Want to see photos of the old Lake George Medical Center in Hobart, soldiers standing in front of the U.S. Steel Corporation building in Gary during the 1919 strike, or how the church on Bradway and 47th Street looked in 1921?
If Northwest Indiana history is your thing, then joining the Facebook group, 'Northwest Indiana Memories,' is a perfect way to see loads of images uploaded everyday that will bring back that sense nostalgia and having you yearn for the simpler days when the terrain of the area was much different.
The group was formed about a year ago by Hobart native Jason Heath, who started it as just a way he and his friends could reminisce about former structures, restaurants and stores that existed in years past but are no longer standing.
But by last October, the group had 160 members, and has since blossomed to include more that 3,4000 current and former residents of the region.
"I like to see people enjoy the group and remember places that are not there anymore or even see how things looked in these areas before they were born," Heath said. "People are now posting photos from the early 1900s. One lady from Hobart contributed a lot from the Hobart Historical Society, which generated a lot of excitement. The HHS really helped this site take off."
The group has become so large that 10 people have been added as admins to help Heath and his friends control the group to ensure posts remain on topic and to prevent spammers from utilizing the group.
"We don't want any posts regarding religion, politics or racial issues," Heath said. "We want to keep it all positive and about reminiscing about the past."
He says people who grew up here now living as far as California enjoy viewing and also submitting photos of them as children in front of old buildings, railroads, streets and bike trails.
Heath says his interest in local history dates back to when he was in his early twenties, when he and his friends would "cruise around the downtown areas and look at old buildings and remember some of the ones that were tore down and some that managed to remain after many years."
The Facebook page is not too much work for Heath, as members post photos on their own, keeping the site active several times a day. Photos of families in front of their old homes are welcomed too, as any old picture in the area seems to generate interest from the group's members.
Posts earlier in the year seem to be focused in the Gary area, but Heath says that "jumps around a bit," noting that posts as of late have been centered in Hobart and Valparaiso.
In the future, Heath says he would like to become involved with the Historical Societies in Valparaiso, Lake Station, Dyer and Highland, to generate responses from people who grew up in those areas. He also says that while the group has focused on older images and stories from Lake and Porter counties, he would welcome additions from La Porte County as well.
Want to join?
To join the group, 'Northwest Indiana Memories,' contact Heath or one of the other administrators on Facebook.