Calumet Revisited: A Monthly Forum on the Calumet Region’s Past, Present and Future

Topic: Pat Wisniewski, Kevin Murphy, Dr. Michael Longan & Dr. Larry McClellan lead panel discussion on a proposed Calumet Regional Heritage Museum with introduction by Madeleine Tudor, Field Museum. 

Date: Tuesday, December 4, 2018 Time: 5:00 p.m. Location: Room 265, Calumet College of St. Joseph, 2400 New York Avenue, Whiting, IN


Calumet Outdoor Series December Event

Date: Sunday, December 16, 2018 Additional Information: TBD. Watch your e-mail or Facebook for an announcement.


Indy Windy: A Love Story 

An Urban Legends Exhibit Curated by Ish Muhammad

Indy Windy: A Love Story features artists from Indiana and Chicago who execute large public artworks to create new environments in aging urban and manufacturing areas, while also creating new work in their private studios. The exhibit will include veteran muralists, fine artists, sculptors and woodworkers. It showcases the work by a community of Midwest artists, some of whom have been working together for nearly 30 years. Presented by South Shore Arts and the Calumet Heritage Partnership

ON VIEW:
Through January 29, 2019
The Center for Visual & Performing Arts
1040 Ridge Road, Munster, IN

GALLERY HOURS: M-F 10am-5pm, Sat 10am-4pm, Sun 12-4pm
FREE ADMISSION
SPONSORED BY:National Endowment for the Arts, Peoples Bank, The Legacy Foundation, The TIMES, Indiana University Northwest, Hammond Machine Works, NIPSCO, Indiana Arts Commission


Calumet Outdoor Series November 2018 Calumet Heritage Hike

Come learn about the industrial history and the diverse communities that continue to transform the landscape of the Calumet Region. Learn about the effort to create a Calumet National Heritage Area from your guide, Mark Bouman of The Field Museum.

WHEN: Saturday November, 17th 2018, 10:00 A.M. to 12:00 P.M.
WHERE: Park and begin at the Paul H. Douglas Environmental Education Center, 100 N Lake St. Gary, IN 46403.

The hike will cover roughly a 4-5 mile loop to the beach and back. Pass through beautiful dune and swale landscape, the headwaters of the Grand Calumet Waterway, Miller Beach and historic Aquatorium and Marquette Park Pavilion. From there, it’s possible to shuttle cars or walk one mile back to the starting point. Be sure to dress for the weather.


19th Annual Calumet Heritage Conference 

Saturday October 20th, 2018

Join the Calumet Heritage Partnership for an exciting day of opportunities to connect with cultural, environmental, and heritage organizations in the Calumet through informative panel discussions, workshops, and outdoor activities.

Location: Lost Marsh Golf Course
Address: 1001 129th St, Hammond, IN 46320
Time: 8:30 A.M. – 4:30 P.M.

More information


Along the Lakeshore: Chicago & Industry Works of the Calumet Region

Kathy Los Rathburn, Matthew Kaplan & Thomas Hocker

Join Tom Shepherd, a member of the Little Calumet Underground Railroad Project, as he guides a hike along the Little Calumet River near the site of the Jan Ton Farm, a safe house for runaway slaves along the Underground Railroad. Tom has designed this hike to showcase a segment of the route Freedom Seekers would have traversed through the region with the assistance of abolitionists like the Ton family, who provided refuge for many who braved the journey. Comfortable walking shoes and water recommended.

WHEN: Saturday, July 21st at 1:00 – 3:00 p.m.

WHERE: We will be meeting at the Little Calumet River boat launch in Beaubien Woods. https://goo.gl/maps/u9JzwGU5o6G2

Join us for what should be a very interesting, historically significant tour of the area.

Any questions or need for directions day of, call Tom at 773-370-3305.


Chorus of Voices: Retelling Northwest Indiana History

Thursday, April 27, 2017  4 PM – 6 PM  Helge Center, Chapel of the Resurrection, Valparaiso University, 1600, Chapel Dr, Valparaiso, IN 46383

Flyer (pdf)  Image (jpg)

Many of us in Northwest Indiana have family stories that connect us to Gary.

We have stories of hope: of arriving, of finding work, of neighborhood life, of churches and schools, of political engagement, of hard times and good times.

We have stories of change: of Mayor Hatcher’s election, of expanded opportunities for housing and employment, of schools desegregating, of being in the nation’s eye.

We have stories of fight or flight: of no longer feeling safe, of banning “for sale” signs in the neighborhood, of moving to the suburbs, of watching businesses leave for Southlake mall, of jobs at the mill drying up.

It can be hard, given the diversity of experiences, to hear the larger, underlying regional story.

In Chorus of Voices: Retelling Northwest Indiana History, we will share excerpts from an audio documentary that looks to relay that larger story. Through listening and discussion, we hope you will recognize your own story, acknowledge the stories of others, and begin to think differently about our common life.

Hosted by the Welcome Project and co-sponsored by the Calumet Heritage Partnership

This project is made possible by the support of the Indiana Arts Commission, South Shore Arts, and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.

Free Admission


Lake Calumet – Then and Now 

Thursday, March 2, 2017 
7:00 – 8:30 P.M.
A presentation by Paul Petraitis
Joined by Tom Shepherd, Lake Calumet Vision Committee

Roseland and Pullman historian Paul Petraitis will bring a lively, fresh presentation about Lake Calumet to the 5th District Police Station community room at 727 E. 111th Street., not far from the shores of the little-known “Chicago’s Other Lake.”

 We urge local residents to come and share their Lake Calumet area stories. Years-ago accounts of fishing, hunting, swimming, exploring, etc. will make this a fun night to reminisce and to learn about future plans.

ALL are invited: refreshments, Q and A, and discussion to follow. Safe, free parking in police station parking lot.

Sponsored by the Calumet Heritage Partnership and Calumet Ecological Park Assn.