Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore - Century of Progress 1933 World's Fair Homes at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore and More (U.S. National Park Service)

Annual Architecture Tour Featuring The Century of Progress Homes

The National Park Service and the Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana have announced the Annual Architecture Tour at the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore to be held on Saturday, October 11, and Sunday, October 12. This year’s tour will feature the homes from the 1933 Chicago World’s Fair, A Century of Progress. The Cypress Log Cabin takes center stage in this year's tour as the first of the five to be fully restored.

The guided tours are limited in size and will be by reservation only. Reservations will be taken beginning September 22 on the website of Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana. Tickets are $10 per person. Tour times will be assigned when making the reservations. Parking information and tickets will be mailed after the reservations are received.

Please contact Jennifer Gregar for more information about tickets and the tour.

A Century of Progress - The 1933 World's Fair Homes

Over 70 years of wind, sand, and surf have battered the five World's Fair houses located along Lake Front Drive in Beverly Shores, but their uniqueness has weathered the elements. With the theme of a Century of Progress, the houses were built for the 1933 Chicago World's Fair to demonstrate modern architectural design, experimental materials, and new technologies such as central air conditioning and dishwashers.

The four of the houses were brought to the dunes by barge in 1935 by real estate developer Robert Bartlett. The Cypress Log Cabin was dismantled at the fair and moved by truck. Bartlett hoped that the high profile houses would entice buyers to his new resort community of Beverly Shores. Today the houses are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The houses have been leased to the Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana. Through this organization, private individuals or families have leased the homes and are rehabilitating them. Please respect these agreements by not trespassing on the properties.

Wieboldt-Rostone House
Florida Tropical House
Cypress Log Cabin
House of Tomorrow
Armco-Ferro House