662 [636] [682] S. Shore Dr. - Stevens-Savage Boat House & Culver Boat House

This has also been given as 600 or 636 South Shore Drive given and earlier as

Stevens-Savage Boat House

1922 - Jun 8 - The Culver Fire Department was called in the Stevens boat hous at the south end of Lake Maxinkuckee Friday afternoon when a large motor boatcaught fire. The fire had been extinghushed whe the fire truck arrived

Not much has been found on the business references to it has been made to it in regards to picinics and reunions as such:

1935 - Sep 4 - The annual Stevens family reunion took place at the Stevens and Savage boat house at the south end of the Lake.

193_ -1947 - Stevens-Savage Boat House - Roscoe Stevens & Charles Savage 1935 - Jul 3 - Sailing Dinghy Exhibit - Ricke a Sail and Boat Manufactuing Company of Angola Indiana, will exhibit one International Sailing Dinghy Made by the above company at the Stevens and Savage Boat House, and will also have on at the Maxinkuckee Landing for demonstration, on Saturday and SUnday, July 13th and 14th. All intrested in sailing are incited to look these boats over and take a ride. - Mr. Dayton E. Ricke will be in charge.

1947 - Jan 15 - Buys Interest In Boat House - Donald Behmer has purchased of Roscoe Stevens his interest in the Sevens-Savage Boat House at the south end of the lake

1947 - Jun 11 - Seek Road Improvement

Seventeen property owners along the south end of Lake Maxinkuckee have petitioned the county commissioners to improve the dirt road past their properstieds.

The Signers of the petition are:


Edwin J. Carlson Emily H Carlson Harry E. Medbourn DOnald Behmer W. H. Hopkins O. B. Hatten

ANdy Coldwater, F. N. Overmyer Glen WIlson Lero Wilson R. J. Harrison WM. W. Rankin

Franklyn Kinkade Helen V. Kinkade Geo. F. Brigel Lillian B . Brigel and Martha J. Roberts

Culver Boat House/Culver Boat Boat Service / Behmer Boat House

1947-1952 Don Behmer - Culver Boat House/Culver Boat Boat Service (Lake Rd.; PH:256-J2)

1947 - April 9 - Purchased Boat House

Donald Behmer has purchased the Savage share of the boat house on South Shore Road. He had bought the Stevens interest in the boat house some time ago and this purchase makes him the complete owner of the business

1948 - July 7 - Mrs. Ruth Behmer Lennen announces the opening of a grocery store on South Lake. Shore Road at the Culver Boat Service

Chauncey Lennen who was from Anderson Indiana married in 1947 Ruth Behmer a sister to Donald Indpendence Behmer and were children of Clarence D. and Gertrude Agnes "Trudy" Wiseman.

Ruth attended DePauw University and taught music at Morris, Illinois. She joined the Chautaiqua and traveled throughout the United Sates, Canada and Mexico. Ruth was an accomplished violinist, vocol soloist and pianist. For several years she was a member of Bill Taber's jazz band. One of her prime enjoyments was to enterain fellow members of a retirement circle while spending winters in Flordia. They later resided in the Behmer family home on Lakeshore Dr. & Academy (across from the LakeShore Clinic & NIPSCO substation. Ruth also spent many long and arduos hours with the music department of the Methodist Church - 1989 History of Marshall County.

Culver Boat Company

1953 - sep 23 - The Culver Boat Service, operated by Don Behmer for the past eight years, is now operated on a year-round basis by O. D. Campbell and his son, J. E. Campbell, under the firm's new name of Culver Boat Company.

takes pride in announcing the acquistion of the Culver Boat Service formerly owned and operated by Don Behmer.

We will continue to offer the finest in workmanship, repairs and service of boats and motors

As a part of out inital expansion program we have acquired a direct factory dealership for a complete line of Johnson Motors and will continue to handle Chris-Craft and Lymoan inboard and outboard boats.

O. D. Campbell
J. E. Campbell

Culver Boat Company Begins Business Here
Culver extends a hearty welcom e to another enterprising new business firm - the Culver Boat Company, which will be operated on a year-round basis by O. D. Campbell and his son J. E. Campbell.

The father and son combination has acquired the Culver Boat service conducted by Don Behmer for the past eight years, making a slight change in name.

For 20 years the Campbells have specialized in sales, storage, and repairs under the name of Campbell Boat Livery at Rome City, Ind.

The new Culver Boat Company holds factory dealerships for the sale of Johnson Motors as well as Chris-Craft and Lyman boats.

Chance Lennon and Jay Rich employees of Don Behmer, will continue with the new firm. Mr. Behmer has no plans for the immediate future.

The senior Campbells have rented the Olive Shilling home while Mr. and Mrs. J. E. Campbell and their son David 15 months have rented the Gottschalk cottage

J. E. Campbell, at the age of 26 has already won fame as a hydroplane racer, participating in races here last summer and two years ago. Last Sunday he was first in Class B at South Bend and also walked off with a handsom trophy as high point man in Class B.

In the Citizen Issue of 24 Sept. 1954 is found: The Culver Boat Company 636 South Shore Drive has under construction a fine new two-story 26 by 120' fireproof building for watercraft storage purposes. The old building on the site was razed to make room for the new. O. D. Campbell and his son Jack say an additional 40 boats may be stored because of the new building.

NOTE The name changed to - Culver Boat Service (1953-75). finally becoming ' Culver Marina



1958 Lake Directory - 682. Culver Boat Co./ (0. D. Campbell)

1964 - July 29 - Culver Boat Company Erects Large Display Building

The Culver Boat Company, 636 South Shore Drive, has just finished the construction of their large display room a n d office building. The new building, added to their complex of buildings, is an Armco Steel Building measuring 40 by 120 feet. Erected on a heavy concrete slab, the building is located on the lakeside of the company's operations and adjacent to one of their large storage buildings.

The roof and sides are of sheeting steel, painted green. The front is of brick in which large plate glass windows have been set. The structural part of the building is of steel I-Beam construction. The large display room, which is in the front of the building, facing the drive, measures 40 by 80 feet. There is room enough to display approximately 20 boats. The walls are of mahogany paneling. Display lighting with four continuous strings of flour-escent lights are attached to the white Starfoam ceiling.

At the back of the display room, the offices for the company are located, also storage closets and rest rooms. A large door opens from the display room into a large rigging room, which lies directly behind the office complex. The large door allows room for large boats to be moved in and out of the display room with ease. The rigging room can be entered from either the outside or from the large storage building adjacent to it.

The Culver Boat Company is owned and operated by O. D. Campbell and his son, Jack Campbell. The Campbells' came here in 1953 from Rome City, Ind. The new display building is the third major addition the firm has made since the Campbells acquired the property.

The Culver Boat Company are dealers for Chris-Craft, Century and Turbojet boats, Johnson Seahorse motors and all types of marine supplies. Service and storage are also included in their operations. Watch The Citizen for their opening announcement

Jack E. Campbell and his wife Lelia (Campbell.) Campbell bought first 50 acres of land over on the east shore with 1,000 feet of lake frontage in 1970; the Norris Property. Jack Campbell Sr. had obtained a DNR permit to fredge the harbor. After five years of improvements to the site, which included including dredging a harbor, and daming it up, adding a seawall; stalls for 140 boats and also several storage buildings. George Franz done alot of dredging work and welding work for the Campbell's in establishing the Marina site.

1975 The original Culver location, renamed "Culver Boat Company", until the summer of 1975 and with the move the name changed again - Culver Marina Inc. Thus they moved the business to the site at 3000 East Shore Drive.