Following the Civil War, wealthy American families began building cottages and great camps on the shores of lakes in upstate New York and along the Atlantic Ocean. With advances in transportation and labor policies, vacations soon became available to the middle class as well. To meet the burgeoning demand of vacationers, waterfront buildings were erected on lakes throughout the country. From grand hotels to rustic cabins, lake developments provided a ‘home away from home’ for families seeking respite from their urban environment. Privately owned summer cottages, in a wide variety of architectural styles, soon surrounded lakes front the Midwest to the Adirondacks.
What was happening with lake cottages across the country in the late 1800s – early 1900s? How did Lake Maxinkuckee cottages fit in with national trends? What is the East Shore National Register Historic District, and what are their styles? Join Deb Parcell of Indiana Landmarks on Saturday, May 19, as she takes a look at lake development and lake cottage architectural styles in the post-Civil War/pre-WWII period in America. Jeff Kenney, of Culver, will bring the story home, as he tells the history of Lake Maxinkuckee cottages that exemplify those period styles. The program will begin at 10:30 a.m. in the Carnegie Room of the Culver-Union Township Public Library.
Questions? Contact Janet Winrotte at the library at (574) 842-2941 or jwinrotte@culver.lib.in.us. The Culver-Union Township Public Library is located at 107 N. Main St. in Culver, Indiana. All programs are free and open to the public; the Carnegie Room is located in the lower level and can be accessed from the Main Street side, or from the library’s parking lot side via an elevator.
