Making Memories

One of my readers, Jo Anna Booher, sent me an email after reading the blog article on Magical Flowing Wells:

“I remember when nearly every cottage on the east side had a flowing well to cool drinks and food etc. Brought back lots of memories!

We often went to the golf course to fill jugs of water.”

I quickly responded and asked if I could interview HER for an article! Thankfully she agreed and wanted to include her cousin, Linda Grube Eisenhauer. When we sat down together, the cousins shared that they have been coming to Lake Maxinkuckee their whole lives. The families would come on Memorial Day and stay until Labor Day, without going home to Logansport in between. The distance of 37 miles was just too far to drive back and forth!

Jo Anna remembers her parents renting a cabin from Wallstead’s Marina on the West Shore prior to building their own cottage at 204 South Shore Drive.

• 1938 – Jun 22 – Don Behmer Opens New Business On Lakeside
  
  Don Behmer has opened the Shady Point Boat and Auto Service, featuring grocery supplies, ice cream, cold drinks, boats and motors, gas service on pier for motor boats, speed boat rides, gas and oil, and cabins.
  
  The gas service station for lake boats is an innovation on Lake Maxinkuckee that should be welcomed by the many owners of motor boats
  
  The new business is located on the west side of the lake on Road 17
  
• 1939 – May 31 – Donald Behmer Opens Gargage on Long Point.
  
  Donald Behmer announces that he has opened a garage business at his place on Long Point, which he will operate in connection with his boat service.
  
• 1944 – Nov. 22 – Sells Boat Business to Michigan Man
  
  Donald Behmer has sold his business on Long Point to Frederick Wallstead of Cassopolis, Mich., who plans to take possession Jan. 1.Mr. Behmer who has operated the boat and garage business for several years has made no plans for the future.

Introduction – History and Genealogy of Lake Maxinkuckee (pasttracker.com)

Linda’s family rented a variety of cottages on the East Shore but she remembers often staying at one in particular and with some investigation, I determined that it was 1268 East Shore Drive. It was from these East Shore cottages that they would walk to fill up their water jugs at the flowing well at the golf course. I asked why they would do that, and they remembered it as good water and it was just fun to do. They also talked about a trough in the kitchen at the East Shore Drive cottage that was always full of really cold water from a flowing well that they used to store foods that needed to be kept cold.   

We discussed boats on the lake and how they have changed over the years. Linda vividly remembered her dad buying a 1947 red and white Higgins Ski boat from Wallstead’s and riding it home across the lake on a cold June day. They laughed about being pulled behind ski boats on a handmade surfboard when they were elementary school age, too young for water skis.

As Linda stated “No one wore life jackets and it was dangerous as h***!”

I thoroughly enjoyed talking to these two ladies as they remembered the fun they had spending summers at the lake. Lake Maxinkuckee is indeed a very special place and childhood memories are priceless. Thank you, Jo Anna and Linda, for walking down memory lane with me.

“Some old people keep young at heart in spite of wrinkles and gray hairs
… and can hide wise lessons under pleasant plays,
giving and receiving friendship in the sweetest way.”

—Louisa May Alcott

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