Indiana Beach Coupons & Promo Codes April 2024

A dam was built creating Lake Shafer, near Monticello, Indiana. Earl Spackman took his family to the new Lake in hopes of purchasing a lot to build a vacation cottage. While the location was beautiful, the sharp banks of the artificial lake made finding a place to swim in the waters impossible. The dam and the creation of Lake Shafer were big projects for the Indiana area. Travelers would often pass by to see the new lake and view the on-going venture.With an announcement that Lake Shafer would be lowered to provide water for Lake Freeman, Spackman was struck with an idea: People wanted a place to swim and he was going to give it to them. Using a horse and wagon, 2x4s, and a shovel, Earl Spackman and others literally created a beach along the shores of Lake Shafer. In addition, the crew built a bathhouse for guests to change in and a small refreshment stand. In 1926, Ideal Beach opened to the public with a 12 year-old Tom Spackman working hard behind the counter of the refreshment stand.

In 1927, Ideal Beach added some excitement to its lineup with the arrival of a pair of Toboggan Slides. Guests would drop nearly 30 feet downhill aboard these popular thrill attractions, and then skip across the Lake Shafer water. With its first successful attractions in place, Ideal Beach still needed to grow. Spackman knew the more attractions he had in place; the more guests would flock to the Beach and stay for a while. With no master plan in place, it seemed to grow on its own. However, after noticing a small successful dance floor on the other side of the lake, Spackman made one addition in 1930 that stood out from the rest and began a tradition that remains through the present day. A new dance floor was the centerpiece of the legendary Ideal Beach Ballroom. The floor hosted evening dances for guests and residents of the surrounding area. Still in use today, it continues to play host to many special events at the Beach. But, in the '30's, the Ideal Beach Ballroom was a home to the growing Big Band Era. Expanding twice, the Ballroom quickly became one of the major attractions.Tom Spackman took over operation of Ideal Beach when his father passed away in 1946. Branching-out the appeal of Ideal Beach, Tom introduced the Beach's first permanent rides in 1947. The arrival of the Ferris Wheel, Merry-Go-Round, and Roll-O-Plane (also called The Bullet) delighted guests with every ride. Unique to Ideal Beach's lakeside location, guests could also be thrilled aboard the Wahoo, Jr. ... a Chris Craft speed boat which rocketed guests across the waters of Lake Shafer.