who spearheaded Continued on Page 2 THE Page 2 November 12, 2015 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.thebeacher.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 delivered to public places in Michigan City, New Buffalo, LaPorte and Sheridan Beach. Wright came of age together. The land inspired Triumph Continued from Page 1 Wright, and he gave of his creative genus back to meant to her and so many of her friends as they at- the land and its people. tended the school together, enjoyed the beach in the The home John Lloyd grew up in as a boy in Chi- summer and sledding the hills in the winter — all cago was tumultuous, to say the least. His father, the joys of living in a small, close-knit community. Frank Lloyd Wright, was a mercurial genius who Many notable people have called Long Beach found it diffi cult to maintain a stable home life. their home over the years. Long Beach was the John and his father had more than one falling out. childhood home of current U.S. Supreme Court Jus- In fact, before he came to Long Beach, John had tice John Roberts and “Siri” founder Dag Kittlaus. given up on architecture altogether. Even Dr. Scholl, “the foot When John moved his doctor,” once enjoyed life in family to Long Beach, he the peaceful shadow of the was known as an inventor Indiana Dunes. of toys rather than as an ar- Debbie took me on a tour chitect. His most famous in- of her little community and vention was Lincoln Logs in pointed out the many amaz- 1916, which would later be ing homes that grace the one of the original inductees landscape and, more often into the National Toy Hall of than not, complement the Fame. natural surroundings rather In a 1933 edition of Long than standing out as garish Beach Billows — a precursor symbols of status. It quickly to today’s Beacher — John becomes obvious the folks Lloyd Wright penned an arti- who made their abodes in cle titled, “Why I chose Long the bosom of the dunes did Beach as a place to live.” He not want simply to build wrote, “I chose Long Beach homes, but rather to build nine years ago because it structures that refl ected was a comparatively under- their lifestyles and success- developed spot full of possi- es. In the early 1920s and bilities and opportunities for comfort, health recreation, 1930s, as the community be- John Lloyd Wright moved to Long Beach in 1923. gan to grow and homes were From “Michigan City Beach Communities.” accomplishments and educa- planned, it became obvious tion of our children, because — they needed an architect. it was located in the clean, romantic sand Dunes of Enter John Lloyd Wright, second oldest son of Indiana.” famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright, a brilliant In Long Beach, inspired by the “romantic” sand architect in his own right. It is curious to consider dunes, John renewed his architectural career. He that as much as the architectural landscape of Long began by designing his own home, “Studio Court,” Beach is infl uenced by the designs of John Wright, built in 1924. The home, which still exists, had the John was inspired by the landscapes and people of casual air of a summer house, and the feeling of Long Beach — a symbiotic relationship. welcome to all of John’s new neighbors. According to biographers John and Sally Chap- John and his family fi t right into their new life in pell and Ann Van Zanten, in a book published by the Indiana. They fi lled their new home with beautiful Chicago Historical Society in 1982, “His most origi- objects and enjoyed hosting many parties for their nal designs were produced during a period when he neighbors. Often, out-of-town guests enjoyed the assumed a confi dent role in a tightly knit commu- peaceful quiet of the dunes. At least once, the family nity, Long Beach, of the 1920s and ’30s” entertained a famous architect from Holland and, of It could be said Long Beach and John Lloyd course, Frank Lloyd Wright was a frequent visitor. THE November 12, 2015 Page 3 Check Out Our Fall Specials! FREE MEDIA AIR CLEANER With Purchase of New Furnace “Studio Court” was the home for John Lloyd Wright, his wife, Hazel, and A $275 Value FREE their two children. From “Michigan City Beach Communities.” Not valid with prior purchase or other offers. Offer Expires 11/30/15 Curiously, in a house fi lled with such creative en- ergy, there were no books to be found. John thought books distracted from his creative thought process. The Wright family spent 15 years in Long Beach, FREE during which time he designed and oversaw the con- struction of no fewer than 26 buildings in La Porte PROGRAMMABLE County alone. According to biographers Chappell and Zanten, “His work seems to have achieved artis- THERMOSTAT tic independence and success according to the extent to which he was comfortable with his surroundings With Purchase of and at peace with himself.” Thus, while John Lloyd Wright shaped the architectural landscape of Long New AC System Beach, the peace of the dunes and its people shaped John Lloyd Wright. A $179 Value FREE His style is described as Prairie, an organic style Not valid with prior purchase or other offers. Offer Expires 11/30/15 that complemented natural surroundings. 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