Why Do We Care?
Long-time Ogden Dunes resident Dorothy Richardson Buell, was instrumental in the establishment of Save the Dunes, which led the charge to establish the Indiana Dunes Lakeshore, the precursor of the Indiana Dunes National Park. She enlisted friends and neighbors as founding members to help in this important effort. Save the Dunes was established in her home at 17 Cedar Court on June 21, 1952, and she, along with many others, continued to lead Save the Dunes and fight for environmental issues, long after the establishment of the Lakeshore.
Background
Born in Menasha, Wisconsin, in 1886, Dorothy’s relationship with the Dunes was nurtured through visits to her sisters’ cottage at 39 Shore Drive. Her three siblings were teachers in the Gary Public Schools, and Dorothy, her husband Hal, and son Robert visited from their home in Flossmoor often. Following receipt of her Bachelor of Oratory from Lawrence University, she organized her sorority recruiting, started an amateur theater group, organized book review groups, taught school, and continued her professional dramatic readings. Preparing for retirement, Dorothy and Hal built their retirement home high on a dune south of Shore Drive. Dorothy continued her active life, serving in the Ogden Dunes Women’s Club, volunteering at the Gary Headquarters of the American Red Cross. She became chair of the Publicity Committee, responsible for keeping the Public informed about what the Red Cross is doing locally and nationally. All of these roles would prepare her for her most important leadership role.
Several events came together to spur Dorothy into action.
- In 1949, State leaders and steel executives announced plans to build one of the world’s largest steels mills enabled by a harbor.
- Dorothy and Hal’s trip to White Sands National Park made them realize how special the Indiana Dunes were and made a decision to join the Indiana Dunes Preservation Council to save them.
- The failure of that group to make progress.
Dorothy volunteered to start a new group comprised of women to organize and make progress, and the Save the Dunes Council was born! The group quickly organized and in 1953, they purchased 56 acres known as Cowles Bog at a tax sale for $750 ($8,700 today) … even though they did not have the money. They scraped it together and began fundraising. Despite their initial success, over the next five years, Bethlehem Steel purchased 4,000 shoreline acres from Ogden Dunes east to Dune Acres, and the State appropriated $2 million (approximately $23 million today) for industrial development.
Dorothy rallied allies even though there was significant local opposition resulting from the steel industry’s economic interests. It is hard to imagine today; however, state officials planned to industrialize all 40 miles of Indiana’s Lake Michigan shoreline.
Although foundations and individuals were hesitant to donate, Save the Dunes found an ally in Senator Paul Douglas. -Although he represented Illinois, he was very supportive of environmental causes and had a love of the dunes through property that his wife’s family owned in Dune Acres. Senator Douglas joined the Save the Dunes Council and supported Dorothy’s organized marches, bringing publicity and visibility to Save the Dunes. Although steel mills and related industry were a huge national and state economic engine, Dorothy worked tirelessly with Thomas Dustin, Edward Ossan, Jr., Herb & Charlotte Read, Susie Butts, Flo Broady, Hester Butts, and Bess Sheehan to gain support for saving the dunes.
After years of State and Federal disputes, the Kennedy administration proposed a compromise in 1963 that established the Lakeshore. In 1966, Congress passed legislation establishing the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore along with the Port of Indiana. Dorothy attended the dedication of the park in 1972 and in 1976, President Ford expanded the park to almost 4,000 acres.
