In 1968, the Mansion, also known as Barker Civic Center, was presented to the City of Michigan City under terms of a legal agreement between the City and the donor, Catherine Barker Hickox. Her wish was that the Mansion, her childhood home, should be used as a cultural and civic center in memory of her father, John H. Barker. A commission was established to direct the Center’s activities which would include restoration, preservation and documentation of the Mansion and its artifacts. These activities are for the purpose of education, research, and interpretation of the life-style of a wealthy industrialist of the late 19th century for a broad public audience.

Such is the background for the evolution of the Barker Civic Center whose specific mission is as follows:

• Present a historically accurate portrayal of Barker family life, especially that of John H. Barker - family man, citizen, entrepreneur, industrialist, and philanthropist; and also that of his daughter Catherine Barker Hickox - orphan at age 14, heiress, businesswoman, and founder of the Barker Welfare Foundation.
• Offer tours, programs and exhibits portraying the cultural, social and economic activities of the period, thereby fostering the public’s appreciation of the mansion’s original furnishings, architecture and gardens.
• Serve area schools with specially focused tours, games and programs.
• Create a gracious and hospitable atmosphere for usage by non-profit civic and cultural groups and for lectures, recitals, and weddings.
• Welcome the public to membership in the Barker Civic Center Guild, which sponsors programs, encourages volunteer service, and raises funds for the Mansion.
• Preserve and maintain the Mansion and its contents in order to ensure its place on the National Register of Historic Places.