Articles in Newspapers - Culver Assembly Park  

1889 - May 24 - Culver Park Assembly.

The Culver park Assemby meetings will be held annually at Maxinkuckee, begining with a great meeting tbe present season. The assembly grounds and tabernacle will be opened informally July 16th.

The Mauhga tabernacle will be dedicated by the the world's great preacher, the Rev. T. DeWitt Talmage, July 20th, (Saturday). The same eminent divine-will deliver his famous lecture."Big Blunders."

The three days following will be special days, when some of the most eminent preachers and speakers of the day will be heard from the platform. The Rev. Sam Jones, the renowned evangelist, will begin a series of meetings July 25th, to be continued to the 29th certainly, and probably unti! August 1st. After these meetings are over the assembly will arrange foi several special meetings in August and September.

1889 - May 25 = We acknowledge the receipt of a program of the Culver Park Assembly, at Lake Maxinkuckee, which will be in session from July 19th to 31st. It will be the first of the kind ever held at this noted summer resort, but from the program arranged, we feel safe to saying it will be a success. Dr. Talmadge, Sam Jones and other eminent speakers have been engaged. - Bremen Enguirer (Indiana)

1889 - may 31 - The Tabernacle.

Culver 's Tabernacle at Maxinkuckee lake is progressing rapidly and will be completed by the middle of June or first of July. It is eighty feet long and sixtyfour feet wide, and will be fitted in first rate style for the purpose for which it is intended. Mr. Culver has sunk three flowing wells, each of which spurts out a barrel of pure sparkling water per minute. He has also let the contract for a large restsiurant building, the upper story of which will be finished into sleeping rooms for the accommodation of those who may wish to remain on the grounds during the meetings. - Logansport Pharos Tribune

In July 1889 it was directed by Ben Deering and attracted more than 20,000 visitors and opened for business in the summer of 1889.

Logansport Pharos Tribune Jun 18 1889

One of the rare treats in store for those who visit the Culver park assembly meetings, at Lake Maxinkuckee next month, is the sermon and address by the great scientific preacher and student. Rev. Ira R. Hicks, of St. Louis, the recognized authority in this country on "the state of the weather." His weather forecasts for several years past have proven his ability to read signs of the heavens, and have clearly entitled him to the honorable distinction of "weather prophet." He will preach at 11 o'clock, July 23, on "God in the Storm."

Logansport Pharos Tribune Jun 16 1889

Excursions to Maxinkuckee. The Lake Erie and Western road will have two Maxinkuckee excursions this month—one on the 21st, the other on the 28th. The attraction on the first occasion will be Dr. Talmage and on the second Sam Jones.

Logansport Journal pg. 3 Thursay July 18, 1889 was found the following items:

On Sunday, July 21, Dr. Talmage dedicates the temple at Culver 's Park, Marmont. Take the 9:20 train and hear him - J. C. Hutchinson


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"A Big Blunder - Anyway", Dr. Talmage says so on Saturday Night at Maxenkuckee. Go and hear him. The Vandalia will run a train from Marmont to Terre Haute Saturday night, leaving after the lecture, so you can come home if you con't stay.


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On Sunday, July 21, Dr. Talmage dedicates the temple at Culver 's Park, Marmont. Take the 9:20 train and hear him - J. C. Hutchinson


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"A Big Blunder - Anyway", Dr. Talmage says so on Saturday Night at Maxenkuckee. Go and hear him. The Vandalia will run a train from Marmont to Terre Haute Saturday night, leaving after the lecture, so you can come home if you can't stay.


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Culver Park Assembly - Lake Maxinkuckee
For the above occasion the Vandalia Line will sell excurion tickets at $1.20, which includes price of admission to the Assembly grounds. Tickets will be sold July 19, to August 1, good to return until August 2, 1889. DOn't Miss this opportunity to hear Rev. T. De Witt Talmage, Rev. Sam Jones and other notables. Apply to the agents of the Vandalia Line for advertising matter giving f ull program of attractions. July 16d12t

Logansport Pharos Jul 23 ,1889

Dr. Talmage carried away with him from Maxinkuckee Mr. Culver 's check for an even thousand dollars, the price agreed upon for the delivery of tho Saturday night lecture and Sunday noon sermon. Brain work has its reward sometimes.

Logansport Journal pg. 3 July 24, 1889

It is said that Talmaged recovered $1,000 for two Sunday lectures at Maxinkuckee. Sam Joens will probably smash another "sacred" Sabbath all to smithereens in the same pious manner. "There's tricks in all trade", but this thing of turning SUnday and sermonizing into a joint spec ulation knocks out most ofo them, unless wer are ready to agree with the Jesuits that "the end justifies the means". But what is the use of growling? To be humbuged is the greatest happiness of a vast number of people in this country, and costly, they must enjoy it. Whoop her up! If ten thousand heard Talmage, twenty thousand will hear Jones.

Logansport Journal pg. 3 July 24, July 25, 1889

Sam Jones at Culver Park, Thursday to Monday - two sermons each day. Tickets including admission all this week $1.20. Trains North, 5:15 and 10:40 a.m. and 8:40 p.m. you can return leaving Marmont at 5:20, arrive home at 7:35 on the through frieght. Saturday, we also sell tickets $1 round trip, good to return until Monday; also the usual $1 ticket Sunday both without admission. Prof. Excel sings at each service. His singing alone is worth your money. Then the preaching is made celar. Take your dinners and have a good time.

Logansport Pharos Tribune Jul 27 1889

Sam Jones. On Monday. Tuesday and Wednesday of next week Sara Sam Jones will preach three times a day at Marmont. The Vandalia will run a special each day leaving Logansport at 8:50 a. m., and returning leave Marnont at 6 p m. Fare for the round trip $1.20, which includes one admission ticket. J. C. HUTCHINSON,Agent.

Logansport Pharos Tribune Jul 30 1889

In orderto have better control of the excursion trains at Maxinkuckee the Vandalia management has established a telegraph office at the terminus of the side track at Culver Park assembly....

The Pharos man in his rounds through the city bears a great deal about Rev. Sam Jones, who is now preaching twice a day at Lake Maxinkuckee. The average Logansport citizen wo uld rather hear Jones talk than Rev. DeWitt Talmage. Jones is different from other ministers, having gained success by his originality of thought and his plain manner of handling a subject.

In his sermon Saturday evening he said: "You know we preachers don't preach for money, but if you stop our salary we'll quit; next day. It ain't scriptural to preach for nothing. Pa ul tried it once and got ashamed of it, and wrote back to the people that he wo uldn't do it again."

Speaking of Sunday excursions he said: "I believe in them. We have turned all the motive power over to the devil long enough. It ain't how you come here, but who you are when you get here. You can come and get drunk down here in Marmont and get into a fight, get killed and go to hell from here, but you can also come and get religion at this assembly and go home a happier and better man"

Logansport Pharos Tribune Aug 07.1889

A Hustler. - Logansport visitors to Maxinkuckee in the last month have no doubt seen and some have probably met Ben Deering, general manager of Culver Park assembly. He conceived and carried out the m ultifarious details of the meetings, directed the police force and the fifty employes, looked after the ticket sales and superintended the hotel, restaurant and the twenty-five tents on the grounds, and bills; composed and sent dispatches to the daily papers; acted as general umpire in all disputes and misunderstandings, and when, necessary to "fill in" opened the daily exercises with prayer, occasionally preached a very acceptable sermon, performed other duties too numerous to mention, and with all the vexation and annoyances connected with his duties his associates certify that he never once got off his "base." He is an old newspaper man, and that accounts for his excellent management and equanimity of temper.

This was found in the Logansport Journal dated 13 Apr. 1890 pg. 3:

Culver Assembly
No to be held at Maxinkuckee this summer
Plymouth Democrat: M. H. H. Culver , of St. Louis, was at Maxenkuckee lake a day or two this week and while there he announced his intention of not opening the assembly this year. While last year's assembly was generously attended the expense was enormous, and he does not feel that his health will permit his giving its management the personal attention required to make it a success. Last year's assembly was a great advertisement for the lake and it is very probable that could it be held this season it wo uld res ult in even a larger attendance and better res ults financially. We regret very much that Mr. Culver feels compelled to relinquish the project, and although we have not talked with him we believe he wo uld grant many privileges to anyone who wo uld undertake the management the coming season.

1890 Apr 14 Mr. H. H. Culver , of St. Louis, announces that, owing to failing health, he will not open Culver park assembly at Lake Maxinkuckee this season - Logansport pharos

1890 - Apr 17 - The Maxinkuckee correspondent of the Logansport Chronicle says: Mr. H. H. Culver is not at his cottage. He is very sick and syas there will be no Assembly this year. His health is so poor he cannot attend to the details and he had no one else to look afiter it - Argos Reflector (Indiana) <

1890 - Apr 21 - Mr. Culver has changed his mind and will hold the second annual meeting at Culver Park Assmebly at Maxinkuckee beginning July 17th and continuing three weeks. An improved program will be carried out. Sam Jones will be among the speakers.

1891 Sep 25 Culver Tabernacle.

Plymouth Democrat: "The sale of the furniture and fixtures connected with Culver 's tabernacle at Maxinkuckee lake last Thursday is the end, undoubtedly, of any further effort of Mr. Culver io establish an institution there calc ulated to redeem the lake of some of the Sabbath desecrations that, occur during the summer at that charming lake.

Mr. Culver is a genial hearted, liberal, enterprising business man, and has spent a fortune about the lake in doing what he could lo build it up and make it the chatauqua of the west.

His efforts have not been appreciated, and he has met with much oppositionin almost everything he has undertaken He lost $3,000 over and above the permanent improvements the year he opened the tabernacle, and his efforts since that time to provide summer entertainments have been met with such a degree of indifference, that he has concluded to abandon further efforts in that direction.

We regret that the enterprise has proved a failure, but Mr. Culver is undoubtedly wise in concluding to abandon finally his laudable and commendable undertaking."