Fun Spot Amusement Park: Angola's Lost Joy

Fun Spot Amusement Park & Zoo in Angola, Indiana, was once a beloved family destination. The park first opened its doors in 1956 and was one of the largest in the region, featuring 24 rides, water slides, a small zoo, an arcade, and food and shops. However, Fun Spot met its demise and was abandoned in 2008 due to a slowing economy and lack of local support. The park's rides and equipment were sold, and the site was converted into student athletic fields. Today, Fun Spot remains a hauntingly beautiful landmark, with some of its iconic rides still visible from the road.

Fun Spot Amusement Park & Zoo closed in 2008

Fun Spot Amusement Park & Zoo in Angola, Indiana, was a beloved family destination for over 50 years. The park first opened its doors in 1956 and closed down permanently in 2008.

In its heyday, Fun Spot was considerably smaller than many other theme parks and zoos, but it remained a popular destination for locals and tourists alike. The park featured 24 rides, including the Afterburner—the only roller coaster with an inversion in Indiana until 2008. In addition to the Afterburner, the park boasted water slides, an arcade, shops, and food stands. There was also an unexpectedly large zoo area, where visitors could see exotic animals such as white Bengal tigers.

Despite its popularity, Fun Spot struggled to adapt and grow in the face of increasing competition from larger, corporate theme parks. In its later years, the park had sporadic and irregular operating hours, and eventually, its doors were shuttered for good, with the owners blaming the economy. The park's closure was a sad end to the summertime memories of thousands of people who had enjoyed it over the years.

Since its closure, most of the rides and equipment have been sold, although some remain on the grounds, slowly deteriorating. Fun Spot lives on in the memories of those who visited and in the photographs of urban explorers who have ventured into the abandoned park, capturing its hauntingly beautiful decay.

The park was featured in a book about abandoned parks

Fun Spot Amusement Park & Zoo in Angola, Indiana, was once a beloved family destination. The park first opened its doors in 1956 and was one of the largest in the region, entertaining visitors for over 50 years. However, in 2008, Fun Spot shut its doors for good, and the park has since remained abandoned.

The park's closure was a sad end to the summertime memories of thousands of people who had enjoyed its attractions over the years. Despite the passage of time, Fun Spot continues to capture the imaginations of many, with its hauntingly beautiful remains serving as a nostalgic reminder of happier times.

It is this enduring appeal that led "artivist" Seph Lawless to feature Fun Spot in his book, "Abandoned: Hauntingly Beautiful Deserted Theme Parks." The book, released in 2018, showcases photographs of 13 abandoned amusement parks across the country, capturing their dilapidated state and the duality of sad and playful symbolism.

Lawless, who specialises in photo-documenting abandoned places, first learned about Fun Spot through suggestions from people while working through the country's rust belt. He was immediately drawn to the park, as many of its rides were still intact and fairly clean, making it the perfect subject for his book.

"I remember people saying, 'There's an abandoned amusement park there, you should check it out,' said Lawless of Fun Spot. "I remember coming across it and thinking, 'This is perfect.' You still have rides, you still have this mood. It was really cool to shoot."

Lawless' Fun Spot shoot captured the park's unique atmosphere, with rides like the Calypso remaining unspoiled, surrounded by brush and debris. The zoo's cages were still upright, and the park's iconic Afterburner roller coaster, the only one with an inversion in Indiana until 2008, stood as a testament to the park's former glory.

The inclusion of Fun Spot in Lawless' book has helped to preserve the memory of this beloved amusement park, ensuring that even in its abandoned state, it continues to bring a sense of wonder and nostalgia to those who cherished it.

Fun Spot was one of the largest parks in the region

Fun Spot Amusement Park & Zoo in Angola, Indiana, was one of the largest parks in the region. The park first opened its doors in 1956 and was a beloved family destination for over 50 years. Despite being considerably smaller than many other theme parks and zoos, Fun Spot remained a popular attraction.

At its peak, the park featured 24 rides, including the famed Afterburner roller coaster, which was the only roller coaster with an inversion in Indiana until 2008. The Afterburner was a prototype originally tested in Utah before being sold to a park in Florida. Fun Spot purchased it from there, moved it to Angola, and rebranded it as the All-American Coaster. The coaster was the main attraction, advertised with an F-15 Eagle fighter jet on the sign.

In addition to the Afterburner, Fun Spot featured other rides such as the Zyklon, the Matterhorn, the Calypso, and the Tilt-a-Whirl. The park also had water slides, a small but unexpectedly large zoo with exotic animals like white Bengal tigers, an arcade, food stands, and shops.

Fun Spot's location played a crucial role in its success. Unlike other small parks, it wasn't threatened by the rise of larger corporate theme parks like Cedar Point and Kings Island. The local tourism of Indiana's northern lakes and the proximity of vacation homes also contributed to its longevity.

However, in its later years, the park faced challenges with sporadic and irregular operating hours. Ultimately, Fun Spot shut its doors for good after the 2008 season, blaming the slowing economy and lost group sales bookings. The park's closure marked the end of an era, leaving behind nostalgic memories for those who had enjoyed its attractions over the years.

The park's rides were sold off to other amusement parks

Fun Spot Amusement Park & Zoo in Angola, Indiana, was a beloved family destination for over 50 years. The park featured 24 rides, an arcade, water slides, shops, and food stands. In 2008, Fun Spot shut its doors for good, and its rides were sold off to other amusement parks.

The park's new owner, Ralph Trine, allowed generous sales terms to ensure that many family and smaller parks could purchase the rides. Almost all of the rides and equipment found new homes, with only a few attractions being broken up for parts. International Rides Management (IRM) was tasked with liquidating the remaining roller coasters. The Allan Herschell Little Dipper, for example, was sent to Bell's Amusement Park in Tulsa, Oklahoma, while the Afterburner prototype Arrow Shuttle Loop Coaster was dismantled, and its parts shipped to Frontier City in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

The 1978 Manco Paratrooper was initially left without a new home as interested buyers cancelled due to the difficulties in moving the ride. However, it eventually found a new home at a major park on the US East Coast. Today, Fun Spot may be gone, but its rides live on, providing joy to families across the country.

The dispersal of Fun Spot's rides to other amusement parks is a testament to the park's legacy and impact on the industry. While the park may no longer be operating, its attractions continue to entertain and delight visitors in their new locations. This dispersal also highlights the cyclical nature of the amusement park industry, where rides and equipment can find new life and continue to bring joy to people even after the original park's closure.

Drone footage captures the abandoned park

Drone footage has captured the abandoned Fun Spot Amusement Park & Zoo in Angola, Indiana, offering a glimpse into the once-popular destination for families. The park first opened its doors in 1956 and featured 24 rides, water slides, a small zoo, an arcade, and food and shops. However, it shut down in 2008 and has since fallen into disrepair.

The drone footage reveals the park's slow deterioration over time, with rides and structures being overtaken by nature. Despite this, some rides appear to be intact and well-preserved, with only minor debris and brush surrounding them. The zoo's cages also remain upright and relatively undamaged.

The Afterburner roller coaster, the park's main attraction, was the first looping roller coaster in Indiana and remained the only one until 2008. It was a significant draw for visitors and a source of pride for the park. Unfortunately, it, too, has fallen into a state of disrepair, with only the single loop and fading white track standing out above the surrounding fields and trees.

The drone footage captures the eerie beauty of the abandoned park, evoking a sense of nostalgia and sadness. It serves as a reminder of the joyous times shared by families and the passing of a beloved local attraction. The park's demise is a testament to the challenges faced by small, family-run operations in the face of competition from larger corporate theme parks.

While Fun Spot may no longer be operational, it lives on in the memories of those who visited and the captivating drone footage that preserves its legacy.

Frequently asked questions