Beyer, along with his brothers, owned a wholesale dairy business in nearby Warsaw, Indiana, and were attracted to the 160-acre tract because of the many artesian springs that could provide a means of natural refrigeration.

[2][3] The Beyer Brothers had additional plans for their property, however, and they founded Spring Fountain Park as a summer resort and Chautauqua site.

The first program included a keynote lecture from John Heyl Vincent, a co-founder of the original Chautauqua Institution in western New York.

[2] The grounds changed ownership in 1894 when The Presbyterian Church of Indiana purchased the land, a transaction that was negotiated by Solomon C. Dickey.

As the fuller Chautauqua-type programming declined, the Bible and prophecy conferences remained strong and became the hall-mark of Winona Lake.

These gatherings also reflected a turn toward fundamentalism and dispensational premillennialism, though Winona Lake remained a central hub for a wide variety of evangelical leaders and activities.