On This Day in Hiking History: The Pageant of the Dunes

Surprisingly, several hiking clubs have held talent shows, skits and plays over the years, some of which were/are fairly major productions. For example, in order to raise awareness of

the damage that was being inflicted on Lake Michigan’s sand dunes, the Prairie Club of Chicago hosted the “Pageant of the Dunes” beginning on this date in 1917. After the club's founding in 1908, the dunes area quickly became a popular hiking destination for many of its members. However, at that time, large portions of dune habitat were being spoiled by industrial sand mining, which was used to make concrete for construction projects in Chicago. Through the use of music, dancing, and roughly one thousand period actors, the pageant recounted the history of the dunes from pre-European contact through French, British and American governance. The two-day event drew between 25,000 and 50,000 spectators, and eventually led to the establishment of Indiana Dunes State Park in 1925 and Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore in 1966, which was upgraded to a national park in 2019.

Learn more about the pioneers of hiking in Ramble On: A History of Hiking.


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Virtually no one went hiking before the 19th century. What occurred that inspired ordinary people to take a walk through the woods for pleasure? Ramble On: A History of Hiking explores the rich history of hiking, and how it evolved into one of the most popular pastimes in the world.