Winona Lake

A Colorful Past + Today’s Tranquility At The Spink by Ray Balogh

images by Sue Pais + provided by Wawaseespink.com

Life can be quiet and peaceful for the residents and visitors of the Spink Wawasee luxury condominiums on the north shore of Lake Wawasee.

But the history of the place is anything but sedate. The existing building, unveiled in 1926, is the third structural incarnation on the grounds, its two ancestors having been destroyed by fires in 1891 and 1918—the first, incidentally, described as “mysterious,” and the second deliberately started by an unidentified arsonist.

The property also went through two sheriff’s sales and the resident enterprises were shuttered more than once.

The property’s timeline reveals a colorful and intriguing background:

• Pre-settler days. The land was occupied by a Miami Indian tribe led by Chief Flat Belly, and was later designated a reservation.

• 1834. The land was returned to the U.S. government and passed through several hands of ownership.

• 1879. North Lake & River Association purchased the land and the next year completed a two-story clubhouse with 50 sleeping rooms and a 125-seat capacity dining room.

• 1891. The building burned to the ground and was replaced by the two-story Wawasee Inn, featuring a broad veranda, spacious dining room, and dance hall.

• 1890s. Colonel Eli Lilly obtained the inn at a sheriff’s sale and operated the business until he passed away in 1899. Two more transfers of ownership occurred before the second fire in 1918.

• 1925. The Edgar G. Spink family of Indianapolis purchased the property and broke ground on a new $350,000 hotel complex the following year. • 1926. The hotel’s grand opening gala was attended by 300 guests, each paying $5 a plate for dinner and dance. The venue would entertain guests from around the country with fine dining, big bands, and a casino.

• 1927. Mr. Spink passed away and his daughters, Urbana Spink and Bonaventura Cunniff, took over operations.

• 1928. One surviving advertisement touted the Wawasee Hotel & Country Club (later renamed the Spink Wawasee) as providing luxurious accommodations for 300 patrons, each room having its own private bath. Apparently to allay any apprehension prompted by the property’s incendiary past, the ad declared the hotel to be fireproof.

• 1932. The Indiana Democratic Party held its state convention in the complex’s convention hall. • 1930s to 1947. The hotel’s guests included heavyweight boxing champion Joe Louis, comedy duo Bud Abbott and Lou Costello, Public Enemy No. 1 Al Capone, and the Detroit Lions, who held their pre-season training on the grounds. Guests arrived by car, bus, plane (a runway was built several hundred yards from the hotel), and train (the B & O Railroad laid a spur line to the property).

• 1948. The Crosier Order of the Roman Catholic Church purchased the property and converted the hotel into a seminary housing 118 students. Additions included a gymnasium (1950), lake-view library (1953), and auditorium (1954).

• 1965. The seminary was transformed into a prep school and became coeducational during the 1970s. The school closed in 1975 or 1976.

• 1979. The Dick Miller family purchased the property and commenced extensive restoration and enhancement, sparing no expense in turning the present condominiums into the most prestigious condo facility in northern Indiana, hailed today as “The Gem of Lake Wawasee.”

• 2006. The Spink was purchased by the Wawasee Spink Condominium Owners Association. They currently own the remaining 2.06 acres of the historic property.

Of Whistles + Hill Slides: the playful River Otter

•canrunasfastas18milesperhour andswimuptosixmilesperhour •haveasetofcleareyelidsthataid underwatervision •liketoslidefortransportation,and apparentlyjustforfun •caneasilyholdtheirbreathfor fourminutes,oftenuptoeight •usesensitivewhiskerstohelplocate preyinmurkywaters •liveanaverageofabouttenyears •stayactiveallwinter •havetwolayersoffur:aninnercoatfor warmth,andanouter,waterproofcoat •areabletoclosetheirearcanalsand nostrilswhileunderwater •areveryvocal:chucklingiscommon,but theycanalsowhistle,buzz,andchirp

by Jason Kissel, executive director, ACRES Land Trust

North American River Otters,

Lontra canadensis, continue to

expand their range and abundance

throughout LAKElife Country due

to a successful reintroduction program, dating to 1995. Otters are members of the weasel family—but unlike their relatives, they have gained favorable public opinion in large part due to their playful, curious, frisky, and intelligent behavior.

DESCRIPTION: Adult otters have long, brown bodies and are three to four feet in length. The back of an otter is dark brown, while its belly and face are a paler shade of brown. Otters have stout, short legs and their feet are highly webbed. The tail of an otter is long and thick, tapering to a point. HABITAT: Otters are most often found along rivers and streams, but they will occupy any location that provides permanent water, food, and shelter. Otters usually find shelter in burrows, but will also take advantage of hollow logs, log jams, or other shelter near water.

DIET: Otters are carnivores feeding on whatever is easiest to catch on a particular day. Fish, crayfish, frogs, and insects are commonly on the menu, while turtles, mussels, snakes, small mammals, and the occasional bird add variety. (Some owners of very small ponds have seen their fish population nearly wiped out!)

VIEWING OTTERS: Otters are considered nocturnal, so late evening through morning provide the best chance for an encounter. Otters are not strictly nocturnal, however, so daytime sightings are possible. Consider yourself lucky if you spot otters without actively seeking them out; their presence is usually only evident by their tracks and slide paths. But when you do catch them in action, sit back and enjoy the show. They are usually wrestling, chasing each other, or sliding down hills when not occupied by eating or sleeping. The otters’ carefree antics are a delight to watch—a naturally entertaining part of LAKElife Country.

photos: shutterstock.com

ACRES Land Trust is a member-supported nonprofit organization that protects over 7,300 acres of natural and working land in northeast Indiana, northwest Ohio and southern Michigan. More than 2,000 ACRES members make it possible to keep these places protected forever and offer trails for free public use. Learn more at acreslandtrust.org.

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