Dreams of Duneland

Book excerpt: The towering sand dunes along Lake Michigan, not far from Chicago, are one of the most unexpected natural features of Indiana. The second edition of Dreams of Duneland beautifully illustrates the dunes region, from the past to the present. Since the first edition, the Indiana Dunes area has become an official national park. With more than 400 stunning images, many of them new, Dreams of Duneland showcases the breathtaking sand dunes, as well as the rest of this newly minted park, which includes savanna, wetland, prairie, and forest and is home to a wide variety of plant and animal species. Kenneth J. Schoon reveals how the preserved area of the Indiana Dunes National Park—which sits by residential communities, businesses, and cultural attractions—has a long history of competition among farmers, fur traders, industrialists, and conservationists. Featuring a new foreword and afterword and many updates throughout, this gorgeous new edition will have you planning a trip to the extraordinary Indiana Dunes.