Berglund Construction Helps to Preserve History with Indiana Dunes National Park Restoration Projects 

Berglund Construction recently completed projects restoring three historic sites within Indiana Dunes National Park. The sites include Good Fellow Club Youth Camp Lodge, the Bailly Homestead, and the House of Tomorrow. The projects were completed in partnership with Pennsylvania-based G-Force Construction Services. 

The three sites received significant upgrades to allow for full use again. 

“All three buildings had been vacant for several years and were in significant disrepair,” said Berglund Senior Project Manager Nick Metros. “Our scope of work included rehabilitation and structural stabilization of the existing structures.” 

The historic nature of each building runs deep and is unique. The U.S. Steel Company originally built Good Fellow Lodge for its employees’ children in the early 1900s. The National Park purchased the lodge in 1976 to include it in the Indiana Dunes National State Park. 

A National Historic Landmark, the Bailly Homestead was the home of trader, innkeeper, and landkeeper Joseph Bailly de Messein and his family. It is one of the few surviving buildings significant to the origins of the early trade industry. 

“The House of Tomorrow has received the most widespread recognition,” said Metros. “It was originally constructed for the 1933 Century of Progress World’s Fair in Chicago and holds significant importance in architectural history.” 

The Indiana Landmarks recently recognized the House of Tomorrow as its Success Story of the Year at the annual Rescue Party, bringing attention to the remarkable restoration effort and the intentional attention to detail that helped return this iconic home to its original  vision. 

That same spirit of preservation and discovery was reflected during Berglund Construction’s restoration of the Good Fellow Lodge, where the team uncovered an 80 year old time capsule hidden within the building’s original foundation. Left behind by the original Carnegie Illinois Construction team, the capsule contained a 48 star American  flag, a memorandum document, a deed, a speech, and several newspaper articles – offering a powerful glimpse into the history and craftsmanship behind the historic structure. 

“As a member of Good Fellow Lodge’s most recent construction team, it was sort of surreal to see the box and its contents knowing the building’s original construction placed it there,” said Metros. “It perfectly parallels the efforts of both teams, past and present, and our role in creating and sustaining the Good Fellow Lodge.” 

Across all three buildings, the Good Fellow Lodge required the most work. 

“The Good Fellow Lodge required the most extensive work, with both interior and exterior  rehabilitation completed,” said Metros. “Bailly Homestead and the House of Tomorrow involved exterior rehabilitation and structural stabilization only, with interior rehabilitation planned for a future phase.” 

Its tie to the current community and its activities brought a lot of anticipation for this  project’s completion from the public. Today, it is used as a place to gather, but also as the Dunes Learning Center. 

“The Good Fellow Lodge was particularly rewarding due to its strong connection to the local community,” said Metros. “We learned that many generations of residents had fond memories of attending camp there. The building had been vacant since 1976.” 

The overall project will enhance the Dunes area. All three restorations carry significance in their own unique way through their own unique history. 

Learn more about Berglund Construction at berglundco.com.