Westchester Township History Museum provides local residents and researchers with community history and memorabilia

The Town of Chesterton takes pride in celebrating “The Art of Living,” as its municipal motto puts it, and there’s no better way to do that than visiting an institution that recognizes local history, art, and countless memories. The Westchester Township History Museum offers a variety of activities and research opportunities for local residents, area visitors, and avid researchers.

Serena Ard, museum curator at the Westchester Township History Museum, notes that the facility holds a significant purpose in the Chesterton and in Greater Duneland as well.

“The museum serves the community as an educational and cultural service by fostering an appreciation for the history and culture of Westchester Township and its surroundings,” Ard said. “We create a variety of materials and opportunities to engage with local history to meet the needs of people of all ages and situations, like exhibitions, presentations, field trips, and social media posts.”

The museum, which first opened in 1998, has featured over the years scores of exhibits and archives spotlighting local history.

“It has a permanent exhibit space, which highlights the chronological history of the area, and a temporary exhibit space which changes every six months or so,” Ard said. “We also house and make available to the public a variety of archival materials from the Prairie Club, the Richardson Wildlife Sanctuary, the Chesterton Woman’s Club, the Duneland Historical Society, the Les and Mary Pratt Local History Collection, and many other collections.”

Ard adds that many researchers have found the local history information at the Westchester Township History Museum to be invaluable, and the museum’s staff are always excited to help people find new information.

The museum also manages two repeating programs each month. The first one is Music at the Museum, which features a local group of folk musicians.. The other major program is Trivia Night, which combines trivia about pop culture with history. 

“We also offer other programs on an as-needed basis,” Ard says. “We have school programs at the museum or brought to the schools, Scout programs, guided tours of the Brown Mansion and exhibits, a history-focused summer camp for grades 4-9, Cupcakes and Canvas twice a year for ages 6-12, and other programs if needed. We also have presentations at the museum or presented specially for local groups and organizations.”

While the Westchester Township History Museum is operated by of the Westchester Public Library system, this facility is vastly different from the other library branches.

“We do not check out books or allow materials to leave the museum,” Ard said. “Researchers are welcome to copy, scan, or photograph materials, but they cannot remove them. We serve as the local history department for the library, so our materials are always expanding to include recent history, including adding new family histories as they get done.”

The museum has also hosted a variety of events such as exhibit openings, ice cream socials, and tea parties. As of today, the Westchester Township History Museum is walking into a new phase of its history. 

“We will be embarking on a construction project that will improve our ability to serve the community by offering handicapped-accessible research, exhibit, and programming spaces,” Ard said. “I am excited to see what kinds of new events we will offer when our new space opens.”

From first opening up 28 years ago on the first floor of the Baugher Center to leasing the historic Brown Mansion in 2005, the Westchester Township History Museum has seen some changes over the years. However, the museum remains a place of unique collectibles, including some prior to the initial opening.

“Much of the Chesterton Tribune Photo Archive, the Prairie Club Archive, Bethlehem Lutheran Church Archive, art collection, and some of the three-dimensional materials were already donated to the library before the museum was established,” Ard said. “Those items, as well as the Library’s Local History Vertical Files, served as the groundwork for the museum collection.”

As the Westchester Township History Museum is nearing three decades of curating and preserving community memorabilia, the staff is excited for what’s to come with the museum in the near future.

“This is a community service, and the staff here are welcoming and helpful,” Ard said. “The staff offers personalized assistance, whether it’s for a tour, a research project, or an interest in family or house history. While the museum holds great information and materials, we continuously learn from the people who visit us, and those experiences are invaluable for everyone involved.”

For more information on the Westchester Township History Museum, visit wpl.lib.in.us/westchester-township-history-museum

To learn more about the Town of Chesterton and its resources, visit chestertonin.org