I knew when I started this blog that I wanted to include interviews, specifically of people who have lived here, or have been coming to Lake Maxinkuckee, for a long time. When I started asking around for names, one that kept coming up was Agnes Bramfeld.
I was delighted when I finally got to interview Agnes. We communicated via email for a few days before we had a chance to talk on the phone. I was supremely impressed when she emailed me four pages of information about Bramfeld Cottage itself. I came across a paragraph in those pages that touched my heart and I knew this was a love story.
Agnes and her husband, Bud, lived in Chicago so I asked how they came to know about Lake Maxinkuckee. She said their dear friends, Dorothy and Jim Peterson, used to come with a cousin and his scuba club. The scuba club knew about the clear waters of Lake Maxinkuckee so came every year to dive. The Peterson’s and the Bramfeld’s fell in love with the area so started coming on their own, both eventually buying property on East Shore Drive.
Like so many families, Agnes would come with their children for the summer and Bud would commute on the week-ends. Bud passed away in 1994, but their 5 children, 12 grandchildren and 8 great-grandchildren continue to fill the cottage every summer. Agnes lamented the fact that this summer is so different from previous summers due to coronavirus but is enthusiastically looking forward to next year!
I believe it’s fair to say we all heartily agree.
When asked about a favorite memory, Agnes immediately said their 4th of July parties. They had a parade, people dressed up in red, white and blue, and decorated wagons and floats. The Bramfelds cooked burgers and set up tables outside for the pot-luck meal and one year counted 250 people. Now that’s a block party! Agnes no longer hosts this annual celebration but has plenty of pictures on display as a reminder. She credited Jim Peterson with being the great organizer of the event.
If you attended one of the 4th of July parties at the Bramfeld’s, I would love to hear more. Feel free to leave a comment or email me.
When asked what she sees as the biggest change since she first started coming to the lake, Agnes easily replied:
- So many old summer cottages are being torn down and new, large houses are replacing them. The new houses are quite beautiful but we are losing the summer cottages.
- There is a lot more traffic. It just doesn’t feel like being in the country anymore.
You might have enjoyed reading this article but feel duped by the title. Where is the love story? I found it in those four pages of history, in a paragraph that was crossed out:
“I cannot talk about the history of this house without mentioning the most recent owner, Bud Bramfeld. He loved this house and this place with a passion. He couldn’t wait to get back in the spring. He loved it when we had parties and he loved it when we didn’t. We have lots of pictures of him around and are reminded of him every day, many times. Thank you, Bud, for this house.”
That’s a love story about people, a house full of memories, Lake Maxinkuckee and the Town of Culver.
Hi, I’m Debbie Palmer. I received a BS in Horticulture from Purdue University. Here at LMEF, I am responsible for outreach presentations, monitoring the lake and it’s wetlands, project manager for restoration and research projects, and act as a community resource for all things related to the well-being of Lake Maxinkuckee and its surrounding watershed. I completed Indiana Watershed Leadership Academy, volunteer with the Indiana Clean Lakes Program, Hoosier River Watch and Marshall County Lakes and Waters and serve as a Board Member for Indiana Lakes Management Society.
I so enjoyed your article on Agnes and the Brsmfield cottage.
Thanks for this article, Debbie! You’ve definitely captured the spirit of the place. One other way in which this is a love story, perhaps you can tell from the way she speaks about him, but my grandmother and grandfather had a really beautiful love story of their own. I believe she feels closer to him when the family is together and happy in the house because she is remembering how much he loved the place too. And, another anecdote she may not have shared. He showed her a bunch of houses on the lake and asked which one she wanted. She said she really wanted the Yellow House, even though it was expensive (though nothing close to the price of lake property today!) And so he bought it.
Love your addition to the story! I know I only scratched the surface.
I am the Peterson’s granddaughter and while I don’t remember the 4th parades as I was so young—there are plenty of pictures around the Bramfeld’s and Peterson’s house to remember it fondly. I love traveling to Culver and spending time with my family and neighbors who feel like family! So glad to see you writing about these staples in the community 🙂
My parents, June and Jim Hamilton, were close friends of the Bramfelds and Petersons and spent a lot of time with them at this wonderful house. I also spent time there and my husband Barry was allowed to ride Bud’s horse. Fond memories!