612 Lakeshore Dr  

Section 16 History 1835-1922

The next map which would of been the 1906 Sanborn fire map does not travel any further than the west side of State Street where the current fire station sits leaving us to draw to conculsions as to what sat in this are - but asssumption could be made that it was a part of the railroad property and the part or all of the grounds for the Colonade hotel.

By the 1908 map everything from what is State Street today - to the east edge end of the LakeHouse was one large lot labeled "5"

1908 - Appears to be empty lot

The next map which would of been the 1914 Sanborn fire map again does not travel any further than the west side of State Street where the current fire station sits leaving us still to draw to conculsions as to what sat in this are -

1922 - Appears to be empty lot - Finally in 1922 we have a map thay shows us that Lot 5 had been subdivided down over the years. and also that there seems to be a small building posiibly either on the lot that was formerly Hansen's or the Lakeview Tavern as there is a small open square on the very edge of the front of the lot besides building on the east end

1922

League of Historic American Theaters, states:

Culver
Lakeside Cinema /El Rancho Theatre
Built: 1922 Seats: 299

By the 1924 Sanborn map there is defintely a building it and is clearly labeled "Movies"

Theater being the 1st and it appears that they were built together as a unit and depicts probably what was the original faced of the buildings and was taken probably just shortly after it was erected.

A view from left to right - theatre; last Hansen's; Lakeview tavern; bowling alley; area of Coffee shop

Culver Theater - 1922 - 1929 Palace Theatre -1931-1934 Palm Theatre (refernce given to the Hayes Building ) - 1931-1940 1937 - Sanborn Map shows "movies" 610 Lakeshore Dr The 1937 - shows the same with a gas station to the west of the "Movies" building In 1924 no street/postal numbers were assigned on the Sanborn Map but on the 1937 map the street/postal numbers appeared. Many still did not use the street/postal numbers in their advertising etc. until the late 1950's they hung on to the reference in relation of location from the depot Theater as it was before the remodel and logs put on as a facing. From "See Yourself and Your Town in the Movies."; fi lm made by the Culver-Union Fire Department. 1940 Remodeled extensively inside and out and re-opened as the El Rancho Evert & Sadie Hoesel; John & Gwen Hoesel It appears that Evert tried to sell the theater selveral times only to end up back owning it by several articles found. 1946 - Aug 28 - Fire Damages El Rancho Theater Estimates Damage at About $20,000 . El Rancho Theater Evert & Sadie Hoesel; John & Gwen Hoesel 1984 - 2007 - Lakeside Cinema 2007,March- 2015,Apr - Hand-Sum Corporation / Uptown Cinema - Dan Bickel 2011 - 2015 - Closed for business The big screen has been dark at 612 Lakeshore Drive for around two years now, though reliable sources say the building is being purchased and will be put to use again, though exactly how much of that use will involve the showing of first-run movies is still unknown. - October 22, 2013 2008 - The Lake Maxinkuckee Film Festival was started in 2008 - Gift of Warmth is an annual event of Labor Day Weekend in the town of Culver, Indiana. While owned by Dan Bickle as Uptown Cinenma he held the Lake Maxinkuckee Film Festival here. Is also known as “A Gift of Warmth” Admission: Rather than traditional tickets, admission requires a donation of new or gently used winter clothing (such as coats, hats, and gloves) or cash. All proceeds benefit local charities and families to assist with heating bills. 2015,Apr.-2024,Apr. - Bobs Country Bunker LLC - Thomas Ruane & James Baltz, Manager and by research done who ever bought it it has some connection to the recently restored Vonnegut House on the East Shore By the newspaper article of 20 May 2015 - The local spoke person is Joel Samuelson, who was with the theater during its last years 2007-2012; 2012 being the last time regular films were shown. Its noted in the article the Smuelson will be in charge of cleaning up the building; making a listing of the needed repairs and renovations. Also its stressed that this will be a "work in progress" and the goal is to fix and put in working order before the doors are ever re-opened to the public. The marquee seems to sum it up: "We Will Meet Again" "Coming Soon" 2015 - Nov. 5 - Town Council also approved a request from Bob's Country Bunker LLC, which owns Culver's movie theater on Lake Shore Drive, for a utility easement along the west side of the property in order to run new water and sewer lines. 2016 - Aug 30 - Maxinkuckee Theatre Association Last year saw announcement that a new owner had purchased the theater, with local project coordinator Joel Samuelson navigating some of the steps needed to bring the theater back to life. Now a group of volunteers -- led by Samuelson and other members of the not-for-profit Maxinkuckee Theatre Association in collaboration with local preservation organization Culver-Union Twp. Heritage -- are partnering to continue that effor 2019 - The Art Lodge a prominent feature at the annual Lakefest bringing together local artists, authors, live music, and family activitie 2022 - June 2 - Unsafe building board voted to order the removal of the marquee because it was starting to turn down; the also ordered that that ticket booth be boarded up as there is damage to the windows and it appears entry gained into the facility. 2022, Aug 18 - Mind if we tease you? no promises, just taling possiblities.. chewin' the fat... 2024,June-2026,Apr. - BOBS COUNTRY BUNKER II LLC 2026 - Apr 21 - Maxinkuckee Performing Arts Theatre Foundation Inc., Kurt Henry Neubauer The Culver Theater - culvertheater. org MAXINKUCKEE PERFORMING ARTS THEATER FOUNDATION, INC. MISSION: The Maxinkuckee Performing Arts Theater Foundation has been established as an Indiana nonprofit with one mission: to reopen the beloved Culver Movie Theater. The Foundation is a certified 501(c)(3) organization, and all donations will be tax-deductible. Thanks to a generous gift from Tom Ruane’s estate, the nonprofit now owns the theater and we are launching its revitalization. While plans are still being finalized, our goal is to rebuild on the theater’s original site. The existing structure will be demolished and replaced with a modern, single-screen, multi-purpose venue. We intend to preserve the theater’s charm while maximizing the current footprint to include comfortable seating, accessible restrooms, and a welcoming concessions area. The exterior will align with the Vandalia Railroad theme of the nearby park and beach. The new theater will serve Culver residents, community schools, and Culver Academies. We’re already working with the Ron Rubin School for the Entrepreneur to create opportunities for student involvement during and after redevelopment. The theater will also be available at below-market rates for educational and cultural programming, in keeping with its nonprofit mission. LOCATION: 612 E. Lakeshore Dr., Culver, IN 46511 2026 - June 23 - Demolition of historic Culver Theater to pave way for rebuild News Home Marshall County Post /WTCA 106.1 By Kathy Bottorff After more than a century of memories and years of anticipation, the long-awaited transformation of the historic Culver movie theater is about to begin. Demolition of the existing structure is scheduled to start on Sunday, July 6 — the first tangible, visible step toward rebuilding one of the town's most cherished gathering places. The theater has stood in its current location since 1921, carrying multiple names and surviving numerous revivals across more than a hundred years. For generations of Culver residents, summer visitors, Academy students, and lake families, it has been far more than a place to catch a film. It has been a landmark, a rainy-day refuge, a summer-night tradition, and a building woven tightly into the memories of childhood, friendship, and time spent in Culver. The theater property is owned by the Maxinkuckee Performing Arts Theater Foundation (MPAT), an entirely volunteer-run, tax-exempt 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. The building was donated to MPAT by the estate of the previous owner, Tom Ruane, a Culver Military Academy alumnus from the Class of 1994. While the history of the 100-plus-year-old structure is deeply cherished, MPAT says the building itself must be replaced due to its deteriorating condition and inadequate size. Demolition will be carried out by Mulroy Demolition & Excavating, and the architect for the project is SRKM Architecture of Warsaw. At its core, the planned rebuild is about restoring a classic single-screen movie theater experience to the heart of Culver — the kind of simple, special night out that generations of families have known and loved. But MPAT is also planning for long-term sustainability, recognizing that a nonprofit theater must be able to serve the community year-round to remain viable. Earlier this year, MPAT commissioned a professional study to determine what the new facility should contain and how it could best be configured. Those conversations — which have included Culver town leadership, Marshall County tourism and economic development organizations, community institutions, and potential patrons — are ongoing. Early findings suggest the new facility may also include flexible space for performances, creative programming, active learning, community gatherings, and other arts-related uses alongside the primary cinema experience. "The goal is not simply to replace an old building," MPAT said. "It is to restore a piece of the town's memory, bring back a treasured movie-going tradition, and create a theater that can serve the community for the next hundred years." As a gift to the community, MPAT is offering the current theater seating to anyone who wants it — free of charge. During the first week of demolition, seats in good condition will be available at the site for the public to select and take. The seats are configured in groups of 1, 2, 3, and 5 and will require bolting to a sufficient base for stability. MPAT is continuing to seek community input and welcomes donations to help fund the rebuild. Tax-deductible contributions can be made through the theater's website at www.culvertheater.org, which includes a link to the theater's fund at the Marshall County Community Foundation. The site also carries the latest information on the project timeline and next steps. 2026 - Jun 23 - One last view of the inside of the theater 2026 - Jul 3 - Hey folks! My name is Zachary Gipson and I create safe spaces for people to create art in. I’ve been invited to help curate a space for everyone, right here in the town I live in. Culver Indiana! This old single screen movie house is getting destroyed over the next week or so in prep for a new facility to be built. The Maxinkuckee Performing Arts Theater Foundation (MPAT) is the group doing the work. Check out the website CulverTheater. org for information on what’s happing next, the history of this space, how to donate, and how to get involved. Taking the survey will help us stay organized. I’m proud of the work that has been done so far and I’m looking forward to making memories in the new space! Demolition Jul 6-9, 2026 2026 - Jul 9 TONER ADD W 30' E 140' OLOT 5 Today is Original Started as paper version Sept. 1990 web version started 2004 | All Rights Reserved