On the way back from visiting my father in northwest Indiana, I stopped at the Indiana Welcome Center in Hammond, Indiana. Run by South Shore Convention and Visitors Authority, Indiana Welcome Center is a unique building, also housing the W.F. Wellman Exhibit Hall.
The building design incorporates several elements of northwest Indiana. Waves of stainless steel representing Lake Michigan crash into the sand dunes. The steel industry is represented by the gray second floor.
The W.F. Wellman Exhibit Hall displays artwork and photography from local artists, historical expos on the area and other artifacts of significance. During the holiday season, there is a popular interactive display of A Christmas Story.
Outside of the building stands a steel bison. Forged from steel, the bison represents Lake County’s largest industry for decades.
A beautiful fiberglass duck greets visitors entering the building. Through the Highland Downtown Association’s Streetscape Project in 2003, businesses, groups and individuals sponsored white ducks and made them come to life through their creativity. The ducks were displayed all throughout Highland, including the one now standing guard at the Indiana Welcome Center entrance.
After a self-guided tour of the building and grounds, I headed home with a little more knowledge about the area.
— John Wroblewski, online writer
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