 Development began in 1916 with the formation of the Indianola Beach Land Company by W. L. Gazzam to promote real estate sales on the land owned by the Loughreys.A dock and a store were built as amenities to attract buyers; a second store, the Beachcomber, was built the next year.From the beginning, Indianola has been a vacation community, with its population inflating considerably in the summertime.