446 East Shore Drive - Culver Homestead
Section 15 History 1835-1922
1883 - Henry Harrison Culver
Henry H. Culver came to Culver in 1883 and retired to the 'Founder's Home' and also refered to
as the 'Founder's cabin they remodeled it andcalled it the 'Farmhouse' and began buying property
of the northeast side of the lake; first buying 98 acres [the Hissong farm] in the spring of 1883
[another source says 90 acres] and then 208 (Aubbeenaubbee Bay Farm] in 1884. By 1886 he
owned more than 300 acres, had constructed a handsome home - which they had named
"Homestead".
1886 Jun 12 - The frame of Mr. Culver 's cottage is up, and eight men are pushing the
work rapidly - Logansport Pharos Tribune
From a later account of the "Homestead" it is told:
He built a home near the "Founders cabin" of Mr. Thompson - this cabin was moved
in 1886 just a little was north of the resent residence so it co uld be built and called
it "Homestead". Some have claimed that H. H. Culver built the farmhouse in 1860
but this is impossible as he did not purchase land in this area until 1883 and 1884.
The mound in the front yard of the Culver home was known as Pare Mound. For
along time it was to believed to be the burial grounds for Cheif Aubbeenaubbee.
It is said to have been a pilot mound and was used by the Indians who were
canoeing on Lake Maxinkuckee to navigate by.
The Farm house was used by the superintendents as their residence before World
War II.
During the war it was used as a Tea Room and afterwards and currently
it is used as a guest house for the academies
From the 15th Annual Report to the Governor, 1886 Maxkinkuckee, W. H.
Thompson and S. E. Lee E.
On the north-east shore, Mr. A. [H.] H. Culver has two wells, each seventy two feet
deep, bored at points eighteen feet above the surface of the lake
The bores show the following strata:
Soil and yellow clay | 8 ft. |
Sand | ft. |
Blue clay | 38 ft. |
Sand and gravel | 12 ft. |
Total | 72 ft. |
These wells will flow to a height of thirty-one feet above the surface of the lake.
In the Culver Assembly Bulletin of July 1889 the Culver Farm and residence was described:
In 1883 H. H. Culver bought an old farm and home on the east side, and began to improve it.
Then the road ran alongside the lake and the house was on the bluff above the lake shore. He
removed it a few feet, and built a handsome cottage at a cost of $8,000, on the site. The road
was chaged to its present ine back of the cottage, and the lovely bluff site was improved until it
has been made one of the prettiest parks and summer seats in Indiana...the cottage and park
as seen from the middle of the lake.
A heavy stone wall has been constructed along the shore to retain the bank, and a romatic
"lover's walk" follows the lake line. On the knoll above the boat pier is the spot where it is
supposed, by old settlers, the Great and beloved Indian Chief Aubinaubee is buried. Mr.
Culver 's farm is well improved. He has now about 300 acres. On the farm in some very fine
stock - thorough bred cattle, sheep, hogs and horses. Culver Park adjoins, and was part of it
until set apart for park purposes....
The Whale's Jaw Bones.
...
At the boat peir in front of Mr. H. H. Culver's cottage on the east side is erected the real
jawbones of an Atlantice whale,...
Those bones were discovered in New Hampshire, by W. W. Culver , a few years ago as he
was driving through a village on the Atlantic coas. They had been taken from the head of an
immense whale, that was cast upon the shore by the tide, dead; and had been buried for
several months, that they might be handled; after which they were kept in salt water nearly a
year. The young man who preserved them had many offers for his prize, on from the
Smithsonian Institute. Several museums also tried to buy them.
Knowng what a rare curiosity they would be in the west, Mr. Culver made an offer for them
with a view of placing them at Maxinkuckee.
After considerable correspondence, and at great cost, they were secured by H. H. Culver , and
placed in theri present position. They weigh more than a ton, and were difficult to handle.
The freight and expense of removal was enormous, but nothing compared to the original cost.
They are rare and valuable specimens of the jaw bones of great fish of the ocean. At the base
there bones are three and one-half feet in circumference. As they stand over the boat entrance
ther are fifteen feet and eight inches in height...
At some point, the jawbones were moved to the Woodcraft Camp, where
they adorned the area outside the camp museum cabin for some years. They were still there
into the 1940s, though the removal of chips of bone here and there as camp souvenirs
through the years finally led to the demise of the old relics, which are believed to have fallen
into such ruin that they were discarded sometime in the 1950s. |
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The water wheel, obtained from the of the old Academy Homestead continues to run
as it has for years, making it was moved down the road to the Bigley / Riossa store
(
1352 E Shore)
1909 - October -
Emily J. (Hand)
Culver [Mrs. Henry Harrison] m. Horace Bell- and for time was refered to as Culver-Bell or
Bell-Culver Cottage
Also known as Aubbeenaubee Park
1922 |
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1931/2 - ownership was transfered from the Culver family to the newly created Culver
Educational Foundation
Below are pictures of the Homestead - yet another has stated the originial Culver farm house
was moved to
301
North Shore Lane. Yet the original farmhouse AKA "Homestead still stands in its original
loation here on East Shore Drive.
Here are views view of the Culver Homestead property on the East Shore. They show views
from the lake; looking over the lake, that view is looking North from the cottage to now what
is the boat ramp area of the academy grounds and main campus.
A very early photo as it looked from standing on the Golf course area the back side of the barn
that was located on the edge of the golf course and also the wagon trail the would be assumed
between the Homestead and the Culver Military campus area.
Below are some of the Culver family at the homstead and on the lake.
Below is the Little Nicholas Baseball team of St. Louis in 1895 at the lake front of the cottage and other
entertaining and family photos.
Library |
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This is the lake front strip of the J. Hissong property H. H. Culver bought it contains 18A and this includes the Culver
Boat House. - N 1169.5FT S 1549.5 FT LOT 3 & R W RD |
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1931/2- present - Culver Educational Foundation |
1958 Lake Directory - 480 Culver-Bell Cottage