The Save the Dunes council was established in June 1952 by
Dorothy Richardson Buell when 21 women met at her home to create what became the campaign to establish the
Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. Their credo was, "We are prepared to spend the rest of our lives, if necessary, to save the Dunes". Indiana Representative
Charles A. Halleck aggressively challenged the council and their ally, Illinois Senator,
Paul Douglas. Halleck carried an unwavering support for creating a port on the Lakeshore which would have removed the large central dunes of the
Indiana Dunes. The battle between Douglas and Halleck ended in compromise, with the
Port of Indiana being created and the authorization of the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. As a result of the more than century-long advocacy effort, on February 15, 2019, the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore became the
Indiana Dunes National Park—the first national park in Indiana, and the country's 61st. Save the Dunes is an official partner of the Indiana Dunes National Park. In partnership with Hitchcock Design Group, Save the Dunes published
Living in the Dunes, a homeowner's guide to landscaping in the Dunes, to help landowners protect their parts of the landscape
. It won a 2018 Honor Award from the American Society for Landscape Architects. The organization also participates in the Monarch Music Fest. ==See also==