From September to Thanksgiving weekend, the Westchester Township History Museum will have its first Westchester at War exhibit, a series of annual exhibits that highlight Westchester Township residents at home and abroad during times of war and uncertain times of peace.

This year’s exhibit will focus on World War II servicemen and women and activities on the home front, such as those of the Forget Me Not Club. The museum needs help creating an exhibit that will accurately portray life at home and at war. It has some artifacts from the war period — including numerous ration books, newspapers and one diary — but there are probably many WWII artifacts in local homes from Westchester servicemen and women.

Museum officials would like to borrow letters, uniforms, papers, signs, photographs and more from this period that are specifically tied to Westchester Township. Local WWII veterans and residents who have memories of the time are invited to participate in an upcoming oral history project. The museum will be collecting oral histories focusing on Westchester Township and its WWII-era veterans through August. Anyone interested in loaning or donating items or being interviewed for the oral history project should come by the museum, 700 W. Porter Ave., or call (219) 983-9715, or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

The Lake Court House Foundation Inc., which runs the Old Lake County Courthouse on the square in downtown Crown Point, is operating on a deficit for the first time since the organization took control of the building in the 1970s.   The Foundation does not receive taxpayer dollars and doesn't have the membership and number of bequests it has had in the past. While the courthouse has a steady income from renting shops on the lower level and offices in the upper levels, it's not enough to cover the expenses of running the building or taking care of a major problem should one arise.

"It's like living in an old house," "There's always something that needs attention."

The courthouse was built in 1878 for $52,000 and served as the county courthouse for almost 100 years until the county outgrew the building in the 1970s and built the complex on North Main Street.

While there was money set aside for demolition of the Old Lake County Courthouse, a group of residents formed the nonprofit organization that saved the building. The demolition money was used to restore the building.


****Resident Dean White of Crown Point is sending out a challenge to fellow Northwest Indiana citizens to dig deep and donate to help preserve our grand old courthouse.  He will match every dollar donated through the Dean and Barbara White Family Foundation. The challenge ends on June 30, 2012.

How you can  HELP

To donate to the Lake Court House Foundation, Inc. or become a member, call (219) 663-0660 or write to the foundation at P.O. Box 556, Crown Point, IN 46308. Donation Form

Source: nwi.com Old courthouse in C.P. hit by money woes
Source: Post Tribune Crown Point billionaire challenges public to patch up courthouse

Joseph E. Meyer

Born September 5, 1878 in Kenosha, WI
Died March 1950 in Miami, FL

Mr. Meyer as a banker, botanist and millionaire from Northwest Indiana.  He founded the Botanic Gardens, Bank Calumet and Meyer Publishing.  He published several famous books including The Herbalist in 1918, The Herbalist Almanac in 1925 and The Old Herb Doctor which was based on advise he gave to his customers. It is still in print today.

He built Meyer Castle, an example of Jacobethan Revival Architecture between 1929 and 1931 in Dyer and lived their most of his adult life.

The Botanic Gardens is the largest seller of herbs by mail order in the world and is located in Hobart, In.  His great grandsons currently run the business.

Sources: The Botanic Gardens Wikipedia