Memories of Lake Season

Entertaining Resume of the Summer at Maxinkuckee

It has not been so very many years since Maxinkuckee as a summer resort was not known

Prioe to 1875 there was no railroad here, and not a single cottage on the lake.

That year the old Plymouth Club House on the east side was erected, it being the first place on the lake for purely resort purposes.

From that modest beginning about one hundred and forty cottages have been erected, and the lake had established itself as undoubtedly the finest summer resort in Indiana.

This is not brag and bluster, but the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. "Witness my and and seal".

And as I predicted more than twenth years ago, Maxinkuckee lak as a summer resort is still in its infancy, and without any boomers or speculators to sound its praises, it will not be many uears until all the available lake front will be occupied, as well as low places filled and graded, and eventually, I firmly believe, eligible back property with easy approaches to the lake will be into use for summer coattages.

The town of Culver has grown wonderfully during the past half dozen years, and wirh everything in its favor there can be no doubt but what it will in time take its place in population, trade and importance with the principal towns of the county. Stink a pin there!

But I have wandered.

The sumer season at the lake practically came to an end with the close of the past week, alothough many will remain for a month or two longer.

The grand exit of the two hundred students of the Culcer Summer Naval School took place Wednesday afternoon when the boarded the trains for their homes i the various parts of the country.

Then on Saturday and Sunday and especially Monday, the most of the summer residents "broke camp" closed their cottage and left for home.

The railroad station was the busiest place about the lake. There were great big trunks and valises, drssing cases, baby cans, birs cages, boxes, baskets, and the deal knows whal all, every boady demanding to have theri baggage checked first.

Agent Shugrue managed to keep his temper during the trying ordeal, and so all got away without a great deal of friction, to take up the daily grind until another season rolls around.

The summer had bee delightful. Ther has been but a few extremely hot days, and they were tempered with gentle breeses that fanned the fevered and sun b urned cheeks of the lads and lassies.

The prevailing winds have blown from the west, northwest, north, noortheast and southwest and sometimes from the south, so thal all, some time during the summer, were favored with the cool zephyers that blew across the lake. Two or three brisk wind storms that came up suddenly caught a few of the sail boats and fisherman's boats out on the lake, but were blown to shoreo in safety.

"The fool boy" that rocks the boat to frighten the girls was here, but fortunately he did not succeeed in capsizing his boat and drowning someone.

The fishing has not been as bad as it might of bee, nor as goos it ought to have been. Enough fish have been caight to supply the demand and that is all that was necessary. The remarkable thing about the fishing was, that all the big fish got away jusgt as the fishermen were trying to land them in their boats.

Excursion trains have been run to the lake mostly from Indianapolis, Terre Haute and the towns north of those two cities.

Aside from the permanebt summer cottagers it is probable that more than 30,000 people have visited the lake during the summer. They were of the better class, and as a rule behaved theselves like ladies and gentlemen. Ther was little drunkness and rowdyism, and not disturbances of any kind occured.

The social feature about the lake have not varied much from former years. The launching of the "White Swan" gave those fond of dancing an excellent opportunity to induldge in that sort of amusement to their heart's content. It is a double-deck floating place, the upper deck being a dancing floor 40x70,the lower floor being used as an ice cream parlorm and for card and other parties. It was floated to the east side and used for a general reception and dance in honor of Vice President Fairbanks on the occasion of his visit to the lake early in the summer.

Fishing on SUnday has become so common that few aware that there is a law of this state makinf fishing on that day a criminal act with a attached fine from one to ten dollars for each offense. But this, like all laws that interfere with one's personal liberty, when the community nor no one else is injured thereby, can never be enforced. Whoever heard of anyone being arrested and fines for fishing on Sunday? It is similar to the lak making it a penal offense to swear, to take the name of God, Christ or the Holy Ghost profanely and yet we hear profane wors used everywhere and every day of our lives, but an arrest for this offense was seldon if ever been made in this country.

In botgh of these laws a saving clause should have been added. It should have been provided that it is unlawful to fish on Sunday, or to swear "except in case of emergency".

I never swore an oath in my live, but I can readly see how circumstances might arise where it would do a fellow a posr of good to reliee his pent hp wrath by the use of a few cuss words. I heard of a case once that seeme to justifu this conculsion.

A preacher and a fired, who was not very particular about swearing, went fishing, and to provide against snake bites and the like, a bottle of good lod "seventeen-old" was provoided, and to keep it cool and ready for use, it was fastened to the boat with a cord long enough to allow it to float in the water. In due time it was suggested that the "take a little something for the stomach's sake". In unfastening the cord the friend accidently let the bottle slip out of his hand and it sanke to the bottom before he could catch it. Looking at the spot wjere the bottle disappeared he yelled out, "___d__n that bottle!" The preacher lookd at him a moment in sad bewilderment and said "Amen!" showing that the ruling passions of men of are the same, and not matter what the occupation or profession, under certain conditions it will have vent, law or now law.

Those who have amde the lake their home the past ten weeks have had a joyous time. Thee has bbeen no accidents or other misfortune to mar the pleasure of their stayr at this, the most charming of all the lakes in our beloved hoosier state.

The people of Culver and the surrounding country have added greatly to this happy state of affairs by friendly greetings to summer residents, transient visitors a dn excursionists, at no time having attemted to dictate to any anyone the course of his conduct.

This will be greagtly to our credit and add another hue to the rainbow of popularity as a summer resort of the ever beautiful Maxinkuckee, a place

Daniel McDonald

Pottawatomie Reservation, Maxinkuckee Lake

Culver Citizen - Sept 7, 1905

Lake Maxinkuckee Its Intrigue History & Genealogy Culver, Marshall, Indiana

Memories of Lake Season