The Antiquarian and Historical Society of Culver will present a free screening of a new documentary, “Lake Maxinkukcee: A History,” on Saturday, September 15 at 10 a.m. at the train station/depot in Culver’s town park on Lake Shore Drive. The public is invited to the event.
The film was underwritten by a grant from the Ralph C. Vonnegut Fund grant of the Marshall County Community Foundation, and has as its focus the history of Lake Maxinkuckee and the community and sub-communities impacted by the lake. This includes the town of Culver, Culver Academies, and of course the community of residents directly surrounding the lake’s shores.
Highlighted is the unique way in which those communities have intersected to create a small, close-knit town and nearby farming area; a cultural and literary community made up of notables like Cole Porter, Lew Wallace, Kurt Vonnegut Jr., James Whitcomb Riley, and others; the first integrated high school basketball team in Indiana; a thriving ice business; a world-renowned private school whose students and alums hail from across the earth and include some of the best-known figures in a variety of walks of life; a thriving Native American community, and much more.
The film is around 30 minutes and was co-written by Julie Hollowell, John Houghton, Jeff Kenney, and Rachel Meade, and includes original footage shot in the area and historical photos and videos and is narrated by the Rev. Dr. John Houghton.
Coincidentally, the documentary’s premiere coincides with another documentary on the Culver area which was created by area PBS affiliate, WNIT-TV but did not make the community’s history its primary focus.
According to AHS president John Nash, the screening of “Lake Maxinkuckee: A History” will be followed next spring by opportunities to purchase professionally-produced copies of the film on DVD for anyone interested.
Those with questions may email historyofculver@gmail.com or call 574-635-0053. More information is available on the AHS website at culverahs.com.
