Land of Fun: The Story of an Old-Fashioned Amusement Park for the Ages

Good stories are about people, and Penn State alumnus Chris Lindsley (’87 Journ) knows that.

Lindsley also knows how to tell a story, and he proves that with his book that focuses on Funland — the timeless amusement park in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.

In “Land of Fun: The Story of an Old-Fashioned Amusement Park for the Ages,” Lindsley tells the story of Funland, its 90-year-old co-founder — Al Fasnacht, also a Penn State alumnus — and the four generations of his family who have created a summer beach institution based on valuing customer experience over profits.

Lindsley’s 143-page paperback book also includes 16 personal stories from people who share what makes the amusement park special to them.

The book — part history, part memoir — represents a labor of love for Lindsley, who spent six summers in high school and college working at Funland. He earned his journalism degree from Penn State in 1987 and, like more than 300,000 other people each summer, continues to visit Funland with his family.

Funland has been owned and operated by Fasnacht — who earned his degree from Penn State in commerce and finance in 1950 — and his family since 1962. It’s one of fewer than 25 seaside amusement parks still active in the United States, down significantly from 1,500 in the 1920s.

So as the park provides a familyfriendly, throwback experience for visitors, Lindsley provides an inside look at what that means and why it continues to happen. In the process, it evokes a feeling as well as many tangible impacts for those who have visited or worked at Funland.

The book also addressees the impact of a 2015 national TV appearance on the park and shares how another Penn State alumnus — graphic designer Brian Allen (’04 Ad/PR) — has left his mark on Funland.