Chesterton in Porter County, Indiana — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

Chesterton's Historic 100 Block Broadway

Photographed by Daniel Barriball, February 24, 2025

1. Chesterton's Historic 100 Block Broadway Marker

Inscription.
Known at various times as Coffee Creek (1833), Calumet (1852), and Chesterton (1870), Chesterton, Indiana became a center for business and trade upon the arrival of the Lakeshore Railroad in 1852. With its proximity to the railroad, Main Street, now Broadway, became the center of commerce.

101 Broadway This building was erected after the original burned in 1888. It served as a dry goods owned by Myron Smith, his son, Harry, and eventually his grandson, Richard, from 1898 to 1975. Since then it has housed a number of businesses. The second floor held various offices including the Northwest Indiana Telephone Company.

103 Broadway This building started as a saloon, billiards parlor, and notions store. By 1909 it housed Nelson the Clothier and a repair shop. In 1915 Ed Isbey plumbing, Nelson's Toggery and a jeweler had stores here. In 1931 the Great A&P Company opened a grocery, followed by Chesterton Rural Savings and Loan, and much later Centier Bank.

105 Broadway Built in 1888, this site held a home, saloon, billiards hall and icehouse until 1899 when it became a restaurant and hotel. After 1910, various drug

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stores operated here until the property was sold to Chesterton Rural Savings and Loan and connected to 103 in 1972. The second floor held offices for attorneys and doctors.

107 Broadway From its beginning in 1888, this building housed the Chesterton Tribune, a drugstore, a saloon, a shoe store, and Harrington's Meat Market until Mike and Sue Harris opened law offices. Upstairs offices had been leased to a variety of businesses.

109-113 Broadway Known as the Grady building, 109 Broadway was built in 1872. It was the first brick building on Broadway and housed a butcher shop and doctor's office. It became Chesterton Bank in 1890 and ultimately Chase Bank. The basement was used by various businesses.

The building at 111 Broadway, built in 1873, was known as the Morony building. The building held a drug store, meat market, and bakery. Chesterton State Bank purchased the building in 1957 and connected it with 109 Broadway. The upstairs, together with 113 Broadway, was known as Morony Hall where many events were held. In September, 1884, a roller skating rink opened, and a restaurant opened in the space in 1912.

In 1884, 113

Wide angle view of the Chesterton's Historic 100 Block Broadway Marker. image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Daniel Barriball, February 24, 2025

2. Wide angle view of the Chesterton's Historic 100 Block Broadway Marker.

Broadway was erected for a dry goods and grocery store and a saloon. From about 1890 until the 1960s, businesses included a meat market, a post office, a clothing store, a dry goods, a real estate office, and other businesses until the building became part of Chesterton State Bank.

115 Broadway Built in 1882 this building was a hardware and farm supply store for 95 years. It remained Bartels Hardware from 1893 until 1977. Terry and Anne Marie Hiestand purchased 115 Broadway in 1978 and leased the space to a variety of businesses.

117 Broadway In 1854, David Hopkins moved a three-story building here from the lakeshore and operated a hotel until it burned down in 1908. By 1912 the current building was erected, and the Derby Theater showed motion pictures here until World War II. For the next 30 years, 117 Broadway served as storage space until Terry Hiestand bought it for his law office in 1978.

119 and 121 Broadway The buildings at 119 and 121 Broadway were two separate structures until 1907. David Hopkins originally owned this land and ran Hopkins Variety Store at 119 Broadway. In 1877, P.A. Johnson bought 121 Broadway and

The buildings described in the Chesterton's Historic 100 Block Broadway Marker. image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Daniel Barriball, February 24, 2025

3. The buildings described in the Chesterton's Historic 100 Block Broadway Marker.

built his saloon, which later became a dry goods store.

In 1907, brothers J.A. and F.E. Johnson bought both buildings and joined them. Albert Swanson ran his shoe department in the west side from 1908 until the 1930s. The buildings remained Johnson Bros. general store until 1920 when F.E. Johnson and his son, Leslie, took it over. It remained Johnson and Son until 1956. Many businesses have used this building since then, particularly Diness Jewelers from 1957-1990.

Erected 2017 by Duneland Historical Society.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical month for this entry is September 1884.

Location. 41° 36.657′ N, 87° 3.151′ W. Marker is in Chesterton, Indiana, in Porter County. It is at the intersection of South Calumet Road and Broadway Avenue, on the left when traveling north on South Calumet Road. The marker is located on the northwest corner of South Calumet Road and Broadway Avenue in Thomas Centennial Park. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 111 S Calumet Rd, Chesterton IN 46304, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally,

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this marker is in Northwest Indiana,

specifically on the Indiana Dunes and Lake Michigan Shore,

and in the Calumet Region.

It is also in the American Midwest

and in the Corn Belt.

Globally, it is in North America,

on the Great Lakes,

in the Western Hemisphere,

in the Western World,

and in the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture

and also the Northwest Territory.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within one mile of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Chesterton Bandstand (within shouting distance of this marker); Lustron Home (approx. 0.4 miles away); Chesterton Veterans Memorial (approx. 0.4 miles away); The Brown Mansion (approx. half a mile away); Mark Randall Taylor - Age 20 (approx. 0.6 miles away); Beirut Memorial Monument (approx. 0.6 miles away); In Grateful Remembrance of Mrs Rose Howe (approx. 0.6 miles away); In Memory of Joseph Bailly (approx. one mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Chesterton.

Credits. This page was last revised on July 6, 2025. It was originally submitted on February 24, 2025, by Daniel Barriball of Chesterton, Indiana. This page has been viewed 563 times since then and 106 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on February 24, 2025, by Daniel Barriball of Chesterton, Indiana. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.