Early History of Lake Maxinkuckee - Club Houses and Hotels
by W. T.Wilson
The first club house on the lake was built by several gentlemen from Plymouth in 1873. The building was located on the east bank of
the lake on the farm of
L. T. Van Shoiack, and is now known as the
Mc Quat cottage. It was a story and a half building, with sleeping
apartments above, and a palor and dining room and kitchen below. It became quite a place of resort, and many time during the hot summer
months as many as fity persons were entertained there at one time.
The officers of the club were Joseph Westevelt, president; W. H. HIll, treasurer and C. H. Reeve, secretary.
In 1878 eight member of the club purchased fifteen acres of ground on the north side, organized themselves into the Lake View Club, erected
a large club house, with reception room, dinning room and kitchen, eight rooms above for each of the eight families, put down several
flowing wells and erected the six cottages on the grounds now known as the "Lake View Hotel', owned by the
Vandalia Railroad Company.
Those forming the club were: W. W. Hill,
H. G. Thayer, C. E> Toan,
Daniel Mc Donald, Horace Corbin, C. C> Buck, Joseph Westervelt, and
N. H. Oglesbee the last four with their wives being dead.
The club existed for fifteen years and was the alrgest and most noted organization in the hitory of the lake. After the summer
resorters began to come to the lake in the '80's and especially after the completion of the Vandalia railroad, their receptions and
dances during the seasons were considered the finest given about the lake and were always largely attended. The club did much to
pop ularize the lake and bring it into general notoriety, and in its disso ultion left pleasant memories among the many who enjoyed its
hospitality.
The Peru Club was orgnized about 1878. The members of the club at its organization as near as can be rememberd wehre
Louis V. F ulwiller,
Milton Shirk, John Muhifield, John S. Hale, and Mrs. Lizzie Wiggins. They
purchased Peeples Point on the east side and eerected a fine two story club house for the accommodation and convience of the
members and their families. The club in its earlier days was one of the most noted organizations on the lake, and in its disbandment
several years ago was a distinct loss to the cottages who made their homes there during the summers.
About the time of the coming of the railroad, several Rochester people formed a club and erected a club house on Long Point, and occupied
it with considerable irregularity for several years. The club went out of existence a decade ago, but the club house still stands, and is
owend by individuals at Rochester. The Rochester people were pioneers in discovering the beauties of Long Point, being the first to erect
a building there. For that reason, for many years it was called 'ROchester Point', and even yet, many of the early comers about the lake
call it by that name.
Possibly the organization that will longest be rememered about the lake was 'The Hiltarity Club', composed of gentlemen from
Indianapolis. The club erected a club house with sleeping and cooking conveniences of a high bluff a short distance north of the Peru
Club house, and named it 'Hilarity Hall'. It was what its name indicated - a place where hilarity and mirth prevailed, and d ull care and the
vexations of life had no audience.
The following constituted the members of the club: Charles Keifer,
A. C. Koehne,
C. R. Myers, B. F. Myers,
Charles Wocher, Adolph Wocher, Rowland Evans,
Prof. Beissenherz, Prof. Ernestinoff.
The club is no longer in existence, although several members of it sill come to the lake every summer.
'Hilarity Hall' still remains in statuquo, and no one who was familiar with the club in its 'hilarious' career, can gaze upon it
without bring back pleasant memories of bygone days.
The
Palmer House was the first hotelr immediately on the lake, It was started by J. W.
Palmer, then of Plymouth, in the early '70's, and by adding here a little and there a little it has become one of the most
pretentious caravansaries on the lake.
This was followed by the erection of the
Arlington Hotel on Long Point, and later by
the building of the
Chadwick House, also on Long Point.
The progress made in the improvements about the lake since the coming of the railroad are marvelous, a discription of which would
require more space than the limits of this sketch will permit.