Bright Idea

For more than a century, the South Shore Line has transported passengers between South Bend and Chicago; today it operates as one of the country’s last interurban trains. In Beverly Shores, a Spanish Colonial Revival-style depot—a rare survivor from the line’s heyday in the 1920s—still serves passengers while also housing the Beverly Shores Depot Museum and Art Gallery. A new partnership between Indiana Landmarks, the museum, and the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District (NICTD) will ensure the depot’s future.

Through a 100-year lease agreement between NICTD and Indiana Landmarks, the Beverly Shores Depot Museum and Art Gallery will remain in the building, continuing its decades-long stewardship of the community landmark as a long-term tenant. The depot will also remain a flag stop on the South Shore line.

Thirty-five years ago, the depot was slated for demolition before local supporters rallied to save the landmark and secure its listing in the National Register of Historic Places. The Town of Beverly Shores partnered with the museum to restore the building using federal funding, and the museum and art gallery took up residence in 1988. Today, the depot, with its iconic scripted neon sign, houses a history museum, boutique art gallery, and gift shop, serving as a vital and dynamic cultural and community center.

PHOTO: Rafi Wilkinson

Indiana Landmarks will supply guidance to the museum’s board, providing access to grants and other assistance. To facilitate work on the building, NICTD is providing a $50,000 grant for repairs and an annual contribution to assist with ongoing maintenance.

“We are thrilled to have the knowledge and resources of Indiana Landmarks behind us as we work to preserve this historic treasure,” says Monique Rub, Beverly Shores Depot Museum and Art Gallery board president.

“The South Shore Line deeply appreciates this new partnership with the railroad, the town, and Indiana Landmarks,” adds Michael Noland, NICTD president and CEO. “This strategic partnership brings Indiana Landmarks into the fold to help secure much-needed resources for this community and regional asset. We are most grateful.”

This article first appeared in the November/December 2025 issue of Indiana Preservation, Indiana Landmarks’ member magazine.