A Brief History  

No exact date has been found as to when the Indians came to the shores of Lake Maxinkuckee.

The earliest inhabitants of the lake were the mound builders, then the Pottawattomie or Miami tribes.

The Pare Mound is located on the east side in front of the Culver Homestead. It was cut in half by the road. It is believed to be constructed as a pilot mound - a reference point for location by the natives rather than a burial mound.

The mound on the west side of the lake has little evidence that it ever existed on Long Point. After the Mound builders the area around the lake was controlled by the Miami and the Pottawattomie who belonged to the great Alonquin family; were allowed to occupy the area and finally was recognized as the 'owners'

1804 - Indiana becomes Territory, 2nd class. - Area shipment of furs, -- 18,000 pelts valued at $160,000.

Indiana was granted state hood in 1816 admitted to Union as 19th state. - Settlers came to Indiana by boat or overland on buffalo traces or Indian trails. - Year without summer,-- snow, sleet, 17 days, May June; frost , July; ice, August; Temperature hit 116, July frost in two weeks. - In Northern Indiana trace-travel routes included: Portage Trace (Fort Wayne): Westward Trace, east-west to Lake Michigan: Kankakee Trace, St. Joe River - South: Yellow River Route; Tippecanoe River Trace, north to St. Joe River; and seasonal traces through the prairies, the Grand, Fox-Grape, Drye, North Western, Olivers and Pearson Prairies. Indian trails threaded marsh lands.

1814-1833 - A series of treaties ceding land to U.S. Government and establishment of reservations

1817 - U.S. Government carries land survey, Midwest.

1819 - U.S. offers land $2.00 per acre, with one-fourth down with purchase, balance 3 equal installments.

1828 - H. H. Scott {Moses H. Scott) becomes resident, Lake Maxinkuckee.

1830 - Michigan Road surveyed and laid out. In 1834 cleared, after a fashion, from Logansport to Lake Michigan.

1832 - U. S. granted reservation lands to the Indians. The United States purchased the area of lands by the Tippecanoe Treaty in 1832.

There were three Indian reservations bordering on the east shore of the lake. Chief Nees-wau-gee was granted one of these containing two sections of land. It covered the area from the Culver cottage to the Maxinkuckee Landing. The second reservation belonged to Chief Quash-qua and was south of the Maxinkuckee landing to the VanShoiack property. The third one was from there in to Fulton county and belonged to Chief Au-be-nau-be.

Chief Nees-wau-gee's log cabin was built in 1828 by Mr. Moses H. Scott, late of Illinois; was located a few rods north of the Peter Spangler residence of 1905. Chief Quash-qua's log house was on the high ground southeast of the Van Shoiack's residence and a little northeast of the Stephen Edwards residence, and was also built by Moses H. Scott in 1838.

Chief Au-be-nau-be never lived on the part of his reservation that was on the lake or in Marshall County. Chief Aube-nau-be's son Chief Pau-Koo-Shuck; built a cabin on Long Point and is said to have been carried from Winamac and buried on Long Point near the native American Whippoorell, the validity of this is not known. Chief Pau-Koo-Shuck succeeded his father as chief; after he executed his father for killing his mother and in 1836 handed over the Pottawattomie lands to the United States.

For years it was believed that Chief Aubbenaubbee was buried along the shores of the lake around Aubbenaubbee Bay - but he was killed north of Richland Center in Fulton county. Burial was not a custom of the Pottawattomie Indians rather they stood their dead up against a tree and put a stake fence around it to protect the area and body.

Legend has it that for years until civilization came to the Lake Maxinkuckee area that the ghost of both Aubbenaubbee and Pau-Koo-shuck traversed the waters of the of the lake of a night.

1834-37 - In series of 16 treaties, Indians cede back to U.S. all reservation lands originally granted in 1832.

Only one treaty was made at the lake on 4 Dec. 1834 at Nees-wau-gee village between William Marshall on behalf of the United States, Com-o-za Chief of the Pottawattomies. Signing the treaty were: William Marshall, Nees-see-aw-quet, Com-o-za, Paw-pee and Ah-he-pah-am-sa and witnesses were J. B. Duret, secretary, Cyrus Taber and Joseph Barren [Barron], Interpreter. The account of the ceding of the lands and removal is found in The Removal of the Pottawattomie Indians (1898) by Daniel Mc Donald. pg. 13-6 cover the Maxinkuckee area.:

In the year 1831 the legislature of Indiana passed a joint resolution requesting an appropriation by Congress for the purpose of the extinguishment of the remaining Indian titles of lands within the state... a treaty October 27, 1832, by which the chiefs and warriors of the Pottawatomies of Indiana and Michigan territory ceded to the United States their title and interest to all the lands in Indiana.. among them was a reservation of two sections to Nas-wau-gee, and one section to Quash-qua, both on the east shore of Lake Muk-sen-cuckee... - several sections on the east and south of Lake Muk-sen-cuck-ee to Au-ben-au=be, in all in this and F ulton county 36 sections... reservations were all ceded back to the government between 1834-7... William Marshall concluded a treaty with Chief Com-o-za on the lake which is spelled Max-ee-nie-Kue-Kue. April 11th Col. Pepper negotiated a treaty with Pau-kii-shucj on the Tippecanoe river for the 36 sections owned by Au-be-nau-be, his father, who he killed in his cabin near the Tippecanoe River...

...Among the chiefs who were well known was Nas-wau-gee. He r uled over a little band at his village on the east shore of Lake Muk-sen-cuck-ee... He owned two sections which he ceded to the government in 1836 and agreed to remove with his band to the country west of the Missouri within two years from the date of the treaty.

Nas-wau-gee was a quiet, peaceable chief, and made friends with all the white settlers in all the region round about. When the time came to leave he determined to go peaceably, as he had agreed he wo uld. The day before he started he sent word to all the white settlers to come to his village as he wished to bid them farewell. A large number assembled ' and through an interpreter he said substantially:
"My White Brethren: I have called you here to bid you farewell. Myself and my band start at sunrise tomorrow morning to remove to an unknown country the government of the United States has provided for us west of the Missouri river. I have sold my lands to the government and we agreed to leave within two years. That time is about to expire and according to the agreement we have made we must leave you and the scenes are and dear to all of us. The government has treated us fairly, and it is our duty to live up to that contract by doing as we agreed, and so we must go. The white settlers here have been good and kind to us, and in leaving them it seems like severing the ties of our own kindred and friends. We go away and may never return, but wherever we may be- wherever our lot in life may be cast we shall always remember you with sincere respect and esteem."

Legend has it that a young Indian scout found the lake and standing on a high bluff and looking down uttered: "max-in-kuck-ee".

Legend also has it that the name was an Indian term for moccasin and thus named because the shape was thought to resemble a moccasin and because of the prevalence the moccasin snakes about the lake at that period. Also another source says it is algoquid dialect meaning "There is grass". It is also stated by Nancy Baxter in her book "Movers" that it is the Miami term for "Lake of Boulders".

Other translations of the name are said to have been: Diamond Lake, Clear Water and Gravely Bottom. And yet others are lead to believe it was named for an Indian Chief. The name was originally an Indian term but the spelling today has no meaning; the spelling has varied through the years and the originally spelling has been lost if ever known. It is said also to mean "Big Stone country" the Pottawattomie spelled it: Mog-sin-Ki-Ki and the Miami spelled in Mang-san-Ki-Ki.

Over the years it has been spelled in various ways: Muk-sin-cuck-u, Mek-in-kee-kee, Muk-sin-cuckee, Mck-in-Kee-Kee, Max-ee-nie-kee-kee, Muk-sen-cuk-ee, Max-in-kuck-ee, Muck-sen-cuk-ie, Muck-eenicku-kee, Muk-sen-cuck-ee, Muk-sen-cuck-u. Muk-sen-cuck-ee, Muk-ee-nie-kuc-kee. The spelling of Maxinkuckee took hold and has come to stay.

It is the second largest lake in Indiana. It is oblong in shape, approximately three miles long and two and a quarter miles wide; it covers an area said to be 1,864 acres and its shoreline is of about ten miles of lake front. Volume of the lake is 14,858 million gallons of water or 45,600 acre feet. Normal average water level elevation is 733.12 feet mean sea level. Surface area: 1,864 acres (754 ha) Average depth: 24 ft (7 m) Max depth: 88 ft (27 m) Type: Natural spring fed. It is of almost every type of terrain from level beach, gradual slope, steep incline, abrupt bluff, rounded headland; elevation from waters edge to nearly fifty feet in places. Jim Weirick has added this 'Water Fact' that every one inch of rain strickly from the sky onto Lake Maxinkuckee equals 75 million gallons of water in the lake; asked how he learned this he replied "I simply done the math".

On the west side of the lake is the small strip of lowlands which gives outlet of the surplus water into the small lake close by and thence by stream to the Tippecanoe river some miles southwest. It has an abundance of flowing wells along the bank and numerous springs through out the lake which feed it except for natural rainfall as there is no inlet that may be called such for the lake. It has been given the name 'bottomless" and does not merit that as it is said the deepest point found it near being possibly seventy-six feet in depth, yet another source says eighty-nine and half.

The government began purchasing the Indian land up - one account from various histories is:

Few settlers penetrated their lake-region hunting grounds before 1830. Beginning as early as 1817, in a treaty at Fort Meigs, the government adopted the unfortunate policy of making special reservations for Indian chiefs who refused to join the tribe in selling land. As a res ult of this policy several bands of Potawatomies had special reservations in Marshall and adjoining counties. The treaty of 1832 took from the tribes its tribal lands, leaving Chief Menominee a reservation around Twin Lakes and extending up to the present city of Plymouth. Down around Maxinkuckee, Indiana, Chief Aubbeenaubee had a large reservation in Tippecanoe Township. In fact, Indians claimed and occupied the whole county except for the strip of land given for the Michigan road, stretching across the county north and south through Plymouth.

In 1834 a commission tried to buy the Indian land and succeeded in making a contract for most of it at fifty cents an acre. But on account of some individual reservations made in the treaty the government refused to ratify the purchase.

Colonel Abel C. Pepper, of Lawrenceburg, then Indian agent, succeeded, in 1836, in buying the Indians out at $1 per acre, giving the Indians the privilege of remaining two years on the lands. The Indians asserted that this cession was obtained by unfair means, but it seemed to have been accomplished as most others had been.

Anticipating the land sale that was to take place when the Indian lease expired, August 5, 1838, squatters began to enter the country and settle on the Indian land. They expected to hold their land later by the right of pre-emption. The Indians began to show their resentment as the time for their forced removal approached. They contended that the chiefs had no right to sell the lands, and went so far as to murder one of the chiefs who had ‘touched the quill.' General Morgan and Colonel Pepper were busy among them, trying to persuade them that the West was a much better place for them. Councils were held at Plymouth and at Dixie Lake, but the Indians were resolute.

Pioneers had already squatted on the Indian lands. On August 5th these squatters demanded possession of the Indian wigwams and fields. Many of the Indians had been persuaded to plant corn. They were told that the government would not sell their land until it was surveyed, and that co uld not be done before the summer of 1838.

1835 - Heads of families come to Marshall County - ...Lake Maxinkuckee,...to enter lands.

Marshall County was formed by Indiana statute on 7 February 1835 and organized with state action on 4 February 1836 being finally on 1 April 1836 [another source had stated 20 July 1836].

Population: Marshall County, 600 white, 1500 Indians; Marshall County organized with 3 civil townships,
Center,
Green, (NOTE: Union Township was attached to Green Township) and
North


July 26 - Area settlement began as settlers arrived by ox drawn wagons in Lake Maxinkuckee area...High ground trails led to settlements.

Maxinkuckee "Fizzletown" as lower settlement.
Maxinkuckee, 1st village platted, 2 streets,
Lake Street, North - South;
Washington Street, East - West.


1st school held, T. McDonald, teacher

Union township was then a part of Green township one of the three original townships of the county. Union township was formed from part of Green and organized on 1 May 1838 another source gives 1840 as the year.

The first settlers arrived on the east side of the lake on 26 July 1836. They came in a caravan from Southern Indiana in wagons drawn by of teams, on horseback and on foot, starting on 12 July 1836. They arrived not far from the residence of the late David R. Voreis. Eleazer Thompson was the only one of the caravan to build a residence on the lake where the Culver homestead is and in 1905 the cabin was still and in the 1840's it was occupied by the Adam Mow family.

1836 Colonel Abel C. Pepper, Indian Agent, increased the offer to $1 per acre to buy out the northern Indiana Potawatomi. But so great was the pressure from the covetous squatters and the spec ulators, that the government then began a ruthless policy of wholesale land, evictions.

1837 - July 1,--1st emigration of Potawatomi tribes, Lake Maxinkuckee area, Kewanna to Western Osage River Reservation, Kansas.

1838 - Pioneer Eleazer Thompson, builds cabin, becomes 1st Lake Maxinkuckee cottager. Thomas McDonald, 1st Justice of Peace.

1840 - Sale of Lands, U.S. Land Office, Northwest Indiana, Winamac.

1840 - March 1, 17 residents present petition requesting establishment of Union Township, as 5th civil township in Marshall County. From 1836-40, area had been attached to Green Township. Name probably selected to perpetuate name of Union County, Indiana, former home of many petitioners. New township was 6 sections (6 mile) wide, east-west; and 7 sections (7 mile) long, north-south Much of area heavily timbered, many sections inaccessible because of marshland nd lakes carving out many acres.

But by an abstract for property in Sections 20 and 21 it is found land was sold the Madison and Indianapolis Railroad Company on 11 October 1842 and recorded on 25 October 1843 by James F. D. Lanier and his wife Elizabeth for $4417.07 This was recorded in Deed Bk. C pg. 545 and they in turn re-sold it in 1846 being 71 acres - this venture must of went by the way side for the Madison and Indianapolis RR. By Lanier's autobiography - he was employed by the railroad as an agent and was buying up land in speculation of a railroad line being established by the Madison and Indianapolis Railroad Company.

1842 - Transport, grain from area to Logansport took 2 weeks travel time.

R. J. 'Dick' Bright, who was proprietor of the Indianapolis Sentinel and later for many years was Sergeant-at-Arms of the United States Senate built a boat house at Maxinkuckee Landing. Peter Spangler kept the only hotel on Nees-wau-gee Hill and had some heavy plank fishing boats; being the only ones about the lake at the period.

Culver's name has varied throughout the first years - on a plat map of 1843 it is found listed as Geneva. Then for a short time was known as Yellow River Post Office which was ran by Mr. Kennedy.

In 1844 it was plated and laid out by Bayless L. Dickson,who owned farm bordering Northwest side of Lake Maxinkuckee, officially filed, on June 8, a 26-acre plat for a village, -- and became Union Town or Uniontown for the township it was within.

At some point in time during this period it was also referred to as Birmingham - but no documentation for that name has been found to day - maybe an abstract will turn it up.

1847 - Brilliant Comet trails cause apprehension

1848 - In State Referendum on Free Schools, Union Township vote was 38 for, 21 against.

Lands surveyed in Indiana show 21,359,707 acres.
Lands sold 15,477,628 acres;
reserved for common schools, 631,803 acres;
swamp lands, 981,682 acres;
Indian reserves, 126,220 acres;
unsold land, 3,271,780 acres.
Report shows taxable land Marshall County, 181,154 acres; unsold, 70,000 acres

.

1849 - Population, Union Township, 280; Marshall County, (estimated) 5,000;

1850's - Marshland-swamp areas hindered road building. In Culver and just south were Hawk's Marsh and Green's Marsh (near Long Point)

1851 - Indiana adopts new State Constitution. - Marshall County had 45,280 acres swampland.

Union Town resurveyed and transferred by Bayliss Dickson to his brother-in-law, Thomas K. Houghton, Upon request of Dr. G.A. Durr name of town changed from Union Town to Marmont, in honor of famed French General. Surveyed town became Houghton original plat. - There were Eight streets in Marmont, - - Jefferson, Madison, Cass, Scott, Plymouth, Lake, Washington, Main.

A re-survey of the village was made on 24 April 1851 (but was not recorded until 1857) and its names was changed to Marmont, Dr. Gustuvus A. Durr was the instrumental party in this name change.

1853 - L. M. Boles, Ephraim Moor, Wiliam Thompson, T. F. Myers open store on "WEST" side of Maxinkuckee in Union Town as L. M. Bowles & Co. - Plymouth Weekly Banner (Plymouth, Indiana) 03 Mar 1853, Thursday

1853 - James Boyce, established water-powered sawmill along dammed up Maxinkuckee outlet, south of lake. May 19, Commissioner of Indian Affairs report shows that between 1833 and 1851 4,792 Potawatomies, Miami's and other Indian tribes had emigrated to Western Reserves. Report did not include group of 500 removed in 1836; 842 in 1837; or 700-800 in 1847.

On the 9th of June 1857 Thomas K. Houghton filed a certificate and became the owner of Union Town.

1858 - Maxinkuckee Post Office established, (discontinued, 1902)

The Antiquarian and Historical Society - was first proposed to form on 4 Mar. 1858 but what ever became of it is not known. A notice appeared in the Marshall County Republican dated 15 February 1858 for a meeting to be held on the previous date given. It was finally re-formed in the late 1980's by several lake residents and is still in existence in 2010 and since the name has been changed to Culver Historical Society.

1859 - May 26 - Marshall County - It's Early History - by Warren Taylor Chapter IX... Lakes ... Lake Maxinkuckee, the larrgeest ;ies in Union Twonship, in the southern part of the county. Ir is a handsome sheet of water, about three miles in length, by one and a half at its greatest breadth..... Villages ... Uniontown is 12 miles in a south westerly direction from Plymouth, an ond the west side of Makinkuckee Lake. It contains 2 stores and 15 or 20 dwellings. - Anout 2 miles from this place, on the opposite side of the Lake, is a small villahe which, perhaps, is called Maxinkuckee though of this I am not certain. Here are 2 Steam Swa Mills.... Weekly Republican

1860 - - Eli Parker opens store in Maxinkuckee. J. Green buys land between lakes.

1862 - Jun 12 - At the recent session of the Board of Commissioners, $175 was appropriated towards building a bridge across Yellow River, on the road to Marmont and I. P. Morris was appointed to let out the contract and superintend the building of the same. - Weekly Republican, Plymouth

1863 - Newly graveled public road East Shore to South Side Lake Maxinkuckee opened. The Lake Road passed through VanSchoiack barnyard where gates had to be opened and closed. There is some indication that tolls were charged

1864 - September, Henry Harrison Culver and Emily J. Hand, daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Wm. J. Hand, were married in home of bride, at Wolf Creek, 7 miles Northeast of Culver .

1864 -- Families from Germany arrive and establish settlements... Lake Maxinkuckee; Zion neighborhood....

1866 - 160-acre farm, south shore of Lake Maxinkuckee, brought record price in sale, -- $2.00 to $5.00 per acre.

1867 - Aug 22 - Ira J. Baker will open a select school in Uniontown, Marmont on Monday Sept. 2d., 1867. Mrs. B. is a fine scholar, and possess every qualification of a successful teacher. - We recommend him to the patronage of the parents and guardians - Plymouth Democrat.

1870 - Marmont Pump Factory established, South Main Street.

Captain Ed Morris established boat building business near Palmer House. Establishment, opening of Allegheny House, Maxinkuckee. This was the beginning of Hotel-Wayside Inn era, 1870-1930's in which there were 23 Inns. Drainage of swamp lands proceed slow Main roads usable in season, Marmont, Maxinkuckee to Wolf Creek; Sandhill road to Zion-Monterey; South road to Leiters Ford-Fulton County; Behmer Road, Plymouth; Maxinkuckee Road to Argos.

1872 - The landmark "Pine Tree House" built by Aaron T. Benedict, Maxinkuckee. Benedict ran sawmill on dammed creek running through Bigley property, --- also Grist Mill. Henry H. Culver acquired this property by 1884 and it later became the campus for the Culver Military Academy.
1873 - Establishment of Lake View Club (also refereed to as the Plymouth). Thus was the beginning of the Popular Club Activities round Lake Maxinkukee, --- some 14-20 organizations including; Highland House; Indiana Club; Logansport Settlement, Indianapolis Club, P>eru Club, Rochester Club, Camden Club, and others.- - - - Drainage projects get underway.

The development of lake property began in the 1880's but lake side homes were being built during the late 1870's. The coming of the Vandalia Railroad in 1883/4 aided the development of the lake immensely. During the 1880's a parcel of 100 feet of lake frontage south of Maxinkuckee landing was offered at $200 and $300 each. In 1906 Long Point lots were offered at $6 per foot. Lake frontage in 1909 was valued at $30 - 36 per foot. In 1919 the records show that there were 140 cottages on the 196 lots around the lake. Earlier 160 acres on the South shore brought 2 to 5 dollars an acre. In 1921 an east shore lake lot sold for $1,200. Today there are more than 300 homes. Famed cottages were: Fairwinds, The Woodbank, House of a Thousand Candles and early summer residents included: Winslow, Glossbrener, Long, Vonnegut , N. Perry, Marmon, Hale, Griffith, Perine, Barnes, West, Howell, Culver-Bell, Setsler, and others.

1882 - Vandalia Rail line (Logansport-South Bend) engineers survey local routes, including one along East Shore of Lake, other West Shore.

1883 - Henry Harrison Culver spent 1st summer camping on Lake Maxinkuckee's East Shore, later built cottage. Coming to the Lake, Mr. Culver had been ill. There is some indication he thought climate and spring water helped in regaining health. In the fall he purchased 98-acre Hissong farm. In 1884 he purchased adjoining 208-acre Aubbeenaubbee Bay Farm.- - - Beginning of famed Steamboat Era.

Vandalia Addition was added on 13th of February 1884 by Peter Allerding and Toner Addition was added on 5 August 1886 by Albert D. Toner . During this time the Terre Haute & Indianapolis Railroad was slowly expanding its line up to Culver , arriving June 30^th and on to South Bend and became known as the Vandalia; one train daily.

1885 - Nathaniel Gandy establishes livery stable.

1886 - Vandalia Railroad establishes park - The Vandalia Park encompassed an area of 3.2 acres. From the Logansport Journal May 15, 1886 pg. 3 under Maxenkuckee Notes is:

The Vandalia Company have purchased a nice piece of ground from Mr. Toner and will convert it into a park and picnic ground for the benefit of excursionists and others visiting the lake.

1889 - July, Culver Park Assembly attracts over 20,000 visitors to Evangelistic sessions

The railroad was originally slated to run down the east shore of the lake - but it is said that one large land owner [VanShoiack as he owned one-half mile of prime lake frontage with other land on the east side] wo uld not allow the railroad to cross his land. Thus the route was changed to the west side of lake.

The Vandalia Railroad line, -- Logansport-South Bend reaches Marmont on 30 June 1883 and they established Vandalia Park sometime in 1883 and in 1890 the Lake View Club was sold to the railroad and became the Lake View Hotel. On 1 Jan 1917 the Panhandle acquired the railroad and then became the Pennsylvania. In January 1920 the depot built in 1884 was destroyed by fire and was not rebuilt until 1925 and opened in September 1925 - it was the third depot. This is the present brick structure. The the last passenger train was 27 November 1947. and the freight remained till 1969; Emery Kinney being the last station master.

11 March 1885 the Marmont Reformed Church was organized and their church building completed in 1890, which was started sometime after 25 October 1889 when John Zechiel offered to erect a building in memory of his wife Rosina. The site was selected on 9 September 1890 - Lots 49 and 50 on Plymouth Street. This is today's - Grace United Church of Christ.

In 1889 the Chautauqua's came to the area. Henry H. Culver started the Culver Park Assembly on the Aubbenaubbee Bay. He built a tabernacle [where the Main Barracks sits today], several cottages and an In and there was also tenting place. In July 1889 it was directed by Ben Deering and attracted more than 20,000 visitors. It lasted only a year or two. And the established the Culver Military Academy in its Place.

1889 - July 18 - 12,000 visitors arrive at Culver to attend Culver Park Assembly aboard excursion trains, - 990 passengers from Logansport; 644, South Bend; 573, Terra Haute; 370, Fort Wayne; 244, Kewanna; 650, Plymouth; 324 Erie-Lackawanna; 1024 New York Central, etc.

1891 brought the Marshall Agricultural Fair to Culver lake shore on the north side of the Lake Maxinkuckee on the Aubbenaubbee Bay. This was due to arrangements done by Henry H. Culver. The fair was discontinued in 1895. - - - Vandalia (Town) Lakeside Park established.

1891 - The road (Lake Shore dr.) was not opened up to North until this year - it was done by the railroad -

The expenditure of ...over the previous year includes costs of litigation as follows:..; over opening roadway north of station at Marmont $567.25 - pgs. 38-40 Fourth-Fourth Annual Report of the President and Directors of the Terre Haute and Indianapolis Rail Road Company to the Stockholders for the Year Ending November 30 1891 By Terre Haute & Indianapolis Railroad Company

As late as 1892 there were 50 to 100 free flowing wells along the north and east shores of Lake Maxinkuckee. A survey showed that some flowed at the rate of 50 gallons per minute and produced 600,000 gallons of water a day.

It was many years after the village took the name of Marmont before it as incorporated under the law as a town. The first election was held under the corporation July 5, 1894; the election board being composed of J. H. Koontz, D. C. Walter and E. M. Scates. The following was the result of the election - Trustees: S. E. Medburn, Marcus F. Mosher and John W. Solider; clerk, Fred L. Carl; treasurer, Henry M. Speyer; marshall, John F . Crumley. Crumley did not qualify, and the board appointed Ozlas Duddleson who did not furnish bond. The board then appointed Nathaniel Gandy, who qualified and served. On October 4, 1895, the board of commissioners changed the name from Marmont to Culver City, on petition of 0. A. Rea and ninety-nine others, being a majority of the qualified electors of said Culver City.

1894 - September 25, 1st session Culver Military Academy opens, 32 enroll. - Population, Marmont, 374 - George Nearpass establishes Weekly Newspaper, early in July 1894 the first issue of the Marmont Herald was published.

1895 - February, Original CMA Building destroyed by fire. Plan new building for cadets - - Advertisement: "Exchange Bank of Marmont, John Osborn & Company" - - Nickel Plate Railroad considers building branch rail line Burr Oak to Culver .

In 1895 it was proposed the name be changed to Culver City but the Post office Department in Washington D.C. declined the name as a village in Tippecanoe county Indiana existed under that name. Mr. Henry H. Culver negotiated with their town officials after finding out that it was named for Crane Culver . He offered to pay all expenses involved with the name change from Culver to Crane. He prevailed and Marmont became the town of Culver during a Special Fall Term of court in 1895 It is recorded in the Miscellaneous Deed Book D pg. 497 In part it reads: Change of Name of the Town of Marmont, Indiana to Culver City, Indiana ...At a term of the Board of Commissioners of said county, begun of Wednesday the 23rd day of October 1895.. the following proceedings were had on the 24th day of October 1895 in the cause of...Comes now O. A. Rea and ninety-nine other qualified electors of the town of Marmont, Indiana and present their "verified" petition... And it is now ordered, considered and adjudge by the board that said town of Marmont, Indiana shall from and after this date be known as Culver City, Indiana....Received for record October 25th, 1895 at 9 1/2 o'clock A.M. Thomas H. Walker, Recorder Marshall County, Indiana. One can find the name on maps and documents as: Town of Culver and Culver City but it was not until 1949 that it was officially and legally changed to just - Culver .

The first election after the name was changed to Culver City was held May 6, 1896, resulted as follows: Trustees: J. H. Castleman, E. W. Guiselman [Geiselman], F. B. Harris, of whom Mr. Harris was subsequently chosen president of the board; clerk, Charles Zekiel; treasurer, Henry Speyer ; marshal, Nathaniel Gandy.

1896 - October, Missouri Military Academy, Mexico, Missouri, buildings destroyed in fire. Upon invitation, H.H. Culver , M.M.A. joined with CMA - Arlington Hotel burned, January 30

A brief synopsis of the Yacht Club: 1896 - Social sailing began on the lake.

1901 - August the Aubbenaubbee Yacht Club was organized at Edwards Boat House and was in existence till the end of WWI when it diminished. 1931 - early summer at Charles Barnaby's the yacht club was re-organized as Maxinkuckee Yacht Club By the end of the 1930's WWII was not far away. The Academy lost their sailing fleet to a fire and with the early 40's WWII reigned along with the Gas rationing ompetitive sailing started again after the war. 1948 - John Brandon organized the club's first junior fleet that lasted only a year. 1953 - The Junior fleet was permanently organized by Oscar Perine.

Twenty corner lots in were advertised in Feb 1897 for sale by J. H. Koontz and went for $20 and up. By 18th March 1915 the Dillon and Medbourn Additions existed and those lots were being sold for $175 to 275 each. Also in 1915 records show that the town had 1 1/2 miles of brick road.

1897 - St. Mary's Catholic Church was built on the corner of Lakeshore Drive and Lake View Street. September 26th, H. H. Culver passes away.

The Maxinkuckee Lake Association was formed in 1897 according to McDonald's Early History of Lake Maxinkuckee. It was formed for fish c ulture, and protection; sanitary regulation and local improvement. Permanent formation was on 7 Sep. 1949.

1898 - Estimate that nearly 2,000 people live around Lake during Summer season dwelling in cottages , clubs and hotels. - Sea Beach development along East Shore of Lake, -- 16 building lots available from Maxinkuckee Road, south Price of lots range from $250 to $500.

1899 - 1st graduating class, Culver High School - July 5, U.S Fish Commission begins 11-year biological study-survey, Lake Maxinkuckee under direction of Everman & Clark. Completed in 1917. Findings subsequently published in 2-volume report. U.S. Fish Commission report shows 64 species of fish, 9 species of turtles, 100 species of aquatic plants, Lake Maxinkuckee.

The Maxinkuckee or Culver Assembly Grounds was formed - 1899-1907 Chautauqua Assembly Grounds; Also known as Maxinkuckee Park and Maxinkuckee Assembly. This was located on the lake front on the south end of town starting at Davis andMain Streets continuing southward towards the cemetery. It was established in 1899 yet another source says 1900. Ralston which partly burnt in April 1910 and to the ground in August 1911. The end came to the assembly grounds in Dec. 1905. In 1907 is was sold and subdivided into lots becoming Ferriers Addition.

1899 The Evangelical Church moved to town. Erecting the building on S. Main St. (Mill & Main). It is said timbers from the dismantled 'Albright' Church south of Culver and Lost Lake was brought in and the new church erected from them - and a 20 foot addition was placed on it. Yet another version says the whole church was dismantled brought into town and reconstructed as was. The first parsonage was north of the present one on the corner on Main and Madison - that would either be the Corndance Cafe or the Main St. Bed & Breakfast corner, or Lakeside Auto corner. The Church was dedicated on 17 Sep. 1899. Later it was brick veneerer. On May 24, 1924 a cornerstone was laid for the church - and it was dedicated 28 May 1924. It is unclear as to whether this was an entirely new building or project an extensive remodeling project of the old building with addition.

1900 marked the first business to be built in the block between Jefferson and Madison Streets. - O'Keefe Gravel Pit busy as public roads are improved . . . Yacht Club founded . . - Marshall County Population 25,119; Culver 505. - Report shows about 2,000 fishermen fished Lake Maxinkuckee an average of 20 days each year. Estimated catch, 200,000 lbs. - - Weekend excursions brought 5 to 7 thousand visitors to lake during Summer-Fall.

1901 The State Exchange Bank had its origin, August 1st, when S. C. Shilling purchased the Exchange Bank of Culver , one of 240 private banks in Indiana, From M. C. McCormick - 1st Farmers Institute held, Assembly Grounds - brought the first Culver Post office RFD. Sometime during this time period an attempt for another newspaper was made - just recently uncovered in the second issue of - "The Maxinkuckee Chatterer" its by line reads: Vol. 1 Number 2,; how long it lasted is a mystery -

1902 - Vandalia Park expanded

1902- Found in the Fourth annual report was:

The charges to Construction and Equipment paid for out of new capital was as follows:...Picnic grove purchased at Culver 4,524.90 - pg. 10 Fourth Annual Report of The Terre Haute & Logansport Railway Company For Year Ending December 31, 19O2. Terre Haute & Logansport Railway Co.

In order to provide facilities for entertaining picnic parties at Lake Maxinkuckee during the summer season and also to prevent the probable purchase of the property by undesirable parties it was thought best to purchase an oak grove of about ten acres fronting the lake and adjacent to the company's station and property Several expensive improvements authorized - pg. 11 Fourth Annual Report of The Terre Haute & Logansport Railway Company For Year Ending December 31, 19O2. Terre Haute & Logansport Railway Co.

1902 - CMA's first Naval Summer School - the first gasoline powered vehicles made their appearance in the area.

1903 - Culver -Union Twp. Volunteer Fire Department organized January 24 - July 12, 5,000 excursionists visit Lake Maxinkuckee - J. H. Koontz, publisher, changes name of Culver City Herald to Citizen - Improved gravel base road encircles Lake Maxinkuckee finally making it passable year around as a gravel road - 6th annual Chautauqua Season attracts crowds, excursionists from Terre Haute, Crawfordsville, Franklin, Elwood, Logansport

1904 - May 26, Poor's Tonsorial Parlor installs 2 incandescent lamps . . . July, Bands of horse thieves operating in area. In a 24-HP Winton auto, Knight Culver and his family drove from St. Louis to Culver arriving here after 4 days, Oct. 3^rd - - On Nov. 1 the Logansport-South Bend extension, Vandalia Railroad went out of receivership into hands, new owner, Pennsylvania Railroad. - S. C. Shilling was among first car dealers in area selling Ford Model T.

1905 - Rail excursions, regular trains brought more than 5,100 visitors to lake, July 16 - - Fine for hitching horses to shade trees: $10.00 - - On 16 December the town clock stopped because of the failure of funds for being maintained. It is said to have sat in the middle of the intersection of Main and Jefferson streets. - - Because of accidents with advent of "gas buggies" (1901-02) Town Trustees set speed limits, -- 8 mph, business district; 15, residential areas; 20 rural areas. - - Hayes & Son, Livery, offers "buggies at your own price" - A. B. Holt purchases Culver Citizen from J. H. Koontz. - - Assembly Tabernacle destroyed in fire. With foreclosure on mortgage Assembly Grounds closes, December.

1906 - Outlet to Lake Maxinkuckee dammed to control lake level. - Dedicate new Culver Elementary School Building on School Street - Town Board decides against cisterns in favor of new central waterworks. - It takes 15 minutes to wind town clock which has a 1400-lb. weight lift without gears.

The enterprising residents of Culver are making an attempt to secure a water works system for the place. - Rochester Sentinel, Friday, July 20, 1906

For more than 30 years the appeal of area lured many well known Hoosier's and, including those who became great in the 1910-1970 Era. Among them were George Ade, James Whitcomb Riley, General Lew Wallace, who it is said, wrote part of his famed "Ben Hur" on one of his many sojourns to Maxinkuckee's Allegheny House; Meredith Nicholson, who wrote, at least in part, his best seller, "House of a Thousand Candles" while on vacation at the East Shore home of Preston Wolfe; and Cole Porter, composer, lyricist, who spent many summer days at the Shirks, Helms, Edwards, and Hendricks cottages. At Maxinkuckee, Cole Porter often played the piano on Captain Crook's steamer, "The Peerless".

1907 - CMA establishes Culver Summer Calvary Camp - New Culver Hotel Built.

A census taken January 1,1908, by the editor of the Culver Citizen showed the population to be at that date 661. The government census of 1900 gave the population of Culver at 505.

The Water company has purchased meters and will install them on every connection in town. Rochester Sentinel, Friday, August 6, 1909

1908 - May 25 - May 28, 1908 Miss Elizabeth Duddleson has started a subscription list for a fountain to take the place of the old pump

1910 - January 27th, South Bend-Logansport Traction Line Co. plans for Interurban line through area. In preliminary plan, route to skirt east side of Lake, later plans indicate change of route with line to go down Lake Shore Drive, and Main Street, Culver - Promoters seek to establish amusement park, Van Schoiack Farm. - October 20, Central Union Telephone Company completes new trunk line cable to CMA and to Maxinkuckee Exchange. Phone company reports it serves 300 lines. - Petition town to install 3 downtown gasoline street lights. - Harry Saine using generator in his store is first in area to light home with electricity. - May, Walter Vonnegut purchases 160-acre Marks Farm, East side. In cooperation with Purdue University, he announced plans to become an orchard grower. - CMA announces appointment of General L. R. Gignilliat as superintendent succeeding the late Col. A. F. Fleet. - Train Timetable shows 6 trains daily, 4 on Sunday with stops at Arlington, Culver Station, CMA, and Hibbard. - School Board Purchases 10-acre site on School St.

1910 - August 11 - several people in the neighborhood of the Evangelical church have bought a gasoline lamp which is erected on an 18 foot post on albert Castleman's corner. the lamp has an illuminating strenth of 1000 candle power and casts light a block and a half in each direction on Main Street

There are now 137 water takers listed on the Culver city water company's books. The number slowly but surely increases and the company is paying 4 per cent interest on its preferred stock and keeping up its current expenses. Unless some unusual expense is incurred this year it is probable that a dividend on the common stock will be declared. - Rochester Sentinel, Thursday, February 2, 1911

Locally residential lighting came in 1911. The first gas light was put up in the Evangelical church neighborhood (Mill and Main Street) on the corner of Arthur Castleman's property and was furnished by the Night Light Company of Chicago. It stood eighteen feet high.

The first street lights came to every street corner of Culver on 21 May 1914, 37 in all.

The Culver Citizen issue of May 28 - Culver made the little bow and was introduced into larger company last Thursday evening at 7:40 when the electric current from the Plymouth Electric Light and Power Company's plant was flashed along the intervening 12 miles of wire and blazed forth on every street corner in town...

Town to pave section of Main Street with Poster Brick, $4.60 per lineal ft April 17, CMA dedicates new Mess Hall.
After two years prohibition, Union Township goes "wet" with 25-vote majority.
Town grants Harry Saine 50-year franchise for community electric lighting. County extends franchise to Saine for electricity to Lake cottages.
Water Company serves 137 outlets.
Culver population, 811
Ralston Hotel destroyed by fire.
Passenger train schedule shows 6 trains daily, 4 on Sunday with stops at Arlington, Culver Station, CMA, and Hibbard.

1912 - Culver Summer Woodcraft opens for first session with Dan Beard as director.

1912 - Dec. 19 - The city bastile, otherwise the Town Hall, is getting its finishing touches this wek. It is a one story and basement cement block building, costing $1,700.

1913 - March 13, Rains came Good Friday started historic 1913 flood in which CMA joined in Logansport rescue efforts.

Culver - The town council at its meeting Monday night granted a franchise to C. D. Snowberger of Plymouth, for the use of the streets for electric lines, and signed a ten year contract for street and private lighting. -

The proposed rate of 25 cents a month on the party lines of the Central Union to take effect April 1st, prompted a call for a meeting of the Commercial club on Thursday night. Notwithstanding a thunder storm early in the evening, at least 40 citizens and farmers gathered at the town hall. Nearly everybody was full of the subject and the discussion took the form of an indignation meeting in which the shortcomings of the company's service were ventilated in outspoken terms. - Rochester Sentinel, Monday March 24, 1913

LIGHTS FOR Culver

Plymouth Electric Light and Power Co. has, since its rehabilitation as a state utility, been able to sell the bonds necessary to provide the means for extending its operations, and Culver , as a result, will be supplied with current during the next few months. The splendid work on the line to Walkerton and North Liberty is now in progress, and as soon as this is completed the line to Culver will be built.

1913 - April 17 - The town board passed a resolution ordering the paving of Main and Scott Streets in case the gravel road election in case the township ls favorable

1914 - Jan. - 29 Commerical club Paper

1914 - In May, Marshall County Commissioners announce award of contracts for graveling road, Union Township, and brick paving of street in Culver .- Culver plans new Main Street Business District - May 28, Reported electric current had just been run from the Plymouth ELectric Light and Power Company down 12 miles of wire to Culver for the first time. Report shows 37 street lights, residential area, 4, business district. - May 28 - Steps are being taken to secure free mail delivery to Culver ...; June 18 - The town board is working on a plan for numbering the houses in anticipation of free mail delivery...

Articles on the new Culver Carnegie Public Library (1914):

April 2 - The first step has been taken toward securing a Carnegie library building in Culver ... W. S. Easterday contributed the first volume to the new public library and his name will be No. 1 on the Roll of Honor. The title of the volume is " Museum of Antiquities"....

Definite progress is being made on the Public library. The town board held a special meeting on Tuesday night and extended a special library tax of 1 mill on the $100 which will raise about $350....

October 15 - At a second meeting of the township advisory board, held Tuesday evening, a levy of five-tenths of a mill on the $1 assessed valuation of the township was ordered for public library purposes. As the assessed valuation is over $1,400,000 this will produce a little more than $700, which, in addition to the mill levy by the town board, will create a library fund of about $1,100. This will justify the library board in asking the Carnegie Corporation for a donation of at least $10,000 for building purposes...

December 3 - The Carnegie library building, if it is built, will be located on the Main street lot south of the M. E. church...

December 31 - The 1,500 books of the public library were transferred to the rooms over the hardware store last Monday. It is expected that by Jan. 1 the new rooms will be open.

1915 - there was only 1 1/8 miles of bricked roads within the city limits of Culver . - Citizens Military Training Camp at CMA

1915 - October 22, CMA Riding Hall with 66 horses destroyed in fire. Plans for new Riding Hall, 104 X 212 ft. building to house 136 mounts announced.

1916 - The Indiana centennial, 1916 : a record of the celebration of the one hundredth anniversary of Indiana's admission to statehood pg. 203-204

...Celebrations were also reported by the Culver ...schools...

The town of Culver Held a celebration on July 27, for which Mrs. George Overmyer was largeley responsible. In the forenoon there was a parade by the members of elecen Sunday Schools, each schoo representing some phase of the work. In the afternnon, following a "grown up" pradae, a series of drills and scenes was enacted illustrative of early history, including the battle of Tippecanoe portrayed by the Culver Cadets...

The Marshall County celebration was held at Plymouth August 6-10 with an adjourned chapter on August 17...August 10 -.. The pageant, interupted by rain, was given the following week... The Marshall County Pageant was prepared and directed by Mis Esther Kathleen O'Keefe of the Plymouth schools. It was in pantomime, about nine hundred people participating... Distinctive features were:...Culver Black Horse Troop in Civil War Scene...

1917 - Exchange Bank of Culver , a private bank becomes State Exchange Bank under new State Charter - during the winter oil and gas fueled lighting began to give away to electric as franchises were granted for commercial and residential lighting.

1919 - May 12, Walker Winslow, Lake Resident purchases an airplane- May 21^st "Airplane flying overhead nearly unbelievable" - July 2^nd Air rides: $5.00 for 15-minute ride. - Report shows 146 cottages on 196 Lake Lots

Culver Citizen
July 19, 1919
The New Academy Road

Work began Monday on the academy road beginning at the top of Bunker hill and extending 550 feet to a point north of the horse barn.

The work is being done by the county at an estimated cost of an bout $14,000, the money to come out of the repair fund in the county treasury. The county is using its own roller, scarifier and truck.

The road will be 16 feet wide, and will have a foundation of crushed rock on which gravel will be placed, with a surface of ashphalt and broken rock thoroughly mixed and pot on hot.

The section between Bunker hill and the mess hall will be finished by the opening of the Summer school if all goes well.

17 November 1920 the State Highway Commission announced plans for a new East to West highway - State Road 50 [10] from Warsaw to Demotte.

1921 - D. Hatten named dealer for Maxwell Auto. - November 17^th A. L. Warner using a Reo chassis constructed a home on wheels to drive to Florida.

1922 - a news quip states that ownership of Oakland Essex and Moon Cars are status symbols. - May 24, Culver - Bass Lake gravel base road opened.

The Maxinkuckee Country Club was organized sometime before 1922 as on the plat map they are shown to have owned 9.07 acres; to enhance the enjoyment and entertainment of its members; membership is limited to 80 members. It includes the club house, golf course and tennis courts.

1922 - Newly graveled State Road opened from Culver to Bass Lake, May 24.

1923 - Culver -Plymouth Behmer Road to be paved - New 3-story high school building dedicated. - 7 bandits stage hold-up-robbery, The State Exchange Bank, December 29 Robbery attracted nationwide attention. Apprehended, robbers defended by famed attorney, Clarence Darrow, Sentenced in 1921.

1923 - AUGUST 22 The sign post which was located in the middle of the main square of the city was removed because of orders the directors of the State Highway Commission

1923 - South Ohio street extended by a deed recorded in Bk. 95 pg. 250 from Edwin C. Hawk and Mary Hawk, Ezra E. Hawkins and Jennie Hawkins, Walter G. Fishburn and Nettie Fishburn

conveyed to the trustees of the incorporated town of Culver City, Marshall County, Indiana

enough land off their properties to extend Ohio Street on south of Mill Street. It was dated 20 October and filed 22 December. As follows:
CONVEY AND WARRANT the following described real estate situate in Marshall County, in the state of Indiana, to:wit:

Commencing at a point on the corporation line of the town of Culver City, Marshall County, Indiana, fifteen feet (15 ft.) West of the Norah West corner of a lot owned by Walter G. Fisburn (which is the corner of a corporate line), which lot is more partic ular _ described in deed shown as recorded - record 75 pg. 387 in the Recorders office of Marshall County, Indiana, and which lot joins the South line of a public highway running east and west from Main Street in the town of Culver City, Marshall County, Indiana, on West, and which is the identical lot heretofore owned by Margaret A. Fishburn, her deed for which was d uly recorded as above shown; running South through the Hawk farm in Section twenty (20, Township Thirty two (32) North, Range One (1) East, to the north side of a public highway running east and west along the North line of lots One (1) and Eleven (11) in Barnhisel's Addition to the town of Marmont, now called Culver City, Marshall County, Indiana; from thence running East along the North side of said East and West public highway (which line is also the south line of a tract of land owned by Ezra E. Hawkins) a distance of thirty (30)feet; thence North to the South line of a Public Highway to a point thirty (30) feet east of the place of beginning; thence West along the South line of said public highway a distance of (30) feet tot he place of beginning.

It being the intention to extend Ohio Street in said Town of Culver City, Marshall County, Indiana, South so as to intersect with or connect with the public highway or street running along the entire North line of the said Lots One (1) and Eleven (11) in Barnhiesel's Addition.

1923 - March 23, Behmer Road, Culver - Plymouth to be hard surfaced. - M.R. Robinson, F.C. Leitnaker purchase Culver Citizen from A.B. Holt. - Langford & Moreau design CMA Golf Course

1924 - Dedicate new CMA Recreational Building, April 21

1925 saw the first city delivery of mail.

1926 - Helen Street became Forrest Place and also Toner Avenue and Scott Avenue was renamed Lake Shore Dr.

1926 - May 5 - Scott Street and Toner Avenue were made into one and the name was made Lake Shore Drive.

June 1926 WCMA, a Culver radio station was on the air transmitting at 1018.

1927 - August 3 - State starts action to secure right-of way for re-routing of State Road 10 October 5 - Bids opened for paving re-routing of State Road 10.

1928 saw the formation of the East Shore Lane Neighborhood Association. They gathered to Hear H. H. Rice announce his purchase of the field behind their cottages. The lane which was primitive was to be improved and straighten when completed Mr. Rice deeded the small strip left over from the old lane to each property owner. The lane was blacked topped in 1931 and is maintained by the association. In 1949 upon the death of her husband Mrs. Rice deeded the field to the association and it was turned into a wooded nature preserve, under the guidance of Dr. Troy Babcock and Don Trone. The stone pillars to the entrance of the private drive still stands as sentinels to this day just off the curve at St. Rd. 117. Maple tree were planted in 1929 to line the lane. The gate at the entrance is closed once a year for 24 hours to protect the status "private drive".

1929 - Jan 2 - The new water tower, which cost $5,101 went into use Tuesday, immediately upon completion

A petition in May 29 1929 made a request to the county to pave the road around Long Point;- , State road oiled to keep down dust. . . . . . August, announce plans to pave Ohio and Madison Streets. . . . Petition state to pave State Road 10 and announced the same year also was the intention of paving Ohio and Madison Streets in Culver . - Dedicate Community Building, Culver 39-Plymouth 28

1930 - February 26th, roads impassible due to sudden thaw. Only outlet from Culver is paved road to Plymouth. State Road 10 closed . . . Final section Lake Shore Drive paved; College Avenue to be paved . . . September 24, Gasoline 14.4 cents @ gallon.

September 17, 1930
COLLEGE AVE. PAVING ONCE MORE HITS SNAG - CALL FOR NEW BIDS

Town Board Lets Technicality Eliminate Record Low Bid on Paving of Street.

There must be some kind of a jinx hanging over the paving of College Avenue, for once more the project has been thrown off schedule. time, just when it was thought that the sailing was clear, the entire lot of bids received last week has been rejected and new bids advertised.

The whole issue appears rather confused, but it seems that the low bidder was given by a town official, a different form from the other contractors with the res ult that a minor item about some tile was omitted from the bid. This contractor had filed a bid of $1.91 per quare, while the nearest figure was $2.20.

The board had the choice of accepting this bid and paying the cost of the tile from the general fund, of securing waivers from the property owners concerned on this item, or of rejecting all bids. They chose the latter course. This means running the chances that another figure as low as $1.91 will be received and that the delay of three weeks or more will allow cold weather to interfere with the completion of the job. If the new bids are not low enough the only course open for the board will be to reject all the bids again, which will mean no paving during the winter and spring months for the marooned residents along College Avenue, a possibility they can¹t face with much comfort and pleasure.

Teddy Weiger requested the board to extend Williams street through to College avenue and the trustees took the matter under advisement

1930, 1 october - Culver citizen - - when the town opened a second calling for bids on paving College Avenue, only one man submitted, William O'conner and son; they entered their bid for concrete at $2.12 per square foot.

1931 - Petition state for North-South, -- Plymouth-Culver -Logansport State Road . . . . News account tells of Culver family driving to Cleveland Ohio in 17 hrs.

1932 On 12 January 1932 the state announced the establishment of State Road 17 a North to South road - Plymouth to Logansport Road. It was a gravel based road to run through Culver from West Shore, Main Street and Lakeshore Drive. In the Culver Citizen:

• January 13 - Culver - Logansport road taken into state highway system.
• April 6 - Culver Logansport road designated as State Road 17

1933 - Feb 15 - A trailer on a large truck accomplished the first of the week what many a citizen has wished to see done for several years . . . removal of the stop and go light from the corner of Main and Jefferson. A single red light in the middle of the corner is all that remains.

1933 - May 29, Bandits stage holdup-robbery of State Exchange Bank. Robbers captured west of town. - Many banks closed by financial depression. Following national bank moratorium, State Exchange Bank was only Marshall County bank to reopen without restrictions, March, 1933. - In 18th amendment referendum Union Township gave "Drys" a 7-vote majority.

1933 - Aug 9 - reported in the Citizen that many local businessess have signed the National Recovery Act agreement and and are now displaying the blue eagle insignia. Among them:

Long & Hayes	C. C. Waite
H. L. Werner	Goss Hardware
Mitchell & Stabenow Clothiers	Rector's Pharmacy
W. S. Easterday mortuary	Culver Citizen
State Exchange Bank	Eagle Store
Corner Market	Johnson's Tire Service
Culver City Bakery

1933 - October 4 - from the Culver Citizen: Shed a tear for the departed landmark: they remodeled the town hall! Town board meetings now won't have that setting of the 80's. The old stove has been replaced by a modern hot water heater. Gone is the thrilling expereince of trying to wedge your way through the fire trucks to get to the council meeting; no longer will visitors have to sit in the laps of the honorable board in a room no larger than a jail cell. Now the council room is in the basement with easy outside access and plenty of room. The town hall interior has all been done over in aluminum, including the downstairs and the first floor where the fire dept., police cheif's office, jail, and street dept. hold sway. The exterior has been repainted in aluminum with a green trim, giving the building a modern appearance.

1934 - the Culver _ Union Township council of church was formed.

In 1935 Culver bought the 40 boulevard lights that were used at the 1933 World's Fair in Chicago and for decades they graced the Main Street and Lakeshore Dr. of Culver until the mid 1970's when they replaced with the present steel poles of today. A few now grace the town park as of part of the re-Vitalization of the town thorough a grant in 1975.

In 1935 Culver purchased the town park for $6,500 this included 3.2 acres and buildings excluding the depot and adjacent land; it also included Bunker Hill and the old water tower of 2.2 acres. On 17 February 1935 fire destroyed the Vandalia Boat and Bath house which had been built in 1886 and purchased by the Vandalia Railroad in 1894. On 11th of December 1935 it was decided to build a new Beach lodge and it opened in May of 1937. In on 27 December 1984 the town made a resolution to purchase the depot and adjacent land for $42,500 and it was finalized on 10 April 1985. The Lions Club raised funds for it and to renovate it and members done much of the renovation themselves over the next several years. It is used for their meeting place and special events and other community events are held there.

Sometime during this period the post office was built at its current location - 115 West Jefferson.

In 1940 State Road 110 an East to West highway along the Fulton and Marshall county line was established - State Highway Commission to incorporate 10-mile extension of Fulton-Marshall County line road into state highway system (State Road 110).

1940 - Jan 18 The north end of Plymouth Street will be erased from the town plats as a street as the result of a two to one vote of the town board. The land will revert to the property owners along that street NOTE: this is the sectiion between Lakeshore Dr. and College ave - assumed

1941 - State Board of Health approves plans for WPA town Sewage Disposal System. (NOTE: delayed, canceled because of WW II)

1942 - In July Pennsylvania Railroad petitions to eliminate two local passenger trains - November 18, motorists register for gas rationing - Note: in 1943 gas stations limited to 72 hrs. per week, Fifield Road widened, 1941. - Wartime rationing begins February 20. Regulations cover cars, tires, gas, fuel, sugar, shoes, etc - Culver Civil Defense conducts Air Raid blackout drill, June 28.

1942 - Dec 23 - County Road Now Maintained by State - The Indiana Highway Department has taken over the maintenance of the county road, which connects State Road 17 and 31, and has been deignated as Road 110. The local highway crew, of which Harry Menser is superintendent, will have charge of half of the and the Rochester division the other half.

1943 - Naval School Band conducts 1st annual Moonlight Serenade - State Exchange Finance Company purchases Farmers State Bank, Lapaz - 1st Annual Community United Fund Drive.

Culver OBSERVED 100TH ANNIVERSARY THURSDAY

Culver , Ind., June 9. - Thursday the town of Culver was 100 years old, but due to war conditions no extensive celebration of the date was made.

Culver , originally known as Union Town, was laid out and organized June 8, 1844, by Bayless L. Dickson, who owned a farm bordering Lake Maxinkuckee. His log cabin was the only dwelling in the new town. In 1851 the town was resurveyed and the name was changed to Marmont in honor of a French general of that name. At this time the town had grown until there were eight streets - Jefferson, Madison, Cass, Scott, Washington, Lake, Plymouth and Main. The location of these streets gives an idea of the original part of the present town.

On Oct. 4, 1895, the board of commissioners changed the name of the town from Marmont to Culver City. The new name was in honor of Henry H. Culver , founder of the Culver Military Academy. Later, the "City" was dropped in general use, but is still necessary in legal work. Culver Military Academy has played a major role in the growth of Culver . Summer cottages and agriculture have also added to it. --- The News-Sentinel, Friday, June 9, 1944

1945 - 1st Annual Lions Club Outboard Regatta

1947 - March 24, Inaugurate Culver - Plymouth bus service. April 1, Construction begins, 4-lane U.S. 31 Plymouth-South Bend, November 27 - Last Pennsylvania train through Culver .

1947 - Nov 12 - The Board of Town Trustees approved an ordinance annexing the following territory which is now declared part of the town of Culver .

All the Methodist Church addition in Section 17, Township 32

All of School Street immediately East and adjacent to the above

All of College Ave lying between School Street and State

All of Houghton Avenue.

1949 - July 11, new bridge over Yellow river, north of Burr Oak opened

1950's - State Road 110 widened - State Road 17 relocated west of Culver - State Road 117, east shore established - Propose local zoning ordinance. - June 7, Maxinkuckee Playhouse opens 1st season presenting "Blithe Spirit"

1951 - January 15, Culver High School Basketball squad wins 8th County Championship in 16-year span. Finalist in 11 of 16 years. - September 17, Bank directors name W.O. Osborn (cashier since 1907) president, succeeding late S.C. Shilling - October, dedicate CMA Memorial Chapel.

1952 - January, New Town Sewage Plant in operation - May 7 - Representatives Of this community and officials of the State Departments of Conservation and Highways conferred last week at Indianapolis concerning possibilities for state establishment control of a roadside park on the open west shore of Lake Maxinkuckee along state Road 17. - State takes title & control, 700-ft. West Shore public access to lake - - South Shore Road relocated.

1953 the construction and operation of the Culver Town sewage system began - Relocation of State Road 10 plans shelved

On 1 July 1955 Roth Cline was the first postmaster to retire, he began his service on 15 Sep. 1925.

1957 - CMA's Gignilliat Quadrangle dedicated

1958 - Co-eds admitted to CMA admitted to CMA and in the 1960's CEF initiate plans for establishment of Culver Academy for Girls.

1959 brought another big change to schools and resulted in major school reorganization; the School Reorganization Act came into effect. It was mandated by state law that each school district were required to have 1,000 pupils per school district. Slowly from the enacting of the law small Indiana schools started to merge - this was not completed until the late 1980's Greene was one of the two of the last counties in Indiana to resist the reorganization act.

The people in and around Culver wanted as early as 1961 to consolidate Aubbeenaubee Twp., North Bend Twp. and Union Twp. under the Indiana acts of 1947. Such a plan was presented to the state committee for reorganization and was promptly refused. The county committee presented the "Marston Plan" consolidation of Argos, Aubbeenaubee Twp. and Culver -Union. The people in a public vote showed their contempt for the plan by voting it down to the tune of approximately 85%. The action was so strong that in a public meeting the leaders of the three communities who had presented the original plan under the 1947 law decided that it might be worth while to approach the State committee once again. These community leaders selected five men to appear before Dr. Kohlmeyer and plead the Culver Case. These were:
Ralph Osborn Jr.
Frank McLane
Kenneth Olin
George Stevens
Kenneth Cole


The committee of five returned home after a pleasant but non-committed interview with Dr. Kohlmeyer. The Culver patrons were very pleasantly surprised when notified by the State committee that consolidation of Aubbeenaubee, North Bend and Culver was legal and would be effective as of December 27, 1962. This gave Culver quite a variety of administrative heads during one school year. This appeared in the 1962 "Tomahawk".

The summer of 1950 the Maxinkuckee Playhouse was organized and entertained the community until 1961. It was located in the old Legg's club house (Maxinkuckee Vacation Club) that sat off the East Shore Lane. Its founders were: Martin Tahse and Paul Rutledge.

1959 - Another big change for the area came in the form of a Plan commission - a group of individiuals were appointed to serve on a planning committee. at this time Accademy drive west of Lakeshore did not exist.
The state legislation gave municiplaities on or near a lake the power to enact planning and zoning ordianances to affect thein incoporated entitites as well as a lake that abuutted their corporate limits. On 5 June 1959 the comprehensive plan was adopted by the town of Culver and went into effect on 1st of January 1960.


1960 - 1st january the comprehensive plan commission went into effect. The first members of the plan commission were:
Kendall Sands, Rev.
Hampton Boswell
Jean Williams, (Mrs. Warner)
Jean Dugan


Jurisdictional area members;
Peter Trone, President
Admiral John Bays, Secretary


Town appointees:
Don Mikesell
Charles Cook
A. R. Mckesson


the first Board of Zoning Appeals which acts as the'enforcement arm' of the Plan commission included:
Robert Berger, Chairman
Wilfred craft
Hampton Boswell, Vice chairman & plan commissioner member
Jean Williams, (Mrs. Warner), secretary & plan commissioner member
Harry Edgington, jurisdictional area representative


and most were active in the original developement of the comprhensive plan for the town of Culver . A booklet containing the plan was printed in April 1960.

1960 - June 22 issue of Culver Citizen proclaims - NIPSCO starts natural gas sytem in town - yesterday was a great day in Culver 's history, both from a residential and industrial standpoint..the hugh utility firm's natural gas distribution system had begun installation of the transmission line which will be ready to serve the town of Culver and the adjacent Culver Military Academy area before the next heating season arrives. Good News for the East Shore - The Nipsco officals also announced that a survey of permanent and summer residents of the East Shore of Lake maxinkuckee will shortly be nade to accetain how many will want the conveniences of natural gas when it becomes available along state road 117 and East Shore lane in the late summer of 1961.

1960 - the 27 July issue of the Culver citizen proclaims a stop light was installed at the intersection of Jefferson and Main.

1962-3 Was the School year that North Bend Twp. of Starke county students came to Culver for the first time. Aubbee Students remained at Leiters Ford in their school building.

1966 - Factory finally came to Culver - Mc Gills Manufacturing -Inc. they manufactured precision ball & roller bearings, specially engineered needle, roller & ball bearings. McGill Manufacturing company begins production of precision bearings in new Culver plant on State Road 17. The Culver Citizen of December 19, 1968 announced that Donald Hamilton had been appointed new manager of McGills.

Some time in the 1965-6 school term plans were being formulated for a new high school building. As the Culver Citizen issue of June 6, 1966 proclaims: "School Board Reviews Final Building plans" July 21, 1966 "Ralph Osborn to head School building corporation" (the 1960's of Culver High School details this)

1971 - Establish Culver Academy for Girls.

1973 - McGills double the plant size. Employed 300 - Severe shortage of gas and fuels. - Survey shows 1558 dwellings, Union Township; 812, Culver ; 348, rural.

1976 - Pennsylvania Railroad announces rail traffic close.

1979 - New Shirt Shed Manufacturing Plant begins operation. The Culver -Union Township Ambulance Service was established by the trustees of Union Township and the Town of Culver

1980 - Shirt Shed Comes to Culver

1982 September - The Lake Maxinkuckee Enviormental Fund Inc. was established. It was After a report on 16 Feb. 1982 when John Babcock of the Culver Plan Commission made a motion to establish a committe represining the Academy, town and Lake Maxinkuckee Association. He done this after an enviormental impact studies had been made for the Culver Education Foundation showed that there was a need for a lake management program with construction restrictions, landscaping and increased reg ulations dealing with sewage, ferilizer and drainage.

1983 - The Environmental council for the lake was incorporated by the state of Indiana 28 April 1983. "To establish, fund and supervise effective procedures that will ensure the high quality of Lake Maxinkuckee for present and future generations.
br> 1983 - Shirt Shed Leaving Culver by the 30 March 1983

1984 - As of 18 January 1984 the LMEFC had raised over $240,000.00 in pledges, besides competeling restoration of the WIlson ditch wetlands. In 1984 Margaret Dehene was the executive director for the LMEFC.

1984 saw the old high school torn down and the new cement annex constructed to connect the gymnasium and elementary building.

1985 - May McGills Manufacturing Inc. leaves Culver in May after several months of Union strike.

Walker's /Tenneco comes to Culver at former McGill building. The world's leading producer and marketer of ride control and exhaust products and systems.

1990's - in the early 1990's the "anit-funneling ordinance" came into effect - this did not permit "pigging-backing" several homes on one lot, or giving access to the lake to lots off of the lake; with the exception of 18B Road and other public access sites.

1991 - August 28 – D. W. Wall covering moved from Starke County to Culver , where it is occupying the former Shirt Shed building… and Leaves mid 1990's.

The late 1990's saw the remodeling and addition to the elementary building.

The early 2000's brought the addition to the High School building to make a separate section for the junior high grades.

2005-6 Medallion Cabinets comes to Culver; they are a part of Elkay Companies. Extensive re-modeling of the Walker building was done. The first cabinet tolled off the assembly line in June of 2005 and the official open house occurred 16 Oct. 2006.

2018 - Jan 16 - Transition to Voice Over Internet (VoIP)

For years Culver was divided into three groups - town - academy - lake; over the years this has tried to be overcome by all. It still does exist and I am sorry to say will always exists maybe not as deeply as it once did - but it is still there. Culver over the last twenty years has become more resort oriented - many of the homes within the town limits are owned as summer residents or rentals for academy functions.

To says the least and its an under statement - Culver has changed over the years. Businesses has come and gone - now what's left is mostly specialty stores, restaurants and taverns. Culver is down to one grocery store where at one time there was at least five; one drug store where there was two; the gas stations are down to 2 where there at one time at least nine in business all at once if not more (it seemed there was a gas station on almost every street corner)! There were at least two or three auto dealer ships also; the last two being Ford on Lakeshore drive and Hatten's on the corner of Lakeshore drive and Ohio Street. There is no men's barber shop any longer and there for long while there had been two - then one and now none. Many other business have come and gone over the years some last only a few months others longer.

As the older family names have slowly died out over the years new family names have came but also come and gone.