This is an early 20th-century view of the Michigan City Harbor. This photo was taken at a time when many lumberyards operated along Trail Creek. (Museum photos)
(Click on photos to enlarge)
This is a photo of a schooner named the "John W.H. Dearborn" in Michigan City Harbor.
“Harboring Big Ships: A Pictorial History of the Michigan City Lakefront” will be the featured exhibit at the LaPorte County Historical Society Museum in September and October, 2010. This exhibit features many historic photos of steamships, sailing ships, captains and crews, and related vintage lakefront scenes. It will depict the time when large excursion ships and schooners made their way through the Michigan City harbor, something that is not seen in this day.
The museum’s extensive photo collection, which includes many beautiful postcards and photos of these scenes, will be on display on the lower level of the museum. Nautical artifacts, including navigational equipment, such as a sextant, will also be shown. The museum has several model ships, including the “Flying Cloud,” a tall ship model built by local resident Frederick Craven. The museum’s vintage bathing suit collection will also be on display in Exhibit Hall.
As part of the exhibit, two special programs are planned:
— On Saturday, Oct. 2, at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., “What Lies Beneath: Shipwrecks of Southern Lake Michigan” will be presented at the museum. Jim Scholz of the Michigan Under Water Divers Club will present this illustrated talk to the public. Jim is an experienced “wreck diver” and will be doing a program showing his diving experiences in southern Lake Michigan. The program will be presented first at 11 a.m. and repeated at 1 p.m. to accommodate a larger crowd.
— On Saturday, Oct. 23, at 1 p.m., “Lady Lighthouse Keeper: The Story of Harriet Colfax” will be presented at the museum. This first-person re-enactment of Harriet Colfax’s life as “Keeper of the Light” for Michigan City’s lighthouse will be presented by Sandy Gleim. Sandy has been involved in community theater for many years and also collects vintage clothing. She has an avid interest in history and has performed in several Living Cemetery Tours in Door Village.
The LaPorte County Historical Society Museum is located at 2405 Indiana Ave. in La Porte, and is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Call ahead for admission prices at 219-324-6767, or visit www.laportecountyhistory.org. Children under 12 enter free. Special presentations in October are free with paid museum admission. The facility is accessible to those with disabilities.
A model of the "Flying Cloud," built by the late LaPortean Frederick Craven, is on display at the museum.
The "Missouri" was an excursion boat that brought passengers from Chicago to Michigan City in the early 20th century.
