Sarah Miller remembers going to Spring Haven Park as a child and playing games, using the pool and miniature golfing.

After closing for several years, Spring Haven Park was bought out and renamed Lincoln Springs Resort.

As an adult, Miller continues to go almost every day, but this time, she works as the marketing and public relations coordinator.

“I used to come when I was little, it’s good to be back involved with it now,” she said. “We have a small staff, so I help out with a little bit of everything.”

Lincoln Springs Resort plans to close the most popular attraction, the Halloween-decorated outdoor 18-hole miniature golf course at the end of October, but it will stay open if people still want to play and the weather is nice, Miller said.

“It’s more difficult from the other ones around because we incorporate the agriculture with the course like water features and rock formations,” she said.

The Stovepipe Grill and Smokehouse restaurant opened yesterday, offering a variety of barbequed foods, including smoked ribs, pulled pork, brisket, chicken and more.

“A lot of people are excited about the restaurant opening,” Miller said. “It’s the only one around that serves barbeque foods like these.”

Lincoln Springs Resort is also known for having the world’s largest Abraham Lincoln statue, which will be the focal point of Abe’s Garden and the Lincoln Visitors’ Center.

The statue was created in 1978 with 20,000 pounds of steel/fiberglass, and with many touching up operations, the statue remains near the resort.

“Coles County has a long history with Lincoln, so we wanted another historic aspect,” Miller said.

Double-decker bus and trolley tours, a computer game center, hayrides and peacocks are currently part of the resort, however, new attractions will be available next summer around May.

For instance, primitive campgrounds, furnished cabins, a swimming pool, two water slides, a bumper boat pond, go karts, lake activities, fishing and more.

“Once we have obtained the necessary permits from the Illinois Department of Health, we will begin work on the campgrounds and cabins, as well as the water attractions,” said David Kirsch, Chief Operations Officer of Lincoln Springs Resort. “With the variety of activities, everyone should find an activity that is of interest to him or her. Each added venue will give you one more reason to come to LSR, one more reason to stay longer and one more reason to share your experience with your family, friends and colleagues.”

Once the new attractions are completed, the resort will stay open year round offering events, concerts, competitions and more for the public.

“Our vision is to develop a recreational resource which will attract visitors from around the nation and around the world as well as benefit our area communities,” Kirsch said. “The resort will provide an additional reason for visitors to local Lincoln historical sites to extend their stay.”

Jaimie Duvall, recreation attendant, started working at Lincoln Springs Resort when it opened last May.

She mainly works in the office getting customers set up for using the activities.

Duvall said she enjoys her job because of the friendly atmosphere and is always learning something original about the activities.

“It’s cool to be a part of something that’s brand new,” she said. “We have a lot of new attractions coming, and we get to learn about something different all the time.”

Although Duvall said customers have only made positive comments about the course, the resort’s location is a concern.

“It can sometimes be difficult to find the place, especially when it’s dark,” she said.

Cassie Eischeid, Lincoln Springs’ recreation attendant, found out about the resort when a friend helped her get a job there.

“I really enjoy it here,” said Eischeid. “The people are nice and the people who work here are really nice.”

Eischeid said she works on the weekends as the hayride tour guide, informing people about Lincoln Springs Resort’s property and the upcoming activities.

“As soon as all of the attractions are in, we’ll have a lot to offer,” she said. “We’re completely different and there’s nothing else around that could compare.”

Eischeid said getting the new attractions set up and in order is sometimes difficult.

“There’s so many ideas of what we can do, but it really sizes down to what we need vs. what we want,” she said.

Another change at Lincoln Springs Resort is an expansion of staff.

“One recreation attendant isn’t really going to work when all the new stuff comes in,” Eischeid said. “It takes a person who has a good attitude and good people skills to work here. My motto is, ‘I leave my problems at the door,’ because nobody else around here knows what is going on in your world and they don’t need to know.”

Lincoln Springs Resort

Open Sunday through Thursday noon to 10 p.m.

Friday and Saturday noon to Midnight

345-3424

three miles East of Charleston on Route 16

Bracelet day

October 27

$10 adults, $8 kids 12 years old and under

Includes unlimited mini-golf, the Game Nexus, kids arts and crafts

Hayrides

Location completely around the resort

Lasts about an hour

Fridays 5-9 p.m. and Saturdays 1-9 p.m.

$6 adults, $4 kids 12 years old and under

Haunted history trolley tours

Last about 90 minutes

The tour goes to different locations throughout the county like haunted bridges, cemeteries, Pemberton dormotory, Ashmore Estates and more.

7 p.m. and 9 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays

(24 advanced reservations required)

$15 adults, $8 kids 12 and under

Pumpkin carving and costume contests

October 27

2p.m. to p.m.