Bendix Woods facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bendix Woods County Park |
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Aerial photo of the track
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| Type | County park |
| Location | Olive Township, St. Joseph County, Indiana |
| Area | 195 acres (0.79 km2) |
| Operated by | St. Joseph County Parks and Recreation Department |
| Open | All year; Closed Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day |
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Studebaker Clubhouse and Tree Sign
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Studebaker "D" in Bendix Woods Park, November 2013
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| Location | 32132 State Road 2, south of New Carlisle, Olive Township, St. Joseph County, Indiana |
| Area | 21.1 acres (8.5 ha) |
| Built | 1926, 1938 |
| Architect | Young, Ernest W. |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 85002430 |
| Added to NRHP | September 18, 1985 |
Bendix Woods County Park is a cool park located in Olive Township, St. Joseph County, Indiana. You can find it just south of New Carlisle. The park is managed by the St. Joseph County Parks and Recreation Department.
This park has a really interesting history! It was once owned by the Studebaker Corporation. Studebaker was a famous car company from nearby South Bend, Indiana. They used this land for something very special.
The park's name, Bendix Woods, comes from the Bendix Corporation. This company later gave the land to the county to create the park we see today.
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Studebaker's Amazing Test Track
In 1926, Studebaker turned this 840 acres (3.4 km2) area into the first-ever special testing grounds for cars in America. They wanted to make sure their cars were super safe and reliable.
Studebaker called it a "million-dollar outdoor testing laboratory." They built a special test track that went through the whole area. This track had all sorts of different roads and conditions. It was like a giant obstacle course for cars!
The company also planted a huge group of trees. If you look at them from high above, they spell out "STUDEBAKER"!
Who Owned the Park After Studebaker?
Studebaker stopped making cars in the U.S. in 1963. After that, the Bendix Corporation bought the land. They used it for their own company needs.
Later, in 1996, a company called Bosch bought the property. Then, in 2015, Navistar took over. They renamed it the "Navistar Proving Grounds."
The Historic Studebaker Clubhouse
The Studebaker Clubhouse is a very old and important building in the park. It was built in 1926. This building is made of brick and has a special style called Colonial Revival.
The clubhouse was a place for about 100 employees who worked at the testing grounds. They could eat there, relax after work, or even stay overnight if the weather was bad.
Today, the clubhouse is still used! It's now home to the park's Nature Center and offices. It's a great place to learn about nature.
The clubhouse was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1985. This means it's recognized as a very important historical site.
The Giant Tree Sign
In 1938, Studebaker planted 8,000 pine trees in a very clever way. They arranged the trees so that when you looked down from an airplane, they spelled out the word "STUDEBAKER"!
This "STUDEBAKER" tree planting is one of the biggest living advertisements in the world! It's also on the National Register of Historic Places.
In 2004, a big Christmas week ice storm badly damaged the trees. But don't worry, the sign is still there! In 2011, a special grant was given to help take care of the trees for a long time. Dead or sick trees were removed in 2013 and 2014. Then, in April 2015, volunteers planted new young trees to replace them. This helps keep the amazing "STUDEBAKER" sign alive for everyone to see!
