Gary Bathing Beach Aquatorium, formerly known as Lakefront Park Bathhouse and also known as Chanute Aquatorium, is located at One Marquette Drive at

Miller Beach Miller Beach (also commonly known as Miller) is a neighborhood of Gary, Indiana on the southernmost shore of Lake Michigan. First settled in 1851, Miller Beach was originally an independent town. However, the "Town of Miller" was eventually annexe ...

in Marquette Park, Gary, Indiana. The aquatorium was designed by

George Washington Maher George Washington Maher (December 25, 1864 – September 12, 1926) was an American architect during the first quarter of the 20th century. He is considered part of the Prairie School-style and was known for blending traditional architecture with ...

and constructed in 1921. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on November 25, 1994. It has been converted to a museum of flight, honoring

Octave Chanute Octave Chanute (February 18, 1832 – November 23, 1910) was a French-American civil engineer and aviation pioneer. He provided many budding enthusiasts, including the Wright brothers, with help and advice, and helped to publicize their flying ...

and the

Tuskegee Airmen The Tuskegee Airmen were a group of primarily African American military pilots (fighter and bomber) and airmen who fought in World War II. They formed the 332d Fighter Group and the 477th Fighter Group, 477th Bombardment Group (Medium) of the ...

. It was built as a shower/bathroom/changing facility in 1921 and was dubbed the Lakefront Park Bathhouse. It was a major focal point of the Miller Beach community for decades. The building is architecturally significant as one of the earliest examples of

pre-cast concrete Precast concrete is a construction product produced by casting concrete in a reusable mold or "form" which is then cured in a controlled environment, transported to the construction site and maneuvered into place; examples include precast bea ...

modular construction. Ninety percent of the building is built with only six basic cast blocks, the most basic being the T-Block, a precursor of today's standard concrete block.Miller Beach Neighborhood
/ref> ''Note:'' This includes and Accompanying photographs. By the 1960s the facility was falling into major disrepair. In 1971 the building was closed to the public and boarded up.Miller Community
/ref> The Aquatorium was rescued from demolition by the Chanute Aquatorium Society in 1991. The Society invented the word Aquatorium meaning "place to view the water" in order to disassociate the structure with the word

bathhouse Public baths originated when most people in population centers did not have access to private bathing facilities. Though termed "public", they have often been restricted according to gender, religious affiliation, personal membership, and other cr ...

Conversion to a museum of flight

No longer a place to change or shower, the building now serves as a museum honoring

, the father of flight. Chanute conducted some of the first heavier-than-air glider flights in human history in the high dunes just yards from the structure. His successful experiments and glider designs paved the way for the Wright brothers' powered flight at Kitty Hawk. The building also honors the

, aeronautic pioneers who spearheaded the integration of the armed forces. Hundreds of thousands of dollars have been raised for the building's restoration and revamping. Lee Construction Management of Miller was employed to begin restoration of the facility. In the spring of 1998, they demolished the east showers and began construction of new wing in January 1999. In the spring of 2000 major reconstruction of the second floor waterproofed the first-floor areas so museum space could be constructed below. The cornerstone for The Tuskegee Airmen Wing of the new museum was laid January 17, 1999.

References

External links

Gary Aquatorium
{{National Register of Historic Places in Indiana Park buildings and structures on the National Register of Historic Places in Indiana Buildings and structures in Gary, Indiana Science museums in Indiana History museums in Indiana Museums in Lake County, Indiana Transportation museums in Indiana National Register of Historic Places in Gary, Indiana

Conversion to a museum of flight

See also

References

External links