Lake Maxinkuckee Its Intrigue
History & Genealogy


Culver, Marshall, Indiana


Arlington Hotel & Arlington Annex


Have not found the South end of Long Point area on a map as yet with any detailing on it; these are the sections for: 1898:

Note that this 1898 map gives the approximate location of the Arlington flag stop as it was called.




The Arlington Hotel was built in April of 1886, Stood approximately where Allen Boat house was. A. J. Knapp commissioned Cahoon and Company of C rawfordsville to construct the hotel. It was built on the south end of Long Point.

Conductor Knapp, of the Arlington, is at the lake this week fixing up everythig about his hotel in apple-pie-order. He begins to look like a horny-handed son of toil. pg. 3 21 May 1886 Logansport Pharos

The photo below by lake contours I would place near Long Point - it would be standing on the South somewhere probably near or below the present day public boat access landing. The small distant building to the North along the track would then be the Arlington flag-stop and pick-up point for the Arlington hotel. This flag-stop was established soon after the railroad came through to service the Arlington Hotel which sat across the road from it.


1886 - The Vandali a Railroad company have made a flag station at Long Point for the benefit of those wishing to stop on the west side. - Logansport Journal pg. 3 May 15, 1886

On 30 Jan. 1896 burned to the ground here are accounts of it as found:
Arlington Hotel Burns. The Arlington Hotel at Marmont, owned by Conductor Kapp [Knapp], of the Vandalia; was consumed by fire this morning. The loss was $3000 fully covered by insurance pg. 8 30 Jan. 1896 Logansport Daily Reporter

The Arlington Hotel at Marmont burned yesterday morning causing a lose of $3,000, fully covered by insurance. The hotel was the property of Conductor Kapp [Knapp] of the Vandalia. pg. 5 31 Jan. 1896 Logansport Journal
C. K. Howell of South Bend was commissioned to design the new hotel and D. G. Walter of Culver City constructed it and it re-opened 1 June 1896.

From the Logansport papers comes:
Work has commenced on the new Arlington Hotel at Marmont, and it will be ready for occupancy about May 1st. pg. 6 28 Mar. 1896 Logansport Daily Reporter

The Arlington House at Lake Maxinkuckee is completed and open for business. It is owned by our genial friend Conductor Knapp of the Vandalia, and in his absence is managed by his good wife "Topsy". There are twelve rooms in the building, all fronting on the lake, and everything about it is as neat as a new pin. It is a splendid place to spend a few days or weeks. All the rooms will undoubtedly be occupied during the summer. - 14 May 1896 Logansport Pharos


and another article from the The Culver Hearld dated 22 May 1896:
Arlington Hotel
As an ideal summer house, the above named house, which is beautifully located on the southwest shore of Lake Maxinkuckee and a short distance from Culver City, stands perhaps without a rival.

In erecting his hotel Mr. Knapp, the genial proprietor, constantly had in mind the convenience and comfort of his future guests. To be fully convinced of the fact one need only visit the place and see how skillfully and tastefully everything about the house has been arranged.

Long Point projects out into Lake Maxinkuckee several rods and supports a good, substanial steamboat landing. Parties debarking from the boat have no hot and wearisome hill no climb, but instead upon have a short, delightful walk to the beautiful and shady grove that is situated upon the shore.

The building which faces the lake and catches the fresh invigorating breeze that day and night sweeps across its surface is spacious and complete in every detail. Its rooms, including all the sleeping compartments up and down stairs, have plenty of light and are well ventilated.

As an architect Mr. Knapp is much deserving of much credit for the skill and genius he has exercised in designing and building such a model summer house as certainly will please the fance and provide the greater comfort for ohis many city friends whos patronage he solicits.

One of the leading features about this new resort, which undoubtedly will prove to be a strong drawing card, is its excellent fishing privileges. For many years Long Point has bee regarded as the best place on Lake Maxinkuckee for one to drop his hook and line and this opinion is prevelent. It is claimed by some that nearly all kinds of fish can here be taken from the water almost any day during the season.

Another superior advantage which this uncommonly beautiful resort possesses and which the majority of the peole will appreciate is that in case of sickness in the night or any other time the services of a good physician can be secured.

The distance to Culver City, which does exceed one and a half miles, is ove a good road and can be made in a very short time with a horse and buggy, which in case of emergency can be procured from the landlord of the hotel.

Taking everything into consideration a most attractive, comfortable, and convenient location for one to enjoy the warm summer months connot be found anywhere. In introducing this royal and unique summer retreat among the various and beautiful and popular resorst alreay bordering on Lake Maxinkuckee Mr. Knapp has done acommendable work. Person who come here this summer for leasure and recuperation will be highly delighted over the courtesies extended them by the proprietor, Mr. A. J. Knapp, and his amiable wife. There is also in connection with the hotel a fine steamboat which is used exclusively for the accommodation of the guests and which meets all trains.


Conductor Knapp, of the Vandalia, has not closed the Arlington as stated by the Pharos a few days ago. In order to accommodate parties of fisherman and hunters the Arlington will be open until the 10th or 15th of November. pg. 9 26 Oct. 1896 Logansport Pharos

The Arlington Hotel at Maxinkuckee had not been closed, butwill be kept open till Nov 16th, in order to accommodate fishermen and hynters. Conductor Knapp, of the Vandalia, still has charge of the house. pg. 6 27 Oct. 1897 Logansport Daily Reporter.

1897 - Apr. 24 - The Arlington Hotel at Maxinkuckee has been opened for the summer season pg. 3 Saturday 24 Apr. 1897 Logansport Reporter

The Arlington Annex was on the lake front at 704 West Shore drive and on 16 Aug. 1897 was purchased by James I. Barnes of Logansport

Arlington Closed - The Arlington hotel at Lake Maxinkuckee has closed for the winter months and the proprietor, A. J. Knapp, has returned to his home in South Bend. A good season is reported. pg. 5 11 Nov. 1897 Logansport Reporter

This is an article on the hotel the appeared in the Marmont Herald on 1898.


The Arlington Hotel
On The West Shore of the Lake


After the Vandalia Railway opened a thoroughfare to Lake Maxinkuckee, A. J. Knapp, while advocating his calling as a conductor of the same, was in a position to hear that many desired a hotel at the lake that would open early in the Sprint and close late in the Fall, the club houses seldom opening before June and closing the first of September.

During the spring of 1886, Mr. Knapp employed the well-known firm of Calloon & Co. of Crawfordsville, Ind., to build a hotel. It was named the Arlington, and opened to the public during the month of April; it proved a successful venture from the start. As time passed many cottages were built on the west shore, and campers came by the hundreds.

Mr. Knapp, finding the hotel too small, began building additions. Finally he rented the Alfrey Cottage, one of the largest on on the lake, for a number of years. It was connected with the hotel by a porch thirty feet wide, and combined porches of hotel and cottage were over three hundred feet lake front, and the grounds well shaded with grand old oaks. In April 1892, Mr. Knapp placed the steamer "Lloyd McSheehy" on the lake.

On January 30th, the Arlington was burned to the ground with heavy loss to the owner. Mr. Knapp immediately engaged Mr. C. K. Howell, one of the leading architects of South Bend, to furnish a design for a new hotel. Mr. D. G. Walter of Culver City, had the building completed by June 1st, and the public conceded that the archetict had planned for their comfort a monern and a model hotel.

The Vandalia officials quickly recognizing the rapid growth on the west shore, and the great number of people summering there, built a depot near the Arlington Hotel and named the station Arlington.

In fact the growth has been so closely interwoven with that of the Railroad Company that the liberal and far-seeing policy of the latter in aiding every effort looking toward advancement is visible in all directions.

Long Point is sitiuated between Lake Maxinkuckee and Lost Lake, its romantic nooks, its natural bowers, its grand old oaks, its sloping lawns and lovely cotaages, its charming views of both lakes form pictures over which the artist might linger for hour upon hour. It would be difficult to attempt to place, in order of their attraction, the many centers of interest in and about Long Point, and as the vicinity has been in the past, so will it continue to be in the future - a place wher all can visit with pleasures and profit.
by the above ad-article the clientele soon out grew the rooms of the hotel and after being added onto still out grew its quarters. A. J. Knapp connected the hotel to the Alfrey cottage by a thirty foot wide porch.

A. J. Knapp, the Vandalia conductor, secured a leave of absence today for the summer season and will soon open the Arlinton hotel at Culver. George Hayes will take his run. pg. 5 18 Apr 1898 Logansport Daily Reporter

Here is a section refering to the Arlington Hotel from the 1900 topographical map by J. T. Scovell:



Besides the information provided above Mark Roder writes - in his book:
...The Arlington was a 38 room hotel...The Arlington had a pier where such craft as the SS Arlinton took passengers on the lake....The Arlington dining room seated 100 guests, the parlor had a view of lake...The Arlington had its own chef... The old Arlington Depot is still in existence. It was moved by Gene Behmer to his property and is now a part of the behmer garage. Some of the printing from the days of the Arlington is still to be found on the walls.

Found in One Townships Yeserday's - Corwin:
James Whitcomb Riley, Hoosier poet, used to come to Lake Maxinkuckee and write of the beauties thereof. His nephew, Edmund Eilet, in the years at the beginning of the new century, would spend summer weekends at the lake, stopping at the Arlington.
1905 - April - The Arlington Hotel at Lake Maxinkuckee will not be open this year until May 10 - pg. 1 Saturday 22 Apr. 1905 Logansport Cronicle

1905 - May The Arlington Hotel is open and ready for fishermen and the traveling public. pg. 4 Saturday 13 May. 1905 Logansport Cronicle

1905 - May - The Arlington Hotel at Lake Maxinkuckee is now open for the season, and the steamer "loyd" is again in service. The Arlington has entertained several fishing parties this Spring and prospects are very good for a big season at this popular resort. - pg. 1 Saturday 13 May 1905 Logansport Chronicle

Conductor Knapp, of the Vandalia has opened the Arlington Hotel at Maxinkuckee for the summer season. pg. 5 6 Jun 1906 Logansport Daily Reporter

It closed in 1912.

3 September 1914 Anthony J. Knapp died at his home, the old Arlington hotel; this must be a newspaper account of his death is found to be Friday 28 August 1914 from his obituary that was found:
Captain A. J. Knapp who retired from active service as engineer on the Vandalia in 1907 died at noon yesterday at his home in Culver, Ind. having reached the age of sixty-seven years, death being due to complication of aimlents [ailments].

"Captain" Knapp gained his title in the United States navy during the civil war, he having served as seaman during the entire war. After the war he took employment with the Vandalia railroad company and he was perhaps the most widley known engineer o the Michigab division.

He was retired from active railroad service at the age of sixty-three and two years later his name was placed upon the Roll of Honor and he was pensioned by the company. He also received a pension from the United States government and h has spent the last few years of his life quietly at his home in Culver. For some time his health has been poor and his death was not a surprise to those who were nearest him. He was wounded during his service in the navy and this old trouble has been a heavy handicap during the latter years of his life.

For several years he was proprietor and manager of the Arlington Hotel at Culver and he is well known to every person who has visited that popular summer resort - pg. 5 Saturday 29 Aug. 1914 Logansport Pharos.

Mrs. Estella Knapp then soon sold the hotel 1914 or 1915 to William Holland and Robert B. Mc Inerney of South Bend.

They opened the hotel for the season of 1917 by an ad in the Logansport Pharos Reporter on Wednesday, 23 May 1917 and Friday, 25 May 1917:

Lake Maxinkuckee
Culver, Indiana
(Formerly Capt. Knapp's Place)
Open for Buisness May 26

Invites you to the most comfort able Summer Resort in Indiana. Elaborate alterations and improvements have been made. Elecric Lights. New Boats. The best of everything for comport and enjoyment. Meals a Specialty and guaranteed to be the very best.

Special Fish and Chicken dinners at any time.

Fritz Drechsel, Prop.

The Arlington.
Culver, Indiana.        Bell Phone 270
or address

Fritz's Cafe, 115 N. Main Street
South Bend, Indiana

In Aug. 1917 it burnt and it is recorded in the Culver Citizen dated 15 Aug. 1917 a chimney fire done enough structural damage to the old building that it was torn down.

That at about 11:18 Sunday morning a man passing by in an automobile spotted flames. He shouted "You are on fire!" as he rushed into the kitchen. The cook ran upstairs and told the landlord, Mr. Deschler, who ran up to the attic and discovered that a portion of the kitchen chimney was on fire. The Culver Fire Company came and nearby cottagers helped to put out the fire. Most of the first floor furniture was taken out. The fire swept through the second floor and many quests were unable to retrieve their trunks. The nearby cottages were saved, but the Arlington was destroyed.

Capt. A. J. Knapp was the owner. He was referred to as "sea Captain of the Lake". He was conductor for the railroad and would bring the train from Logansport to the Arlington Station; and then skipper his launch to transport people around the lake.


In the lower right you can barely see the train tracks, the Arlington depot is the small building on the right - the Arlington hotel partially hidden by the shade trees around it - and the S.S. Arlington docked at the hotel pier. Long Point in the back ground - and the road in front looks no more than just a pathway.

And the former boat storage and servants quarters for the Arlington - became the house or cottage at 670 W. Shore. Dr. which was purchased by James B. and Mary (Church) Allen

Beth (Pearce) Muelhasen writes:

My husband, Fritz Muehlhausen, was raised in the James I. Barnes cottage on the West side - which used to be the Arlington Hotel. It burned partially and was remodeled by Fritz's great-grandfather (James I.'s father) - I think his name was John E.

...the Arlington Hotel burned down completely. That is not accurate according to family history. The addition on the south side of the lawn burned, and the main portion was remodeled to create the cottage that stands today and still belongs to my husband's Aunt, Virginia Barnes Kniesly.

By all accounts the Arlington Hotel it self burnt and not the Arlington Annex which as stated above was purchased on 16 Aug. 1897 by James I. Barnes of Logansport.

Below is an areial view of what would of been the total Arlington Hotel and Annex property as it looks today the upper cottage is the Kniesley Vesh cottage at 704 W. Shore Dr. and the last full cottage pictured is 670 W. Shore drive which as said above was to be the boat storage and servants quartes for the Arlington Hotel.