Dr. James Lane, the preeminent historian of Northwest Indiana, is the winner of the Indiana Historical Society’s (IHS) 2012 Dorothy Riker Hoosier Historian Award.

Lane will receive the award during IHS’s annual Founders Day event on Dec. 3 at the Eugene and Marilyn Glick Indiana History Center in Indianapolis.

The Dorothy Riker Hoosier Historian Award is presented to a historian who has made distinguished contributions to the field of historical scholarship and/or the affairs and activities of IHS.

Lane has demonstrated devotion in researching, teaching, and publicizing the unique history of the Northwest Indiana’s Calumet Region. Lane taught Indiana history at Indiana University Northwest, where he introduced countless students to the state’s and region’s history.

Lane has authored several books, including Gary: A Pictorial History, and his first book, City of the Century: A History of Gary, Indiana, served as the first comprehensive history of the Steel City since its founding in 1906.

For almost 30 years, Lane has annually produced an invaluable local history magazine, Steel Shavings, which offers valuable historical information and insight into the history of Indiana’s Calumet Region. After his retirement in 2007, Lane released in 2011 the 41st volume in the series, which contains excerpts from his blog “Northwest Indiana Historian James B. Lane.”

Co-editor of the Calumet Regional Archives, Lane also offers his time editing, guiding, and critiquing the work of others. Lane also helped edit Henry Farag’s book, The Signal—a story of music, family, and culture in Gary. Farag gives credit to Lane’s enthusiasm and encouragement for helping to see him through. His most recent book, Valor: The American Odyssey of Roy Dominguez, is an autobiography of Rogelio Dominguez “as told to James B. Lane.”

Posted 11/30/2012