News Release
News Release Date: August 29, 2026
PORTER, Ind. — Indiana Dunes National Park today celebrated the completion of the Good Fellow Camp Lodge rehabilitation project, part of a $25.4 million effort to rehabilitate historic structures across the park. Partners from The National Park Foundation, Save the Dunes, Friends of Indiana Dunes and Dunes Learning Center joined the National Park Service for the lodge’s ceremonial reopening, welcoming visitors inside for the first time since 1976.
Alumni of the Good Fellow Youth Camp, which operated from 1941-1975, returned to celebrate the lodge’s reopening and honor its enduring legacy. During the event, the park displayed a historic time capsule originally placed during the building’s construction and rediscovered in the rehabilitation. The capsule will be restored within the lodge’s walls, now containing items that reflect the lodge and its community today.
The Good Fellow Camp Lodge’s reopening, made possible by the 2020 Great American Outdoors Act's Legacy Restoration Fund, marks a significant milestone in maintaining safe, reliable access to park structures. Originally built by the U.S. Steel Company for its employees' children, the summer camp's unique architectural features and history are a reminder of the rich industrial heritage of Northwest Indiana. The Great American Outdoors Act remains one of the most significant conservation achievements of President Donald J. Trump’s administration. The law provides significant funding to address long-deferred maintenance needs across the National Park System, ensuring safe, resilient and accessible public lands for future generations.
“This lodge tells the story of a place where thousands of children first discovered the outdoors, right here along the Little Calumet River,” said Indiana Dunes National Park Acting Superintendent Leo Lestino. “Today, this renewed space will welcome students through the Dunes Learning Center, members of communities across Porter, LaPorte, and Lake counties and visitors from across the country, carrying that legacy of learning, connection, and curiosity forward for generations to come.”
In addition to the lodge restoration, the Great American Outdoors Act Legacy Restoration Fund supports ongoing work to preserve other historic park structures, including The Bailly Homestead, an early 19th-century national historic landmark, and The House of Tomorrow, a marvel of modern design constructed for the 1933 Chicago World’s Fair.
Indiana Dunes National Park is the region’s gateway to quiet woodlands, iconic architecture and the shifting dunes of Lake Michigan. With over 50 miles of trails, the park’s diverse landscape draws visitors from across the country for exploration, learning and outdoor recreation. In 2024, spending by park visitors generated an estimated $143 million for the local economy, contributing to the $56.3 billion in economic activity generated by NPS sites across the nation.
About the National Park Service. The National Park Service preserves America’s most treasured natural and cultural places for the enjoyment, education and inspiration of this and future generations. Learn more at nps.gov.
Last updated: August 29, 2026