Lighthouse in Vandalia Park

The first lighthouse was destroyed in the "Big Wind" that struck on July 8, 1913 finally destroying the Lighthouse in the Vandalia Park, which was slowly falling into disrepair over the years past.

It was used as a signal for the arrival of the evening train arrivals for the fisherman and cottagers alike. So the boats could be dispatched to pick-up arriving passengers from the train. It was built some time in the early 1890's .

The two storms mentioned in Lake Maxinkuckee: Physical and Biological Survey (1919) are:

A pretty severe wind storm occurred early in the summer of 1908 and blew down the large ice houses on the west side of the lake.

The appears to have been an unusually strong wind; none of the dwelling houses in the immediate vicinity, however, was injured and the destruction of the ice houses was due to their being empty at the time and offering much surface and little resistance to thewind.

and then:

On July 8, 1913 there was a very severe storm soon after noon from the northwest, a small tornado, lasting 30 minutes. It began as a severe windstorm, the wind being full of cutting sand...

This was a very stormy year by accounts thus far found - it started on Easter Sunday (March 23) and must of continued throughout the year. As the first storm that is mentioned and a detailed accounting of - is Easter Sunday in which much flooding over all of the United States occurred: Easter Sunday of 1913 Tragic Day in History of Calamities; Tornado Starts in Mexico; Ends in Record Breaking Floods in Middle States...

could there been 2 big storms of 1913?

The lighthouse stood on a 4 to 5 foot base of stone and was 8 to 10 feet in height. It is said that in some of the historical postcards you could see a flowing water well around its base. In many of the postcards of the gazebo or round barn you could see the light house in the background

The footbridge at the lighthouse

The pile of rocks resembled those at the base of the old light house.

These shows the lighthouse area - after the lighthouse had been taken down. And at a much later date possibly is another of the footbridge that was at the base of the lighthouse.

Also found has been a souviner spoon depicting the lighthouse - this could of been sold by the P. A. Wickizer store in downtown Culver back then.

Culver Park Lighthouse1990s