The Hour Glass

Portage has one other town of recent development which will be discussed in the next chapter.

Nature, in the form of the glacier, gave to this region an ideal arrangement of dunes hollows for home sites for nature lovers. These dunes are arranged in three "levels," each of which commands a view of the lake, and the last, or highest, range commands a view of the back country as well. This is one of the few places on the lake where home builders can have such a wide choice of locations and, as it were, at the same time have the lake "in their front yard."

Ogden Dunes is very fortunate in its variety of vegetation. Here again, nature has certainly outdone herself. She has given to this region five distinct types of plant life. First, is the indigenous vegetation, the native, or the kinds of vegetation which would be found here naturally. The best examples of this type are the oak and witch hazel. Second, is the Northern hangover type, or the kinds which have been carried southward, and have found a suitable environment here in our duneland. They have decided to live with us and have added much to the picturesque beauty of the dunes. Some examples of this type are jack pine, white pine, juniper, and bearberry or "kinnikinnik." The northern harebell also belong in this group. Third, we have the southern immigrants, or those which rightfully belong in the south, but which having found their way here and after arriving having found a nice sunny southern slope, protected from Lake Michigan's icy winds, have settled down to travel no more. In this group are to be found the tulip tree and certain of the grasses. Fourth, we find the Eastern vegetation. This is represented by New Jersey tes, sea rockets, Mayflower or trailing arbutus, and the moccasin flower, or lady slipper. We account for these visitors by the fact that, in early times, geologically speaking, Lake Michigan was a part of the Atlantic ocean. The fifth devision consists of the Western type of vegetation, best illustrated by the well-known cactus which any visitor to the dunes must have seen. This cactus invites you with its beautiful, pure yellow, rose-like flowers, and at the same time, repulses your advances with its harmless looking, prickly leaves. Do not try to pick the flower, but be satisfied to admire it from a short distance, and it will repay you by continuing to add beauty and unique coloring to the dunes.

Nature, in Ogden Dunes, is a veritable Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde personage. The cactus, a plant of the arid regions, grows within a few feet of the cephalanthous, or button-bush, a plant which grows only in water or very near it. This is made possible by the ease with which the button-bush can send its roots down for water into the sand, on the top of which same the cactus gets the scanty moisture needed for its existence. In one part of this comparatively small area lives a pair of eagles, while less than a mile away can be found birds such as the wren and robin, which live close to human habitations. In a secluded spot one may see a group of moccasin flowers from the South, while just over the dune may be seen the juniper furze, typical of the north. Even the dunes themselves afford an example of these opposites of nature. These are living dunes and dead dunes; the living are the bare dunes which are everchanging in form and even in location, while the dead are the dunes which have stopped moving and have acquired a shroud of vegetation. Sunlight and moonlight, naturally opposites, take on even more of the contrasting nature here in the dunes. The dunes by daylight are a wonderland of natural beauty, but with the soft ethereal glow of the moon they become in fancy, a fairies' playground or a witches' hollow--depending upon the nature of the spot one happens to be in at the moment. In several places one may see the tops of trees looking up out of a living dune. The dune has engulfed the trees and will later move on and leave the bare trees standing as evidence of the work of the sands of time, or the time of the sands, just as you please.

The Dunes for years have been the natural home of the wild animals and it has been here that the animals have made their last stand against civilization. Within the memory of some of us, deer, foxes, wolves and the like have been trapped or seen within this region. There are still the oppossum, raccoon, and an occasional fox to be found.

The ancestors of these animals must have been a source of livelihood for the early settlers. Certain it is that just outside the limits of Ogden Dunes proper, was an old trading post. Remains of stores, evidence of camping grounds, relics of Indian life and other similar proof leaves no doubt in the mind of the student of such things that such was true. Perhaps boats stopped here for trading purposes also. One boat stopped, it is certain, for now, if the beach is just right and if the waves have been in an accommodating mood during the preceeding winter, the top outline of the hull of an old boat can be seen. This is not always visible; Nature has to be on your side if you are fortunate enough to be one of the few who have seen it. I have seen it; I know it's there, but you will have to weave your own sea-faring yarn about it, for there can be no material found on the subject. Such a sailor's story is not hard to imagine if you visit the place on a windy November night when the waves are dashing a frenzy of foam over the heavy timbered outline of the hull. Nature has covered it up in the last few years, but as before she may, in one of her prankish moods, uncover it again and set us all to weaving stories anew.

The early settler did not take kindly to this region for his home. This was but natural, since his livelihood came from the soil and certainly this white glistening sand would not furnish much in that line. We have on record that a Mr. Goodrich in 1836 bought sixty acres in what is now the present town of Ogden Dunes for $75.00. That is quite a different figure from the price some of the same land brings today. The price of lots now ranges from $500 to $3,000 each.

Some years ago there was one man, a Mr. Banks, who made his home here. His time was spent in fishing. From that time on we have no definite record of anyone living permanently in this region, until the time of Diana of the Dunes. No history of Ogden Dunes would be complete without mentioning Diana.

She sought the refuge and solitude of the Dunes for some reason, not quite clear to us. For some years she lived farther east in the dunes, but with the influx of home seekers Diana left there and came to live in what is now Ogden Dunes. At some time during her sojourn she met and married Paul Wilson, a powerful man, who used his great strength to protect his Diana. She had a great influence over him and was the only one who seemed able to quiet his anger when he was aroused over the incoming of strangers.

They had a small abode a short distance from the lake and were living here when Mr. Samuel H. Reck took option on the land in 1922. They were permitted to remain here until Diana's death in 1925. After this Paul and Mr. Reck burned the place and destroyed the last vestige of one of the most romantic episodes in the history of Ogden Dunes. No, not all, for still to be seen, lying in the hollow where the couple lived is the twenty-foot steel stack of a tugboat, which served as a chimney. To see this is to fill one with awe at the strength of the man who placed it there. To visit this spot on a quiet moonlit night is to make one wish history could turn back and permit one to converse with this couple who knew and loved the handiwork of Nature as she was to be found here in Ogden Dunes. This was in the days before modern civilization made its debut about 1923.

The land for the town of Ogden Dunes contains four hundred eighty-six acres and was obtained from Francis A. Ogden of Madison, Wisconsin. A small piece was obtained from a Mrs. Chamberlain in California.

In 1922 Mr. Samuel H. Reck of Gary took option on this land and laid plans for the development of a restricted lake front community.

In 1923 Ogden Dunes, Incorporated, was formed to take over the contract for the land from Mr. Reck. The same year Mr. Reck had a home built for himself and family near the lake. This was the first permanent home to be built on the lake front between Miller and Michigan City. The material for this home was hauled by a four horse team from Dunes highway. A far cry, this, from today when high powered cars go up and down the hills and travel at ease within sight of the beach and over the same trails which Indians trekked and Paul and Diana wandered such a few years ago.

The town of Ogden Dunes was formed in 1925. At a special meeting on August 31, 1925, the following trustees were elected: Samuel H. Reck, Lynn A. Glover, and R. B. Nicholson. Nelson Reck was elected town clerk and treasurer. Samuel H. Reck was president of the Board of Trustees. The present Trustees are E. M. Kratz, president; James E. Cassidy and Harold M. Whelpley.

The Ogden Dunes Realty Company was formed in 1927, to stimulate sales, and since then the growth of the town has been quite rapid. In the spring of 1930 there were thirty-five homes here and now in 1936 there are seventy-three homes with several now under construction and several more contracted for. From all indications it would seem that the venture started by Mr. Reck just fourteen years ago has certainly borne fruit. For those who remember the dune land as it was when the only way to reach Portage Township's lake front was by tramping over hills, the change is more than remarkable; it is awe-inspiring and perhaps not altogether pleasant for anyone who likes Nature in the wild.

Nature is protected, however, here in Ogden Dunes, and few depredations are made against her, other than those necessary for building of homes and roads. Many spots can be found within a stone's throw of the road, which, except for the hum of a passing motor on the other side of the dune, are just as Nature planned them. Certainly these are not places which are liable to get into the movies, yet such a thing has happened.

The Ogden Dunes Ski Club was responsible for this fame. In 1927 the Grand Beach Ski Club, which later changed its name to Ogden Dunes Ski Club, bought a strip of land on a high hill over which was later built the largest steel ski slide in the world. The rear towers of the slide were one hundred ninety-two feet high, or equivalent to the height of a twenty-story building. The first ski meet was held on January 22, 1928, and a meet was held each year for four years thereafter until January, 1932. The longest jump ever made on this slide was one hundred ninety-five feet. In 1932 the guest stars were the champions from Norway who later took all prizes at the Lake Placid Olympic meet. It was at one of these annual meets that Paramount News Reel took pictures, which were shown in theatres throughout the United States. The Ski club met with reverses during the depression. Expenses were especially heavy in the years when snow had to be imported from northern Michigan and Wisconsin. In the spring of 1935 the steel structure was sold to the Rockford, Illinois Ski club, and during the summer was dismantled and re-erected near that city. Now a road has been built to, and a home is under construction on the top of the hill over which thousands have walked and a few daring souls have leaped. Thus Nature is returning, in part, to a place where she once nearly lost her foothold.

The money is being spent to construct a huge panorama 265 feet long, much of which will be devoted to the dune region. On the walls of a large room will be painted various groups eleven feet high. They will be painted by a master artist and will follow in faithful detail the rare beauties of the region. To accomplish this the artist will spend weeks studying the dunes and their features.

The panorama will be eleven feet deep, and this part will contain all the beautiful and interesting flora and fauna reproduced from life and by paintings on wax shapes secured by accurate plaster casts. The whole will look to the observer like an actual panorama which he is viewing from a point where he may see all the dunes' features.

F. N. Woodruff, curator of the academy, passed through Gary yesterday on his way to the dune region beyond Miller to gather material to be used. He is being assisted by Arthur J. Ruckert. On his return he stated that the trip had been most successful and specimens of many rare things had been secured to advance the work.

The panorama will start a short distance east of Miller and continue around the foot of Lake Michigan to Waukegan. The topographical lines will also be accurate, showing the streams, lakes, rivers, hills, and valleys. The whole will be based on actual photographs to insure that the artist portrays exactly what is there.

The work is minutely difficult and requires great patience and much time. Impressions of plants and leaves are being taken in plaster of paris, then cast in wax and painted by expert painters, thus reproducing even the most delicate structure of the plants. As one tree alone will contain hundreds of leaves, and only a few can be made each day, the undertaking is one of great expense. Already several thousand dollars have been expended.

Specimens of the animals and birds found will also be used by placing them in positions and surroundings where they are found in real life. The whole, being so huge and yet so carefully executed, will be the most wonderful work of its kind ever undertaken.

Gary put on metropolitan airs. It celebrated the arrival in port of the first cargo of ore for its mills. It had the band out, leather-lunged orators preached steel and prosperity, flags fluttered, men and women yelled and there was a hullobaloo such as the sand dunes had never known before. Friday the wolf came.

Early in the morning Michael Scerezinski, a real estate dealer, ventured into Broadway, Gary's swellest thoroughfare. As he passed a hedge of scrub oak a big wolf plunged at him and before the startled bargainer in realty could show fight the wolf had him down and was lacerating his body in a terrible manner. His face and body were covered with cuts and scratches, when men, armed with clubs and other missles, ran to his rescue. His cries for help made tired Gary get up early. The metropolitan festivities of the day before had made the city tired. But the wolf was at her door.

When the wolf saw the army of bewildered citizens approaching, it bounded back among the sand dunes and was lost in the scrub oak that covers the Calumet region. Breakfast was hardly over before Mayor Knotts and Chief of Police Martin had a posse organized and in pursuit of the savage visitor to a hand-made town. Gary is wildly excited over the attack and doesn't feel as chesty as it did. For the wolf is at its door.

Scerezinski is in a Gary hospital. The doctors say his injuries may prove fatal, as they fear blood poisoning. The wolf was attracted by the noise and music of the previous day's celebration. It evidently came in from the dunes that day, remained over night and merely tried to work up a little breakfast.

The Hour Glass Newsletter George Svihla, Editor 762-5184 gsvihla@delphi.com Historical Society Officers Naomi Svihla, President Susan Clouser, Vice President Donald Kurtz, Treasurer Jane Sutton, Secretary George Svihla, Curator Peter Youngman, Historian Board of Directors Margaret Benninger Evelyn Childs Susan Clouser Donald Kurtz Constance Richter John Skafish Courtney VanLopik Naomi Svihla George Svihla Thomas Tittle Jane Sutton Peter Youngman

Memberships: Individual $10 Family $15 Sponsor $50 Patron $100 Organization/Business $100 Life $500

Life memberships and contributions beyond the membership level amount go into an endowment fund.

Historical Society of Ogden Dunes, Inc.
115 Hillcrest Road - 101
Ogden Dunes, IN 46368-1001

PROGRAM  At HOUR GLASS
APRIL 20, 1997  2 PM
JOHN MULLER  PAINTINGS IN MIXED MEDIA
Open house  1:30 to 4:00 PM

e-mail	Hour Glass	H.S.O.D.	MEMBER of the POD

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Web-published 14th September, 1999. Slightly altered and re-posted 18 February, 2003.