For the first time since 1976, visitors have stepped inside the historic Good Fellow Lodge at Indiana Dunes National Park.
National Park Service officials, conservation groups, and former campers gathered to celebrate the completed rehabilitation of the structure along the Little Calumet River. The project is part of a $25.4 million push to restore historic landmarks across the park.
Originally built in 1941 by the U.S. Steel Company as a summer camp for employees' children, the site served thousands of Northwest Indiana youth until closing in 1975. During renovations, workers uncovered an original time capsule hidden in the walls, which will be resealed with updated items from the local community.
"This lodge tells the story of a place where thousands of children first discovered the outdoors," said Acting Superintendent Leo Lestino.
The overhaul was financed by the Great American Outdoors Act, passed in 2020 to tackle long-deferred maintenance across public lands. Similar funding is supporting work on other park landmarks, including the 19th-century Bailly Homestead and the 1933 Chicago World's Fair "House of Tomorrow."
Partnered with the Dunes Learning Center, the restored lodge will now serve as a permanent educational hub for visiting students and community groups.
About the National Park Service. The National Park Service preserves America’s most treasured natural and cultural places for the enjoyment, education and inspiration of this and future generations. Learn more at www.nps.gov.
