Bendix Woods County Park is a park in Olive Township, St. Joseph County, Indiana, located south of New Carlisle. It is managed by the St. Joseph County Parks and Recreation Department.

History

The name Bendix Woods originates from the Bendix Corporation which donated the land to St. Joseph County for the creation of a park. The park's historical significance, however, dates to its establishment by the Studebaker Corporation, formerly of nearby South Bend, Indiana, as the first model test facility for an American automobile company.

Studebaker developed the of land in 1926 as the first-ever controlled automotive-testing grounds for its product lines, beating Packard, Studebaker's future business partner, by one year. Studebaker heavily promoted the grounds as a "million-dollar outdoor testing laboratory" in advertisements. The test track that ran through the grounds simulated a variety of terrains and road conditions. Studebaker landscaped the park by keeping natural features—and planted a huge grove of trees which spell out "STUDEBAKER" when viewed from above.

Following the collapse of Studebaker's U.S. production facilities in 1963, the land was acquired by Bendix Corporation which used the grounds for corporate purposes. In 1996 Bosch purchased the property; in 2015 Navistar acquired it from Bosch and renamed it "Navistar Proving Grounds".

The park was also home to a toboggan roller-coaster that was never opened after its owners were thrown off when making a trial run.

Studebaker Clubhouse

The Studebaker Clubhouse is a historic clubhouse. It was built in 1926, and is a two-story, U-shaped, Colonial Revival style brick building. The front facade features a one-story frame porch supported by Tuscan order columns. The building was remodeled in 1947, 1961, and 1966–1967. It was built as a place for the approximately 100 proving ground employees to eat, relax in off hours, stay in bad weather, and board if they so desired. It currently houses the park's Nature Center and offices.

It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985 along with the Tree Sign. However, it continues to stand; in 2011 a grant was awarded for its long-term management and preservation,

References

  • Bendix Woods County Park (St. Joseph County Parks Department)