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

Byron Smith III Sports Complex

Photographed by Lou Donkle, February 1, 2026

1. Byron Smith III Sports Complex Marker

Inscription.
Byron Smith III (1948-2024) served the Valpo Parks Department with unwavering dedication for more than 40 years as a softball umpire. His calm yet firm officiating style and dry sense of humor were appreciated by players and fellow umpires alike over the course of more than 10,000 games that he officiated.

Byron also served the Valparaiso community as President of Smith Nuppnau Ready Mix, on the board of Indiana Federal Bank, as a college math teacher at VU and Purdue, and he was a member of the Valparaiso Rotary Club for 51 years.

Erected 2025 by Valparaiso Parks Department.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Charity & Public Work • Industry & Commerce • Parks & Recreational Areas • Sports. A significant historical year for this entry is 1948.

Location. 41° 28.837′ N, 87° 3.131′ W. Marker is in Valparaiso, Indiana, in Porter County. It can be reached from McCord Road east of Calumet Avenue, on the left when traveling west. The marker is at the southwest corner of the Fairgrounds Park parking lot located off McCord Rd. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 704 McCord Rd, Valparaiso IN 46383, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Northern Indiana.

It is also in the American Midwest,

on the Great Lakes,

and in the Corn Belt.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and 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 walking distance of this marker: History of Flounder (within shouting distance of this marker); Banta School

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(approx. half a mile away); Kirchhoff Park (approx. 0.6 miles away); Central Triangle (approx. ¾ mile away); History of Ogden Botanical Gardens (approx. ¾ mile away); Heritage Lutheran Church (approx. 0.8 miles away); Site of the First School House in Valparaiso 1837 (approx. 0.9 miles away); Corner of Washington and Jefferson Streets (approx. 0.9 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Valparaiso.

Marker at entrance to baseball fields image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Lou Donkle, February 1, 2026

2. Marker at entrance to baseball fields

Credits. This page was last revised on May 5, 2026. It was originally submitted on May 4, 2026, by Lou Donkle of Valparaiso, Indiana. This page has been viewed 8 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on May 4, 2026, by Lou Donkle of Valparaiso, Indiana. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.