Above: Four winter scenes from 1906: the Vandalia Park area on Lake Maxinkuckee
A 1906 photo of the first Riding Hall at Culver Academy decked out in holiday snow.
Letters to Santa from Culver's young citizens, from the Citizen of December, 1906.
More 1906 letters to Santa from the Culver Citizen's young readers!
Above: Two 1909 ads; one from Hand's Grocery, the other Rector's Pharmacy.
An early shot (from the `teens) of the interior of Grace Church on Plymouth Street, decked out in Christmas finery.
Culver's ice house on the east end of Jefferson Street at wintertime, circa 1910.
A 120s Christmas advertisement from "The Surprise," "Culver's Biggest Store."
An advertisement for Christmas from Solomon's of Culver, circa 1920s.
The Christmas Eve edition of The Culver Citizen, 1924, gave updates on the Christmastime goings-on around town.
Two advertisements from Christmas, 1924, from Main Street Jeweler H.L. Werner (left) and Medbourn and McClane's, right.
Two shots of Main Street during the 1930s, covered over with a hefty blanket of snow.
A 1930s advertisement for Slattery's in Culver, "The Christmas Center."
Two pieces from the Culver Citizen: at left, the Dec. 26, 1934 edition relates the snowstorm that hit town for Christmas, and at right, local businessmen and well-known Culverites present humourous "letters" to Santa Claus.
Vans Market in the village of Maxinkuckee under a blanket of winter snow, circa 1935.
Ewald's Market of Culver offers their Christmas best for 1934.
Two Christmastime ads from the Culver Citizen: O.T. Goss' hardware on Main Street in 1937, and Mitchell & Stabenow clothiers on the west side of Main Street in 1938.
A December, 1924 cover from the Culver Citizen describes the holiday goings-on in town.
One of the winter scenes from CMA band director Col. Edward Payson's 1947 CMA calendar, this one depicting the Class Ring.
Students prepare to skate on Lake Maxinkuckee in one of the winter scenes from CMA band director Col. Edward Payson's 1947 CMA calendar.
Hockey on Lake Maxinkuckee, courtesy CMA band director Col. Edward Payson's 1947 CMA calendar.
"Phantasy," a winter-time photo of the lake area from the 1940s Col. Edward Payson.
Two festive shots from the 1940s of Col. Edward Payson's Culver home on North Terrace, near the Academy.
Two festive shots from the 1940s of Col. Edward Payson's Culver home on North Terrace, near the Academy.
Chistmastime fireplaces at two respective homes of Col. Edward Payson in Culver, during the 1940s.
The Payson family dog around he house on North Terrace, Culver, during a 1940s winter.
The Payson family dog on campus during a 1940s winter.
A 1928 portrait of a young Martha Payson (now Ryman) taken for Christmas.
Martha Payson sledding on Forest Place in Culver.
Martha Payson sledding (with help from her father, Col. Edward Payson) on Forest Place in Culver, 1930s.
Martha Payson on Forest Place in Culver during a 1930s winter.
Martha Payson on Forest Place in Culver during a 1930s winter.
Martha Payson sledding on Forest Place in Culver.
Martha Payson at Christmastime in a photo taken near the Paysons' North Terrace home, by her father, Col. Edward Payson during the 1940s.
Martha Payson at Christmastime in a photo taken at the Academy campus by her father, Col. Edward Payson during the 1940s.
A Christmas at the Newman farm near Culver, where yuletide festivities greeted children for many holiday seasons. This shot was taken by Col. Edward Payson during the 1930s.
A sled ready for use in the barn of the Newman farm near Culver, where yuletide festivities greeted children for many holiday seasons. This shot, titled "Americana," was taken by Col. Edward Payson during the 1930s.
One of the winter scenes from CMA band director Col. Edward Payson's 1947 CMA calendar.
One of the winter scenes from CMA band director Col. Edward Payson's 1947 CMA calendar.
One of the winter scenes from CMA band director Col. Edward Payson's 1947 CMA calendar.
One of the winter scenes from CMA band director Col. Edward Payson's 1947 CMA calendar.
Three variations of "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen," the CMA band caroling in one of the winter scenes from CMA band director Col. Edward Payson's 1947 CMA calendar.
"Iridescence," one of the winter scenes from CMA band director Col. Edward Payson's 1947 CMA calendar.
The CMA Christmas banquet at the Mess Hall, 1947.
Two 1950 advertisements, Rector's Pharmacy and the Lakeview Tavern.
More Christmas advertising from the 1950s; above, A.R. McKesson Ford.
More Christmas advertising from the 1950s:
The Culver Cafe and Hansen's Store
A 1950 holiday greeting from the Culver Inn....
...and Hatten's Garage.
A 1950 Citizen story evaluates Christmastime in Culver at mid-century.
Five photos by Bill Taber, late husband of longtime library staffperson Edna Taber (generously loaned by Mrs. Taber!) depict two scenes of Culver's winter finery. The first two were probably taken at the golf course, and the second two at an unidentified cottage on Lake Maxinkuckee. The last photo shows boats onshore at the lake in the winter.
The R&J Market in the village of Maxinkuckee, cica 1955.
A 1950s ad for the McKinnis Pharmacy at Christmastime.
John A. Newman and Sons wished everyone a Merry Christmas in the mid-1950s.
A Christmas greeting from the 1950s staff of the Culver Citizen.
The 1962 Boy Scout Christmas Tree sales, in a Culver Citizen article.
The women of newly-built St. Mary of the Lake Catholic Church erected a Christmas crib in 1955.
A Christmas card from the 1960s from the Taber family, owners of Culver's News Agency on Main Street (Edna Taber, second from the right, is a longtime member of the library's staff!).
The Culver Post Office's Christmas greetings from the 1950s.
The State Exchange Bank's 1954 Christmas party was, as usual, a gala affair.
A shot of the depot in the late 1950s, under a blanket of snow.
The Culver Jaycees sponsored a Christmas Decorating contest in 1965, and Ora Reed was the proud winner of the $15 grand prize!
At bottom, 5-year-old Lorna Voreis chats with St. Nick following his arrival (top) to Culver in 1967.
Santa Claus' arrival in Culver often took place on the back of a town fire truck, as in this 1968 photo from the Culver Citizen.
Mike Willhite in 1968, asking Santa's help in fulfilling his Christmas wishes.
Santa Claus' annual outdoor visit to Culver -- often on the back of a town fire truck -- was once an expected event. In 1969, the Culver Citizen reports of his doings.
The 1960s and 70s brought several snowy winters. Above is a humorous recollection from one of them, a "doctored" sign on the Culver Academy campus in the snow.
Eppley auditorium under a blanket of snow in 1976.
Frank Amond's beloved Maxinkuckee tourboat docked for winter in January, 1968. Photo courtesy Kim Amond.
Two images of the Amond children sledding at "Devil's Backbone," a popular sledding spot for decades on the Culver Academy golf course, in February, 1971. Photo courtesy Kim Amond.
Several shots of the Medbourn family and ice house crew, skating and walking on Lake Maxinkuckee near the Medbourn ice house on East Jefferson Street in Culver. From the Donna Edgington collection, courtesy Sherrill Fujimerra.
Three early views of Liberty Street in Culver facing south towards Lake Maxinkuckee. These photos were provided by Robert Waite, whose father Clifford built the first house on Liberty Street. This area, for many years, was also a popular sledding spot for Culver youth (see photo at lower right), who were aided by the town's shutting down Lake Shore Drive for their safe sledding.
Photo and article from the 1937 Culver Citizen on Christmas decorations throughout the town that year.