Written by Victoria Gresham | October 23, 2023
Porter County’s Prominent Public Servant
Thousand of records are processed through the Porter County Clerk Archives that at times there will be a name that comes across our desk that gives us a moment of pause. Sometimes, its a peculiar name entwined in a narrative, other times its a name that simply jumps out at you and causes our curiosity to delve into the lives of the characters further. Who were they? What did they do? Why did there name reappear in the chronicles of time at this moment?
This name is one of them. Recognized by many yet still known by few. Today, we pay tribute to William Carmichael.
Carmichael lived in the northern part of the county, known today as the Duneland district area. He attended Liberty Center School and in 1949, graduated from Chesterton High School. He served his country during the Korean Conflict while serving in the U.S. Navy for five years aboard a submarine. He returned to Chesterton to make his home with his high school sweetheart, Suzie, William picked up the trade of dentistry during his naval career to which he put those talents to work for himself by opening up the Carmichael Dental Laboratory, which first opened its doors on Calumet Road.
During the early 1950’s, Carmichael had one of his first experiences in the political landscape when he worked on the Eisenhower campaign in Washington, D.C. That was enough to launch him into the direction of public service for many years ahead. In 1969, he took the political helm by standing his post as the Westchester Township Republican chairman, which he successfully held onto for years.
In addition to her public service, Carmichael was quite involved in his local community. In 1965, he was a founding member of the local YMCA, having helped form the Westchester branch.
In a 1969 a Chesterton Tribune article stated that he was called “one of the community’s young men most responsible for the Y’s progress to date.”
“Bill has chaperoned countless Y dances and taught arts and crafts for two years on Saturday mornings,” the story said. “In addition to all of these responsibilities, he has always been available to help out in any emergency [….] If limited to three adjectives that best describe Bill, his friends might well select personable, talented and versatile.”
Leaving a Legacy Behind
On Saturday, December 6, 2008. William Carmichael passed away after a lengthy illness. He was serving his 12th year as an at-large member of the Porter County Council. Prior to his work on the county council, he had served 16 years as North Porter County Commissioner.
Carmichael’s political career spanned over his lifetime since his Eisenhower days.
In 1971, Carmichael ran for Chesterton Town Board. It was reported that during an interview he was asked why he was seeking office to which he answered:
“I am deeply interested in the people and believe in the future of this town. People in this community want to be informed as to what is going on in the town hall. They want answers to their questions and solutions to their problems.”
Although Carmichael did not win the town board seat , he did serve as a Chesterton Plan Commission member for four years as well as on the town’s Board of Zoning Appeals and the Porter County Mental Health Board.
In 1976, he ran for North Porter County Commissioner and won secured that seat. He held it for the next 16 years serving the residents of Porter County. During an interview in 1984, Carmichael told a former Chesterton Tribune reporter by the name of Jim Hale why he continued to follow politics.
“A politician once said, ‘if you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.’ Well, I enjoy the heat,” Carmichael stated, when he was running for re-election as commissioner.
During his time as commissioner, Carmichael accomplished many great items of service to the community. He established a county-wide ambulance service known as the North Porter County Ambulance Commission (NOPAC). He played an integral part in the building of the Porter County Expo Center and established the county’s first county park board. In addition, he helped fight against casino gambling in the county.
However, Carmichael’s greatest accomplishment was in the late 1980s when he tackled Venango River Corporation from taking control of the passenger train service from the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District (NICTD). Carmichael as president of the NICTD had a big role in saving the South Shore service. He lobbied former Indiana Governor Robert Orr against legislation that would have allowed Venango River, the owners, to have control to sell and shut down the South Shore. After successful negotiations for a NICTD acquisition of the service, Carmichael and other NICTD board members brought the trains under public ownership.
Carmichael served the community in other capacities and had a special interest in his hobby of muzzle loading. His obituary reads:
“He was involved with the formation of the Chesterton YMCA and was a Rotarian and a charter member of the North Porter County Conservation Club. He was a U.S. Navy veteran and a dental prosthetics technician, having learned his trade in the Navy. He also owned and operated his own dental laboratory in Chesterton for many years.
His hobby was competitive shooting. He was a life member of the National Muzzle Loading Rifle Association and the National Rifle Association. He was selected to the U.S. International Muzzle Loading Trap Team in 1977 and competed in Spain, England, Holland, France, Germany, Japan, Italy, Switzerland, Australia, and South Africa, holding world records in percussion and flintlock trap-shooting. In 1996 he was inducted into the Muzzle Loading Hall of Fame in Friendship, Indiana and into the Safari Club.”
William Carmichael truly is Porter County’s example of a public servant.
Photo credit: Chesterton Tribune – July 6, 1992
Referencees: http://www.findagrave.com; http://www.legacy.com; http://www.chestertonetribune.com; http://www.nwitimes.com; http://www.chesterton-porterrotary.org; http://www.duneland.k12.in.us;
The Dash 