Chesterton Commercial Historic District facts for kids

The Chesterton Commercial Historic District is a special area in Chesterton, Indiana. It's a collection of old buildings that are important because of their history and unique architecture. This district helps us remember what Chesterton was like a long time ago. Many of its buildings were built after a big fire in 1902.

Quick facts for kids
Chesterton Commercial Historic District
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
U.S. Historic district
I.O.O.F. Lodge (Antique Shop Building)
Location in Indiana Show map of Indiana Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Location	109–193 N. Calumet Rd. and 130–134 N. Calumet Rd., Chesterton, Indiana
Area	3.2 acres (1.3 ha)
Built	1902
Architectural style	Italianate, Romanesque
NRHP reference No.	99001102
Added to NRHP	September 9, 1999

A Look Back at Chesterton

Chesterton wasn't always called Chesterton! It was first named Coffee Creek. Later, it was called Calumet, after the nearby Calumet River. This was around 1833, when the post office opened.

In 1852, a railroad called the Lake Shore and Michigan Railroad came through. The town then moved north to where it is today. It started to grow quickly.

The name Chesterton wasn't used until after the American Civil War. People changed the name to avoid confusion with Calumet City, Illinois, another town along the railroad tracks.

The railroad helped Chesterton's businesses boom. Soon, the town had places that made barrels (cooperage), sawmills, a washing machine factory, and even an organ company. Important buildings like the commercial building on Broadway and Calumet Road, and the old Chesterton Tribune Building, show how much the town grew.

Cool Old Buildings in the District

Many buildings in the Chesterton Commercial Historic District are considered "contributing." This means they help make the district special. Some are even important enough to be listed on their own!

• No. 1. 132–134 North Calumet Road, I.O.O.F Lodge (built around 1905): This building was built after a big fire in 1902. The International Order of Odd Fellows (a friendly club) used the top floors for their meetings. Shops were on the ground floor. This building has a unique "rhomboid" shape to fit the street. It has a modest Neo-Classical Revival style.

• No. 2. 130 North Calumet Road or 101 Broadway, M. Smith and Son (built around 1895): This building is on the corner of Broadway and Calumet Road. It has a cool "flat-iron shape," like an old clothes iron. It used to be a general dry goods store called M. Smith and Son. The Smith family ran the store for many years.

• No. 3. 193 North Calumet Road, The Chesterton Tribune Building (built around 1905): This building was also built after the 1902 fire. It's special because it's still the home of the Chesterton Tribune newspaper! The Tribune is the oldest business in Chesterton. It has a simple, functional style, but its top (parapet) has a touch of Romanesque Revival style.

• No. 4. 139–141 North Calumet Road, The Smith Block (built in 1903): The first floor of this building had different shops. The Knights of Pythias (another club) used the second floor for their meetings for many years. Now, the Knights of Columbus use the space. The building has an Arts and Crafts feel, especially with its central "Chicago window." A stone sign on top says "SMITH BLOCK."

• No. 5. 137A North Calumet Road (built around 1905): This building replaced one lost in the 1902 fire. The bottom floor has been changed, but the top floor still has its original stone window frames. The top of the building has decorative terra cotta blocks.

• No. 6. 137B North Calumet Road (built around 1905): This small shop was a barber shop until the 1960s. It still has its original wooden storefront. A metal awning was added in the 1950s.

• No. 7. 135 North Calumet Road, The Hoham Block (built around 1900): This building was built in 1903 as a hardware store by Bennett Morgan. His family ran the store for a long time. The top floor has a cool oriel window that sticks out. A stone sign on top says "HOHAM BLOCK."

• No. 8. 133 North Calumet Road (built around 1940): This one-story shop used to be part of the neighboring Morgan Hardware store. It has a modern-looking shop front from the 1940s.

• No. 9. 131 North Calumet Road (built around 1935): This building is considered "non-contributing" because it was built much later than the others. It's covered in wood siding.

• No. 10. 129 North Calumet Road (built in 1903): A local butcher rebuilt on this spot after the 1902 fire. This building is very similar to building No. 5 in its original design.

• No. 11. 127 North Calumet Road, Hess Restaurant and Hotel (built in 1902): This building was a restaurant and hotel from 1902 to 1920. Then, it became Johnson Grocery Store for many years. Now, an insurance company uses it. The front of the shop was updated around 1950.

• No. 12. 125 North Calumet Road (built in 1903): This is a one-story building. It might have been built by the same people who worked on buildings No. 5 and No. 10 because they share similar decorative details. A saloon was here in the 1880s. After the 1902 fire, a new saloon was built. It was also a movie theater and a pool hall before Flannery's Tavern opened in the 1930s.

• No. 13. 123 North Calumet Road, Lowenstine Clothing Store (built in 1898): This brick building was one of the few that survived the big fire of 1902! It started as a clothing store. Later, it became Falvey's Men's Store.

Images for kids

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  MainStreet Building located in center of downtown Chesterton, Indiana

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  Hohman Block with Smith and Tribune Blocks together at the end of the row

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  Commercial building on the southwest corner of Broadway and Calumet Road was built c. 1895

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  The Independent Order of Odd Fellows Lodge was built c. 1900

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  Smith Block was also built c.1905

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  Chesterton Downtown Historic District

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  Chesterton City Hall, c. 1902

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  Main Street blocks.

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  Hoham Block is two buildings to the north and is also a c.1905

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  Chesterton Tribune, 1905

Other Historic Places in the Area

The Chesterton Commercial Historic District is just one of several important historic places in the area. Others include:

• Chesterton Commercial Historic District
• Chesterton Residential Historic District
• George Brown Mansion
• Norris and Harriet Coambs Lustron House
• New York Central Railroad Passenger Depot, Chesterton, Indiana
• Martin Young House