Volume 2, Issue 7 July, 2012

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Adult & Family Services

Adult Learning Center

Audio Visual Services

Automation Services

Book Sales

Children’s Services

Facebook Page

Computer Classes

Circulation Services

Downloadable Books

Hageman Facebook

Homebound Services

Meeting Services

Museum Services

Facebook Page

Reference Services

Serials Services

Technical Services

Bring the whole family, lawn chairs, and a picnic dinner to Thomas Centennial Park (at the corner of Calumet and Broadway, Chesterton) and join your neighbors for an old-fashioned concert series featuring a variety of traditional music. Each program is fol-lowed by a movie suitable for family viewing. In the event of rain, the concerts and films will take place in the Library Service Center, 100 W. Indiana Avenue, Chesterton. The Wednesday, June 13, concert will take place at Hawthorne Park, Porter (no movie). All concerts begin at 7 p.m. Movies will follow the concerts at dusk, about 8 p.m.

The concert and film series is partially funded by the Chesterton-Porter Rotary. For more information, call 926-7696.

Bandstand Concerts & Family Films

For Amusement Only & Hugo

July 6

For Amusement Only offers a fun and danceable mix of oldies, country, pop and rock. The members of the band are Tessy Bowers on vocals and guitar, Bill McCarel on vo-cals, guitar and keyboard, Meg McCarel on vocals, Jim Murray on drums and Tim Winey on bass.

Hugo is a 12-year-old orphan who, in 1930s Paris, lives in the walls of a train station. Having learned to fix clocks and other gadgets from his father and his uncle, he keeps the train clocks running smoothly. His father died in a museum fire, and the only thing he has left of him is an automaton (mechanical man) that needs a special key to unlock – which Hugo does not have.

As Hugo goes about his business, he meets George Melies, toy store owner, and his goddaughter Isabelle. Hugo and Isabelle become friends, and they dis-cover that Isabelle has the key to the automaton. The automaton reveals a secret about George that has Hugo on the run.

Hugo is rated PG. Running time is 126 minutes.

Songs of the Great Lakes w/Lee

Murdock & Scooby Doo: Curse of the

Lake Monster - July 13

Lee Murdock, a renowned Midwestern mu-sician, sings a vivid portrait of life on the

Great Lakes. Noted as an accomplished instrumen-talist on the six and twelve string guitars, Murdock combines ragtime, Irish, blues and folk styles with his flair for storytelling in songs. He has uncovered a boundless body of music

of the Great Lakes, music which he says is made of hard work, hard living, ships that go down and ships that come in.

Scooby and the gang, Fred, Daphne, Vel-ma, and Shaggy, head to the Erie Pointe Country Club for their summer jobs in Scooby Doo: Curse of the Lake Monster. They arrive at the same time that the area’s leg-endary frog monster reappears. The mon-ster is terrorizing locals as well as visitors to the country club, which is owned by Daph-ne’s uncle Thornton.

As always, the gang is ready to jump in and solve the mystery. But the clues point a little closer to home this time than they usually do.

Scooby Doo: Curse of the Lake Monster is rated PG and has a running time of 79 minutes.

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Eclectic Mix of Tunes w/Mo’ Beat Blues and Big Miracle - July 20

Westchester Public Library’s free concert and family film series continues

Friday, July 20, at the bandstand in Thomas Park with Mo’ Beat Blues. The

concert will be followed by the film Big Miracle at dusk, about 8 p.m.

Mo’ Beat Blues features Samuel Lozada and his wife Janice. Lozada is an accomplished musician, singer, songwriter, and composer. His comedic presentation, along with his ability to engage the audience, results in a good time had by all. Mo’ Beat Blues features familiar songs, remade to fit their high energy style of music. They perform blues, jazz, R&B, country, rock, swing, and rat pack – a little bit of everything, and audiences love it all. They deliver soulful vocals, impressive harmonica solos, sprinkled with comedic anecdotes.

Inspired by the true story that captured the hearts of people across the world, the rescue adventure Big Miracle tells the amazing tale of a small town news reporter (John Krasinski) and an animal- loving volunteer (Drew Barrymore) who are joined by rival world superpowers to save a family of majestic gray whales trapped by rapidly forming ice in the Arctic Circle.

Big Miracle is rated PG and has a running time of 1 hour and 46 minutes.

Cowboy & Western Music w/The Western Rangers and Rango

- July 27

Westchester Public Library’s free concert and family film series continues at 7 pm on Friday, July 27, at the bandstand in Thomas Park with the Western Rangers playing Cowboy and Western Music. The concert will be followed by the film Rango at dusk, about 8 p.m.

The Western Rangers, consisting of Mary Minton, Susan Brown, and John Burnett, are dedicated to preserving and performing traditional cowboy music. John Burnett learned many of the songs from his father while growing up in Texas and Arkansas, while Susan Brown and Mary Minton’s families shared traditional cowboy songs during their childhoods.

Rango is a sheltered chameleon living as an ordinary family pet, while facing a major identity crisis. After all, how high can you aim when your whole purpose in life is to blend in? When Rango accidentally winds up in the gritty, gun-slinging town of Dirt - a lawless outpost populated by the desert's most wily and whimsical creatures - the less-than-courageous lizard suddenly finds he stands out. Welcomed as the last hope the town has been waiting for, new Sheriff Rango is forced to play his new role to the hilt.

Rango is rated PG and has a running time of 1 hour and 47 minutes.

Celtic Harp Music w/Cynthia Shelhart and Judy Moody and the Not

Bummer Summer - August 3

On the first Friday in August, join Cynthia Shelhart as she performs Celtic harp music. The entire family will enjoy the film afterwards, Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer.

Summer Reading

Your Feet in the Sand, a Book

in Your Hand is the 2012

summer reading program from

June 10-July7. Read a WPL book

(audio books included), fill out an

entry form and return it to the

Circulation desk at either Thomas

or Hageman Library. Forms will

be entered in the weekly prize

drawing. Drawings will be held

July 1 & 8.

Library Closed

Both branches of Westchester Public Library, the Westchester Township History Museum and the Library Service Center will be closed for Independence Day on Wednesday, July 4. Library buildings will reopen Thursday, July 5, and resume regular hours. The Chesterton Adult Learning and the office of the Westches-ter Township Trustee will also be closed on July 4. Thomas Library, 200 W. Indiana Ave., is open Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. – 9 p.m., Saturday from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday from 1-5 p.m. Hageman Li-brary, 100 Francis St., Porter, is open Monday-Friday from 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Saturday from 1-5 p.m., and is closed on Sunday. The Westchester Township His-tory Museum, 700 W. Porter Ave, is open Wednesday-Sunday from 1-5 p.m. The Library Ser-vice Center, located at 100 W. Indiana Ave., is open as needed for meetings.

Adults are invited to this six-session program in which Donna Krizek will introduce the tech-niques of drawing.

The sessions will

Adopt-A-Shelf Program

Adults are invited to Polka Dot

Parties with Carol on July 9, from

10:30 a.m.—1:30 p.m. at Thomas

Library.

Attendees will learn a variety of

stamping and paper crafting

techniques to incorporate into a

personal spill journal. Spill

journaling uses mixed media

techniques for free expression of

thoughts, dreams, goals, plans, trips,

and more. Each journal is as unique

as the individual who creates it.

Registration is necessary. Materials

are provided by the library.

Homebound

Westchester Public Library offers its Homebound service for patrons in

Westchester Township who, for reasons of

extended illness, injury or disability, have difficulty

visiting either Thomas or Hageman Libraries.

Participants in the program receive personalized

book selections and a delivery of materials either

every two weeks or once a month.

For more information, please call the Circulation

Department at Thomas Library, 200 W. Indiana Avenue, Chesterton, at

926-7696 and leave a message for Outreach Coordinator Sadie Steciuch

who will return your call.

Interested patrons are invited to participate in Westchester Public Library’s Adopt-A-Shelf program. Adopt-A-Shelf is an exciting oppor-tunity to provide a valuable service to the li-brary and its patrons. Sign-up is easy at either Thomas Library, 200 W. Indiana Avenue, Chesterton, or Hageman Library, 100 Francis Street, Porter.

In 2011, the library circulated 372,097 items. It is difficult at times to keep the shelves in order with so much use. Library staff members work diligently to put materials back when returned, but shelf reading for proper order takes time. “Adopt-A-Shelf” is a volunteer oppor-tunity to help keep the library’s materials in correct order. The half-hour training will be at the volunteer’s convenience.

Interested volunteers donate time once or twice a month to keep one sec-tion of library shelving neat and orderly by “adopting” that section. The shelving units are in the adult fiction section so volunteers will alphabetize books by the author’s last name. There is no need to know the Dewey Dec-imal System.

Adopting a shelving section at the library is a convenient, work at your own pace help to the library, and will be a fun way to find new authors to read or recommend.

For more information call either Thomas Library at 926-7696 or Hageman Library at 926-9080.

Introductory

Drawing

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take place at Thomas Library from 12:30-2:30 p.m. on July 10, 11, 12, 17, 18, & 19.

There is no charge for attendance, but registration is required. Visit the Reference desk to register, or call 926-7696.

Polka Dot Parties

All Bits & Bytes computer classes take place in the Bertha Wood meeting

room on the second floor of Thomas Library, 200 W. Indiana Avenue,

Chesterton. Registration is necessary for all classes.

To reserve your spot in any of the Bits & Bytes classes, please call the

Serials/Automation Department at 926-7696, ext. 25.

Word 1

Learn the basics of this word processing software, and how to use it to

the best advantage to give documents that professional look. Attendees

must have some computer knowledge and must know how to use the

mouse. Typing skills are preferred by not necessary.

The class will take place on Thursday, July 19, from 5:30-8:30p.m. Regis-

tration begins July 5.

Word 2

Attendees will learn basic formatting skills, including bullets, numbering

tabs, columns, etc. Those who attend will also learn how to insert clip art,

use word art, create labels and more.

Registration for the Thursday, July 26, 5:30-8:30 p.m., class will being on

July 12.

Excel 1

The class is a beginner’s entry level class that will introduce the user to the

basics of a spreadsheet and entering text and numbers. Creating logical

data tables and charts, formatting text and performing mathematical cal-

culations will also be part of the class. Attendees will learn how to use

spreadsheets in other applications as well.

All attendees must be computer literate and very familiar with the use of

the mouse.

The class will take place on Tuesday, July 31, from 2-5 p.m. Registration

will begin on July 17.

Tech Help Desk

Get free help for technology problems with email, software, hardware,

eReaders, tablets, smartphones, etc. If the problem is severe enough, staff

may recommend you see a computer professional.

Monday: 5-6 p.m. ∙ Wednesday: 5-6 p.m. ∙ Friday: 10-11 a.m.

First come, first served. In the Serials/Automation Department.

Bits & Bytes

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Check These Out!Check These Out!Check These Out!

The Artist—Silent movie star George

Valentin bemoans the coming era of

talking pictures & fades into oblivion.

He finds sparks with Peppy Miller, a

young dancer lighting up the talkies.

21 Jump Stree—A pair of undera-

chieving cops are sent back to high

school undercover.

Mirror, Mirror—The Snow White leg-

end comes alive (with Julia Roberts).

Tracy’s Take:

WPL offers three invaluable

magazines for comput-

er and technology in-

formation. MacLife

for Apple geeks pro-

vides up-to-date news,

reviews and information on

the latest Apple products.

Maximum PC brings you

the latest technology

news, computer news,

and the latest computer

and notebook reviews. Smart

Computing offers tips, tutori-

als, and troubleshooting ad-

vice. Don’t forget that up to

15 magazines may be checked

out at one time, and they are

renewable.

Rhonda Says...

Are you a book lover? Make plans to join us for these lively

discussions on the first Monday of each month @

6:30 p.m.

July 2: The View from Garden City

By Carolyn Baugh

August 6: Still Alice

By Lisa Genova

Create-A-Bookmark Contest

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Westchester Public Library

Leea Likes:

All of these titles are available @ your

library, in both print and audio format.

Check them out today!

The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson

Walker

Awakening to find that the rotation of the

earth has suddenly begun to slow throws

everything into disarray for Julia and her

family.

The Watch by Joydeep Roy-Bhattacharva

Soldiers in Kandahar are faced with a lone

woman demanding the return of her broth-

er’s body. Is she who she claims or is she

on a darker mission? Tensions rise as the

soldiers decide what to do.

Tell the Wolves I’m Home by Carol Rifka Brunt

This is a tender story of love lost and found,

an unforgettable portrait of the way com-

passion can make us whole again.

Children in grades 1-6 are invited to participate in the Create-A-

Bookmark contest of 2012, sponsored by Westchester Public Library

and 1st Source Bank. Visit the Children’s Department at Thomas

Library, 200 W. Indiana Avenue, Chesterton, or Hageman Library,

100 Francis Street, Porter, to pick up a contest form. Entries must

be delivered to the library by July 31.

Bookmarks will be designed to tell all about the designer’s favorite

book—the story, the characters, the pictures, or whatever makes the

books special and magical.

Participants will use the form provided, or a double-sided photocopy

of the form. All artwork is to be done in black only; ink or marker is

acceptable. Children may enter as many times as they wish, but will

be eligible for only one prize. Submitted bookmarks will not be re-

turned, so participants are encouraged to make a copy of their book-

marks.

Entries will be judged on originality, neatness, and printability.

Themes must be original and the exclusive work of the child entering

the contest in idea, design, and execution, with no outside assistance.

All winning entries become the property of Westchester Public

Library; winning entries may be distributed and reprinted at the

library’s discretion. There will be two grade categories: grades 1-3

and grades 4-6.

Prizes will be awarded in each grade category. First place winners

will receive a $25 gift card from 1st Source Bank and printed copies

of their bookmarks. Second and third place winners will receive

printed copies of their bookmarks. Five honorable mentions will

receive a special participation prize. All winners will also receive a

certificate of participation. Winners will be invited to attend an

awards ceremony on Monday, August 6, at 6:30 pm. at Westchester

Public Library, Thomas branch, 200 W. Indiana Avenue, Chesterton.

Winners will be notified by phone on or after July 31.

Winning bookmarks will be enlarged to poster size and exhibited at

Westchester Public Library.

For more information, call the Thomas Library Children’s Depart-

ment at 926-7696 or Hageman Library at 926-9080.

Into the Darkest Corner by Elizabeth Haynes

Catherine Bailey falls in love with an ob-

sessed man. Four years later, he is in jail,

but upon hearing about his release, strange

things begin happening.

Young Adult Young Adult Young Adult

News and NotesNews and NotesNews and Notes

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Introduction to Introduction to

Drawing Drawing for

Young Adults

July 10, 11, 12, 17, 18, & 19

3-5 p.m.

Registration required.

Join Donna Krizek in the Bertha Wood room for this series of

drawing lessons.

GABE’S WORLD

Coming in August...

of unusual crafts

Polymer Clay

Zombies:

Young adults (ages 12-18)

are invited to the Bertha

Wood room with Gabe Un-

derwood to create clay

zombies.

Wednesday, August 8

1-4 p.m.

Registration necessary.

Polka Dot Parties w/

Carol

Polka Dot Parties with Carol continues in August.

Registration

Required

Birthday/Friend Calendar: August 6, 1-2:30 p.m.

Vacation Mini Scrapbook Album: August 13, 1-2:30 p.m.

Quilling Techniques: August 20, 1-2:30 p.m.

Spill Journals and Pop Can Art: July 9, 2-4 p.m.

Shadow and Bone (The Grisha Trilogy) by Leigh Bardugo

Alina saves her best friend’s life with a power that could be the key to freeing her war-torn

country, Ravka, from the Shadow Fold. She is whisked away to be trained as a member of the

Grisha, a magical elite force. Will they be able to defeat the monsters who feast on human flesh?

Check out these books from the YA collection at Thomas.

More YA Notes…More YA Notes…More YA Notes…

Your Feet in the Sand, a Book in Your Hand

Summer Reading ∙ June 10-July 7 ∙ Thomas Library ∙ Hageman Library

This is the easiest reading program you’ll ever likely find! Just read a WPL book of your choice (and, yes, audio

books count!). Head to the Reference desk at Thomas, or the Circulation desk at Hageman, and get an entry

form. Fill out the form with the book title and author, mark your opinion of the book, and fill out your name

and phone number on the back. Hand the form in, and you are entered into the prize drawing to be held each

Sunday of the program: July 1 & 8. Read as many books as you want, and enter every one you read!

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A Girl Named Digit by Annabel Monaghan “Digit” wants to

enjoy a relaxed senior year before heading to MIT, but when she cracks a terrorist group’s number sequence, her laid-

back year gets a lot more interesting.

My Life in Black & White by Natasha Friend Beautiful Lexi is involved in

an accident that scars her face badly. She has to learn that she is more than just a pretty face.

Stunning (Pretty Little Liars #11) by Sara Shepard

Four stunningly beautiful girls are haunted by a very ugly past. Although Spencer, Aria, Hanna, and Emily want

to forget Alison, their former best friend who tried to ruin their lives, she is still out there...

Illuminate: A Gilded Wings Novel by Aimee Agresti Brainy but shy Haven is a

high school outcast who is awarded a prestigious internship at a posh hotel under the eyes of a group

called The Outfit. But Haven soon learns that The Outfit is not all they seem...will Haven join in their

evil plans or will she be able to thwart them?

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June 11-July 21

Summer Reading Awaits... Children ages three through grade 5 are invited to travel Into the

Woods, WPL’s summer reading program for children.

Wednesdays: 1 p.m. Eco-Kids

Fridays: July 6, 6:30 p.m. Lego Club

Thursdays: Thursday Adventures

Saturdays: 10 a.m.-1 p.m. I Can Do That Art (drop in)

July 21, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.: Summer Reading Finale: Woodland Wee Folk Festival

Participants are invited to enjoy the festival at Thomas Centennial Park, Chesterton. Gnome

Obstacle Course, Fairy Homes & Garden Tour, Bubble Fairy Wands, Once Upon a Dine Café,

Face painting, music, and so much more!

Tuesdays: 1 p.m. Story Time

6:30 p.m. Craft @ Twilight

Coffee Creek Habitat Hunt: July 5, 1 p.m.

Children meet at the Habitat and will receive a list of items to

find. Presenter Michelle Benson, Porter County Soil and

Water Conservation District, will talk about seeds and how

they travel. She will demonstrate the use of a magnifier that

attendees will get to keep. Participants will also investigate seeds that

Benson has in containers.

Fairy Walk at Bailly Homestead: July 12, 1 p.m.

Park in the lot at Bailly Homestead park. Meet at the shelter near the parking lot and listen to the book

The Tiptoe Guide to Tracking Fairies.” After the reading, venture on to the trails and spot the telltale signs

of fairies.

Bat Hike at Dune Ridge: July 19, 7 p.m. Meet at Dune Ridge and enjoy a Bat Hike with Ranger Kip Walton.

Hageman

Happenings

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Children ages three through grade 5

are invited to travel Into the Woods,

WPL’s summer reading program for

children.

Kids will enjoy the camping site as

well as the fairy glen.

Activities Include...Activities Include...Activities Include...

Wednesdays: 10 a.m. Story Time

Thursdays: 3:30 p.m. It’s a Girl’s World (Science Club)

Grades 4-6. July 12-Sept. 27. Registration required.

- Thursday Adventures (see calendar for times)

Tuesdays: - 10 a.m. Children’s Calligraphy (grade 4 &

up) June 12-July 17 (registration required)

- 2 p.m. Exploring Nature through Art

Mondays & Wednesdays: - 1 p.m. Hola! Spanish for

grades 3-6. June 18-July 11. Grades 3 & up.

- 2 p.m. Conversational Spanish for Grade 7–

Adult June 18-July 11. Registration Required for both.

Westchester Public Library offers a weekly knit/crochet program at Hageman

Library, 100 Francis Street, Porter. Knit-wits (& Pearls of Wisdom) meets on Thursday

mornings from 10 a.m.-noon. Refreshments will be served.

Gather around the fireplace with people who have similar interests in knitting and cro-

cheting. Share patterns and resources. Suggestions and help will be given when needed.

Those who are new to knitting or crocheting are also welcome.

KnitKnitKnit---wits & Pearls of Wisdomwits & Pearls of Wisdomwits & Pearls of Wisdom

June 11-July 21

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Hageman Branch

Summer Reading Awaits...

Museum Musings...

Hilda Demuth-Lutze will review A Good American by Alex George. This

multigenerational saga begins in 1904 Germany when pregnant Jette

Furst elopes with Frederick Meisenheimer. Crossing the Atlantic on a

ship bound for New Orleans, they settle in the tiny town of Beatrice,

Missouri, where Jette gives birth to Joseph, and, later, Rosa.

Spanning four generations of Meisenheimers, A Good American recounts

the joys and tragedies of the immigrant experience. Don’t miss this en-

tertaining debut by Alex George.

It is not necessary to read the book before coming to Bookmarks.

Refreshments will be served.

Bookmarks at the MuseumBookmarks at the MuseumBookmarks at the Museum

Join Joan Costello in the Reviewer’s Choice session of Mad About

Mysteries on Wednesday, July 11, and Saturday, July 14. Both pro-

grams begin at 2 p.m. Refreshments will be served.

Years ago, Joan kept every mystery she bought and read. One summer

vacation, she built a new, skinny bookshelf to accommodate her collec-

tion, thus keeping track of what she read. By the late 1980s, she had

run out of space and so converted the titles to a data file. In 1988 she

began recording her list of mysteries, which now could include titles

she took our from the library.

On her list is not only the author and title, but the name of the sleuth,

and a column titled “Did I Like It?” Using her list, Joan is compiling a

list of her favorites to share with Mad About Mysteries. From Rhys

Bowen and British gentility, albeit impoverished, to Deborah Wood-

worth and fascinating description of life and murder! in a Shaker vil-

lage, Joan will share her favorites from over the years.

She favors cozies which are mysteries set in rather benign settings with

somewhat non-gory murders, little sex, violence, or profanity, and usu-

ally an amateur sleuth. But being mysteries, they are chock full of de-

tails, often historical, so clues can be hidden.

Mad About MysteriesMad About MysteriesMad About Mysteries

Picture DunelandPicture DunelandPicture Duneland

Registration is un-derway for the mu-seum’s sixth annual summer history camp. Picture Duneland will take

place July 17-20, from 9 a.m.-Noon each day. Students residing in the Duneland school district and going into grades 4 and 5 are invited to register for camp. There is no charge for attendance.

Registrations will not be taken over the phone: parents please bring your children to the museum to register in person.

In an exciting week of learning about photography, campers will take photos, play games, learn some history of photography, get tips from a professional photographer, and meet some new friends.

Campers are encouraged to bring their own cameras, if they have them, but it is not required.

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Sunday, July 1, from 1-5 p.m.

Knitting TogetherKnitting TogetherKnitting Together

Founding FamiliesFounding FamiliesFounding Families

Join museum staff and Morgan descend-

ants in recognizing the Morgans as one of

Chesterton’s founding families in the mu-

seum’s first annual recognition of the

founding families of the area. Saturday,

July 28, 3:30-5 p.m. Indoor and outdoor

activities, refreshments included.

When I was a child, I was taught to appreciate the service that men and women in the armed forces have given to this country. Both of my grandpas served in the military, one in the Army and the other in the Navy. My mom’s dad was career Army, beginning his service during WWII and retiring in 1968 only to go back to work for the Army as a civil-ian in the Army Corps of Engineers.

As my understanding of history grew, I became more and more curious about my grandpa’s time in the Army, espe-cially during WWII. But there was little information to be had. My grandpa does not like to talk about his time during the war. As a kid, I was certain my grandpa must have been a spy during WWII because he could keep a secret better than anyone I knew. Of course, Grandpa was not a spy. He was a foot soldier, mostly in the Pacific Theater. Today, he is much more open about his experience. He has shown me his medals, his uniform, and even a map that he car-ried with him in his pocket to mark all the places he landed. He also told me he broke his leg during his first attempt to jump out of a plane, ending his service as a paratrooper. I don’t know if this change is due to his getting older or if it’s because I am much more relentless and infinitely more nosey than when I was a kid. Perhaps it’s a little bit of both.

Nevertheless, I greatly respect my grandpa’s service in WWII and after. It is because of that service and that of my other grandpa that I have wanted to do an exhibit honoring local veterans. In the planning process, however, I have come to realize that it will be virtually impossible to create a good exhibit that honors all area veterans. There are just too many of them.

My solution is to create a series of annual exhibits recognizing Westchester Township’s service during the different periods of war and uncertain times of peace from the Civil War to today. While it may make sense to do these exhib-its in chronological order, my personal affinity for WWII history and the declining population of WWII veterans have convinced me that this year’s exhibit must focus on WWII.

This fall, beginning in September and running through Thanksgiving weekend, the Westchester Township History Museum will have its first annual Westchester at War exhibit, highlighting area WWII servicemen and women as well as activities taking place on the homefront.

We have some artifacts from the war period—including numerous ration books, newspapers, and one diary—but there are probably many WWII artifacts in your homes from your local serviceman or woman. In order to create an exhibit that accurately portrays this area during WWII, the Museum needs to borrow letters, uniforms, papers, signs, photographs, etc. from this period that are specifically tied to Westchester Township. If you would like to loan or do-nate your items, please bring them to the Museum, call us at 983-9715, or email us at museum@wpl.lib.in.us.

Thank you to all the current and former servicemen and women who help keep our country safe and to the families here who miss them.

Serena

From the Curator’s Desk...From the Curator’s Desk...From the Curator’s Desk...

Richardson ExhibitRichardson ExhibitRichardson Exhibit

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Westchester Township History Museum

Celebrate the lives and legacies of William and Flora Richardson at the new temporary exhibit that will through Sun-

day, September 2.

The Lives and Legacies of William and Flora Richardson highlights the fascinating early 1900s Chicago couple who loved

the Indiana Dunes. After years of visiting the area with groups like the Prairie Club, the Richardsons built various

shelters in what is now Dune Acres and eventually bought land there. Their photographs, letters, and other belong-

ings will be on display and will reveal an intelligent, modern couple who left behind legacies of appreciation and pas-

sion for nature, particularly the dunes area.