Vandalia Railroad - Culver, Indiana Part 3 1885-1890  

1885 Apr 11 - A new depot has been built at Marmont and is said to be one of the prettiest structures at the lake. It has a 200 foot platform in front - Logansport Pharos Tribune

They established Vandalia Park sometime in 1883 yet another source says early 1890. The Vandalia Park encompassed an area of 3.2 acres. Yet 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.

The Vandaila Railroad company have made a flag station at Long Point for the benefit of those wishing to stop on the west side

1885 - Apr 18 - The improvements on the Logansport division of the Vandalia last year were such that the road was placed in splendid conodition. It is not the intention of the company to make such a liberal expenditute this year as the road does not need a great amount of improvement. A new hotel has been built at Maxinkuckee and other accomodations for [leasure seekrs enlarged. Preparations are beinf made for a heavy travel to the lake this summer, and officials of the Vandalia express themselves as of the belief that Maxinkuckee will be a very popular place this summer. - Indianapolis Sentinel

1885 - May 10 - The Vandalia people have fully decided to erect a hotel at Maxinkuckee the present season to cost some $30,000. Daily Journal, Evansville, Indiana

1885 - May 25 - A book advertising Lake Maxinkuckee as a watering place will soon be issued. It will be published In Terre Haute. The Express says: Mr. C. C. Oakey goes to Lake Maxinkuckee to-morrow to arrange for illustrating and advertising the beautiful lake in the book soon to be issued. In addition to 8,000 of the books, 25,000 pamphlets containing the Maxinkuckee views will be issued and distributed in all the stations on the Vandalla line. These 33,000 books will be a valuable advertising medliam. - Logansport Pharos Tribune / Jun 4 Daytoh Herald

1885 - May 27 - The Vandalia people will soon publish a book illustrating Lake Maxinkuckee ant is pleasant s urrounding. In addition to the 8,000 books, 25,0000 pamphlets containing the Maxinkuckee view will be issued and distributed in all the stations on the Vandalia lines. These 33,000 books will be vaulable advertising "medium - Indianapolis Journal

1885 - Aug 5 - "Lake Maxinkuckee, the Gem of Indiana"

is the title of a beautiful pamphlet just published by the Vandalia Railroad company.

The work was edited by Secretary C. C. Oakey, of the Board of Trade of Terre Haute, and was got out under his direction.

Several thousands of copies have been issued, and will have a wide distribution over Indiana and Illinois and especially in the territory tributary to the Vandalia.

A a pleasure resort, Lake Maxinkuckee is rapidly becoming popular, and lacks only better hotels accomodations.

Parties can leave Indianapolis at 5 p.m. over the C. I. St. L & C to Colfax, then over the T. H. & L. divison of the Vandalia to the Lake, which point they reach at 9:40 p.m. Returning they leave the lake at 6:30 a.m. and reach Indianapolis at 10:40 a.m. - Indianapolis Journal

1885 - September 8 - Tourist travel has been an important item in the passenger business of ihe Logansport division of the Vandalia, and a number of persons who went to Maxinkuckee a month or two ago are now begianing to return home. During the comingwinter President McKeen, of tbe Vandalia, will make many Improvements at this delighful place. - Logansport Pharos Tribune

1886 - The Boat and Bath house was built in 1886. The 1908 plat map does not show this building but it appears on the 1922 plat map in the form of backwards "L" to the far east of the Railroad grounds - this would be the boathouse that was ran by "Mont" Monton H. Foss. This was not given on the 1908 plat map so the boathouse and would lead one to believe that it was built sometime between 1908 and 1922 by this fact. The building is in the far background in this photo

1886 - May 21 - In the Logansport Pharos pg. 3 under the heading Maxenkuckee News is found:

The Vandalia pier is completed and in much better shape than last year.

The Restaurant at the station is being remodled and greatly improved.

John H. Koontz has erected a lemonade and fruit stand on the water at the Vandalia pier.

The Restaurant at the station was remodeld and became the Ohmer House and at a later date became the the Colonnade."

1886 - 21 May the Logansport Pharos pg 3 is a write up of one of the excursions to the lake:

Railroad Conductors' Excursion

"All aboard", conductor at 9 o'clok a.m., and away bounded fourteen coaches loaded with excurionsists, about three hundred strong, at the rate of about thrity-five miles an hour for Lake Maxinkuckee. Every on seemed as merry as a bug sunflower - even the babies cried for joy, while great, great grandmothers looked back over a life of 86 years and failed to remember any more jolly crowd.

Superintendent Watts and his gallant band of conductors enlivened the occasion with a friendly greeting to all. Occasionally the Big Six band would strike up some national air to cheery us on our way.

At 10:30 our party landed at Maxinkuckee, a beautiful sheet of transparent water, some two miles in width and three miles in length, on which is launched an abudant supply of boats, steam and sail, together with an endless variety of roaw boats. On landing, some too to the lake, some of the grove, some to the rink, where they danced to the merry tune, pronounced by Mr. Hasey the "Arkansaw Traveler", and others adjoining field to have a shootin match at glass balls, with the following score

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Sample	1	0	1	1	1	1	0	0	1	1
Railsback	1	0	1	0	0	1	0	0	1	1
Laible	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	1
Smyser	1	0	0	1	0	0	1	0	1	0



At 13 o'clock a royal dinner was served at the Rink Hotel, which proved to the center of attraction of at least two hours. Dinner over, another ride on the lake, s swing in the grove, a waltz in the rink, throwing rings for capes but gots none - and the merriest day of the season was over.

"All aboard for Logansport". and were homeward bound. At 7:30 the Vandalia platform received the happiest excursion part it was ever our good fortune to be with. As a day of pleasure it was a grand success, and an occasion to be remembered by the lucky paticipants.

But we can not pass the opportunity without saug that the railroad conductors deserved better patronage, especially at the hands of the business men of our city. Business men could have thrown aside their cares of traffice for one day at least, and paid their respects to the railroad conductors who have patronized them these many years - this being the first excursion thendered the publiv by the railroad conductors of Logansport.

True a few business men were there, but few indeed; other bought a ticket and stated at home. It was not so much their dollars that the railroad conductors wanted as their presence. But it never to late to do good and it is safe to assure the railraod condouctors that ample amends will be made in the future. Our business men are libertal when the are once aroused. Long live the railroad conductor. Lynn C. Doyl

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

The Vandalia has built a neat and commodious news stand at the station.

1886 - Jul 12 - The news stand at the station is competed and Indianapolis, St. Louis, Terre Haute and Chicago dailies are kept on sale. 4 Loganpsort Daily Journal

1886 - May 26 - John Hanley of Terre Haute has secured the sole privilege of Greeting tents on the Vandalia grounds at Maxinkuckee. Mr. Henley will go into the business on an extensive scale, and will have quite a number of fine tents to erect. - Logansport Pharos Tribune

1887 - November 10 - Freight Train Collide - Plymouth, Ind. Nov. 9 - A frieght train on the Nickel-Plate Railway ran into a freight train on the Vandalia road at Hibbard Station, where both roads cross, ten mies south of here, last night, blocking both tracks several hours. Engineer Newt Banghman, of the Nickel-Plate, jumped and alighted on his head, causing a fracture of the skull. pg. 1 Logansport Daily Journal

It is said that the first depot was just a shack and was located around the area where the Cove sits today on E. Jefferson St. BUT no documentation has been found to support this passed down information.

1887 - May 20 - MAXINKUCKEE... Mr. George E. Parrington, general agent of the Vandadia, says Lake Maxinkuckee has awakened... There will also be individual reduced rates. Tickets will be sold for ten days, thirtv days and for the season, "In fact," said Mr. Farrington, "a tourist will be able to get most any kind of a ticket he may desire."... The railroad company will not erect a hotel at Maxinkuckee this season. The matter was ' talked of but nothing definite was done in regard to it. - Logansport Pharos Tribune

1887 Jun 17 The Vandnlia company is making important improvements at Maxinkuckee. The depot will be enlarged. - Logansport Pharos Tribune


1888 - Apr 14 - A small wreck occurred yesterday on the Vandalia at Marmont. A car overloaded with scrap iron broke down and tore up some of the track. A portion of the scrap iron was dumped into the lake - South Bend Tribune

Part One ~~ Part Two ~~ Part Three ~~ Part Four ~~ Part Five ~~ Part Six