February 25, 2014

The Calumet Region of Indiana and Illinois at the southern end of Lake Michigan has great ecological significance, cultural diversity, and economic might but is now grappling with questions of regional direction in the wake of widespread deindustrialization.

The idea of designating the Calumet as a National Heritage Area grew from a 1998 feasibility study by the National Park Service.The Calumet Heritage Partnership, formed as a result of the study, has worked to keep the Heritage Area idea alive.

Drs. Mark Bouman, from the Field Museum, and William Peterman, professor emeritus at Chicago State University, introduce the concept of National Heritage Areas with examples of successful NHAs in other parts of the country; discuss why NHAs should be of interest to planners; and show how the creation of a Calumet NHA would be consistent with and augment existing and evolving plans for the Calumet region.