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Indian Lake, in northwestern Ohio, was originally a group of smaller lakes and wetlands occupying 640 acres. In 1850, the Lewistown Reservoir was created to serve as a feeder lake for the Miami-Erie Canal. After canal transportation became obsolete, the Lewistown Reservoir was converted into a public park called Indian Lake State Park. Entrepreneurs were quick to jump on the opportunities Indian Lake offered, and for much of the 20th century, the area was known as "Ohio's Million Dollar Playground." Sandy Beach Amusement Park offered roller coaster rides and other attractions and hosted concerts by nationally known big bands. The amusement park closed in the mid-1970s. Since then, the character of Indian Lake has changed, and condominiums and permanent homes now dot the waterfront.
About the author
Cornelis van der Veen, a professor of geography at the University of Kansas, has been coming to Indian Lake since the early 2000s. Through his extensive collection of postcards, he takes readers on a visual tour of Indian Lake, from its humble beginnings through its heyday as an amusement park.
