Hilarity Hill - Hilarity Club

INDIANAPOLIS BOATING AND FISHING CLUB

1890 - Jul 29 - We step into a row boat which has "put out" for' us, and are soon landed to the dock in front of their club house just finished.

Here we are received by the genial Dr. Heiskell and Mrs. Fred Baggs, who kindly offered to "show us 'round."

The I. B. and F. C. have about three acres of ground with a frontage of about three hundred feet on the lake.

The ground is finely situated and is all that could be desired for the purpose. With commendable energy the club have erected their houses and fenced their grounds and built their docks within the last forty days.

The house is two stories fronting south, with two wings of one story extending east and west, giving a total frontage of one hundred and eighteen feet, along which extends a roomy piazza for the comfort of the guests and members of the club.

Roomy hammocks are suspended between the posts, and we are greeted with pleasant words from familiar faces as we pass along.

The wings of the house are each divided into five bed-rooms, all of which open out on the piazza, and all of which are neatly furnished.

The main building is used for dining and reception rooms with large folding doors between, making it capable of being thrown into one large room for dancing or other purposes.

The culinary department is located in the rear of the dining room in a separate buildiing.

The second story of this building is used for sleeping rooms, and is occupied by gentlemen exelusively, and has been "dubed" by the euphonious title of " Hilarity Hall."

The reception room is furnished with easy chairs, a sofa or two, and the indispensable piano.

To the east of the main building has been erected an ice and cooling house, which is complete in all its parts.

To the east of the ice house is a delightful little island formed by a small brook, and named the "Retreat." The grove of iron wood trees on the island is lined with hammocks, which are seldom empty. Here, swung by the lake breezes, the lover can woe to his heart's desire, oblivious of the surroundings. It is a favorite spot with those of tender years, though it did strike your correspondent that some who never again will see their thirtieth summer, were among the group.

The water for the use of the place is obtained from

A SPRING

which flows up from the bottom of the lake, some ten feet out from the shore. The spring has been encased by an iron cylinder two feet in diameter, and the water raises up and overflows fully three feet above the surface of the lake. The water is very pure and cold.

The club has ten row boats for the use of its members, and will add a "sailor" or two next year.

The total cost of the improvement and grounds this year will reach $2,000.

To the people of Indianapolis no better place can be found, nor so cheap, at which to spend a few weeks of real enjoyment and rest away from the heat and dust of city life.

Indianapolis people will do well to patronize this home resort beforw going long journeys at heavy expense, to come home worse off, rather than benefitted by their "regular summer vacation."

1880 - J. M. Mahfield/Muhlfield

1896 - Jul 24 - On last Friday evening, one of the most enjoyable gatherings of the season occurred at Hilarity Hill, the occasion being the formal opening of the c ottage to Messrs. Kiefer and Whitcomb’ friends.

The cottage was beautifully decorated with numerous colored and Japanese lanterns, and with the of several of their lady friends the interior was made attractive with the many of the little decorations not supposed to be known to our batchelors.

Late in the evening the entire company were initiated into the mysteries of preparing a welsh rare bit. The dining room was bright with ferns aud wild flowers, and the memory of the sumptuous spread, which was served so informally, will remain long in in the minds of those who were so fortunate as to have received invitations.

The fun ran fast and furious until the wee small hours, when each little group dispersed to their cottage homes, gliding out over moonlit waters of old Maxenkuckee, wishing that the music of each mandolin and guitar could last forever.

1886 - Sep 12 - Charles Kiefer, whose cottage, “Hilarity," was general headquarters for the musical population at Lake Maxinkuckee this season, has closed his doors and returned to the city. Indianapolis Journal

1898 - C. A. B. & C. J. Keifer

Part of the actual site of Hilarity Club. It was formed by Indianapolis business men and on 24 June 1894/6 it was offically by Mr. Kiefer and Mr. Whitcomb. Erected a club house just north of the Peru club and named "Hilarity Hall" was formed by gentlemen of Indianapolis:
Charles Keifer,
A. C. Koehne[Armin C. Koehne],
C. R. Myers harles R. Myers],
B. F. Myers,
Charles Wocher [Charles Wacker],
Adolph Wocher,
Rowland Evans,
Prof. Beissenherz Daniel Henry Beissenberz], and
Prof. Erenestinoff [Alexander Erenestinoff].

1904 - May 5 - C. L. Dwinnell, Bert M. Johnson, A. C. Kohne, Fred Shepard, Admiral Julius Walk, J. S. Bieler, Charles Kiefer, Otto Ginz, David E. Winkler, Wm. F. Burdman aud Otto Hoffman, of Indianapolis, all members of the well known Hilarity Club, arrived at the Lake last week, to fish. They are guests at the Hidden Inn. Daniel Mc Donald in his 1905 " Early History of Lake Maxinkuckee" writes:

Possibly the organization tha will longest be remember about the lake was the"Hilarity Club", composed of gentlemen from Indianapolis. The club erected a club house with sleeping and cooking conveniences on a high bluff a short distance north the the Peru Club house, and named it "Hilarity Hall". It was what its name indicated - a place here hiarity and mirth prevailed, and dull care and the vexations of life had no audience. The following constitued he members of the Club: "Charles Keifer, A. C. Koehne, C. R. Myers, B. G. Myers, Charles Wocker, Adolph Wocker, Rowland Evans, Prof. Beissenherz, Prof Erenstinoff. The club as a club is no longer in existence, although several members of it still come to the lake every summer. "Hilarity Hall" still remains statu quo, and none who was familiar with the club in its "hilarious" career, can gaze upon it without bringing back pleasant memories of bygone days.

One early group of cottages occupies a high bluff near the north end of the East Shore, which started as a fishing camp for a group of Indianapolis sportsmen. An 1888 photograph shows the group’s fishing shack on the site of what would later be the J. George Mueller Cottage (844 East Shore Drive, built 1907). In the 1880s and 90s, this, the highest spot on the East Shore, was known as Hilarity Hill. It was no longer in existence in 1905.

This is deducion for now - name - location - time

From the Indianapolis City Directory, 1889. Indianapolis, IN: R.L. Polk and Co., 1889 & 1890 for the listed members of the Hillary Hill Club.

Name: Henry D Beissenherz
Location 1: 176 E St Clair
City: Indianapolis
State: IN
Occupation: Teacher of Music
Year: 1889
Location 2: same

Name: Henry S Beissenherz
City: Indianapolis
State: IN
Occupation: music teacher
Year: 1889
Location 2: 391 N New Jersey

Name: Henry D Beissenherz
Location 1: 176 E St Clair
City: Indianapolis
State: IN
Occupation: music teacher
Year: 1890
Location 2: same

Name: Henry S Beissenherz
Location 1: 67 Central avenue
City: Indianapolis
State: IN
Occupation: music teacher
Year: 1890
Location 2: same

Name: Charles J Kiefer
City: Indianapolis
State: IN
Year: 1890
Business Name: Keifer & Koehne
Location 2: 463 N Delaware

Name: Charles J Kiefer; Armin C Koehle
Location 1: corner Christian avenue and Broadway
City: Indianapolis
State: IN
Occupation: Proprietors K K Bakery
Year: 1890
Business Name: Kiefer & Koehne

Name: Charles J Kiefer
City: Indianapolis
State: IN
Occupation: clerk
Year: 1889
Business Name: L F Kiefer & Son
Location 2: b 463 N Delaware

Name: Adolph G Wocher
City: Indianapolis
State: IN
Occupation: bkkpr
Year: 1889
Business Name: R S Foster
Location 2: b 179 St Mary

Name: Charles A Wocher
City: Indianapolis
State: IN
Occupation: teller
Year: 1889
Business Name: Meridian National Bank
Location 2: b 179 St Mary

Name: Adolph G Wocher
City: Indianapolis
State: IN
Occupation: bkkpr
Year: 1890
Business Name: R S Foster & Co
Location 2: 179 E St Clair

Name: Charles A Wocher
City: Indianapolis
State: IN
Occupation: teller and assistant cashr
Year: 1890
Business Name: Meridian Nat Bank
Location 2: 179 St Mary

Name: Rowland Evans
City: Indianapolis
State: IN
Occupation: stenographer
Year: 1889
Location 2: r 225 E Walnut

Name: Rowland Evans
City: Indianapolis
State: IN
Occupation: stenographer
Year: 1890
Location 2: b 194 E Michigan

Name: Benjamin F Meyers

City: Indianapolis
State: IN
Occupation: teacher

Year: 1889
Location 2: b 226 College avenue

Name: Armin C Koehne
City: Indianapolis
State: IN
Occupation: traveling agent
Year: 1889
Business Name: Kipp Bros
Location 2: 229 Park avenue

Name: Armin C Koehne
City: Indianapolis
State: IN
Year: 1890
Business Name: Kiefer & Koehne
Location 2: 231 Park avenue < /ul>