Indiana's Premier Summer Resort: Indiana Beach

This year Indiana Beach Resort celebrates its 82nd Anniversary and everyone should be there. Indiana Beach, though probably not known by the world at large, is a great place to plan on if you are traveling the Midwest this year. Affordable, fun and versatile, Indiana Beach on Lake Schaeffer has something for everyone. From roller coasters and water parks, to campgrounds and beaches, Indiana Beach offers the best in fun and excitement. As a resident of northeast Indiana I have been able to enjoy the resort many times but really wanted to learn more about the resort. So, I talked to Wes Hansen. Wes began working there as a teenager running such rides as the Merry- Go- Round and Kiddy Boats. Then, after he graduated from Ball State University with a degree in Public Relations he began working there full time in their sales department. Here are some of Wes's insights concerning the resort and its history.

ABS) How did Indiana Beach originate?

(Wes) Wow, now that is a story and a half. I could go into the whole thing, but for the article sake I will try and try keep it short. Indiana Beach was founded by Earl Spackman back in 1926. Back then it was called Ideal Beach. Spackman was a distributor for the Ideal Furnace Company out of Indianapolis. He had read that there was a new lake being created in White County, Indiana. Earl Spackman and his family purchased two 75-acre lots on the soon-to-be created Lake Shafer. This was back in 1923. During the summers people would ask if there was any place for them to swim. There was not and this gave Earl Spackman an idea. When Lake Shafer was lowered to create the new Lake Freeman, Earl Spackman began moving sand and gravel by means of horse-drawn wagons to create the new beach. He also built a bathhouse, refreshment stand, and a pavilion for guest to have picnics in. With all of this in place, Ideal Beach opened in 1926.

From there the park added new cottages, a new hotel and the first thrill attraction in 1927. That first attraction was a water toboggan. It was the first of three water toboggan slides over the years at the park. In 1928, Indiana Beach began offering guest a chance to travel up and down the lake aboard the Wahoo, a wooden-hulled speedboat.

The first major addition for the park was the Indiana Beach Ballroom. It was built during the winter of 1929/1930. Sadly the first ballroom burnt to the ground the night before it was to open. Earl Spackman was undaunted and rebuilt the ballroom for the guest. This is where many people learned to dance and saw many famous people over the years. I will get into some of the famous people who graced the Indiana Beach Ballroom stage later on.

From there the park just kept adding something new for the guest to enjoy season after season. Earl Spackman passed away in 1946, but his son, Tom Spackman was there to take over and guide the vacation playground into the future. Mr. Tom Spackman is still with us. He has seen every opening day and season since we opened in 1926. Now the day to day operations are looked after by his children. Mr. Tom Spackman, Jr. is the general manager for the resort. Mrs. Ruth Davis is the Park Operations Manager. Jim Spackman, Joy Baily, and Cathy Jungen are also still here helping see after the "more than corn" playground.

ABS) What do you believe is the greatest attraction of Indiana Beach?

(Wes) We have something for everyone here at Indiana Beach. I am not a big fan of rides myself, but there is plenty for someone like myself to enjoy. I would say just from my point of view that the best attraction we have here is a tie. We are home to the Cornball Express roller coaster. It is not the biggest or the fastest in the land, but guests and I are always amazed at what a ride it packs into its foot space. It was voted top new wooden coaster in 2002. Plus any ride that has a donkey train engineer for a mascot is tops in my book.

We are also home to Dr. Frankenstein's Haunted Castle. It is not on the wristband here, but it is a must if you visit. It is one of the top walk-through funhouse/haunted houses in the country. You never really know what lurks around the corners of the castle. Plus it is air-conditioned inside, so on hot days when it is so hot in the sun; guest can enjoy the dark, cool rooms and hallways inside. Also, prepare yourself when you look over the balcony inside the tower. That is all I am going to say on that!

(ABS) What do you, personally, enjoy about Indiana Beach? And why?

(Wes) I personally like the fact that Indiana Beach is priced so that all people can enjoy the park without spending an arm and leg. There is a $2.50 general admission that guest pay to enter the park. Once they are inside the park, the guest can then purchase the ride passes if they would like to. That means that if you are not a big ride person than you don't have to purchase the passes. It makes it a nice place for families to visit or grandparents to come and bring their little riders.

I personally like the fact that after a person works out here for a summer than they become part of the Indiana Beach "family." We spend so much time out here during the summer season that it becomes like a family. In fact I see the people out here more than I see my actual family during the summer time, so you may be able to see what I am talking about.

(ABS) This year is the 82nd anniversary of Indiana Beach, what important highlights have happened over the years? Tell a little bit about them?

(Wes) In the years before Indiana Beach was home to the rides that guests now enjoys, the park played host to a wide range of musical guest. They would come and perform for the night or the week in the Indiana Beach Ballroom. During the 30s and 40s the ballroom saw big band entertainers such as Benny Goodman, Glenn Miller, Louie Armstrong, Bob Cosby and many others. In the 50s the entertainers started changing from the sounds of yesteryear to rock and roll. During this time the Four Freshman, Brenda Lee, Bill Haley and Tommy Sands all took to the stage.

The 1960s and 70s saw many people who would help shape the current pop and rock industries. My personal favorite is the Beach Boys. Just knowing that I am in the same room that once saw Brian Wilson and Mike Love perform in is pretty amazing. During this time the park also hosted Jerry Lee Lewis, Al Hirt, The Who, Simon and Garfunkel, Peter, Paul, and Marry, Jefferson Airplane, Iron Butterfly, The Turtles, REO Speedwagon, Alice Cooper, Chicago and many others.

The park has also seen a man living in a tank below water for the guest to view. The man was protesting high taxes. There has also been a man buried alive for two hours, trapeze artist, people dumping through hoops of fire and a man being shot out of a cannon. There are all sorts of amazing things that the park has seen in its 82 seasons.

(ABS) Tell us about the Boardwalk at Indiana Beach. What is the coolest part about it?

(Wes) The Boardwalk Funway at Indiana Beach is the main stretch that all of our attractions branch off of. The Boardwalk was created in 1952 after Tom Spackman went to Atlantic City and fell in love with their Boardwalk. The Boardwalk runs down the entire length of the park. Guest may also note that the Boardwalk Funway is not actually made of wood. It is made of cement. We still call it the Boardwalk anyway.

Guests can find all sorts of things to do along the Boardwalk. There is the Skyroom Restaurant that serves as a dining experience that can't be beat while on vacation. We also are home to the Roof Garden Lounge for the over 21 guest who would like to kick back and have a drink and enjoy the views. Walking down the Boardwalk, guest can find traditional rides like the Scrambler, Tilt-A-Whirl, Water Swings and Dodgem, to thrill rides like the Double Shot, Falling Star and Sea Dragon. We have over 30 and attractions for the guest to enjoy.

(ABS) What other highlights or information would you like to add?

(Wes) Well, let me see. I would like to mention that this summer Indiana Beach is becoming a smoke free facility. We will have special areas where our guest who wish to smoke will be able to go. We are introducing a new water ski show for this summer. It is Pirates Revolt: Pillage of Paradise Island. The ski show will be shown four times a day. Guest can view the show from the Boardwalk Funway. The 6:30 show will be a traditional ski and stunt show for the guest to enjoy. We are also adding a new attraction for the 2007 season. It is 3-D Motion Theater. The main film shown will be Dino Island. It will combine a motion simulator theater with a 3-D movie. We feel this will be a fun attraction that the whole family will be able to enjoy.

Indiana Beach will be hosting many special events this summer. We have expanded our Academic Days to include the ever popular Whatever Floats Your Boat Recycling Regatta with the new Mad Science and Purdue University Physics on the Road demonstrations. We also will be offering the popular Culinary Brainery again this year.

Indiana Beach is also hosting the annual Twin, Triplets, Quads, Quints, Family and Friends weekend for the fourth year. We are also hosting The Legend of the Shafer Shipwreck: Indiana Beach Coaster Weekend again.

New for this year will be the Amazing Corn Weekend. We will be having displays from the Indiana Department of Energy, Indiana Department of Agriculture and White County Farm Bureau. We will also be hosting a Corn Toss Tournament where the proceeds will go to White County Special Olympics.

As you can see Wes has made a lifetime out of his enjoyment and love for the Indiana Beach Resort. I think anyone who is traveling this year and would like a very affordable and enjoyable vacation spot should find their way to Indiana Beach in northeast Indiana.