Notes for Sauzer S Article

Notes for sauzer’s article: Date : Mon, 20 Jan 2003 12:31:20 EST Reply - To: "Monon Railroad Historical & Technical Society discussion group." Sender : "Monon Railroad Historical & Technical Society discussion group." From: [email protected] Subjec t : Kiddieland Content - Type: multipart/alternative;

I was talking to a former employee of Sauzer's Kiddieland in Schererville, at the intersection of US30 and US41 about the Miniature Train Company brand trains there. I was trying to recall the train sets when he told me there were seven sets. I remembered four. These trains were build in the fifties in Rennselaer. Here is the hook. The last set running was MONON. Anybody have a picture? I was kidding with him about buying a set with my future lottery winnings and running the around the depot, but he says that the Monon set was sold about 1988 to a private individual. From what I can tell, MTC painted trains for any railroad. Usually for a road that was near the amusement park. I have seen Kansas City Southern, Missouri Pacific, and the other big guys. Santa Fe, and Southern Pacific being the most common. B&O, Illinois central and Burlington also done. But a Monon set, well, the quest is on!

Monon Route 24, Kevin Heggi, Division Manager--Chicago, Indianapolis and Louisville Railroad--Maynard Junction Date : Mon, 20 Jan 2003 17:35:14 -0500 Reply - To: "Monon Railroad Historical & Technical Society discussion group." Sender : "Monon Railroad Historical & Technical Society discussion group." From: Tom Kepshire Subjec t : Re: Kiddieland Comments : To: "Monon Railroad Historical & Technical Society discussion group." Content - Type: multipart/alternative;

I remember Kiddieland. The one I remember best was the Southern Pacific train. The Monon one was the very last, as I recall. Kiddieland was a great place back in the 60's and even into the early 70's. I always wanted to own one of the trains and half-heartedly attempted to inquire what they wanted for one when they closed the place. Another interesting ride was a kiddie boat ride. The water always looked and smelled like it was the park's sewer plant. My sister once lost a change purse in the water and nobody had the guts, park employees included, to go reaching in to try and retrieve it. Ah, more fond memories. Remember when the Mays store was the place to shop, besides the Village and Sears in Gary. http://listserv.indiana.edu/cgi-bin/wa? A2=ind0301&L=monon&F=&S=&P=8537

Date : Mon, 20 Jan 2003 17:31:48 EST Reply - To: "Monon Railroad Historical & Technical Society discussion group." Sender : "Monon Railroad Historical & Technical Society discussion group." From: [email protected] Subjec t : Re: Kiddieland Content - Type: multipart/alternative;

Yeah, I remember Mays. If you are in the area, stop by the Walmart on 30 &41, they have a bunch of pictures of Kiddieland. Here's the updated list of trains, UP, SP, ATSF, IC, CB&Q, Monon, and Maybe GN.

Monon Route 24, Kevin Heggi, Division Manager--Chicago, Indianapolis and Louisville Railroad--Maynard Junction http://listserv.indiana.edu/cgi-bin/wa? A2=ind0301&L=monon&F=&S=&P=8629

393 - M.C. Illions $20,900 From Sauzer's Kiddieland, Schereville, Indiana. This circa 1900-1909 restored outer row jeweled stander in trappings of blue, gold and silver displays an Illions favorite theme, a cheerful winged cherub on its breast in deep relief, and an eagle emerging from behind its saddle. 56 long x 56 high. QuickTime™ and a TIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor are needed to see this picture.

http://www.mycarousel.com/pages/393-Illions.htm

Carved circa 1910 by M. C. Illions and Sons of Coney Island. Dramatic King of Beasts last rode the carousel at Sauzer's Kiddieland, Schereville, Indiana. There are only a few known examples of Illions menagerie figures, and this fierce roaring lion, with its head forward and mouth wide open is very different from the better known, upright pose used by most of the other carvers, although the rest of the body, well-carved full mane, and trappings are more traditional. Restored by Steve Crescenze. Small stress crack on right rear foot.

QuickTime™ and a TIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor are needed to see this picture. QuickTime™ and a TIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor are needed to see this picture.

http://www.americanaantiques.net/page65.html Sauzer's Kiddieland memories will live on. By KURT WEISS Article from The Times May 24, 1996

SCHERERVILLE - Two haggard wooden sentries still smile as they guard the entrance to what was once a favorite summer fun spot in the Tri-Town area. Two full generations of residents grew up either asking or hearing the plea "Can we go to Kiddieland?" on a regular basis since 1950 when Frank Sauzer built the amusement park on the southern section of a 90-acre park he owned just west of the corner of U.S. 30 and U.S. 41.

During its heyday, the park boasted 19 rides and nine picnic shelters that played host to innumerable corporate parties, wedding receptions, church outings and school field trips. But rising taxes coupled with development in the area forced Sauzer to close the park in 1993. The entire 90 acres is for sale. Sauzer's Waffle Shop, formerly located on the northeast corner of the two highways, was also once a mainstay for morning business breakfasts and afternoon coffee clatches from 1941 until it closed in 1990 to allow for the development of Wal-Mart and other stores that now occupy the site. When Frank Sauzer died last year, ownership of property from both enterprises went to his sister and children.

Though memories of both places will have to suffice, Kiddieland and Waffle Shop mavens will have an opportunity next week to buy pieces of their old haunts when the Sauzers conduct a public auction on the Kiddieland grounds. Cooke's Auction Service of Hebron will handle auctioneering duties for the event scheduled from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 31, and from 9 a.m. until everything is sold, on June 1. Kiddieland Secretary Carol Leep said amusement park rides and the soldier entrance figures are scheduled to be auctioned at 1 p.m. May 31. Leep said that while many of the old rides already are gone, some remain, including the Big Eli Ferris wheel, the Mad Mouse roller coaster, and the carousel. "They're all functional," Leep said. “The carousel has 30 horses of different sizes, and three chariots. Two animals, a horse and a goat, from the carousel, will be sold separately. They were hand-carved by the Illion family in the early 1900s and are collectors items. The other animals will be put back on the carousel one last time at the auction." Other items to be auctioned May 31 include restaurant equipment, office supplies and miscellaneous park items such as cotton candy and snow cone machines. Memorabilia, including post cards, T-shirts, flags, signs and stuffed animals, will be auctioned June 1, Leep said, along with hundreds of tools, maintenance items and vehicles. "You feel really bad because you know it's progress - having a mall - but it's part of your childhood," she said. "The little kids growing up will never know it was here, but there'll be a lot of memories for a lot of people." QuickTime™ and a TIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor are needed to see this picture.

QuickTime™ and a TIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor are needed to see this picture.

http://www.lakenetnwi.net/doyouremember.htm photos courtesy of the calumet regional archives

RCDB Info: Demographics

Address: US 30 & Route 41 Schererville, IN 46375 USA Status: Operated from ? to 1990s

Notes: Closed in the early 1990s.

Past Roller Coasters: 3

Galaxi SDC Picture Steel Sit Down 1990-1995

Mad Mouse – Herschell People aren’t sure Steel Sit Down

Roller Coaster – Little Dipper Herschell Steel Sit Down Drive & Shine Carwash Gets Zoning Approval Posted on: 05/23/2001

SCHERERVILLE, Ind. -- The Schererville Board of Zoning Appeals gave a favorable recommendation for a proposed carwash and detailing center on a former Kiddieland property during its meeting Monday night.

Developers of Drive & Shine Inc. are seeking a special exception to put a 13,000-square- foot building in what will soon be known as Fountain Park, on the northwest corner of U.S. 41 and 67th Avenue. The business will employ between 20 and 40 people and replicate the look of the three other Drive & Shines in the South Bend-Mishawaka area.

The measure will now go before the Town Council.

Source: The Times Online http://www.moderncarcare.com/hotnews/15h23101029.html Where have you gone, Joe DiMaggio? Probably the way of penny

By LU ANN FRANKLIN

http://oas.lee.net/RealMedia/ads/click_lx.ads/nwitimes.townnews.com/features/inside/23 044433/Middle/TNIadmin/FeaturesInside_Alsips_07.08.04/Alsips2_336x280.gif/643831 63663432363366663865343530

In a gentler era - before "theme parks" the size of small cities, inhabited by characters named Goofy, Bugs and Boo-Boo - there were kiddielands.

Sitting on just a couple of acres at best, these pint-sized amusement parks featured carousels, boat and car rides and choo-choo trains designed just for kids under age 10. Parents didn't need to take out a loan so the youngsters could enjoy an afternoon or evening of fun there, either.

Amusement parks certainly weren't a new phenomenon when most kiddielands began appearing after World War II.

G.W.G. Ferris invented the Ferris wheel in the 1890s just for the amusement park crowd. Coney Island-style parks such as Chicago's "White City" date back to that same era. Riverview, located on Chicago's North Side at Belmont and

Western, catered to generations of thrill-seekers from 1904 to 1967.

But kiddielands were different. Most of them were called just that -

Kiddieland. Almost everything in them was Lilliputian. Only toddlers, preschoolers and those in the early primary grades fit on the majority of rides.

Most kiddielands were located out in the prairies or amid farm land. Getting there was sometimes half the adventure. So was parking.

Baby boomers, who were their primary customers, remember kiddielands fondly.

"That kiddie roller coaster (at Sauzer's Kiddieland) seemed so big when I was little. I was afraid to go on it," one Indiana woman said. "When I take my kids there now, it looks so tiny. I'm still not big on roller coasters, so their father has to go on it with them."

"This kiddieland I went to had a boat ride, and the water was the most unusual shade of green," one Illinois man said reminiscing. "I don't know if they dyed it or if they just put it in there in April and never touched it again. You didn't even want to think about putting your hand in that water."

Memories are about all that's left of the kiddielands that once dotted

Northwest Indiana and Chicago's south suburbs. Only Sauzer's Kiddieland in

Schererville still operates.

Whatever happened to this small slice of Americana?

A number of events contributed to the demise of kiddielands. Baby boomers grew up and out of kiddieland-size rides.

As the birthrate declined in the 1960s, so did the number of kiddieland customers. At the same time economic development surged.

The land occupied by kiddielands became valuable in the 1960s and 70s. The carousel and choo-choo train gave way to the shopping center. Records of now-defunct kiddielands, their attractions and their life spans are rare. Most information about them exists only in the remembrances of those who enjoyed them while they lasted.

A trip down memory lane includes visits to:

* Kiddieland, 95th Street and Pulaski Avenue in Oak Lawn, Ill.

This 1-acre amusement park sat in the middle of the Illinois prairie, according to Rose Sranceschini, public relations assistant at the Oak Lawn

Public Library.

Although it was "not a main draw," Kiddieland was popular, she noted.

The main entrance was on 95th Street and featured an archway with the park's name spelled out in different colored letters.

Another entrance could be found along the south fence. But there were no roads to it. If you wanted to come in that entrance, you had to drive and park on farm land.

The rides Sranceschini remembers include a small Ferris wheel, a miniature roller coaster, a floating boat ride, a train that ran around the park's perimeter and a car track.

The battery-operated cars weren't attached to a rail, she said, but were confined to a narrow track. "You couldn't go over 2 miles per hour," she said.

This family-owned and operated Kiddieland was open usually from Memorial Day through Labor Day, Sranceschini said.

No accurate record could be found concerning Kiddieland's closure. One former patron thought the park closed in the early 1970s. Sranceschini thought

Kiddieland was gone by 1967. Today, a Venture store sits on the site.

* Merriland, once located on the south side of Indianapolis Boulevard in the

Robertsdale section of Hammond, near the Lever Bros. plant.

Although a number of area residents remembered going to this kiddieland, information about it is scarce. Katherine Thegze, a librarian at the Hammond

Public Library, and Betty Gehrke, a founder of the Whiting/Robertsdale

Historical Society, shared their memories of the amusement park.

A tiny kiddieland, Merriland was operated by Jim Glenn, a brother-in- law of Phil Smidt, of local restaurant fame.

The park was located on land next to the original Phil Smidt Restaurant, which burned down in the 1940s, Thegze said.

It existed at that site for only about 10 years, Gehrke noted, from the mid- or late 1940s to the late 1950s.

Merriland offered "little rides for little kids," Thegze said, including a carousel, airplane ride, little boats and one ride that featured cars, fire engines and motorcycles.

The park was popular with area residents and Chicagoans. Today Lever employees park their cars there.

* Kiddieland, 61st Avenue and Broadway in Merrillville.

This little amusement park sat amid huge oak trees, one former patron said.

"It was all wooded," she said. “There was one tree there that was supposed to be the oldest in Lake County."

Here kids could enjoy such attractions as a merry-go-round, a plane ride and live pony rides.

When this park was popular, Broadway was "wide open space. Everybody liked (the kiddieland) there," said Bertha Mohler of the Ross Township Historical

Society. "That was until they got sewers."

With the sewers came development, and Kiddieland gave way to the Crossroads

Shopping Center.

Exactly when the park closed is a vague memory. Mohler said the park was moved from that site to one just north of U.S. 30 along Mississippi Street.

"It was a bad move," she said. “It didn't succeed there, and it folded."

* Sauzer's Kiddieland Amusement Park, U.S. 41 and U.S. 30, Schererville.

A rare breed, Sauzer's is one of the few that continue to operate in the

1990s. Established in 1950, this kiddieland is still run by the Sauzer family.

Generations of Calumet area children have enjoyed the park's caged Ferris wheel, the boat and swan rides, the carousel, the helicopters, the miniature train and, of course, the small roller coaster.

The Sauzers also added rides for bigger kids and adults, including a large Ferris wheel, a Tilt-A-Whirl, bumper cars and a stories-high roller coaster.

Some of the fondest memories are those of attractions no longer part of the park.

"They used to have pony rides there," one former patron said. "They were little Shetland ponies, and their saddles were attached to a pole, like the spoke of a wheel. Parents used to walk along beside the pony while their kids rode."

Another woman recalled the paddle boats, which only recently were removed from the park.

"I got out in the middle of the lagoon there and just couldn't make that paddle boat go back to the dock," she said laughing. "Someone had to wade in and help me."

These rides and others went the way of the glass milk bottle, which one area resident said had a special relationship with Sauzer's Kiddieland.

"We used to have Bowman milk delivered to the house, in glass bottles. You could save the paper lids out of those bottles, take them to Sauzer's

Kiddieland and get some kind of discount on tickets," she said.

Sauzer's opens its 41st season the weekend of May 18. The park will be open weekends until the first week of June, then six days a week through the second week of September. It is closed Mondays.

A new train joins the rides at Sauzer's. The C.P. Huntington is "an old

Western-style train with a cow catcher, big wheels and diamond stack," Frank

Sauzer said. The train will make its debut about July 4.

A stocked fishing pond is also being developed, and Sauzer said he hopes to have that available for kiddie angling this summer. http://nwitimes.com/articles/1991/05/13/export92760.txt auzer agrees to sell Schererville land. Kiddieland site

By SARA MARSH

By: SARA MARSH

SCHERERVILLE - After more than 40 years, Sauzer's Kiddieland Amusement Park may soon be nothing more than a fond memory for area residents.

According to Frank Sauzer, Jr., president of Sauzer's Corp., the Sauzer family has signed an agreement with Told Development Co., of Oak Brook, Ill., to sell about 52.3 acres of property, including the 15 acres Kiddieland occupies, for an undisclosed price.

Kurt Krall, vice president of retail for Told, said last week that the company plans to develop a 530,000-square- foot strip mall on the property, which covers much of the northwest corner of the intersection of U.S. 30 and

U.S. 41.

However, both Sauzer and Krall stressed that the deal is not yet final.

"We're under a contract with contingencies," Krall said. "We're in the process of getting the zoning."

The deal to purchase Kiddieland and the surrounding property hinges on whether town officials will agree to change the zoning on part of the property,

Krall said. While the land that Kiddieland occupies is currently zoned commercial, the surrounding property is zoned open space, said Steve Kil, acting town administrator.

Without zoning changes, the deal could fall through.

However, Krall said he was confident that Told and the town would be able to work together to solve any problems that might arise.

Kil, who had one preliminary meeting with representatives from Told three weeks ago to discuss the project, said he warned them to be prepared to answer questions about the impact their project will have on traffic and drainage in the community.

"They had better come up with a very, very good traffic plan if they want that development to take place," Kil said.

Krall said plans for the project address both the traffic and drainage situations.

"We think we've addressed the problem, and we think that there are answers to any of the problems," he said.

Preliminary plans for the project call for the "power center" to be made up of 10 to 15 stores, ranging from apparel stores to home improvement ones.

Krall, however, refused to discuss what stores could be moving into the strip mall, but he did say space for the stores would range from 20,000 square feet to 120,000 square feet.

"We're still talking, and I'm not at liberty to tell you exactly who they are," Krall said.

Instead of being anchored by one or two major stores, Krall said the strip mall would be anchored by several main stores.

"I think each one can be a draw in and of itself," he said.

Plans call for the mall to have two entrances - one off of U.S. 30 and one off of U.S. 41. The strip mall would run parallel to U.S. 41, with a portion of the mall behind the stores that are already on the northwest corner of the intersection of U.S. 30 and U.S. 41, plans show.

Some separate buildings, such as restaurants and service stations, also are included in the design, according to preliminary plans.

If the project is approved, the Crossroads Shopping Center, which is located across the street on the northeast corner of the intersection of U.S. 30 and

U.S. 41, will look small in comparison. The Crossroads Shopping Center is built on 35 acres of land and measures about 285,000 square feet. The Told venture will be almost twice as large.

For many area residents, the closing of Kiddieland would represent the close of an era.

Kiddieland was opened in 1950 by the late Frank Sauzer, Sr., who wanted to provide a recreation area where people could relax and enjoy country life. When the park opened, it contained a carousel, a miniature train, a merry- go-round and even a few farm animals. Since that time, some rides for adults have been added.

Over the years, many amusement parks similar to Kiddieland have come and gone, but what made Sauzer's venture unique was its staying power. Forty-three years later, Kiddieland is still open for business six days a week, from May to

September.

"There have been a lot of people who've gone through the park over the years," Sauzer said.

The park never kept exact figures on the number of visitors, but many of those people have returned over the years to bring their children and grandchildren to the park, he said.

And despite the changes that have taken place through the years - changes that took Schererville from a sleepy little town to a booming suburban center -

Sauzer said he never had a good offer for the property until Told started making inquiries in May.

"We more or less have told the community that we weren't interested in doing anything up until this point," Sauzer said.

But the situation changed.

"There are better uses for the property," Sauzer said. "You get to a point where ... it's hard for a seasonal business to maintain a parcel this large."

Sauzer said his children and relatives weren't interested in running the park, so he decided to take advantage of Told's offer.

"Since my children and my relatives aren't interested in what's going on here, then I have to move on to another option," Sauzer said.

Told, which has its corporate offices in Minneapolis, has developed a number of properties in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, as well as in a number of other areas throughout the country, including in Illinois. The company develops retail, business and industrial properties, Krall said.

According to a number of business publications, Told has a reputation for maintaining high occupancy levels in the properties it develops. In 1990, the company was awarded the Developer of the Year award by the National Association of Industrial and Office Parks

"We're a well-established, well-financed company that has the ability to go forward on this." Krall said. One of the reasons the company is interested in the Sauzer family property is because of its location, Krall said.

"Several of the anchors tenents that we're talking to discussed this area as an area they want to locate in," he said.

The property has access to a major interchange, is close to Illinois and is in a high-growth area - all of which are important factors, Krall said.

According to Krall, Told expects to take another six months to complete engineering plans for the project. And the company should have a better idea of the stores that will be involved with the project within the next 60 to 90 days, he said.

The company also must go through a couple more meetings with town staffers before presenting the project to the Plan Commission, Kil said.

As for Kiddieland, Sauzer said he is not sure what he will be doing with the park's equipment or when it will be moved. Much of that will depend on the situation with the zoning variance, he said. However, Sauzer does not want people to think that he is retiring, he said.

The window of opportunity presented itself and now, he said, he is ready to move on to other projects. http://nwitimes.com/articles/1993/08/29/export133562.txt Sauzer's won't be opening.

By SARA MARSH

SCHERERVILLE - For the first time in 44 years, Sauzer's Kiddieland Amusement

Park will not open during the Memorial Day weekend.

In fact, the park will not open at all this year, company officials said

Tuesday.

"The park is still for sale on a contingency basis with Told Development," said Carol Leep, secretary to Frank Sauzer Jr. Sauzer, president of Sauzer's Corp., announced last summer that the Sauzer family had signed an agreement with Told Development Co. of Oak Brook, Ill., to sell for an undisclosed price about 52.3 acres of the property, including the

15 acres that Kiddieland occupies.

Kiddieland is just west of the intersection of U.S. 30 and U.S. 41.

Kurt Krall, retail vice president for Told, had said the company planned to develop a 530,000-square- foot strip mall on the property.

Preliminary plans called for the mall to be made up of 10 to 15 stores, ranging from apparel to home improvement stores. The stores would range from

20,000 to 120,000 square feet in size.

The deal hinged on whether town officials would change the zoning on part of the property.

While the land that Kiddieland occupies is zoned commercial, the surrounding property is zoned open space and in some places industrial, said Edmund

Malinowski, town planning and building administrator.

For the mall to be built, all the land must be zoned commercial, he said. Told representatives have met with town staffers only once about the project and that meeting was last year, said Town Administrator Stephen Kil.

At the time, Kil warned that town officials would take a hard look at the impact the project would have on traffic and drainage.

Last year, company officials said their plans for the property would address both concerns.

Since that meeting, Kil said he has not seen any hard plans for the proposed mall or met with any of the company's representatives.

However, he noted that for a project as large as the one Told would like to build, it often takes years to get detailed plans developed.

If the project is approved, the Crossroads Shopping Center, which is located on the northeast corner of the intersection of U.S. 30 and U.S. 41, will look small in comparison.

That shopping center is built on 35 acres of land and measures about 285,000 square feet.

While Told representatives have not shown any new plans to town officials,

Sauzer met with Malinowski last week to get some questions answered, Malinowski said.

Sauzer is listed on the agenda for the Plan Commission's study session scheduled for 7 tonight at the town hall.

Malinowski said he suggested that Sauzer attend so he could discuss any questions he has about the project with the commission.

On Tuesday, though, Leep said Sauzer might ask to be removed from the agenda because his questions about the zoning may have been answered by Malinoswki.

Krall, who is handling the project for Told, could not be reached for comment Tuesday. A company secretary said he was out of town and no one else could comment on the state of the project.

Leep has said that the contingency contract with Told is good through August.

After Kiddieland closed last fall, much of the equipment was put in storage,

Leep said.

Now rides like the ferris wheel and the roller coaster are little more than metal frames, stripped of their colorful parts.

Sauzer has not decided whether to sell the equipment, Leep said, adding that his decision could rest on the outcome of the project. May 18, 1994

August 8, 1990 Kiddieland amusement park gets mixed reviews.

By DEANNA CSOMO

SCHERERVILLE - Fond childhood memories of Sauzer's Kiddieland soured for some adults recently when they took their children to the amusement park, but

Frank Sauzer Jr. says he's always done his best to serve the public.

"Actually, the park is in better shape now than it had been," he said. "We have a blacktop lot now; we have flushing toilets - some things other parks like this one don't have."

Lana Zajac, of Schererville, said she often visited Kiddieland as a child and had good memories of the establishment. She said, however, her visit to the park June 1 was not a pleasant one.

She claimed many of the rides were in disrepair. A worker allegedly asked

Zajac if she was a smoker so he could "bum a smoke," and Zajac said the manager didn't offer any apologies when she complained.

"I found the establishment filthy to the point I would not sit down," she said. "I'm sorry to see the fall of such a wonderful childhood memory."

Sauzer denied allegations that his establishment was "in disrepair," pointing to workers planting flowers near Kiddieland's entrance and to the freshly painted metal domes over some of the rides. He said he did experience problems with the front manager and has since replaced the worker.

"Our policy has always been that if the person isn't satisfied, we refund a portion of their tickets," Sauzer said. "The problem I sometimes have is that everyone is only being hired for the summer, but we're working to improve our service."

The park has been state-inspected every year since 1987, when Indiana law required all amusement parks meet certain safety requirements, Sauzer said. But he said he always required workers to make daily safety checks of the rides before the manager could open the park for the day.

Thomas Catalano, director of fire and building codes for the Indiana

Building Commissioner's office, confirmed that Kiddieland was a safe establishment.

"We found that the owner is very cooperative. He shows us all his inspections, and everything has always turned up positive," he said.

Sauzer said the bulk of complaints come from parents who want their children to ride attractions the children don't meet requirements for. For instance, a child may be too short for a ride, putting the child in danger.

"Some parents even go so far to say they'll sign a statement taking total responsibility if there is an accident, but we don't want to deal with that," he said.

Sauzer said he currently is studying to become an amusement park inspector.

He won't, however, be allowed inspect his own establishment. Sauzer's Kiddieland memories will live on.

By KURT WEISS

For more information on the auction, call 865-8160.

SCHERERVILLE - Two haggard wooden sentries still smile as they guard the entrance to what was once a favorite summer fun spot in the Tri- Town area.

Two full generations of residents grew up either asking or hearing the plea

"Can we go to Kiddieland?" on a regular basis since 1950 when Frank Sauzer built the amusement park on the southern section of a 90-acre park he owned just west of the corner of U.S. 30 and U.S. 41.

During its heyday, the park boasted 19 rides and nine picnic shelters that played host to innumerable corporate parties, wedding receptions, church outings and school field trips. But rising taxes coupled with development in the area forced Sauzer to close the park in 1993. The entire 90 acres is for sale.

Sauzer's Waffle Shop, formerly located on the northeast corner of the two highways, was also once a mainstay for morning business breakfasts and afternoon coffee clatches from 1941 until it closed in 1990 to allow for the development of Wal-Mart and other stores that now occupy the site. When Frank

Sauzer died last year, ownership of property from both enterprises went to his sister and children.

Though memories of both places will have to suffice, Kiddieland and Waffle Shop mavens will have an opportunity next week to buy pieces of their old haunts when the Sauzers conduct a public auction on the Kiddieland grounds.

Cooke's Auction Service of Hebron will handle auctioneering duties for the event scheduled from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 31, and from 9 a.m. until everything is sold, on June 1.

Kiddieland Secretary Carol Leep said amusement park rides and the soldier entrance figures are scheduled to be auctioned at 1 p.m. May 31. Leep said that while many of the old rides already are gone, some remain, including the Big

Eli Ferris wheel, the Mad Mouse roller coaster, and the carousel.

"They're all functional," Leep said. “The carousel has 30 horses of different sizes, and three chariots. Two animals, a horse and a goat, from the carousel, will be sold separately. They were hand-carved by the Illion family in the early 1900s and are collectors items. The other animals will be put back on the carousel one last time at the auction."

Other items to be auctioned May 31 include restaurant equipment, office supplies and miscellaneous park items such as cotton candy and snow cone machines. Memorabilia, including post cards, T-shirts, flags, signs and stuffed animals, will be auctioned June 1, Leep said, along with hundreds of tools, maintenance items and vehicles.

"You feel really bad because you know it's progress - having a mall - but it's part of your childhood," she said. "The little kids growing up will never know it was here, but there'll be a lot of memories for a lot of people." Popular S'ville Kiddieland had humble start.

By DEANNA CSOMO

SCHERERVILLE - Ponies, goats and chickens once inhabited the place where the Galaxy now stands. an amusement park at the intersection of U.S. 30 and 41, he envisioned a recreation area where people could relax and enjoy things from the country.

In 1950, Kiddieland opened with a carousel, a miniature train, a merry-go-round - and yes, even a few farm animals. Today, Frank Sauzer Jr., the president of Sauzer's Corp., continues his father's dream.

"When I was a sophomore in high school, my father asked me what I wanted to do with the rest of my life," Sauzer said. "And I said I wanted to work in the same business he was in. I like working with people and seeing them have fun."

Now boasting 18 rides, Kiddieland has a small roller coaster, the Galaxy, which was bought from Italy. Bumper cars, paddleboats, a "Tilt-A- Whirl," and several “kiddie” rides take the place of the farm animals.

The younger Sauzer worked at the park on cleanup duty when he was 12 and was promoted to manager after his father died from a heart attack in 1962.

"The best thing you can do with a business like this is to keep it in the family," he said. "I don't know if my son would be interested - he's working with the family right now - but if not, we have a very good supporting staff to take care of things."

Other attempts at building amusement parks began in the 1950s, but only

Kiddieland and one in Melrose Park, Ill., remain. Sauzer said most of the parks are built in the East or the Midwest.

"I was surprised when I looked at the number of amusement parks with over three rides - there are only 130 in the whole country," Sauzer said. "There aren't hardly any in the West, because the population is too spread out."

Sauzer said he attributes Kiddieland's 40 years of success to the total management.

"A lot of parks were bought out by other people because of increased property taxes," he said. "We only had to raise our prices a little bit."

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Back to top | Return to homepage Last day for Kiddieland? If deal works out, Sauzer's park

By KIM BARKER

SCHERERVILLE - Stew probably wouldn't describe his job as a very difficult one.

After all, he just presses an on-and-off button for the merry-go-round at

Sauzer's Kiddieland Amusement Park. And, he added, he makes sure "the kids don't kill themselves."

But after Sunday, Stew might never again push the button that makes the ride's music play and its 50 horses move up, down and around.

"The place ain't gonna be here next year, and that's kind of sad," said

Stew, who didn't want his last name used. "The old people especially will tell you, 'Where am I gonna bring my kids, or my grandkids?'"

Frank Sauzer, president of Sauzer's Corp., has signed an agreement with Told

Development Co. of Oak Brook, Ill., to sell about 52.3 acres of property.

This includes the 15 acres housing Kiddieland's 18 rides, the toy soldiers guarding the park's gate and the park's pond.

Told's plans call for the park and the land, which cover most of the northwest corner of the intersection of U.S. 30 and U.S. 41, to be turned into a 530,000-square- foot strip mall.

If the agreement goes through, Sunday marked the last day the merry-go-round would play its music.

"If that would be the case, I've enjoyed working with the public over the years," Sauzer said as he watched children ride the merry-go-round.

But if the contract falls through, Sunday only marked the end of this year's season. Regardless, the rides will be packed up for storage, Sauzer said.

"We won't know anything until next April," he said.

On Sunday, the First Baptist Church of Hammond's bus ministry rented the amusement park and bused in almost 1,000 children. The church brings children to the park several times a year.

"It's really blessed the hearts of thousands of people," said Angelo

Davenport, a bus captain who's taken children to the park for the past eight years. "It's convenient, it's close.

"It's something needed in this area. If it was up to me, I'd expand it."

The children tended to agree with Davenport. But they didn't really care about convenience - they cared about the bumper cars, the roller coaster and the Tilt-A-Whirl.

"I've been here five times, and I don't want this to close," said Lawanda

Miller, 14. "All the rides are fun - especially the bumper cars."

Chris Strobbe said he also liked the bumper cars. As a member of the

Kiddieland crew for the past six years, he's operated all the rides except the

Galaxy and the Ferris wheel.

"I like running the bumper cars," he said. "They're pretty nice because you get to play with people." But Ed Sanner, who's worked at the park for more than three years, preferred the Spider.

"The day flies by," said Sanner, who ran the Spider on Sunday. "It's a cool ride. People get sick on it. ... I got three today. The record's eight, but that wasn't me."

Sauzer said the rides are monitored to ensure safety.

When Sauzer's father opened the park in 1950, it contained a carousel, a miniature train and several farm animals.

Rides have been added since then, but the train is still one of Sauzer's favorite rides.

And even though Sunday might have been the last day of the park, Sauzer knows it won't be forgotten.

"Of course, if a shopping mall does come, it will be filled with the echoes of children," he said. S'ville Sauzer's Kiddieland owner dead at 52. By KIM STEELE

SCHERERVILLE - It couldn't have been more fitting that the final pieces of the Galaxy Roller Coaster at Sauzer's Kiddieland came down a day after its owner died.

Frank J. Sauzer Jr., 52, of Schererville, died Sunday. Mr. Sauzer became owner of the park, located at the corner of U.S. 30 and 41, after his father,

Frank Sauzer Sr., died from a heart attack in 1962. The large roller coaster, which came down Monday, was the younger Sauzer's pride and joy.

"That was his piece of equipment," said Art Schweitzer, who had known Mr.

Sauzer for years. "He grew up with it. When I saw him last month, they were just beginning to tear it down. His last comment to me was that it broke his heart to see the equipment being dismantled and leaving the property."

Kiddieland was opened by Frank Sauzer Sr. in 1950 with a carousel, a miniature train, a merry-go-round and even a few farm animals. Later, bumper cars, paddle boats, a "Tilt-A-Whirl" and several children's rides were added.

The Galaxy, featuring layers of loops, was bought from Italy and set up in the

1970s.

The amusement park was built across the street from Sauzer's Waffle Shop, which was started by the family in 1941. The waffle shop, which Frank Sauzer

Jr. also took over after his father died, was demolished in 1990. The amusement park where the younger Sauzer worked on cleanup duty when he was 12 years old was closed in 1994.

Schweitzer said Mr. Sauzer was very conscientious about the amusement park, and made sure all the rides were safe for the children. As electrical inspector for the town, Schweitzer was often called upon to inspect rides at

Sauzer's Kiddieland. Schweitzer remembers when he first checked out the Galaxy equipment for Mr. Sauzer.

"It was made to Italian specifications, and we didn't allow the lights on it to be connected because theirs was an ungrounded system and ours is grounded,"

Schweitzer said. "Frank never connected them. And when the park started to close at night, he was glad I had red-tagged the roller coaster because it saved him a lot of money."

Besides his business ventures, Mr. Sauzer was a member of St. Michael's

Church, the Schererville Chamber of Commerce, the International Association of

Amusement Parks and Attractions, Borderline Boots Country Western Dance Club and Salmon Unlimited. He was a member of the Schererville Town Council from

1980-83.

Mr. Sauzer is survived by his wife, Jane; three children, Frank III, Robert and Jennifer, and sister, Carol Lohse. He was preceded in death by his parents,

Frank and Edna Sauzer. Funeral services are at 10:50 a.m. Wednesday at Fagen- Miller Funeral Home, 2828 Highway Ave., Highland. An 11:30 a.m. funeral

Mass follows at St. Michael Church, Schererville, with the Rev. Patrick

Connolly officiating. Sentimental bidders make offers on Kiddieland.

By KURT WEISS

SCHERERVILLE - It seemed like old times as the rickety Ferris wheel turned swiftly through a cloudless sky and painted horses bobbed up and down on the spinning carousel.

But rather than jolly calliope music, the sound blaring through the loudspeakers on Friday was the rapid-fire voice of professional auctioneer Bill Cooke calling for bids at an auction conducted by the Sauzer family to sell off thousands of items from Kiddieland and the Waffle Shop, popular establishments at U.S. 30 and U.S. 41 for two generations before they both closed a few years ago.

"I hear 45, now 50, 45, now 50, 50, 50," Cooked hawked as eager participants raised their cards to bid on the tall wooden sentries who once kept watch over the Kiddieland grounds.

The auction, which started early Friday morning and continues today until all items are sold, drew hundreds of people from throughout the area. Some came for deals on practical items such as tools, office supplies and restaurant equipment. Others just wanted to take home a memory or two from their childhoods.

"My cousin Candace and I rode our bikes here and our boyfriends worked here so we did not have to pay for rides," said Crown Point resident Sue Kozlowski.

"When I was little my dad was terrified of the ponies but he took me on the pony ride anyway. But then he got so scared he abandoned me and the pony. It was wonderful, but then here comes a shopping center."

The 30 colorful carousel horses, perhaps the hottest items of the day, went for an average of $600 each. However, a stipulation of the auction stated that a single bidder could capture the entire carousel ride for 15 percent over the total of all bids on individual carousel items. After a lengthy delay, Cooke took the microphone and said that the amount totaled more than $28,000. He asked once for a bid and, hearing none, congratulated the cheering crowd.

Of the large rides for sale, the Big Eli Ferris Wheel set off a short but spirited bidding war and was finally wrangled in for $7,500 by Dennis Miller, owner of D.C. Country Junction in Lowell. Miller said he will move the ride to

D.C.'s so folks can ride it again.

Highland resident Gail Zandstra walked away with one of the biggest steals of the day when she paid $4 for the Waffle Shop's original Mix- Master. "It was special because it had a handwritten note by Frank Sauzer Senior on it that said 'Do not sell - first waffle from Waffle Shop made with this,'" she said. "It didn't seem like anyone wanted it, and I'm very sentimental."

Many other bidders followed Cooke's auction crew around the grassy picnic areas to pick up deals on everything from wheelbarrows and picnic tables to lawn ornaments and trash barrels. The life-sized fiberglass animals, including an elephant, rhinoceros, hippopotamus and steer, drew hefty sums ranging from

$1,500 to $3,700.

Craig Crohan, who lives in the Shorewood Forest subdivision of Valparaiso, paid $3,000 for the hippo and said he knew exactly what he would do with it.

"I'm going to stick it in the lake and hook water to it so when boats come by he'll squirt them with water," he said Plans unveiled for Kiddieland site Movie theater, BMW dealership, car wash and townhomes slated. ADVERTISEMENT

SCHERERVILLE -- The 90-acre parcel that once contained Sauzer's Kiddieland is well on its way to becoming a commercial development, with four businesses having already signed up for occupancy, developer John Teibel said this week.

Future occupants include a car wash, a BMW dealership, a multi- screen movie theater and a townhome developer.

One of them, Drive & Shine Inc. of South Bend, cleared its first hurdle this week before the Board of Zoning Appeals, receiving a favorable recommendation on its special exception request.

The 13,000-square- foot, landscaped car wash and detailing center is typical of the higher-quality business Teibel is seeking for what will be known as Fountain Park, he said.

Peter Levin Pontiac BMW of East Chicago is relocating its BMW line to Schererville, and Kerasotes Theater, which already operates Showplace 16 on Deer Creek Drive, will open a second theater at the site. An office development is also planned, as well as common sign for the park and three lakes, he said. The actual site of the long-closed amusement park is still unspoken for.

R.M. Teibel & Associates plans to extend 67th Street, to be renamed Park Place, until it connects with Eagle Ridge Drive. Eagle Ridge will then be extended until it reaches U.S. 30, giving Fountain Park entrances on both major thoroughfares.

The former Kiddieland property had long lain vacant, with the town nixing proposals by other developers until Teibel's plans came along.

The company succeeded where others failed because it had more of a full package plan, rather than a piecemeal design for different parts of the property, Teibel said.

The town also worries about continued gridlock at the U.S. 30-41 intersection, one of the busiest in the state.

"There doesn't have to be a Wal-Mart at the site," Teibel said.

The uses planned thus far, including the movie theater with its mostly evening traffic, will have a much less significant impact on traffic gridlock. Popular waffle shop to call it quits.

By TRACY MAPLE

http://oas.lee.net/RealMedia/ads/click_lx.ads/nwitimes.townnews.com/features/inside/23 044433/Middle/TNIadmin/FeaturesInside_Alsips_07.08.04/Alsips2_336x280.gif/643831 63663432363366663865343530 SCHERERVILLE - Sauzer's Waffle Shop, a haven for families, truckers and police officers, will close its doors in September.

New developments near the intersection of U.S. 30 and 41 prompted an amiable parting of ways between the Sauzer and Teibel families, who cooperated to run the waffle shop for nearly 50 years.

The restaurant started in 1943 with a handshake between Marty Teibel and

Frank Sauzer Sr., according to Richard Teibel, a partner in the restaurant.

"Many, many years ago, before World War II, my father built the building for them, and Frank started the waffle business," Teibel said. "Then Frank got drafted. We closed it for two years, and when he came back, it opened."

When Frank Sauzer Sr. died, Frank Sauzer Jr. took over on the same handshake.

Teibel and Sauzer agreed about a month ago that the restaurant will close and the property will be used for other development, Teibel said. Teibel and his partners, who also are Teibels, own the corner property and the building.

Changes and improvements are in store for the corner where Sauzer's now stands because of the development of Crossroads Shopping Center behind the waffle shop and Amoco station.

"Everything needs a facelift on that corner," Teibel said. "We would renovate with the same tenants or with new tenants. In discussing this with

Frank, he decided he'd spend more time with Kiddieland.

"He's been a good tenant," Teibel said. “I think the parting is a good situation for both us."

Sauzer was offered a lot in the three acres that will be rebuilt and developed, but didn't take it.

"There comes a point in life where you decide to make changes. I think right now (Frank's) life has changed," Teibel said.

Sauzer could not be reached for comment.

The restaurant is scheduled to close Sept. 3, and Sauzer will have several weeks to remove the equipment he wants to keep. Restaurant employees were told of the agreement and many expected it, said an employee who wished to remain anonymous.

The employee said there aren't hard feelings between Sauzer and Teibel, but some employees were hit hard by the news. "There are some people who've worked here for 25 years."

No developers for the corner have been selected, but offers have been made,

Teibel said. Sauzer agrees to sell Schererville land. Kiddieland site

By SARA MARSH

By: SARA MARSH

SCHERERVILLE - After more than 40 years, Sauzer's Kiddieland Amusement Park may soon be nothing more than a fond memory for area residents.

According to Frank Sauzer, Jr., president of Sauzer's Corp., the Sauzer family has signed an agreement with Told Development Co., of Oak Brook, Ill., to sell about 52.3 acres of property, including the 15 acres Kiddieland occupies, for an undisclosed price.

Kurt Krall, vice president of retail for Told, said last week that the company plans to develop a 530,000-square- foot strip mall on the property, which covers much of the northwest corner of the intersection of U.S. 30 and

U.S. 41.

However, both Sauzer and Krall stressed that the deal is not yet final.

"We're under a contract with contingencies," Krall said. "We're in the process of getting the zoning."

The deal to purchase Kiddieland and the surrounding property hinges on whether town officials will agree to change the zoning on part of the property,

Krall said. While the land that Kiddieland occupies is currently zoned commercial, the surrounding property is zoned open space, said Steve Kil, acting town administrator.

Without zoning changes, the deal could fall through.

However, Krall said he was confident that Told and the town would be able to work together to solve any problems that might arise.

Kil, who had one preliminary meeting with representatives from Told three weeks ago to discuss the project, said he warned them to be prepared to answer questions about the impact their project will have on traffic and drainage in the community.

"They had better come up with a very, very good traffic plan if they want that development to take place," Kil said.

Krall said plans for the project address both the traffic and drainage situations.

"We think we've addressed the problem, and we think that there are answers to any of the problems," he said.

Preliminary plans for the project call for the "power center" to be made up of 10 to 15 stores, ranging from apparel stores to home improvement ones. Krall, however, refused to discuss what stores could be moving into the strip mall, but he did say space for the stores would range from 20,000 square feet to 120,000 square feet.

"We're still talking, and I'm not at liberty to tell you exactly who they are," Krall said.

Instead of being anchored by one or two major stores, Krall said the strip mall would be anchored by several main stores.

"I think each one can be a draw in and of itself," he said.

Plans call for the mall to have two entrances - one off of U.S. 30 and one off of U.S. 41. The strip mall would run parallel to U.S. 41, with a portion of the mall behind the stores that are already on the northwest corner of the intersection of U.S. 30 and U.S. 41, plans show.

Some separate buildings, such as restaurants and service stations, also are included in the design, according to preliminary plans.

If the project is approved, the Crossroads Shopping Center, which is located across the street on the northeast corner of the intersection of U.S. 30 and U.S. 41, will look small in comparison. The Crossroads Shopping Center is built on 35 acres of land and measures about 285,000 square feet. The Told venture will be almost twice as large.

For many area residents, the closing of Kiddieland would represent the close of an era.

Kiddieland was opened in 1950 by the late Frank Sauzer, Sr., who wanted to provide a recreation area where people could relax and enjoy country life. When the park opened, it contained a carousel, a miniature train, a merry- go-round and even a few farm animals. Since that time, some rides for adults have been added.

Over the years, many amusement parks similar to Kiddieland have come and gone, but what made Sauzer's venture unique was its staying power. Forty-three years later, Kiddieland is still open for business six days a week, from May to

September.

"There have been a lot of people who've gone through the park over the years," Sauzer said.

The park never kept exact figures on the number of visitors, but many of those people have returned over the years to bring their children and grandchildren to the park, he said.

And despite the changes that have taken place through the years - changes that took Schererville from a sleepy little town to a booming suburban center -

Sauzer said he never had a good offer for the property until Told started making inquiries in May.

"We more or less have told the community that we weren't interested in doing anything up until this point," Sauzer said.

But the situation changed.

"There are better uses for the property," Sauzer said. "You get to a point where ... it's hard for a seasonal business to maintain a parcel this large."

Sauzer said his children and relatives weren't interested in running the park, so he decided to take advantage of Told's offer. "Since my children and my relatives aren't interested in what's going on here, then I have to move on to another option," Sauzer said.

Told, which has its corporate offices in Minneapolis, has developed a number of properties in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, as well as in a number of other areas throughout the country, including in Illinois. The company develops retail, business and industrial properties, Krall said.

According to a number of business publications, Told has a reputation for maintaining high occupancy levels in the properties it develops. In 1990, the company was awarded the Developer of the Year award by the National Association of Industrial and Office Parks

"We're a well-established, well-financed company that has the ability to go forward on this." Krall said.

One of the reasons the company is interested in the Sauzer family property is because of its location, Krall said.

"Several of the anchors tenents that we're talking to discussed this area as an area they want to locate in," he said.

The property has access to a major interchange, is close to Illinois and is in a high-growth area - all of which are important factors, Krall said.

According to Krall, Told expects to take another six months to complete engineering plans for the project. And the company should have a better idea of the stores that will be involved with the project within the next 60 to 90 days, he said.

The company also must go through a couple more meetings with town staffers before presenting the project to the Plan Commission, Kil said.

As for Kiddieland, Sauzer said he is not sure what he will be doing with the park's equipment or when it will be moved. Much of that will depend on the situation with the zoning variance, he said.

However, Sauzer does not want people to think that he is retiring, he said.

The window of opportunity presented itself and now, he said, he is ready to move on to other projects. http://nwitimes.com/articles/1993/08/29/export133562.eml http://nwitimes.com/articles/ 1993/08/29/export133562.prt http://nwitimes.com/site_pages/archives.php

Back to top | Return to homep Sauzer's a temporary lane for U.S. 30 and 41.

By TRACY MAPLE

SCHERERVILLE - The orange cones and flashing lights in the parking lot of the former Sauzer's Waffle Shop aren't part of an obstacle course; they're a temporary lane for traffic.

Cars on westbound U.S. 30 waiting to turn right onto northbound U.S. 41 took a short cut through Sauzer's lot Tuesday as Schererville's public works crews worked on water line connections at the intersection. Crews and equipment need to work in the right turn lane of westbound U.S. 30 as they search for existing water lines and install new 16-inch pipes. To avoid traffic backups along westbound U.S. 30, a lane through the lot of the now-closed restaurant was set up, said Joseph Hlad, project inspector on new projects for Schererville.

The detouring has been "absolutely fantastic," Hlad said. "We didn't have problem one."

The lane through the parking lot won't be needed each day crews are at the corner, but it will be used again, probably in the evening later this week.

When the water connection is made, it will be done at night because some existing lines need to be shut off, and those lines affect businesses on the four corners, he said.

Crews began digging Tuesday as part of a project to boost the town's water pressure with bigger, newer pipe. Previous work has been done along Joliet and

Anna streets, Risch Drive and Junction and Kennedy avenues. Workers went in blind Tuesday as they dug at the corner of U.S. 30 and U.S.

"We went in there to locate existing lines because there are no drawings to tell us what's down there," Hlad said. "Very fortunately, we didn't hit any water lines that are activated."

Work at the intersection should be finished early next week, and after flushing the pipes and testing water samples is done, the water line project is complete.

The $1.5 million water line improvements are part of an 18-month improvement project to Schererville's water and sewer system. A new water storage tank, pump station and expansion of the wastewater treatment plant also are part of the overall project, estimated at $13 million to $14 million, Assistant Town

Manager Richard Krame said.