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Housed in the historic 1885 Brown Mansion, the Westchester Township History Museum offers a variety of activities and research opportunities for local residents, area visitors, and researchers.

Hours of operation

Closed: Sun/Mon
By appointment only: Tues, Thurs, Fri
Open to public: Wednesdays and 2nd & 4th Saturdays 12-5pm*
*A maximum of 10 members of the public at any time in the exhibit area, and a maximum of 7 members of the public at any time in the mansion. You may be asked to wait approximately 20-30 minutes for entry.

For more information or to schedule, call 219-983-9715 or email museum@wpl.lib.in.us.

Our permanent exhibit highlights local history from prehistoric times to today.

Our temporary exhibits celebrate different elements of area history; these exhibits change approximately every four months.

Free research assistance (copying fees may be incurred).

Appointments with our researcher. Research materials may not leave the building.

Access our collection of digitized photographs.

Les and Mary Pratt Local History Archives include maps, phone books, newspapers, and other materials highlighting local people, places, and businesses.

Richardson Wildlife Sanctuary Archives include the organization’s papers and artifacts collected through 2005, including hundreds of photographs taken by William Richardson.

Prairie Club Archives include papers, photos, scrapbooks, and more from this Chicago-based group that was active in the Indiana dunes from 1908 into the 1960s.

Chesterton Tribune Photo Archives include historic Duneland images published in the local newspaper.

Professional help with your family history research, including assistance with Ancestry.com, local family information, and other genealogical research.

With over 3,200 entries from one of Chesterton’s earliest undertaking businesses, this index contains basic information (decedent’s name, age, cause of death, date of death) to assist with accessing original records at the Museum.

Details are transcribed as they appear in original records; information in italics was added by the Museum for clarification. Question marks indicate that the original writing is illegible. Many records have no death or burial dates but an unidentified date that is listed in the “Remarks” column. For a scan or copy of original records, contact the Museum with the name and date as it appears in the index.

John B. Lundberg and Flynn-Lundberg Undertaker Records Index, 1885-1942

Find over 100 locally-themed gifts for yourself and others, including works by local artists.

Museum programs occur monthly and are listed on the Library calendar.

We offer curriculum-related children’s programs for school groups and Scout groups. Email educator@wpl.lib.in.us or call the Museum for more infromation.

Locations

Thomas Branch (Main)

200 W. Indiana Avenue
Chesterton, IN 46304
219-926-7696
Mon-Thurs 9am-9pm
Friday 9am-6pm
Saturday 9am-5pm
Sunday 1pm-5pm

Hageman Branch

100 Francis Street
Porter, IN 46304
219-926-9080
Mon-Fri 9am-6pm
Saturday 1-5pm
Sunday Closed

Westchester Township History Museum

700 W. Porter Avenue
Chesterton, IN 46304
219-983-9715
Closed: Sun/Mon
By appointment only: Tues, Thurs, Fri
Open to public: Wednesdays and 2nd & 4th Saturdays 12-5pm

Baugher Center

100 W. Indiana Avenue
Chesterton, IN 46304
219-921-0964
Mon-Fri 9am-5pm

Annual Holiday Closures