Lake View Club cottages  

6 cottages were built for guests [another says there were two cottages and six wooden-floored tents that along what became known as the Indian Trail].

In the Logansport Journal pg. 3 dated May 15, 1886 - Messrs. Buck and Toan, H. Corbin, H. G. Thayer and W. W. Hill have the plans drawn for cottages which they propose to erect on their individual lots on Lake View Club grounds as soon as possible.

In the Logansport Pharos dated 2 May 1886 pg. 3 under the heading of 'Maxenkuckee' is found:

Messrs. Buck, Toan, Thayer, and Corbin of Plymouth, have their cottages at Lake View well under way.

In the Logansport Journal pg. 4 dated 10 Jul. 1886 under the heading of 'At Lake Maxinkuckee' is found:

Hon. H. Thayer struck a two-inch flowing well in front of his mansion on the Plymouth club grounds, Thurs day afternoon. He will have a fountain in front of his plazza, supplied by a hydraulic ram.

In 1886 from the 15th Annual Report to the Governor was an article on Maxinkuckee by W. H. Thompson and S. E. Lee

First, at the Plymouth Club House, and the surrounding cottages of the members of the club, there are four wells. The well in front of the Club House runs a ram which supplies the house with water. This, like the other three wells, is bored about eight feet above the surface of the lake, and will flow to an additional hight of eight feet when confined.

The members having wells near their cottages are Messrs. H. G. Phayer [Thayer], McDonald and Hill. Mr. Phayer [Thayer] utilizes the energy of his well in work ing a ram, while the much stronger flow at that of Mr. McDonald, wastes its force in a beautiful fountain. This flow, when unconfined, rises in a two-inch stream ten inches above the top of the pipe, which is itself eleven feet above the surface of the lake.

These four wells are all bored to about fifty feet, and each passes through the same strata of clay, sand and gravel. The bank of the lake upon which the Plymouth Club House stands is about forty feet high, and at the foot of this bank are a great number of springs.

Mr. McDonald informed us that he had counted twenty-four within a few yards.

Lake View Club members and wives left to right: Capt. Ed Morris, Mr. Toan, Mrs. Corbin, Walter Oglesbee, Jessie Toan, Ed Corbin, Mrs. C. C. Buck, Judge Corbin, Mrs. Toan, Mrs. Mary E. Thayer, Mrs. Westervelt, Kittie Mc Donald, C. C buck and Joseph Westervelt.

C. C. Buck is to be the man in the chair in the center of the picture. He was a banker and hardware dealer. His firm failed in the depression of 1893.

The caption on the above photo from the Marshall County Historical Museum describes it as being a location on the west side of Lake Maxinkuckee "near the Plymouth Club House" in the late 1800s. This could be the Capt. Morris Boat house area below is an enlarged secton of the one postcard of the Morris boat house - compare the resembelance of the front porch. Or I would hazard as guess that this is in front of one of the cottages built by one of the Lakeview Club members. It could also possibly be the bath house that sat on the very east end of the park.(clicking image will produce a large one)

The Lake View was sold to the Vandalia railroad and some have given the date as early as 1890 and as late as 1894/5. But the exact year of sale of the Lake View Club AKA Plymouth Club to the Vandalia Railroad has been found and is recorded as follows:

The Vandalia Company has purchased the Plymouth Club house and grounds at Lake Maxinkuckee. The tract of ground contains eight acres and is the most desirable property at the lake. - Logansport Pharos April 23, 1891

1904 - June 30 - Mr. and Mrs. W. T. C rawford have opened the ir cottage in the Lake View grounds.

By a 1908 map found of the area this cottage and camping area was expanded by the railroad to include many more lots.

1920 - Mar 17 - Death of Mrs Elam.

The Indianapolis Star cronicles the death of Mrs. John B. ELam, who was been a member of the Lake Maxinkucke colony for many years occupying on of the Lake View hotel cottages . The Star says:
The death of Mrs Emma Lee Elam, widow of John B Elam, removes from Indianapolis life a womoan whi in quiet inconspiuous way was filled a remarkably useful place in the community.

Always intrested in educational matters and in charities her intelligence sound judgement and poise caused her services to called for in many directions and she has been a force and helper of value in whatever line of activity she undertook - as college trustee, trustee of the Indianapolis Orphans asylun, president of the Free Kindergarten association, member of the board of state charities and worker in smaller organizations.

A woman of strong qualities, she gained and held the respect and estem of all who kne her, and wil be missed i in a wide circle.




The 1922 Plat map gives a clear detail of this area. On both the 1908 and 1922 it is is called the "Lake View Club Grounds"





Besides the hotel and park areas there were 47 individual lots for cabins or camping tents.



In April 1929 it was acquired by the Culver Family. here is the announcement:

ACADEMY BUYS PROPERTY The Culver Military Academy has announced that they have purchased the real estate facing Lake Maxinkuckee known as the Lake View Hotel property. This gives the academy a solid stretch from the Palmer House to the boat house. - -The News-Sentinel, Thursday, May 2, 1929


Before it could be utilized as an Academy-owned hotel, burned on 15 November 1929. The remaining buildings and tent frames were razed shortly thereafter.

The remaining buildings and tent frames were razed shortly thereafter. Academy trustees showed no interest in developing the tract after the hotel burnt and allowed it to return to nature.

It has just been recently said that these cottages were moved to the Danial A Bradley property at 820 Lakeshore Dr.