The Historic 1866 Feallock House

"A Bed and Breakfast"

"Working to combine the elegance of yesterday with the convenience of today to create a special memory"

Located just 8 short blocks from the shores of Lake Michigan, this Historic home constructed in 1866 and thought to be the oldest residence in the Elston Grove Historic District in Michigan City, provides a unique touch of yesterday. Built by Frederick and Sophia Vielhack (Feallock), this home is made of 3 brick wall construction, contains 52 windows, 49 doors and spans some 6270 square feet.  The outside of this home remains in near-original condition, perhaps partially attributable to the fact that Jan and Harold Smith, your innkeepers, are only its third owners. This special home changed many times over the 114 years the Feallock Family owned it to fit their needs, staying in the Family until 1980. Henrietta's Hide-a-way,( The Cottage Room) is a bright cheery room named in Henrietta Feallock's name because she was the last Feallock to live in the house.

Situated in the Old North End of Michigan City, Indiana, near lake Michigan's beaches, this award-winning bed and breakfast brings to it's guests a touch of yesterday not soon forgotten. Experience a cozy, relaxed environment, pillow-top beds , fresh cooked full breakfast and most of all, Inn Keepers who make you feel like one of the family at your home away from home, The Historic 1866 Feallock House Bed and Breakfast.

For information, call us at 219/878-9543.

History of Michigan City

The 19th century town of Michigan City emerged as a plan before it ever became a settlement. The plan arose from the ambition to create a harbor on Lake Michigan, and a road to transport supplies to homesteaders in Indianapolis and central Indiana. In 1830, just 14 years after Indiana became a state, the land for Michigan City was purchased, sight unseen, by Isaac C. Elston, a real estate speculator who had made a small fortune in Crawfordsville. He paid about $200 total for 160 acres of land including the future harbor at the mouth of Trail Creek. The town was named after the road leading up to Lake Michigan.

Early visitors to the region were captivated by its rugged beauty, its abundance of wildflowers and berries, and especially the majestic sand dunes, one towering to 175-foot height. The land, however, was not suitable for farming. The growth of Michigan City was due to the flowing waters of Trail Creek, which afforded good locations for lumber and gristmills. Farmers came from miles around to have their wheat ground into flour. Other businesses developed rapidly.

By 1836, the year of its incorporation, Michigan City had 1500 residents, a church, post office, newspaper, and a thriving commercial district with 12 dry goods stores and 10 hotels. It was a stopping point for stagecoaches. The town had grown to 15 square miles - quite a large town in the midst of a forested wilderness.

Although some progress was made on the harbor, the project was afflicted by under-funding, competition from Chicago, political wrangling, shipwrecks and the drifting sands, which kept clogging the dredged waterways. New methods of transportation also opened up - most importantly, for Michigan City, the railroads.

In 1852, a major factory was founded here to manufacture railroad freight cars. In 1855, John Barker, a local grain shipper, joined two New Yorkers in establishing the firm of Haskell, Barker and Aldridge. It became Michigan City's largest and longest surviving industry, at one time producing 15,000 cars a year. In 1907, Haskell-Barker had 3500 employees; in the 1960's, its payroll was $9 million a year. Today, the grounds are occupied by Prime Outlets.

Michigan City's earliest settlers came West from Massachusetts and New York. European immigrants, forced out by crop failures, began arriving to take factory jobs. They tended to cluster in ethnic enclaves and soon founded their distinctive churches. Thus the New Englanders organized Episcopalian and Congregational churches, followed by German Lutheran, Irish and Polish Catholic institutions, and a Jewish Synagogue. So many immigrants came from Syria that Michigan City at one time had the largest Lebanese population of any American city.

The historic Downtown District has retained the ethnic diversity and rich cultural traditions of 19th century Michigan City.

For more information, follow the link below to the Michigan City Public Library's history pages about Michigan City.

(Historic information provided by Barbara Stodola.)

Michigan City's lakefront has been a destination point for out-of-towners ever since the city was incorporated in 1837. In fact, the reason it was named Michigan City is because the road leading to Lake Michigan from Indianapolis was expected to end here in a major harbor.

Farm products, especially wheat, were shipped out in great quantities during the 19th century, and incoming vessels brought salt, manufactured goods and lumber from Michigan forests. Fishing was another important business.

By 1889, the year that Martin H. Krueger became mayor, the bustling waterfront had deteriorated into a "no-man's land". Railroads had taken over the transporting of most farm products. The huge lumber trade was lost to the larger port in Chicago. The bridge across Trail Creek was gone, and lumberyard debris was used for building squatters' shacks.

In 1893, Krueger envisioned a city park and took the necessary steps to gain political support, legislation and bond issues to fund a new bridge. Each local citizen was invited to bring a tree to plant in the new "Washington Park". The park entrance was dignified when a 60-foot- tall monument was erected, honoring those who served in the Civil War. It was a gift from John H. Winterbotham and cost $15,000 - a huge sum considering the public library was built in 1897 for a total of $30,000.

The next 25 years saw the flourishing of civic pride and recreational opportunities. Excursionists came by the thousands to enjoy the Indiana dunes and the public facilities in Washington Park. A bathhouse was installed, plus a dance hall, skating pavilion, and baseball field. Hoosier Slide, a giant 200-foot-high dune, attracted hikers, picnickers, and even bridal couples. As many as 10,000 steamship passengers would arrive from Chicago each weekend.

During the Roaring Twenties, the Oasis Ballroom brought in big name bands. A large amusement park consisted of a roller coaster, merry-go-round, and other concessions. The Michigan City Zoo was established in 1928.

Smith Brothers Cough Drop Factory, with its famous bearded figureheads, went up just north of Franklin Street Bridge. More parks were built - one in memory of four-time Mayor Krueger.

By the 1930's, much recreational activity had ceased, due to the Great Depression and other circumstances. The excursion boat business had suffered from shipwrecks and the loss of thousands of lives. Sand mining eventually leveled Hoosier Slide. Much of the land was then sold to the Northern Indiana Public Service Company, which operates a coal powered generating plant to the west of Washington Park.

Various governmental agencies took part in establishing public services and beautifying the north end of town. The Works Progress Administration put more than 200 unemployed people to work, building the stone park benches, walkways, animal shelters and other structures in the zoo. In 1939, the U.S. Naval Armory and LaPorte County Courthouses were built, and the U.S. Coast Guard took over the lighthouse service.

The voices of environmentalists began to make an impact on land usage. The Save the Dunes Council was established in 1952, and was instrumental in the formation of the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore (1966). The national park incorporated Mount Baldy and other dune land at the west edge of Michigan City.

The historic downtown area took on a new look with urban renewal projects in the 1960s. Franklin Street, which formerly led directly into Washington Park, was closed at the north end and transformed into a pedestrian mall. Several buildings went up in the newly created space, including city hall and a new public library.

The lakefront continues to be the pride of Michigan City and the center of recreational activities. Washington Park is on the National Register of Historic Places, as are the Old Lighthouse (1858, now a museum), and the East Pierhead, Light Tower and Catwalk (1904).

(Historic information provided by Barbara Stodola.)