30 Years Ago

Monday, April 11, 1994 – “Dance for Heart” sponsored by Creative Movement raises a record $27,883. . . CHS speech team places third at state. Individual champions are Amy Alsman and Ingrid Carson. . . Democrat opponents for Porter County Commissioners are Robert Harper and Larry Sheets. Republicans are Karen Hughes and Elizabeth Marshall. . . Bryce Drew of Valparaiso High School is Indiana’s Mr. Basketball.

35 Years Ago

Friday, April 7, 1989 – CHS girls track and field team beats Hobart. Diane Bakaitis, Cherie Martinez, and Julie Trella finish 1st, 2nd, and 3rd in the 100 hurdles… Jeff Kizer places first in both hurdle events in the boys track team’s win over Hobart. . . About 80 persons attend a discussion session on the future of Chesterton, focusing on the ways to plan for expected growth. . . Historic stained glass windows from St. Patrick Church will be used in the new building.

40 Years Ago

Wednesday, April 11, 1984 – The inaugural CHS softball team beats Portage in extra innings. Patty Byrnes drives in Gina Rhoda for the winning run. . . A woman and her 3-year-old son are injured when their car is struck by a train at the C.R. 400E grade-crossing. . . CHS boys track team beats Hobart 83-43. Tim Walker and Jim Raffin are double winners.

50 Years Ago

Thursday, April 11, 1974 – Dune Acres received a $92,600 as a loan from the state for water system improvements. Water Commissioner Robert Bonin will be preparing final plans and specifications for extending water lines to the west end of town and improving the pumping station to elevate water pressure all over town… Chesterton public library has forms and instruction booklets for state and federal income taxes. Returns must be in no later than next Monday. . . A grass fire in LIberty Township yesterday endangered the Roger Cole home before it was put out by the Liberty Township Volunteer Fire Department. Fire Chief Tom Brooks said that the fire started along the B&O tracks at C.R. 100W and C.R. 900N, spread into the fields, and became quite a blaze. . . At least 14 tornados snaked across Indiana during the April 3 disaster and some were believed of greater intensity than the worst of the 1965 Palm Sunday storms. That was the preliminary conclusion of weather experts. The tornados killed 46 persons in Indiana. . .The Chesterton Volunteer Fire Department will test the tornado siren at 10 a.m. Saturday. The tornado siren in Chesterton is a three-minute steady blow of the air siren. The purpose is to notify people that a tornado warning has been issued and they should tune to their local radio and TV stations for further information. Please do not call the police or fire departments unless it is for emergency purposes. . . Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore Superintendent James Whitehouse announced today that a regular schedule of spring weekend hikes will begin on April 20. Hike areas include Cowles Bog, Bailly Homestead, and West Beach. . . Furnessville roadside cleanup day will be this Saturday morning. Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore is supplying bags for the trash and a truck to pick up the bags. After the morning’s work, everyone will gather at the Round & Square Hall for a potluck lunch. . . Toastmistress International is organizing a new club which will meet here at Waverly Community Hall, Waverly and East Oakhill roads, on Wednesday. . . Three Liberty Middle School seventhgraders placed at the Science Fair in Valparaiso last weekend. Tony Yocum won the NASA special award for engineering and a second place for his project on cosmic rays. Denny Piper took second place for his fingerprint similarity. And Sue Knight received honorable mention for her project on the effect of ultraviolet light on bacteria.

100 Years Ago

Thursday, April 10, 1924 – Snow, rain, and high waters generally over the state over the past few days considerably damaged stone and gravel roads, closing portions by inundating and making impassable numerous detours on country roads around construction projects on state roads. Some gravel roads may continue soft until spring rains are over. . .Fifty years ago Henry Lembster took the contract to build the Chesterton Catholic church. It was his first job as a contractor. The writer assisted in the dedication of the building to the extent of playing in the band that furnished the music for the occasion. Fifty years is a long time back. . .

Echoes of the Past appears Monday through Friday on the Town of Chesterton’s Facebook page.

The post Echoes of the Past first appeared on Chesterton Tribune.