Maxinkuckee School House, 1908 - 18473 Queen Rd.

From the "Maxinkuckee Village Preservation" (PDF) by Kurt West: The first school in the township was located in an area roughly in section 11, about a mile north of the village. Likely the first village school was located on the east side of Queen Road, about 1000’ north of 18B Road, in about 1853. This school building was located on what would become the Parker farm and may be the building shown in the 1880 engraving of the farm shown in this document (with cupola, relocated to the farm site by Parker).

Old Frame School Pre 1908 - 16513 18th B Rd.

From the "Maxinkuckee Village Preservation" by Kurt West: What was likely the second school is the building that became the Wooley House on 18B Road, first constructed about 1875. The building may have served dual purposes as both a church and school since two congregations had formed in the village prior to the construction of the Christian Church in 1888. That church later became home to the Maxinkuckee Methodist congregation.

1908 - 19 Nov. - Notice

Sale of the Old Maxinkuckee School House and Grounds

On Saturday, November twenty-first (21st) the shool property belonging to the school District No. 6. situated at Maxinkuckee, Union township, Marshall county, Indiana consisting of a one-story frame building and a plat of ground described as follows:
Commencing at the north east corner of the south west quarter of section twenty-three (23), township 32 north, of range 1 east, thence souhty ten (10) rods, thence west sixteen (16) rods, thence north ten (10) rods, thence east to the place of beginning, containing one acre
will be sold to the highest bidder for Cash.

The right to reject any or all bids is reserved. - Frank M. Parker, Trustee.

After the new school was built down on the corner of Queen Rd. and 18th B the village wood frame school house was converted into a home and over the years and had been added onto, remodeled or even torn down and another rebuilt in the schools place.

1908 - June 18 - A New School House

Pans have been drown and bids have been invited for a new bbrick school house at Maxinkuckee to replace the present frame building

It will be 28x14 and will contain two rooms each 22x14. A 10x20 hall and cloak rooms will form a projection in front

A belfry will surmount the roof. - Citizen

1908 - Plat of Maxinkuckee Villiage actually shows the school within the village.

1908- July 16 - School House Contract

The letting of the contract for th Maxinkuckee school house was postponed from Saturaday to Monday when the following bids were opened:

M R Cline		$	3200
Lee Easterday			27900
James Wilson			2569
Fred Thompson			2569



The contracte was let to Thompson

1908 - Jun 30 - Maxinkuckee School House - John Gill has the contract for the new brick school building at Maxinkuckee, having been given that job by the contractor, Fred Thompson - Plymouth Chtinicle.

1908 - Jul 23 - The contract for the new school building at Maxinkuckee has been let to Fred Thompsn for $2,559 - Argos Reflector

1908 - Aug. 27 - Lawrence Gill and family return to South Bend today. Mr. Gill has finished his brick contract on the new Maxinkuckee school house. His family have been here the past week with Mrs. Gill's sister, Mrs. O A Gandy.

1908 - Sep 24 - The Maxinkuckee school house is not ready for school use, but is expected that the structure will be completed within a couple of weeks

1908 Brick School

1908 - October 29 - Maxinkuckee School House

A model Country School Building on the East Side

The new school building at Maxinkuckee has been in seesion the past three weeks.

The view in connection with this sketch will serve to show the taxpayers and people interested what has recently been done in the way of erecting a first-class school building at a very moderate cost to the people of Union township.

A beautiful location war secured on the corner lot of what is known as the Bigley farm. Tradition has it that the building stands on the exact spot where the wigwam of the old chief Neeswaugee and the Maxinkuckee tribe of Indians once occupied as their principal home or tenting grounds.

However that may be, the location, overlooking the valley southward and the waters of Maxinkuckee on the west, is an ideal spot for such a building.

The sturcture is a solid brick building faced with red pressed brick, with ten large windows facing south, and divided into two main school rooms, each getting an equal amount of light

The contract for the building was let about the middle of July to Fred Thompson who lives near the grounds and who, while not being limited as to the time when the building was to be finished, put forth every effort, and only sixty days was consumed from start to finish.

Therefore the patrons should appreciate the interest manifested for the welfare of their children to have the school occupying the rooms before cold weather has come.

The size of the building over all is 44x34, with a 14-foot story, finished with clear yellow pine varnished.

How careful and proud should the children who attend school therein be not to mar or scratch the clean new seats, white plastering or casings.

With Mr. Thornburg and Miss Wiseman as the teachers it is believed everything will be kept in the best of order and the property will be well cared for.

The township advisory board and trustee Parker should be complimented for their effort in establishing one more up-to-date school building in Union towsnhip.

A photo of the horse drawn school bus for the Maxinkuckee village school, taken in 1909 or 1910. The school building still stands at the corner of 18B and Queen Roads on the northern corner of the Bigley orchard and farm property. Ira Mattix, according to the caption here, was the driver.

1914 - Sep 17 - County Teachers appointd... Maxinkuckee School - Enda Woolridge

1915 Dec 9 - District School Honor Roll - Maxinkuckee School - Richard Wooley, Frank South, Irene South, Louis Beck, Florence South, Clarence Ginther, Harry Beck, Hervey Bartlett, Ruby Carlisle, Cleo Pontius, Lefa Andrews, Mildred Bartlett, Ruth Benedict, Ethel Mutchel, Clifford Vermillon, Catherine Wooley, Josephine Bigley Ada Fletcher, Alice Ginther, Louise South, Portia Ginther, Victor Benedict, Dorothy Fletcher, Lucille Wooley, Ferris Zechiel, Alferd Vermillion. Percent of attendance, 99.2. R. L. Easterday, Teacher.

1916 - Jan 13 - District School Honor Roll - Maxinkuckee School - Ledger Pontius, Frank South, Irene South, Elsie Woolley, Florence South, Clarence Ginther, Encoh Andrews, Harry Beck, Hervey Bartlett, Cleo Pnitus, Mildred Bartlett, Ruth Bendicit, Hazel Mutchel, Clifford Vermillion, Ada Fletcher, Victor Bendict, Louise South, Ferris Zechiel, Alfred Vermillion. R. L. Easterday, Teacher.

1916 - Sep 7 - Mrs. Marmon has a force of men at work improving the Maxinkuckee school ground

1916 - Nov. 2 - The Maxinkuckee School

One of the most attractive school grounds of this part of the country is the one at Maxinkuckee.

The front lawn has been terraced off and sown to grass. A substantial lawn fence surrounds the entire lot. A wide cement walk leads from the front entrance of the building to each of the two roads. Several concrete benches have been built near the walks. Tree and shrubs have bee set out and in a few years will add materially to the beauty of the place.

The lot at the side and back of the school house has been equipped for a playground. One large "giant slide", a teeter-board and horizontal bars help to make the play hour of the children one that is of some real worth to them.

We are told that Mrs. Elizabeth C. Marmon is the good angel who has effected this fine transformation and in doing so has again proved her interest in the community which has on other occasions enjored the benefit of her generosity.

1918 - Feb 6 - The Maxinkuckee school had been closed due to the prevalence of smallpox

1922 Plat of Maxinkuckee Village shows that the original school property was sold to G D & Ida Wooley by 1922

1931 - Mar 18 - Teacher Faced Empty Room

On two days of last week Miss Barr, teacher at Maxinkuckee school had the unsual experieince of arriving at the school all ready to teach the rudiments of grade school lore, but there were no scholars to teach. The snow kept all from getting to school

1931 - Aug. 5 - The list of teachesd for Union township follows... Maxinkuckee: Abbie Burwell

Miss Margaret Barr, who taught the Maxinkuckee school last year, has been elected to a postion in the Plymouth city schools. Miss Abbie Burwell, of Bourbon, has been chosen to fill this vacancy. Miss Burwell is a graduate of Indiana Central College of Indianapolis and comes highly recommended.

1934 - Aug. 23 - Shingle Roof Fire At Maxinkuckee School

The children of the Maxinkuckee school were sadly disappointed Monday afternoon when the fire at the school house did no more damage tha burn a hole in the roof, giving them no opportunity for a prolonged vacation.

The fire stated when sparks fell on the wooden shingles as the building was being cleaned for the opening of school next week.

1936 - Aug 5 - Maxinkuckee School Ordered Closed by State

The Maxinkuckee school building, one of the landmarks of the township, has been condemned by the state and the school ordered closed by the State Department of Public Instruction.

This means the pupils of that vicinity will attend the Culver schools and will be transported by bus, as are most of the children of the township.

Last year 15 pupils were enrolled in the shool with a daily average of attendance only slightly above the figure that makes it mandatory on the trustee to close the school.

To establish the new bus route, the advisory board is calling for bids in this issue, to be opened on August 17. The successful bidder will furnsih the chasees and the township the body.

Sometime afer 1936 when it closed as by picture it seems the bell tower windows have been bricked shut

Maxinkuckee School Built 30 Years Ago, Sold to John Bigley

Many a fond memory will be revived by the countless number who attended the Maxinkuckee school when the read that the building and grounfs had been sold, thus definitely ending its day as a seat of learning.

The building and gorunds were sold to the highest bidder, John Bigley for $505, the shool having been closed a few years aso when the attendaence dropped below the state requirement.

It is understood that Mr. Bigley, whose orchards agjoin the school propert, will use the structure for a storage house for fruit.

It is rather a coincident that exactly 30 years ago bids were opened for the erection of the Maxinkuckee schoolhouse, with the the award going to Fred Thompson for $2,569. - Citizen - 12 Jul 1938

Maxinkuckee School today. Built in 1908. It closed in 1936. At the corner of 18B and Queen Road on what was a part of "Bigley's Orchard" and owned for years by them. The property is now is now owned by another

2001 -2002 May - David H. Bigley

2002, May - 2018, Feb - John W. Bickel

2018, May - 2024 Joseph B. Elder and Linda A Witton