History buffs will have a second chance to catch a steamboat tour of Cedar Lake’s history Tuesday when the Museum at Lassen’s Resort on Cedar Lake brings back the Steam Through History program.
Julie Zasada, executive director of the museum, said the original program July 26 to 30 sold out.
“We’re so excited to bring the boat back for this limited engagement encore day,” Zasada said.
More than 1,000 passengers had the opportunity to participate in the steamboat history tour during the initial Steam Through History week. The program is a partnership between the Cedar Lake Historical Association’s Museum at Lassen’s Resort and the Hesston Steam Museum in LaPorte.
The Hesston museum brought its 1915 steamship to Cedar Lake for 12 tours a day that mimicked the original Dewey Line steamship route used during the historical resort heyday of the community, Zasada said.
“Our phones were ringing off the hook after Steam Through History week,” Zasada said.
The encore day is an opportunity for more than 200 passengers to experience the historic ride across Cedar Lake.
The tour gives passengers a lakeside view of where the Monon Railroad Depot and the various resorts were located on the lake. Beginning in 1896 a single steamship would transport travelers from the railroad depot to the resorts. During Cedar Lake’s early resort heyday, the Dewey Line ran four steamships on the lake.
Funding for the program came from grants from the Indiana Humanities Association, Legacy Foundation, Indiana Historical Society funded by the Lilly Endowment Inc., the Town of Cedar Lake, Schillings and Austgen Kuiper Jasaitis P.C.
Tickets for the ride are $15 per person for all ages and are available online only through the museum’s website at www.lassensresort.org. Rides are scheduled from 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Participants must be able to board and disembark the steamboat unassisted in order to ride. Steamboat tickets also include admission to the newly renovated Museum at Lassen’s Resort.
The steamboat program is among those scheduled this year marking the 100th anniversary of the Lassen’s Resort building, which is the museum. The resort was constructed May 7, 1921.
The museum has a “Speakeasy Summer Social” event scheduled Friday from 7 to 10 p.m. The Boulevardiers, a Prohibition-era fox trot orchestra will perform selections of 1920s and 1930s pre-swing American dance music. Period attire is encouraged but not required. Tickets are available at the museum website.
Carrie Napoleon is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
