Indiana’s Charlestown State Park, is just 20 minutes from Louisville, Kentucky but it's a world away.
Today the park is super-popular with hikers, bikers, birders and campers, but a century ago it was the site of the legendary Rose Island Resort. Riverboats brought vacationers by the thousands to the multi-faceted amusement park, complete with a zoo, swimming pool, roller coaster, dance hall, mammoth dining facility, golf course and cottages.
Sadly a torrential flood in 1937 swept away empresário, David Rose’s resort—never to be rebuilt.
Come along and join correspondent Tom Wilmer for a visit with Indiana State Parks interpretive naturalist, Jeremy Beavin for a hiking tour of Charlestown State Park and vestiges of the legendary Rose Island Resort.
During WWII the site of Rose Island served as the Indiana Army Ammunition plant. Subsequently the land was donated to the Indiana Department of Natural Resources and commenced its new life as ever-popular Charlestown State Park.
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