The Indiana dunes have been a cross road of activity since the glacier receded. Great explorers such as
Jacques Marquette and
René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle
René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle (; November 22, 1643 – March 19, 1687), was a 17th-century French explorer and fur trader in North America. He explored the Great Lakes region of the United States and Canada, the Mississippi River, ...
traversed this area. As early as 1862, the area was noted for its unique natural resources. At the start of the 20th century, the dunes were a living laboratory for scientist studying plants, animals, and the changes in the land. The first ecologist (
Henry Chandler Cowles) did his pioneering work here.
A student of Cowles, O. D. Frank continued Cowle's studies.
[Smith, S. & Mark, S. (2007). The cultural impact of a museum in a small community: The Hour Glass of Ogden Dunes. The South Shore Journal, 2. ] A museum honoring his work called the Hour Glass is located in Ogden Dunes.
Many citizens and politicians have helped to preserve parts of the Indiana Dunes.
[Smith, S. & Mark, S. (2009). The Historical Roots of the Nature Conservancy in the Northwest Indiana/Chicagoland Region: From Science to Preservation. The South Shore Journal, 3. ]
Chronology
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Chronology of the Indiana Dunes
Indiana Dunes National Park