A Portage Life in the Spotlight: Ken Bult
Ken Bult considers himself a renaissance man doused in the arts. Music, literature and photography have been at the forefront of Bult’s professional and personal life, even in retirement. He wants to continue making the arts enjoyable, informative and accessible for others, such as through his books which tell local history through photographs.
Determination has driven every endeavor Bult has taken on, whether it was when he went back to school to become a professor after being a professional musician or when he was adamant to write about the Dutch after the idea was rejected. While his accomplishments and success in various fields fuel him, sharing pieces of himself through various forms of art has the potential to help others believe in the art they create and consume.
“I refuse to quit or give up,” Bult said. “I’m tenacious if nothing else. If I get on a project, I’m going to finish it.”
Bult was introduced to musical performance in his middle school’s concert band. Starting students young in the music program was important to the school, something he wishes more schools would take pride in. Bult continued playing drums into high school, leading him to meet the long-time friend who inspired him to pursue music seriously. The two went on to play and write songs together throughout their lives.
School was put on the back burner while Bult took on the life of a professional musician in the ‘80s. His band, The Phonics, recorded two records after winning a record contract at what was called the Midwest Talent Search. When the band split up because of internal issues, Bult pursued higher education to become a college professor. The retired professor of history and photography at Indiana University South Bend now stays busy as a distribution agent at NAPA Auto Care in Hobart. However, he will always consider his work preretirement as his profession.
An interest in history and photography led Bult to his next challenge of entering the publishing industry as an author. He hit a roadblock right away when his pitch to write about the Dutch, which would become his second book, was rejected, but he refused to give up. Glenwood, Illinois, which Bult grew up outside of, became the backdrop for his first book so he could have an avenue to his next two books. He authored three books on local history, including "Glenwood," "The Dutch in the Calumet Region," and "Pella," published between 2011 and 2022.
“My heritage is Dutch, and I'm really interested in the Dutch history in this region,” Bult said. “All the people I know who are into American Dutch history write books five inches thick. I wanted to do a book a common person could pick up, read and not be tied down in all the details. That was my point behind doing ‘The Dutch Region’ and ‘Pella,’ which is a town in Iowa settled by the Dutch.”
The three books tell history through researched photographs with captions included. Being a photographer himself, Bult included his own photos. He obtains additional photos from historical societies and residents, with around 5% of the photos being modern to capture what the area has turned into. Bult has received immense support from his family throughout the process, especially his wife, who assisted him with digging through photos and papers.
The history of Portage is the inspiration behind Bult’s next potential literary endeavor. He believes the city has a lot going for it, changing tremendously since he moved there with his family in 2002. The ability to own a sizable plot of land while living close to hiking locations like West Beach were significant factors in the move. The positive growth of the city over the years and the community aspects are things Bult would want to highlight. In the meantime, he wants to continue giving back to the community through music, literature and photography in any way he can, inspiring others to do the same.
“Those things are important,” Bult said. “I wish they’d spend more money on the band program and the school. If something's going to get cut, it's not going to be basketball or football. My whole life has been about music and literature. I like to see people enjoy it and get something out of it.”