Updated Nov 23, 2023

8 Rare Photos Taken In Indiana During The Old Days That Will Simply Astound You

Explore fascinating vintage photos of Indiana that showcase its rich history and evolution.

Updated Nov 23, 2023

Written by

Published Oct 28, 2024

The Story of This Abandoned Place in Bloomingdale, Indiana is Truly Fascinating

There's something super intriguing about abandoned places, and this particular abandoned place in Indiana is especially fascinating.

Published Oct 28, 2024

Written by

Tori Jane

When people think about Indiana and its history in the racing world, 99.9% will more than likely immediately imagine the Indy 500, traditionally held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway—arguably the world's most famous racetrack. However, there was once a racetrack that was just as popular (for its time, anyway) that most people don't even know ever existed, save for the racing enthusiasts (I see you, friends.)

It was known as Jungle Park Speedway, and to say it was a little bit dangerous is to intentionally misrepresent things - it was outrageously dangerous, and at the time, this was a well-known and accepted fact of life.

This track was built in 1926, and today, there's very little left of it to speak of. Some overgrown track, the grandstands, and little else remain; the looming, empty grandstands do nothing but remind anyone who views them of a time long past—a time when this racetrack was sort of a "no man's land," and people regularly died here.

At the time, this was just known and accepted as part of the racing world. Very few safety precautions were taken in building this racetrack; cars would eventually find themselves careening into nearby trees, a nearby creek, or the grandstands regularly. Perhaps miraculously, the first year of the track's existence was uneventful, but the second year brought with it all kinds of horror that would only worsen until the track's eventual closure in 1960.

During that second year, a racing official was struck by a racer while attempting to fix a divot on the track. Unfortunately, he did not survive the accident. Just a few months later, a spectator was killed. Two months after that, a driver by the name of Walter Ax was killed. Within the next two years, three more drivers would die.

alt — Abandonded Stockbridge school track being reclaimed

Up to 5,000 people would sometimes attend races at Jungle Park Speedway, and they were often a rowdy bunch. Fights in the grandstand were a regular occurrence; alcohol consumption was a major contributing factor, as was an almost complete lack of safety procedures.

By the 1950s, Hoosiers had mostly moved on from the track in favor of greener pastures. In 1955, most racing at the track ended. Then, in 1960, the entire operation halted for good after a spectator in her 30s was struck and killed. The track then closed for good, and over the decades, was left for nature to reclaim. It's mostly gone now. A restaurant on site was allowed to decompose, and the grandstands are long gone.

What remains of Jungle Park Speedway is only a vague hint that it was there at all; it's on private property, and the current owner hopes to preserve what's still there. The dark history of one of the United States's first racetracks is still somehow fascinating, and today, the track is little more than a memory to the small handful of folks still alive who remember it.

Are you planning on adventuring around Indiana anytime soon? If so, get an RV - it's a blast. Our friends at RVShare can help. If you find you can't get enough of Indiana's amazingly intriguing abandoned places, be sure to explore more on our awesome abandoned places in Indiana road trip.

State Pride|History

Updated Oct 22, 2024

The Entire Neighborhood of River Ridge in Indiana Was Mysteriously Abandoned

River Ridge, Indiana was a booming town that popped up nearby an ammunition plant. It went well for a while, but eventually faded away.

Updated Oct 22, 2024

Written by

Tori Jane

In the 1940s, the US Army established an enormous ammunition manufacturing plant near Charlestown, Indiana. The plant would manufacture a few specific things: rocket propellant, propellant charge bags, and, most famously, smokeless gunpowder. Word spread of the coming plant, and very quickly, people interested in jobs began flocking to the area. River Ridge, Indiana, was born!

Between 1940 and 1942, approximately 13,000 people moved to Charlestown and the area surrounding the soon-to-be-finished ammunition plant. Construction finished, and the plant opened in 1942—just in time for World War II. The newly minted town predictably went nuts, and jobs exploded. River Ridge became a neighborhood on the premises of the Ammunition Plant for high-ranking officials and their families; shops and amenities began appearing nearby.

During this time, the River Ridge Post Office saw a 300% increase in mail volume; soon enough, the neighborhood also had a baseball diamond, basketball courts, horseshoe pits, a pool, and more. It was alive and vibrantly so.

alt — Afternoon sun shines on ruined historic homes in the post industrial downtown Gary, Indiana, USA.

At its peak, the Army Ammunition complex boasted more than 800 buildings; 17 of those were homes. World War II and subsequent conflicts provided the plant with seemingly endless work. Over the most productive years, the Indiana Army Ammunition Plant had literally tens of thousands of employees.

The plant managed to stay afloat fairly well in the decades after World War II; it faithfully produced gunpowder for several international conflicts the US was involved in up until the end of the Vietnam War.

The town of River Ridge was slowly dying, however; families moved away, and one by one, homes and businesses began shutting their doors forever. The River Ridge neighborhood began to decay without anyone left to care for it or keep it up. In August 1991, the US Army decided to cease production completely. This call sealed River Ridge's fate forever.

Okay, so maybe the abandonment of this once-lively neighborhood wasn't exactly "mysterious," but it's always very weird to watch flourishing homes and entire towns turn totally desolate over the course of just a few years. In 1997, 6,000 acres of plant grounds were formally transferred to the Clark County Reuse Authority. The remaining land, approximately 4,000 acres, was donated to what is now the Charlestown State Park.

alt — Covered car at night in a residential neighborhood

After the war in Vietnam ended, production at the plant decreased dramatically. Layoffs began around that time, and thus, it was clearly the beginning of the end. It wasn't about to die out without a fight, though. Over the years, many ideas for repurposing the plant were dreamt up, though ultimately, nothing ever came to fruition. By 1987, fewer than 1,000 employees remained, and the plant and the surrounding town were in decline.

But nowadays, River Ridge Commerce Center in southern Indiana, near Jeffersonville, is a prominent business and industrial park developed on the grounds of the former Indiana Army Ammunition Plant. The former military site has been transformed into a vital economic hub, providing space for various businesses and industries while creating numerous jobs in the region. The development of River Ridge represents a successful repurposing of a decommissioned military facility into a driver of local economic activity.

Intriguingly, Charlestown State Park is also the site of an abandoned theme park. Read more about the abandoned theme park on the same grounds as what used to be River Ridge, Indiana. Have you ever visited this state park and the abandoned memories it holds? Tell us about it in the comments! And if you do go exploring, make sure to grab some sturdy boots at Backcountry.com.

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8 Rare Photos Taken In Indiana During The Old Days That Will Simply Astound You

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The Story of This Abandoned Place in Bloomingdale, Indiana is Truly Fascinating

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The Entire Neighborhood of River Ridge in Indiana Was Mysteriously Abandoned

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