Town of Culver 100  

Culver OBSERVED 100TH ANNIVERSARY THURSDAY

Culver , Ind., June 9. - Thursday the town of Culver will be 100 years old, but but due to war conditions no extensive celebration of the date is being planned.

The community is conscious of the historical date through the altertness of Nick Busart who chanced on the date while recintly scanning a history of the county

Culver, originally known as Union Town, was laid out and organized June 8, 1844, Bayless L. Dickson, who owned a farm bordering Lake Maxinkuckee, a part of which embraced the ladn now covered buy the town of Culver

His log cabin was the only dwelling in the new town.

The statement of the original plat of Union Town reads:

It is laid out in such a manner that it presents to the eye a view of Lake Maxinkuckee, and is surrounded with as good a country as can be found in northern Indiana.

It has the advantage of three state and two county roads passing through it.

The streets are all 66 feet in width and the alleys are 16 1/2 feet.

The statement was signed by Bayless L Dickson as proprietor, and the withnesses were C. S. Cleaveland and John L. Westervelt.

In 1851 the town was resurveyed and and transferred to Mr. Dickson's brother-in-law, Thomas K. Houghton, and the name was changed byt the board of commissioner to Marmont.

Dr. G. A. Durr , then resident of the town, was responsible for having the name changed to Marmont in honor of a French general of that name.

Union Town of corse came from the name of the township.

At this time (1851) the town had grown until there were eight streets Jefferson, Madison, Cass, Scott, Washington, Lake, Plymouth and Main. The location of these streets gives us an idea of the original part of the present town

.

In 1852 Mr. Houghton filed a certificate as ab amended plat of Union Town.

Peter Alleding in 1884 filed what he called the "Vandalia addition to said Union Town" and in 1886 Albert D. Toner made an addition to the Vandalia addition.

Other additions, including the Ferrier, came later.

On October 4, 1895, the board of commissiontes changed the name of the town from Marmont to Culver City on petition of O. A. Rea and 99 others. The new name was in honor of Henry H. Culver Henry H. Culver founder of the Culver Military Academy.

Later, the "City" was dropped in general use but is still necessary in legal work

At the time Union Town was formed John B. Dickson was the justice of the peace, but records do not receal a constable until three years later. He was John H. Clark.

It is also interesting to note that Culver is older than Bremen, Argos and Bourbon.

There was no cemetery here at that time, the closest being Bucklew neat Rutland. This cemetery holds the distinction of being the oldest in the township and contains the remains of some of the earliest pioneer families.

Churches were also lacking for some time in Union Town. spititual needs of the people being spasmodically administed to by circuit riders who met with groups in pricate homes.

The first formal congregation was the Methodist in 1863, followed by the Reformed in 1885, and the Evangelical in 1899.

It was not until 50 years after the founding of what is now Culver that the fires newspaper made its appearance, It was the "Marmont Herald" and was published by George Nearpass

On of the olderst houses in town that is still standing is said to be the low-built structure, second west of the Evangelical church.

The first doctor to resie in Union Town was Dr. G. A. Durr who came here from Monterey in 1856

In case you wonder why there is a circle of cement in the sidewalk in front of Rector's Pharmacy it might be related that at one time a beautiful big maple stood there, the pride of the town.

Maturally, space will not permit a detailed history of Culver and its 100 years of progress.

Many phases of the town's early days can't be recalled due to incomplete information and lack of records. Among these are the date of the first grade school, the first post offiuce, the first postmaster, the first high school, the first paving and first cement sidewalks

Culver's growth during the past century has not been sensational but has been constant and sound. There are otheres that have been larger and more prosperous but are now on the deline.

Culver is blessed with the most beautiful and second largest lake in Indiana, which attarcted the Culver Military Academy. This famed educational insitution has plared a major role in making Culver what it is today

Summer cottages and agriculture have also affed to the groweth of the town. It has one of the outstanding country banks in the midwas and a second class poist office.

Culver is an attractive town with a first class school system, good churches and progressive buisness men. The general atmosphere is far above that usually found in a town of this size.

Indications are that there will be considerable building after the war is over, which should increasr the population as more places to l ive are provided, besides adding to the general appearance of the town.

It is probable that modern sewage system and disposal plat will be built as soon as material is available, as will a new school building.

Culver's future is much brighter than it was 100 years ago and there is every reason to believe that it will continur to grow and prosper during the second century of its existence as a corporate town.

Union Township reached its century mark unnoticed four years ago, for it was on March 1, 1840, that this unit came into being. It was taken fr om the west part of what was originally Green Township and became No. 1 on the county map.