The Joseph Bailly Homestead, also known as Joseph Bailly Homestead and Cemetery, in Porter, Indiana, is a U.S. National Historic Landmark.
The Bailly Homestead is preserved by the National Park Service in Indiana Dunes National Park in Porter, Indiana. The Homestead was the home of Joseph Aubert de Gaspé Bailly de Messein (1774-1835), one of the first permanent white settlers in Northwest Indiana. This homestead, begun in 1834, is one of the only surviving elements of the once-significant fur trade in the region. It received its landmark designation in 1962.
Bailly brought his family to the southern shore of Lake Michigan in 1822, first living in a log house built soon afterward. The Homestead remained in the family until the death of his granddaughter, Frances Howe, in 1917. The Homestead is sometimes referred to as the "Bailly-Howe" Home. The National Park Service acquired the Homestead on November 26, 1971.
Ownership
Joseph Bailly acquired the Homestead and surrounding lands during the 1830s when the Calumet was opened to white settlement. When he died in 1835, the Homestead went to his wife. At her death in 1866, it went to their daughter Rose Bailly Howe. Rose Howe's daughter Frances inherited the property in 1891 when Rose died. Frances offered the property to the Literary Society of St. Catherine of Sienna in 1914. The Society did not accept the gift.
At Frances Howe's death (1917) the property was temporarily held by Louis G. Horne from September 1, to September 23, 1919. In September 1919, it was deeded to the School Sisters of Notre Dame of the Lake, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
The Homestead
Originally the Homestead included the house, and eight other structures to the west of the drive. There would also have been stables for the coach horses and phaeton.
Bailly House
Construction began shortly before 1835, the year of Joseph Bailly's death. The house is 2½-stories built out of "hewn logs of cedar and oak, closely fitted, and pinned at the corners." The house was then sided with lapped weather boards. After Joseph's death, his daughter Ester Bailly Whistler's family lived in the house and appeared to have made no changes. When they moved to Denver, Ester's sister Rose Bailly Howe's family assumed occupancy. Rose's husband, Francis Howe, arranged to sell timber from the Homestead for the construction of a nearby railroad (for which he was an employee). Francis remodeled and installed a kitchen in the basement. After Francis Howe's death, the husband of Hortense Bailly Wicker (Joel) took over management. He apparently did not modify the house.
Before her death, the widow Marie Bailly and her daughters, Rose Howe and Teresa, along with Rose's two girls, returned. The house was in need of repairs. Minor repairs were completed before Marie's death. After Marie Bailly's death, the homestead was vacant from 1869 until about 1891. At that time, extensive work was done to replace floors and walls.
Dining Room
The Baillys held Mass in their home for years when circuit-riding priests (Roman Catholics) were traveling through. The family and other Catholics in the area attended Mass. "Tradition holds that mass was celebrated from a makeshift altar - a table, placed in front of the dining room fireplace."
The dining room had heaved eal flooring and whitewood ceilings and wood paneling. Peter G. Larson paneled the dining room and installed new flooring throughout the house for Mrs. Howe. His work was repaired by Mr. La Roche in the 1930s-1950s. The dining room occupies the western half of the first floor of the house, sharing the floor with the living room in its eastern half and a center hall. The dining room is as it was around 1910. An ornate mantelpiece was carved by Miss Cora Green, the daughter of a Chesterton physician.
Living Room
The east side of the house is occupied by the living room. The room is plaster walls with exposed ceiling beams (which may not be structurally needed). There is a fireplace at the center of the east wall.
The earliest descriptions are from about 1910. It is described 'as a pleasant, light and lived-in room'. At that time, the ceiling may have been paneled and the fireplace faced with blue and white Delft tiles. Above the mantel, the fireplace was unfinished. Margaret Larsen recalled that Rose Howe had a sofa on the inside wall facing the fireplace. There was tapestry hanging behind the sofa.
Conservatory
Miss Howe had a conservatory off the living room. It was added on in 1910. It is a small rectangular room set below the main floor. It was designed to receive plenty of light.