South Shore Legends
The 2024 South Shore Legends Ceremony will be October 3rd starting at 5:00pm at the Indiana Welcome Center in Hammond.
The South Shore has been a home, laboratory or workshop for individuals who by their actions, have demonstrated exploration, courage, creativity and/or innovation. Their accomplishments still resonate in and beyond this region.
Others from Northwest Indiana have made their mark as well, including men and women in the Armed Forces, Nobel Prize winners, distinguished actors and astronauts. The distinguishing characteristics of these honorees is that they also made contributions here in the region.
This is a reminder to all of us - especially the next generation - that we, too, can make a contribution along the South Shore.
South Shore Legends is dedicated to the legendary spirit within all of us. It is sponsored by the men and women of the BP Whiting Business Unit.
Commemorative plaques, listing their accomplishments and including their photographs, are displayed on the Wall of Legends at the Indiana Welcome Center, 7770 Corinne Drive, Hammond, Indiana.
Know someone who has a connection to Northwest Indiana and has made a "world of difference" to the area and beyond? Nominate them to be a South Shore Legend.
Class of 2004
Dorothy Richard Buell
Public Activism for the Indiana Dunes
Octave Chanute
Achieving a Milestone in Human Flight
Henry Chandler Cowles
Helped Give Birth to a New Science
Class of 2005
"Black Freedom Fighters of Steel"
Challenged Social and Institutional Barriers
Dr. William M. Burton and Dr. Robert E. Humphreys
Pioneered the Burton-Humphreys Experimental Cracking Still
Captain William C. Eddy
Prolific Innovator
2006 - No Inductions
Class of 2007
Jean Parker Shepherd
Author of "A Christmas Story"
Martyrs, Heroes, Unionists
from The Memorial Day Massacre - May 30, 1937
Tuskegee Airmen Of Northwest Indiana
1942-1946
Class of 2008
Frank Dudley
Indiana Dunes Artist
Karl Malden
Oscar-winning Movie Actor
Tony Zale
"The Man of Steel"
Class of 2009
James P. Comer, M.D., M.P.H.
Pioneer in Educational Reform
Orville Redenbacher, Charles Bowman & Garnet Findling
Revolutionized the American Popcorn Industry
Colonel Jerry L. Ross
Holds World Record for the Most Spaceflights
Class of 2010
Vivian Carter
Vee-Jay Records Founder
Dr. John Maniotes, Ph.D., M.S., B.S.
Computer Pioneer
Class of 2011
Northwest Indiana's Medal of Honor Recipients
- Marine Pvt. 1st Class Daniel D. Bruce
- Marine Lance Cpl. Emilio A. De La Garza Jr.
- Marine Staff Sgt. William G. Windrich
- Union Army Chaplain John M. Whitehead
- Union Army 2nd Lt. Thomas N. Graham
The Jackson 5 / The Jacksons
Popular Music Family Group
Northwest Indiana's Nobel Laureate Recipients
- Ferid Murad
- Paul A. Samuelson
- Harold Urey
- Joseph Stiglitz
Class of 2012
Avery Brooks
Television, Film and Theater Actor
John Edward "Jack" Chevigny, U.S. Marine Corps
"That's one for the Gipper"
Sue Hendrickson
Discovered SUE, the T.rex
Class of 2013
Betsy Palmer
Film, Television and Stage Actress
Edward A. Rumely
Leader in Industry and Education
Class of 2014
Dr. William M. Scholl
Innovator in the Foot Care Industry
Army PFC Frank H. Ono
Northwest Indiana Medal of Honor Recipient
Frank Borman
Apollo 8 Commander
Neil P. Ruzic
Visionary, Connector & Pioneer
Class of 2015
The 20th Indiana Volunteer Infantry
- Col. John Wheeler
- Lt. John Luther
- Maj. Erasmus Gilbreath
Gary Roosevelt and Crispus Attucks Basketball Teams of 1955
- 1955 Gary Roosevelt Basketball Team
- 1955 Indianapolis Crispus Attucks Basketball Team
Lewis "Lew" Wallace
Author of "Ben-Hur: A Tale of Christ"
Class of 2016
Lynton Keith Caldwell
Indiana’s Mr. Ecology
Nelson Algren
Author of A Walk on the Wild Side
Chief Clyde Hamilton McMillan
Founder of Task Force Tips
Class of 2017
Quentin P. Smith
Civic Leader, Educator, Activist and Mentor
Dean White
Entrepreneur, Visionary and Philanthropist
Class of 2018
Capt. James M. Kirk
Recipient of the Purple Heart and the Air Medal with nine Oak Leaf Clusters
Lowell J. Thomas
Radio and Television Broadcaster
W. F. (Bill) Wellman
Visionary in Hospitality
Class of 2019
Thomas G. Katsahnias
Integrity, Valor, Character
George Ade
American Writer, Playwright, Journalist, Philanthropist
Dr. Harold E. Scheub
Emeritus Professor of African Languages and Literature
Class of 2020
Donald S. Powers
His Impact Reaches Beyond Our Region
Alvah Curtis Roebuck
Hammond Watchmaker, Co-Founder Sears Roebuck and Co.
Class of 2021
Naomi Bowman Talbert Anderson
African American suffragist, civil rights activist, poet, writer and public speaker
Lee Botts
Conservationist, activist, writer, editor, film documentarian, and policymaker
John H. Davies
Professor of Law Emeritus, Author, Visionary and creator of South Shore Legends
William E. and Dr. Joe R. Urschel
Inventors, Pioneers in food processing, Founder and Presidents of Urschel Laboratories
Sponsored by
