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The Century of Progress Homes are five homes built for the 1933 Chicago World’s Fair. The homes are located along West Lake Front Drive in Beverly Shores, which is surrounded by Indiana Dunes National Park on all sides.
The Century of Progress Homes were brought to Beverly Shores from Chicago by developer Robert Bartlett after the fair closed. They’re now private residences administered by the National Park Service through a lease to Indiana Landmarks. Interpretive panels tell the history and unique design elements of each one. The homes are open once annually for a guided tour on the last weekend of September.
Wiebolt-Rostone House
Two homes sit right on the beach. One of them is the Wiebolt-Rostone House. It has a steel frame and had an original exterior made from an experimental material called Rostone. Unfortunately, Rostone wasn’t as durable as expected and it had severely deteriorated by 1950. The residents restored it by using Perma-stone, but small portions of the original Rostone still exist.
Florida Tropical House
The other house on the beach is the Florida Tropical House. Miami architect Robert Weed designed the house to incorporate indoor and outdoor environments. It was framed in wood and covered in stucco, although the original specs called for poured concrete walls. The Florida Tropical House has a two-story living room with an overhanging balcony and open roof terraces. It was inspired by the tropical climate of southern Florida.
Armco-Ferro House
Across the street are three homes. First, the Armco-Ferro House had a revolutionary design system. It was built using corrugated steel panels bolted together and covering them with porcelain-enameled steel panels. It was the only home that fit the Fair Committee’s design criteria – a house that could be mass-produced and affordable for the average American family. The design later inspired prefabricated housing by the Lustron Corporation.
House of Tomorrow
Next door is the House of Tomorrow, which has been in a dilapidated state for years. It was designed by Chicago architect George Fred Keck. It used a steel frame and was clad in glass on the second and third floors. The ground floor was used as a service area and included a garage and airplane hangar, because at that time it was assumed every family would have an airplane in the future. The top two floors made up the living area and contained a solarium. In the winter, the glass reduced the need for mechanical heating. During the summer, however, the solar heat was too much for the air conditioning system to handle and it failed.
Cypress Log Cabin
Finally, there’s the Cypress Log Cabin. It was built by architect Murray D. Heatherington to show off the many uses of cypress. At the fair, it contained many other elements, such as bridges and fences carved with animal heads and other creatures, but none of them were moved with the house to Beverly Shores.
Kemil Beach
The best part about heading to Beverly Shores to see the houses are the beaches. Near the homes are Kemil Beach (my favorite) and Lake View. Just east in the town of Pines is Central Avenue Beach. Some of the most incredible sunsets can be seen at these beaches. Parking can be extremely limited.
Mount Baldy
Further to the east is Mount Baldy in Michigan City. It’s home to a popular 126 foot moving sand dune. I used to climb it and enjoy the views when I was a kid and in high school.
Mount Baldy collapsed in 2013 and swallowed a boy (he survived). As of August 2024, only the trail to the beach is open. The only way to climb the trail to the top of the dune is via a ranger guided hike. Check at the visitor center for updates on the area and schedules for free ranger guided hikes.
Hiking
You can also combine a visit to the homes with hikes at the Dune Ridge Trail and Great Marsh Trail, which are both in Beverly Shores.
