History & Genealogy of Cottage at
2738 E. Shore Lane - Woodbank
1837 - June 30 - Land Patent to James F. D. Lanier
1876 - not stated
1880 - J. Bozarth, part of Farm [Joesph Bozarth/Joseph Bozart/Joesph Busart]
1880 S. Edwards Farm [Stephen Edwards]
1898 - W. J. Wood
1908 - W. J. Wood - Woodbank Cottage
1922 - Wm. J. & Anna L. Wood
1908 W. J. Wood
1922 Wm. J. & Anna L. Wood
1953 A. C. Rassmusen
1956-61 Wm. M. Rassmussen
1985-1987 James Wood Rasmussen
1989- Catherine G. Rassmusen [Catherine Matilda Glossbrenner]
1991 - Woodbank Cottage - Catherine G. Rassmusen [Catherine Matilda Glossbrenner]
Built in 1894 by William Jacob Wood, an Indianapolis businessman; grandfather of James R. Rasmussen. Jacob Wood was a fire
insurance investigator for Fidelity Phoenix Fire Insurance Company located in Indianapolis. from Indianapolis. He bought some
property from a local farmer and built a simple cottage in 1894. Within a short time, a guest cottage, laundry, and other
outbuildings were added. The original grape arbor, which connects to the cottage, is extant.
A biography on Woodbank Cottage is found in the History of Marshall County Indiana
Sesquicentennial 1836 - 1986 on page 52 as follows:
Woodbank Cottage
A National Register Property
Located on the bank of Lake Maxinkuckee, Woodbank Cottage was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on December 2,
1982. The National Register is official recongnition of he site and provides a measure of property protection.
Built in 1894, ownership has remained in the family for three generations. Currently owned by Mr. and Mrs. James Rasmussen,
formerly of Indianapolis, the cottage was become their reitrement home.
Located on a hillside acre of wooded land, 50 feet above Lake Maxinkuckee;s eastern shore, the structure and its outbuildings
remain virtually unaltered.
William Wood, grandfather of Mr. Rassmussen, had the cottage builr as the ideal location for his family to be removed from the
summer heat of Indianapolis. Quoting from a paper prepared in 1976 by Mrs. Rasmussen, we see, this picture of the season's opening
near the turn of the century.
"Each spring thereafter, his wife, in floor-length skirts and in haughty procession with two daughters carrying bird cages and
dolls, two maindenly sisters-in-law and his mother-in-law, traveled on the "hootenanny" (Vandalia excursion train) to the sparklin
waters, thence by a public motor launch across the lake to the Norris pier. (At the cottage) they had winter shutters removed and
set up housekeeping until schools began in September. They instructed Chester Edwards to hand sythe the grass, ordered ice delivered
from town and borought produce fom farm wagons at the back gate."
The Rassmussens look upon themselves as trustees of the property for the next generations.
Placed on the national Historic Register 2 Dec. 1982 as follows:
Woodbank (added 1982 - Building - #82000022) - - Also known as Rasmussen Cottage
2738 East Shore Lane, Lake Maxinkuckee, Culver
Historic Significance: Architecture/Engineering
Architectural Style: Late Victorian
Area of Significance: Architecture
Period of Significance: 1875-1899
Owner: Private
Historic Function: Domestic
Historic Sub-function: Single Dwelling
Current Function: Domestic
Current Sub-function: Single Dwelling
Application description: Site: unaltered - hillside acre of wooded, farm-land fifty feet above Lake Maxinkuekee: East Shore.
Building: two story, frame dwelling with screened porch along West end; also, a Laundry-workshop building, Boathouse, original
"Outhouse" with grape-arbored cement walk from main building.
Altered: built in 1894, the kitchen was remodeled - 1952; bathroom installed inside - 1955; Boathouse (metal, section & wood frame)
demolished and replaced with cement-block - 1958.
William Marcus Rasmussen 1917 - 1994 buried Washington Cemetery Union twp., Marshall, Indiana.
William Jacob Wood b. Feb. 1857 In. burial: 04/25/1921 Section: 60 Lot: 1011 Crown Hill Cemtery
m. 1st [-?-]. They had:
Bessie M. Wood b. Aug. 1886 In.
William m 2nd Anna L. Douglas b. Feb 1865 In. burial: 09/01/1951 Section: 60 Lot: 1011 Crown Hill Cemetery They had:
Helen L. Wood b. 7 Oct 1890 In.
Helen L. Wood b. 7 Oct. 1890 In. Burial: 06/16/1951 Section: 60 Lot: 1011 Crown Hill Cemetery m. 10 June 1914 Marion co., In. (Bk. 76
pg. 314) Alvin C. Rasmussen b. 19 May 1890 burial: 6/16/1951 Section: 60 Lot: 1011 Crown Hill Cemetery.
. They had:
William Rasmussen b. c. 1917
James W. Rasmussen b. c. 1921
| Census 1900: Indianapolis, Marion, Indiana; Roll: T623 387; Page: 8A; Enumeration District: 39. 12th St. |
| HouseHold # | name | relation | born In | age | mar status |
born | mother born | father born | occupation |
| 529/139/140 | Wood, William J. | Head | Feb 1857 | 43 |
M/10/ | Indiana | Indiana | Pennsylvania | Stan Agt Life Ins |
| | Wood, Anna L. | Wife | Feb 1865 | 35 |
M/10 (1/1) | Indiana | Canada (Eng.) | Indiana | |
| | Douglas, Ida M. | S-in-law | Sep 1868 | 31 |
S | Indiana | Canada (Eng) | Indiana | Stenographer |
| | Wood, Bessie M. | daughter | Aug 1886 | 13 |
S | Indiana | Indiana | Indiana | In School |
| | Wood, Ellen L. | daughter | Oct 1889 | 10 |
s | Indiana | Indiana | Indiana | In School |
| Census 1910: Indianapolis Ward 2, Marion, Indiana; Roll: T624_366; Page: 11A; Enumeration District: 53
Broadway |
| Household # | name | relation | age | mar-status | born in |
father-born | mother-born | Occupation |
| 2301/271/272? | Wood, Wm. J. | Head | 53 | M(2)/21 |
Indiana | Indiana | Illinois | Insurance Adjuster
Travels |
| | Wood, Anna L. | Wife | 44 | M(1)/21
(1/1) |
| Indiana | Indiana | Indiana |
| | Wood, Helen | daughter | 18 | S |
Indiana | Indiana | Indiana | |
Census 1920: Indianapolis Ward 2, Marion, Indiana; Roll: T625_450; Page: 13B; Enumeration District: 51 Broadway
|
| Household # | name | relation | age | mar-status | born in |
father-born | mother-born | Occupation |
| 2301/279/296 | Woods, William J. | Head | 62 | M |
Indiana | United States | United States | Adjuster Insurance Co. |
| | Wood, Ann | wife | 54 | M | Indiana |
Canada | Indiana | |
| | Raumussen, Alvin C. | Son-in-law | 29 | M |
Missouri | German | Germany | Chief Engineer
Manufacture |
| |
Rasmussen, Helen | daughter | 29 | M |
Indiana | Indiana | Indiana | |
| | Rasmussen, William | grandson | 2 9/10 | S |
Indiana | Indiana | Indiana | |
| Census 1930: Indianapolis, Marion, Indiana; Roll: 610; Page: 8A; Enumeration District: 447 Parke |
| Household # | name | relation | age | mar-status | born in |
father-born | mother-born | Occupation |
| 4049/382/417? | Wood, Anna L. | Head | 65 | Wd |
Indiana | Canada English | Indiana | |
| Census 1930: Indianapolis, Marion, Indiana; Roll: 610; Page: 1B; Enumeration District: 449 Capital Ave. |
| Household # | name | relation | age | mar-status | born in |
father-born | mother-born | Occupation |
| 5135/23/23 | Rasmussen, Alvin C. | Head | 39 | M/23 |
Missouri | Denamrk | Texas | Engineer
Steel Mill |
| | Rsmussen, Helen W. | Wife-H | 39 | M/23 |
Indiana | Indiana | Indiana | |
| | Rasmussen, William W. | son | 12 | S |
Indiana | Missouri | Indiana | |
| | Rasmussen, James W. | son | 9 | S |
Indiana | Missouri | Indiana | |
Catherine - gave talk in Indianapolis on her memories of Lake Maxinkuckee - this was sent to me - I had some spelling erros and
alot of hyphens etc. in it - I hope I corrected it right - it is in the collection also
listed below.
VISUAL COLLECTION DESCRIPTIONS,
WILLIAM HENRY SMITH MEMORIAL LIBRARY,
INDIANA HISTORICAL SOCIETY
Rasmussen Family. Collection, ca. 1904-ca. 1978. P 0024. Approximately 100
black-and-white and color snapshots, and 46 copy negatives, mainly of cottages,
summer activities and social life at Lake Maxinkuckee between ca. 1904 and ca.
1978. Photographs of social activities were copied from Rasmussen family albums
and printed on contact sheets. These photographs are identified, and show members
of the Vonnegut and Schnull families, and children of other cottage owners boating
and playing tennis. Servants who worked for these families pose for individual
snapshots, and with their employers. Other photographs on contact sheets include
views of Indianapolis residences, and parades sponsored by the Indianapolis
German community. Interior and exterior views of cottages exist as individual
copyprints, and are not identified. Unidentified color photographs dating from
the late 1970s show children and teenagers water-skiing, swimming, and sunbathing
at Lake Maxinkuckee. The subjects may be members of the Rasmussen family.
Manuscript material in this collection consists of a typewritten memoir on family
and social life at Lake Maxinkuckee written by Mrs. James Rasmussen in the late
1970s. “Eighteen Ninety-Four to Nineteen Ninety-Four” contains anecdotes concerning
the Schnull and Vonnegut families. B & W photographs are with other collections
in one full-size document case. Color photographs are in one 5"x7" box in the
color photographs storage area. Negatives are in two 4"x5" negative storage boxes
and one flat storage box.
1993, 2005 Stephen Cale/Peter J. Rasmussen
2006 Stephen Cale , ? photographer
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