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The tour of the abandoned Rose Island Amusement Park wraps up our vacation that we took this past July. I had first learned about Rose Island on YouTube and then found out it was right here in Indiana. I wanted to go see it for about a year before our vacation.

Prior to Rose Island being purchased by David Rose, there were hundreds of picnic tables spread around the property. It is said that many people used to go there to have picnics. I should add that, even though it is called Rose Island, the land is actually a peninsula.

David Rose purchased Rose Island in 1923. He added an amusement park, hotel, and a swimming pool to the property. In 1937, a 10 foot deep flood damaged the park so badly they could not repair it. The great depression had already hurt the business but the flood did it in.

Before land was given to the Charlestown State Park, the army used it as the Indiana Army Ammunition Plant. It is my understanding that the army cleared out most of what remained of the amusement park.

There are a few things left though. The most intact build is the Rose Island Fountain. I wish I could see a photo of it in its hay day. I can not imagine what it looked when it was new.

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