THREE CHEERS - Indiana Landmarks
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10 MOST SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021 ENDANGERED Historic places on the brink of extinction and too important to lose THREE CHEERS Celebrating preservation heroes CITY VIEW Touring a historic Indianapolis neighborhood
F R OM THE PRES ID ENT STARTERS
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
OFFICERS Olon F. Dotson
Muncie
Hon. Randall T. Shepard
Honorary Chair Melissa Glaze
Distance Vision
Roanoke
Sara Edgerton
Chair Tracy Haddad
Parker Beauchamp
Columbus tiles created by Indianapolis ceramicist
David A. Haist
Past Chair
Wabash Barbara Zech to replace missing and
Doris Anne Sadler
“TRUTH IS CONFIRMED BY inspection and delay; falsehood by Vice Chair Emily J. Harrison damaged historic tiles in Indianapolis’s
Attica
haste and uncertainty.” So wrote Roman historian Tacitus. Some Marsh Davis
Sarah L. Lechleiter
former Coca-Cola Bottling Plant admin-
President
1,900 years later those words inform strategies we use in saving Hilary Barnes
Indianapolis istration building, now repurposed as
historic places.
Secretary/Assistant Treasurer Shelby Moravec Bottleworks Hotel. Get a behind-the-
Resting Place
LaPorte
Thomas H. Engle
When told a historic building is too far gone or has no economic Assistant Secretary Ray Ontko scenes perspective on her work during
W
Brett D. McKamey
Richmond a talk on September 23 in Indianapolis
value, we seek professional, informed guidance. Indiana Landmarks Martin E. Rahe
Treasurer
and online (see p.18) hen William Hood and James Chesrown unveiled
has sponsored countless studies to gauge the structural and eco- Judy A. O’Bannon
Cincinnati, OH
James W. Renne their first community mausoleum in Ganges, Ohio, in
Secretary Emerita
nomic feasibility of saving historic places. Informed decisions result Newburgh
1907, they started a movement. Building on the belief
DIRECTORS David A. Resnick, CPA
in landmarks saved. Inspection, to Tacitus. Sarah Evans Barker Carmel that such tombs offered a more affordable and sanitary means
An equally important strategy is delay. Some call it deliberation Morgantown George A. Rogge of housing the dead than in-ground burial, the pair’s National
Gary
or buying time. I call it the long view. How many times have we been The Rt. Rev. Jennifer
Baskerville-Burrows Sallie W. Rowland
Mausoleum Company led the way among mausoleum businesses,
told, “In today’s economy, this place has no value”? Determining Indianapolis Zionsville developing and selling their patented designs nationwide. In
BARBARA ZECH
PHOTO BY EVAN HALE
Bruce W. Buchanan Peter J. Sacopulos Indiana, the Oxford Community Mausoleum (above)—a new entry
the fate of historic places based solely on momentary expedience Indianapolis Terre Haute
on Indiana Landmarks’ 10 Most Endangered list in 2021—is a near
results in decisions made in haste and uncertainty. Candace Chapman Robert L. Santa
Evansville Bloomington twin for the Ohio mausoleum that started it all. Learn more on p.11.
The list of long-vacant or significantly underused landmarks, Edward D. Clere Charlitta Winston
now restored but once deemed beyond practical value, is long and New Albany
Mike Corbett
Indianapolis
John D. Zeglis
impressive: Culver Union Hospital, Crawfordsville; Cannelton Noblesville Culver
Good Behavior
Ellen Swisher Crabb Beau F. Zoeller
Cotton Mill; LaSalle Hotel, South Bend; Carnegie Hall, Moores Hill; Indianapolis Henryville
Quartermaster Depot, Jeffersonville; and how about West Baden Cheri Dick
Zionsville
Springs Hotel? Add to that list these exciting, recent restoration LOOKING FOR A HISTORIC BUILDING THEY They bought the property in March and began work-
projects: Eagle Cotton Mill, Madison; Electric Works, Fort Wayne; could take on together, a quick internet search led ing with SRKM Architecture of Warsaw to rehab the
OFFICES & HISTORIC SITES
Bottleworks, Indianapolis. All required inspection, delay, and vision. father-son duo Joshua and Josh Baxter to the c.1880 house and former cell block as offices and loft apart-
Beyond this list are many more historic places presently vacant Headquarters Southeast Field Office Wabash Sheriff’s House and Jail—a former entry on ments, aiming to welcome tenants by spring 2022.
Indiana Landmarks Center Aurora
Indiana Landmarks’ 10 Most Endangered list. Even in For others like the Baxters who feel sentenced to a life
and in need of future use. These include Manchester University’s 1201 Central Avenue (812) 926-0983
Indianapolis, IN 46202 Southwest Field Office its unrestored state, the c.1880 landmark’s solid con- of preservation, we suggest checking out our historic
Administration Building, Indianapolis’s Old City Hall, and the info@indianalandmarks.org Evansville struction and fine details captured their imagination. properties for sale at indianalandmarks.org/for-sale.
(317) 639-4534
Studebaker Administration Building in South Bend. In all cases, (800) 450-4534
(812) 423-2988
Western Regional Office
Indiana Landmarks strives for an informed long view as the alter- Northwest Field Office Terre Haute
Gary (812) 232-4534
native to removing, for all time, landmarks of potential value to (219) 947-2657
Huddleston Farmhouse
future generations. Central Regional Office
Indianapolis
Cambridge City
(765) 478-3172
(317) 639-4534
Morris-Butler House
Eastern Regional Office Indianapolis
Cambridge City (317) 639-4534
(765) 478-3172
Veraestau
Northern Regional Office Aurora
South Bend (812) 926-0983
(574) 232-4534
Marsh Davis, President Northeast Field Office
French Lick and West
Baden Springs tours
Wabash (866) 571-8687 (toll free)
(800) 450-4534 (812) 936-5870
Southern Regional Office
PHOTOS BY LEE LEWELLEN
New Albany
(812) 284-4534
A trailblazing Modernist medical facility when it was completed
On the in 1952, today Marion’s Davis Clinic is vacant and in danger of
©2021, Indiana Landmarks; ISSN#: 0737-8602
Cover demolition. Read more about it and this year’s other 10 Most Indiana Landmarks publishes Indiana Preservation bimonthly
Endangered entries beginning on p. 8. P HOTO BY EVA N H A L E for members. To join and learn other membership benefits,
visit indianalandmarks.org or contact memberships@
indianalandmarks.org, 317-639-4534 or 800-450-4534. To
offer suggestions for Indiana Preservation, contact editor@
indianalandmarks.org.
2 INDIANA PRESERVATION indianalandmarks.org 3
AWA RD W INNERS
Praise for Preservation Heroes
PRESERVATION HEROES LOOK AT CRUMBLING Vevay’s Musée de “I cannot accept that a building is
buildings that others write-off and see promise and possibility Venoge Inc., won too far gone to be restored,” says Donna
Indiana Landmarks’
where others see despair. The winners of Indiana Landmarks’ organizational
Weaver. “Venoge is proof of that.”
2021 Sandi Servaas Memorial Awards are such visionaries, Servaas Memorial Undaunted by limited funds for
groups who rallied like-minded people to preserve their com- Award in recogni- the project, the all-volunteer group
munity’s heritage, and who work to instill a love of history in tion of the group’s removed later additions, stabilized
decades-spanning
the next generation. restoration of the building, reconstructed the
Outside Vevay in Switzerland County, Musée de Venoge an 1828 cottage exterior, rebuilt the hearth, chimney,
is a rare example of early French Colonial architecture in (shown pre- and and exterior stairway, and replastered
post-rehabilitation
Indiana. Constructed in 1828 in a French-Swiss settlement, the the interior. Working with a dendro-
below). Today, the
diminutive cottage was targeted by the local fire department reclaimed struc- chronologist to study the cottage’s
for fire-fighting exercises in the ’90s before Donna Weaver, ture welcomes original timbers, the group was
her late husband Tom, and Paul Venard stepped in to save it. visitors to learn the able to narrow down the building’s As the pandemic limited in-person Randolph County to pressure, county officials reversed their decision and moved
story of its early Community
The trio formed the nonprofit Musée de Venoge, Inc., named occupants and the
construction date. Donna conducted visitation in 2020, the group sought forward with a $8.2 million rehabilitation of the courthouse,
Foundation and
in honor of a creek on the property, renamed “Venoge” by the area’s French-Swiss intensive research and located let- ways to bring the site’s story to new Randolph County
including reconstructing a clock tower removed in the ’50s.
area’s Swiss settlers after a river in their native country. After heritage. ters of the house’s first occupants, audiences, creating a YouTube chan- United launched The threat to such an icon and its subsequent rescue renewed
nominating and securing listing for the crumbling structure in PHOTOS BY LEE LEWELLEN
(LEFT) AND © MUSÉE DE Jacob Weaver, his wife Charlotte nel with videos showing Musée de a program in 2019 the community’s desire to celebrate its heritage and inspire a
the National Register of Historic Places, they raised money to VENOGE (RIGHT)
Golay Weaver, and seven of their Venoge’s restoration and heritage. to bring every love of local history and architecture in its youngest residents.
third grader in the
purchase it and the surrounding 30 acres and embarked on a ten children. Her findings guided They also created a documentary county to down- Beginning in 2019, the Randolph County Community
nearly 20-year restoration. interpretation of the site as the home based on the home’s history and town Winchester’s Foundation teamed up with Randolph County United—an
of a middle-class family in the early Jacob’s letters written between 1813 courthouse square, economic, tourism, and chamber partnership—to bring every
where interpreters
nineteenth century. Today, Musée and 1847. To Make a Beginning is third-grade student in the county to downtown Winchester,
share the history
de Venoge engages visitors through available for sale on DVD. of its people and where students tour the historic courthouse, monuments, and
tours and living history events, For the group’s herculean efforts architecture, includ- Randolph County Historical Society Museum housed in the
inviting visitors to learn more about to save the property and tell its story, ing the 1875 court- c.1858 Carey Goodrich House. Students interact with artifacts
house (above left),
the area’s French-Swiss heritage and Musée de Venoge, Inc., merits the a former 10 Most
and first-person interpreters throughout downtown to learn
the cottage’s unusual architectural organizational Servaas Award, which Endangered site about Randolph County’s history, from its early pioneers to
provenance. comes with a $2,000 prize and the saved and restored its more recent automotive heritage at the Winchester Motor
original sculpture “No Doors to Lock through a grass- Speedway. At the courthouse, students learn first-hand about
roots campaign.
Out the Past” by Evansville sculptor The ambitious ini-
the community’s extraordinary drive to save the building. In
John McNaughton. tiative garnered the 2021, nearly 400 students participated in the program.
Servaas Memorial Recognizing their valuable initiative, Indiana Landmarks
Award in the youth-
awards Randolph County Community Foundation and
serving category.
In 2005, Randolph County PHOTOS BY GEORGE HANLIN, Randolph County United the Servaas Memorial Award in the
INDIANA HUMANITIES
Commissioners voted to demol- youth-serving category, which comes with the original sculp-
ish the 1875 county courthouse in ture and $1,000 cash prize.
Winchester, sparking outrage and a “Seeing the courthouse and touching the monuments,
grassroots campaign to save the land- memorials, clothes, and cars from long ago teaches us about
mark and earning it a spot on Indiana our past so we can move forward into the future,” says Missy
Landmarks’ 10 Most Endangered list. Williams of Randolph United, who started the program. “We
Even elementary school children col- want the children to strive to protect our buildings, homes,
lected pennies for the cause. Yielding and ideals of our past.”
4 INDIANA PRESERVATION indianalandmarks.org 5
U R BA N LOOK
National Register of Historic Places
in 1980 and local historic district
designation in 1982. Developers
injected new life to the neighbor-
hood’s commercial core, turning
places like the Real Silk Hosiery
Mills—a prominent silk hosiery fac-
tory in the country beginning in the
1920s—into lofts.
Today, the Chatham Arch
Neighborhood Foundation helps
maintain the district’s charming fea-
tures, restoring its brick alleys, updat-
ing historic street signs, planting trees,
and maintaining a pocket park at East
and St. Clair streets.
“Here in Chatham Arch, most of
the homes have front porches where
Tour Showcases a Vibrant neighbors gather to talk. Before you
know it, you’re walking to Mass
Drawn by the property’s large yard
and the neighborhood’s walkability,
The First United
Brethren Church
The tour concludes with a look at one of the area’s most
recent preservation triumphs: the Bottleworks District at
Indianapolis Neighborhood
(above left) on Park
Ave for dinner together,” says Jason the pair bought the home a few years Avenue has been
the repurposed Art Deco-style Coca-Cola Bottling Plant.
Trusty, neighborhood foundation ago and commissioned a contem- repurposed several Tourgoers will see public spaces inside Bottleworks Hotel
president. “It’s one of the most porary addition, working with the times since its con- before wrapping up at The Garage Food Hall in the bottling
AS INDIANAPOLIS GREW BEYOND ITS ORIGINAL Indianapolis’s walkable neighborhoods. We might Indianapolis Historic Preservation struction in 1907, plant’s former garages, the perfect place to grab a bite after
Chatham Arch including reuse as
Mile Square in the mid-nineteenth century, the area northeast park our car for a few weeks without Commission to ensure the design Phoenix Theatre. the tour.
neighborhood takes
of downtown now known as Chatham Arch developed into centerstage on an
driving it. You can walk to just about complemented the historic original, Today, it houses Prior to the Chatham Arch/Bottleworks tour, hear the
a thriving neighborhood of modest cottages, grander homes, October 5 tour. The anything you want: grocery stores, while still looking distinctly modern. three condos, one behind-the-scenes story of how a local artisan restored one of
of which will be
apartments, duplexes, churches, and commercial buildings. event offers a look restaurants, bars, and now a movie “I love walking through the front door the former bottling plant’s most stunning historic features. On
inside two private open to tourgoers
Today, it remains a walkable, vibrant place to live and work, theater and bowling alley.” into the old house, with its historic (above right). September 23, Indianapolis ceramicist Barbara Zech shares
residences, including
its collection of historic residential and commercial architec- an artfully enlarged Our October tour focuses on the brick, and then that transition from PHOTOS BY BRUCE W. how she color-matched, fabricated, and applied multiple layers
BUCHANAN
ture a major selling point. c.1864 house on St. center of the district, including a look historic to modern,” says Marsh. of glazing to colored tiles in the main building’s grand entry,
Hear the story of the historic district’s evolution and how it Clair Street (above inside the c.1864 Fiscus House on St. On Park Avenue, tourgoers will see The Chatham Arch lobby, and lab. The lobby alone contains 670 new pieces that
and below). tour includes a
survived a close call with annihilation on Indiana Landmarks’ Clair Street, owned by Louise Marsh a property adapted to new use mul- depict subtle motifs like bubbles and bottles. See the calendar
PHOTOS BY BRUCE W. peek inside the Art
neighborhood walking tour on October 5, presented in part- BUCHANAN and her partner Ronda Moreland. tiple times since its construction more Deco-style former on p.19 for timing and ticketing details for the talk and tour.
nership with the Chatham Arch Neighborhood Association than a century ago. Built in 1907 as Coca-Cola Bottling
and Foundation and Hendricks Commercial Properties. First United Brethren Church, the Plant, recently
transformed
Beginning in 1836, John Wood, Sr., platted the area and Craftsman and Tudor Revival-style into Bottleworks
named it Chatham. The neighborhood grew to include a structure found new purpose as the Hotel. A talk on
five-acre railroad depot, churches, and multiple shops and Phoenix Theatre in the late ’80s. After September 23
businesses along Massachusetts Avenue, its primary com- the theater moved out to new facili- highlights resto-
ration of tile in
mercial corridor. The historic district takes its name from that ties in 2018, Phoenix Redevelopment the hotel’s public
early history and from Arch Street, one of the neighborhood’s Partners, LLC, transformed the spaces, including its
quaint residential streets. historic church into three condomini- spectacular lobby
(right).
In the 1960s, interstate construction cut a swath through ums, one of which will be open on the PHOTO © BOTTLEWORKS
Chatham Arch, isolating it from other nearby neighborhoods tour. “The character is hard to match,” HOTEL
and threatening its survival. Residents, city agencies, and says owner Randy Swinford. “There’s
non-profits including Indiana Landmarks united to protect exposed steel and brick. I describe it as
the area and celebrate its heritage, securing its listing in the industrial but modern.”
6 INDIANA PRESERVATION indianalandmarks.org 7
10 MOST
Each year since 1991,
Indiana Landmarks has released a list of 10
Most Endangered buildings across Indiana,
recognizing significant historic places in
imminent jeopardy. The label is a rallying
It’s a tool that works. Since the list’s
inception, 59 landmarks have been rescued
and rehabilitated, and 38 places are no
longer in immediate danger of being
demolished.
ENDANGERED
cry, aiming to bring broader awareness to We aim for the same favorable outcome
buildings notable for their architecture or for this year’s 10 Most Endangered,
history and attract partners to invest in including six new entries and four places
their future. making a repeat appearance.
PHOTOS BY EVAN HALE
James M. Shields
Memorial Gymnasium
SEYMOUR
When Works Progress Administration workers Local businessmen purchased the property in 1996
constructed Seymour’s James M. Shields Memorial and had to demolish the seriously dilapidated school.
Gymnasium in 1941, the building embodied a grow- Since then, they’ve patched the gymnasium’s leaky
ing enthusiasm for Hoosier basketball and the com- roof and attempted to secure the building, hoping to
munity’s championship dreams for its local team, the attract interest in its redevelopment.
Seymour Owls. The plan worked. With seating for Keeping out vandals remains an ongoing struggle.
3,500 fans, the gym hosted 21 sectional titles from Broken windows and a graffiti-covered interior mar
1942-1970. Less celebrated but still locally beloved, the gym today, and a fire in 2018 destroyed a por-
today the deteriorating concrete and steel building tion of the bleachers. The building occupies a city
represents the plight of many shuttered high school block on 5th Street in the National Register-listed
gyms across the state. Walnut Street Historic District, surrounded by open
Seymour’s school system used the Shields Gym land that could make it a target for residential devel-
and adjoining 1910 high school until 1981, when opment. In other areas of the state, historic high
the city built a newer middle school. Indiana Bible school gyms have regained purpose as community
College renovated the old school and gym and used recreational centers, event centers, restaurants, even a
them for a few more years, but the buildings fell into brewery. There is community support for saving the
disrepair after the college relocated to Indianapolis. Shields Gym, but the shot clock is counting down.
8 INDIANA PRESERVATION indianalandmarks.org 9
B.G. Pollard Lodge #1242 Oxford Community
BLOOMINGTON Mausoleum
During an era of segregation when In the early twentieth century,
African Americans were not welcome cities and towns around the state
to gather in Bloomington’s downtown began building community mauso-
restaurants and businesses, the B.G. leums, promoting them as sanitary
Pollard Lodge #1242 on West 7th Street alternatives to in-ground burial.
With a grid of compartments for
acted as the heart of social life for the
coffins or cremated remains, these
city’s traditionally Black neighborhood.
so-called “mansions of the dead”
Members of the Improved Benevolent offered handsome, reasonably
and Protective Order of the Elks of the priced alternatives to those who
World, a leading national Black frater- could not afford a family mauso-
leum. Many communities regarded
them as symbols of local pride.
The Oxford Community
Davis Clinic Mausoleum in Benton County’s
MARION Oxford West Cemetery is Indiana’s
In the mid-twentieth century, a family of physicians set out first and oldest still-standing com-
munity mausoleum, and the only
to create a modern medical facility that would bring the fin-
example constructed from con-
est health care to the citizens of Marion. In the process, they
crete block. Built in 1908 in the
bestowed a unique architectural legacy on the community. Romanesque Revival style, it mir-
Dr. Merrill Davis and his sons Joseph and Richard, both rors a patented design by William
also physicians, set their sights on building an institution to Hood of the National Mausoleum
rival Minnesota’s Mayo Clinic, one designed to take advan- Company, which promoted con-
tage of the latest advances in hospital design and medical struction of community mausole-
technology. They pitched the idea to Frank Lloyd Wright, ums nationwide. Glass ridge tiles
who had recently designed Richard Davis’s house on Marion’s on the main roof filter light into the
Overlook Road. With little background in hospital design, mausoleum’s interior, illuminating
the master referred them to his friend and fellow architect the barrel-vaulted ceiling and rows
of marble-faced concrete crypts.
Eero Saarinen, who tapped his protégé Chicago architect nal organization, constructed a basement for a new lodge
The building’s architectural sig-
Harry Weese to develop plans for the new clinic. building in 1950, planning to add an upper floor later when
nificance helped it gain National
Completed in 1952, Weese’s design reflected modern con- they could afford it. Known as “The Hole,” the subterranean Register listing in 2020.
cepts in both style and substance. Outside, walls of windows space served as a popular Black nightclub, social hub, and With extremely limited funds,
punctuate buff brick and concrete, flooding the interior with haven from the 1960s to the ’80s. township officials have been unable
light. Inside, the new clinic introduced private rooms for In 1981, the Elks raised over $100,000 to finally build to address deferred maintenance
patients and spaces for the latest medical technology, including the upper floor and renovate the basement. The lodge con- issues at the mausoleum. Water
diagnostic X-rays and lab equipment. tinued to serve as community anchor, its new upstairs offices damage is clearly visible on the
The Davis Clinic continued to pioneer progressive medical housing the West Side Youth Development program, which exterior masonry, tile roofs, inte-
care until it closed in 1988. Now owned by ResCare— taught job skills to hundreds of students. A variety of factors rior plaster ceiling, and marble
a company that operates dozens of senior care facilities led to the lodge’s demise in the ’90s, including a decline in fronts of the vaults. The structure’s
plight reflects similar conditions
around the country—the property has been vacant for several lodge membership and club attendance, decreased finances,
at other community mausole-
years. ResCare has no use for the building and has proposed and disbanding of the youth program. The building is cur-
ums across the state, where pub-
demolition. rently owned by a local couple who use it mainly for storage, lic funds to address renovation
With its original design almost completely intact, the and preservation advocates fear the site could become a needs are scarce. Without the
building is in good shape in spite of recent neglect. An target for new development. The Pollard Lodge represents urgently needed repairs, the Oxford
important example of Mid-Century Modern design with a an important chapter in Bloomington’s Black history, a rare Community Mausoleum’s situation
provenance involving several nationally renowned architects, survivor among the city’s African American landmarks that becomes more critical with each
it’s a landmark that’s ripe for reuse and too important to lose. deserves broader attention. passing season.
10 INDIANA PRESERVATION indianalandmarks.org 11
Kamm & Schellinger Brewery
MISHAWAKA
For nearly a century, a brewery flour- Theodore Roosevelt
ished along Mishawaka’s St. Joseph River, at High School
one time producing 30,000 barrels of beer GARY
a year as Kamm and Schellinger Brewery
Built in 1930, Gary Roosevelt was one of the state’s first
in a complex of buildings dating from the
high schools constructed exclusively for African Americans.
mid-1800s to early 1900s. After the brewery
At its peak, the impressive Colonial Revival structure housed
closed in 1951, developers adapted the site in
the late ’60s as 100 Center, a thriving com- more than 3,000 students, making it one of the largest African
plex of shops, residences, restaurants and American high schools in the Midwest.
businesses. The school became a point of pride for the city’s Black com-
Beginning in the late ’80s, 100 Center munity, and leaders resolved to make Gary Roosevelt a school
began losing tenants to newer malls. The his- that would offer educational opportunities equal to any white
toric boiler house, stables, and several other school. The school recruited the best African American teachers
buildings in the complex have been repur- and administrators and brought in speakers from all over the
posed, but the main building—a four-story world to share their expertise. Educators expected students to
brewery structure dating to 1853—is empty
be civically active and engaged, a mindset that remains evident
and dilapidated.
in the school’s strong alumni group.
The Kamm and Schellinger Brewery is
the last of a thriving industrial area along
In more recent years, shrinking enrollment and chronic
the Mishawaka riverfront and one of the underfunding propelled the school into deepening decline. In
area’s few remaining examples of pre-Civil February 2019, a failing heat system and frigid temperatures
War architecture. The brewery building’s caused multiple pipes to burst, sending water cascading into
solid masonry construction and significant classrooms and offices and forcing students off-site. Facing an
local history merit rehabilitation. Residents estimated at $9.6 to $15 million for repairs and cleanup, the
share fond memories of the site from its 100 Indiana Distressed Unit Appeals Board permanently shuttered
Center days and offer no shortage of ideas the school.
for new use, but a patchwork of ownership, Including Gary Roosevelt on our 10 Most Endangered
shared parking, and a long list of code viola-
list last year helped elevate the school’s significance and
tions hamper the site’s redevelopment, and
status, and community support for saving it remains strong.
there is increasing pressure to demolish the
historic building in favor of new riverfront
However, without a realistic plan for its reuse, the landmark
construction. remains threatened.
Monon Depot
BEDFORD
Vacant, dilapidated, and a target for vandals, Since the depot’s first appearance on our 10 Most
Bedford’s Monon Depot, a return entry in 2021, Endangered list in 2020, a conditions assessment funded
needs immediate repairs and a plan for its reuse. by Indiana Landmarks found the depot to be in overall
Built in 1926 of Indiana limestone, the Craftsman good condition save a leaky tile roof, which is allowing
depot on J Street doubled as passenger depot and water to cause extensive damage to the building’s soffits
a freight station for the Monon Railroad, ship- and overhangs.
ping blocks from local quarries at the heart of the Community leaders and trail advocates have expressed
“Limestone Capital of the World.” After the Monon interest in adapting the Craftsman depot as a trail head
ended passenger service in 1967, the Louisville & for the growing Milwaukee Road Transportation Trailway,
Nashville Railroad and later CSX took over opera- but the pandemic stalled efforts to engage community and
tions, until the county adapted the building as a developer interest. We hope continued 10 Most listing will
recycling center. help reignite the push to find a reuse for the landmark.
12 INDIANA PRESERVATION indianalandmarks.org 13
Courthouse Annex
NEW CASTLE
At turn of twentieth century, downtown New Castle was the
bustling hub of a prosperous community. The city’s manufac-
turing industry thrived, fueled by the gas boom of the late-
nineteenth century, and burgeoning businesses served a rapidly
growing population. Handsome buildings lined the streets
around courthouse square—churches, theaters, lodge halls, and
shops selling everything from groceries to furniture.
But the boom was short-lived. Just a few years later the gas
wells had dried up, and factories began to close. People moved
away, businesses languished, and many downtown buildings
entered a slow slide into decline. Tipton County Jail
Today, large gaps in the historic streetscape show the effects & Sheriff’s Residence
of widespread demolition. Many of the remaining buildings At the end of the nineteenth century, many Midwest
stand empty, including a block-long commercial structure on the governments required sheriffs to live next door to the
courthouse square. Now known as the Courthouse Annex, the county jail for security purposes. Some took it a step fur-
building stretches along the entire 100 block of 12th Street—a ther, combining the jail and residence into one structure.
three-story Classical Revival edifice with terra cotta details and In Tipton County, officials hired Adolph Scherrer,
large windows that reflect the 1869 courthouse across the street. one of the state’s most celebrated architects, to design an
The building remains attractive, but its condition is precari- imposing new sheriff’s house and jail. Completed in 1895,
ous. It needs a new roof, and the demolition of its neighbor the structure married a handsome brick house with a more
to the west left a formerly interior wall exposed. The struc- utilitarian cellblock, connecting the two with a three-story
ture has been vacant for years, used primarily as an overflow brick and stone tower.
storage facility for county records. With no funds to address Today, the jail and 1894 Tipton County Courthouse—
long-deferred maintenance, county officials have repeatedly also designed by Scherrer—are the county’s only two
discussed demolishing the building and using the space as a National Register-listed buildings.
parking lot. Local city officials support saving the landmark but Though they eventually dropped the order requir-
face opposition from the county. ing the sheriff to live on site, officials continued to use
The community has already lost more than an entire down- the building as the county’s jail and law enforcement
town block within the last decade. Losing the Courthouse Annex offices for the next 125 years. However, after complet-
would rob New Castle’s courthouse square of its historic character ing a new $16 million jail facility last year, the county
and deal a devastating blow to the City’s goals for development. vacated the historic building.
Since listing the building on
Falley-O’Gara-Pyke House our 10 Most Endangered list last
LAFAYETTE year, Indiana Landmarks helped
Lafayette’s Falley-O’Gara-Pyke House sits adjacent to the details, including limestone door and window surrounds fund a feasibility study to evaluate
Cathedral of St. Mary in the city’s St. Mary Historic District. featuring a carved floral motif. its reuse options. Similar historic
The Roman Catholic Diocese has owned the property for Since we added the site to our 10 Most list last year, the jails around the state have been
several decades, and in 2018 quietly filed for a demolition Diocese has declined our requests to discuss preservation creatively adapted as restaurants,
permit, with plans to build a new rectory on the site. The alternatives. While church leaders haven’t set a timeline
offices, museums, even apart-
proposal sparked protest among neighborhood residents for the wrecking ball, they also haven’t committed to the
ments and condos. Local support
and preservation advocates, including parishioners who house’s preservation.
for saving the building is growing,
have urged church leaders to save the historic house. Although the Falley-O’Gara-Pyke House remains
Built c.1884 for Susannah Falley, wife and business threatened, its jeopardy has sparked a growing push for but any rehab will be expensive.
partner of hardware merchant James B. Falley, the home preservation within the St. Mary Historic District, result- In a rural county with limited
served as a single-family residence for decades before ing in local historic designation for 11 properties within the funding, finding the capital will
being subdivided into apartments. Though it shows signs district. We hope the momentum will persuade Diocese be a challenge.
of deferred maintenance, the landmark retains handsome officials to save the house.
14 INDIANA PRESERVATION indianalandmarks.org 15
LA N DM ARK NEWS
FOR LANDMARKS ON THE MARKET
SALE see more at indianalandmarks.org/for-sale
2021 Board Elections B RIE F LY
NOTE D
EACH YEAR, INDIANA LANDMARKS CONDUCTS To lend continuity, board members generally serve two con-
elections to select individuals to serve on the organization’s secutive terms for a total of six years. The governance commit- INDIANA LANDMARKS around the state, you can
board of directors. Typically, members vote in board elections tee recommends the following board members for re-election welcomes Haley Swindle reach us at 800-450-
as community preser- 4534, 317-639-4534, or
at Indiana Landmarks’ public annual meeting. This year, in lieu to second terms, also ending in 2024: Ellen Swisher Crabb of
vation specialist in our check our staff directory
of in-person voting, we invite members to vote remotely (see Indianapolis, Olon Dotson of Muncie, Peter Sacopulos of Terre Eastern Regional Office at indianalandmarks.org/
box below for details). Haute, Rob Santa of Bloomington, John Zeglis of Culver, and in Cambridge City. staff. We’re grateful to
The governance committee, chaired by Charlitta Winston, Beau Zoeller of Henryville. Two board members retire from Swindle holds a master’s all members of Indiana
degree in historic pres- Landmarks for their
recommends three candidates to serve three-year terms expiring service this year after completing two consecutive terms: Ed
ervation from Ball State continuing support as
in September 2024: Clere of New Albany and George Rogge of Gary. University and previously we navigate the ongoing
Indiana Landmarks’ bylaws allow terms to be extended for interned in our central pandemic.
A’Lelia Bundles, an accomplished author and those in officer positions. The governance committee recom- office and with Ball State
architecture professors CARES ACT DONOR
journalist living in Washington, D.C., is the mends re-election of four board members for one-year terms OPPORTUNITIES
Jonathan Spodek and
great-great granddaughter of entrepreneur as officers: Parker Beauchamp, past chair; Sara Edgerton, Olon Dotson. The Consolidated
Madam C.J. Walker. A’Lelia’s biography chair; Doris Anne Sadler, vice chair; and Randall Shepard,
On Her Own Ground: The Life and Times of honorary chairman. A NOTE OF THANKS
Indiana Landmarks is
Appropriations Act 2021
(H.R. 133) extended two
opportunities for donors
917 Adams Street
Madam C.J. Walker inspired the 2020 Netflix In addition, the governance committee will recommend Marion
grateful for the interns that were established by
series Self Made. She maintains deep ties to her for approval by the board itself the following officers for the
that worked in our offices 2020’s CARES Act: Two-story Craftsman-style house and matching carriage
hometown of Indianapolis and has been active in recent efforts coming year: Hilary Barnes, secretary and assistant trea- this summer. Many thanks A universal (or non- house ready for interior rehabilitation after recent exterior
to advocate for thoughtful redevelopment of Indiana Avenue, surer; Thomas Engle, assistant secretary; Brett McKamey, to Connor Kooistra, itemized, above-the-line) improvements, including a new roof and masonry work.
home to the historic Madam Walker Legacy Center. treasurer; Marsh Davis, president; and Judy O’Bannon, University of Notre Dame deduction allowing tax- Original features include leaded glass windows, fireplace,
School of Architecture; payers to deduct up to hardwood floors, pocket doors, and crown molding.
secretary emerita.
Maurice Lacy, Indiana $300 in charitable contri- Design attributed to architect Samuel Plato.
Greg Fehribach lives in Indianapolis where he State University; and butions (cash donations,
is an attorney affiliated with Tuohy Bailey & $89,000
Mark Belloni, Indiana not in-kind contributions)
Craig Luthy, Nicholson Realty
Moore LLP. A local and national leader in University-Purdue made in 2021. For 2021,
accessibility and inclusion for people with CAST Members of Indiana
Landmarks can vote in
University Indianapolis,
who helped develop
both spouses may claim
the $300 for a total of
765-664-6923
boatlife@comcast.net
YOUR
disabilities, Greg serves as the presiden- this year’s board elections graphics for design $600.
tially appointed chairman of the U.S. Access in one of three ways: guidelines, researched For those who claim
VOTE and nominated proper- itemized deductions, the HAVE A HISTORIC HOME or commercial building for sale?
Board and has made a career of protecting • Vote online at bit.ly/ ties for listing in the charitable deduction limit Ask us about options for advertising your property here
historic building integrity while making places accessible for ILBoardVote2021 or on our website. Contact Paige Wassel, 317-639-4534,
National Register of is raised from 60 percent
everyone. Greg first served on Indiana Landmarks’ board from Historic Places, and of adjusted gross income editor@indianalandmarks.org.
• Email info@indianalandmarks.org with the sub-
2013 to 2019. updated our grants to 100 percent for dona-
ject line “2021 Board Elections”
database, among other tions made in 2021.
Kert Toler lives in Indianapolis with his wife • Call Sharon Gamble, Indiana Landmarks’ Vice valuable work. If you would like to
discuss a charitable gift
Help Indiana Landmarks
President for Development, 317-822-7921.
Kayla where he is the senior vice presi-
dent of Stenz Corporation, a commercial
OPERATIONS
UPDATE
to Indiana Landmarks, achieve even more by:
Be sure to tune in to Indiana Landmarks’ video contact Sharon Gamble,
real estate and construction firm. He has annual meeting on September 11, when we’ll wel- Indiana Landmarks’ vice president for devel- • Renewing your membership
a long-held passion for historic proper- come new board members, honor winners of the offices statewide opment, 317-822-7921,
• Making a donation in addition to membership
reopened to the public sgamble@indianaland-
ties and currently serves as a representative Williamson Prize, Servaas Awards, and Cook Cup
in July, pending evolving marks.org. As always, • Including Indiana Landmarks in your estate plans
of Indiana Landmarks on the board of the for Outstanding Prestoration, and reflect on preser- please consult your own
local and state guidelines.
Athenaeum Foundation, as well as on the boards of the Joseph vation challenges and successes over the past year. As our staff carry on tax advisor for advice. For more information talk to Sharon Gamble,
Maley Foundation and Hamilton County Area Neighborhood (See p. 18 for details.) with preservation work 800-450-4534 or visit indianalandmarks.org
Development (HAND), Inc.
16 INDIANA PRESERVATION indianalandmarks.org 17
Tours & Events September/October 2021
Century of Progress
Talk
Sept. 24, Indiana Dunes
Two speakers discuss the 1933
INDIANAPOLIS
TOURS
Monument Circle
On select Saturdays, May
Preserving Historic Places
Virtual Conference
Sept. 30-Oct. 1, online
Indiana’s annual statewide preservation conference
Century of Progress World’s Fair and through October, one-hour goes online, with educational sessions and inspir-
its impact on architectural innovation guided walking tours examine ing lectures, including a talk by keynote speaker
the story of the Circle at the
in the twentieth century. Rick Rann, Sara Bronin, a Mexican-American architect,
heart of the city including the
owner of World’s Fair Memorabilia Soldiers and Sailors Monument attorney, professor, and policymaker specializing in
Show, leads a visual journey through and encircling landmarks. Tours property, land use, historic preservation, and cli-
Glazed Glory his extensive world’s fair memorabilia depart at 10 a.m. on Sept. 11 & mate change, appointed by President Biden to lead
25, Oct. 9 & 23. $10/general
collection, and Edward Torrez, prin- the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation.
admission, $5/child (age 6-11);
Sept. 23, Indianapolis and online cipal at BauerLatoza Studio and lead Visit indianalandmarks.org/preserving-historic-
$8/member; free for children
Rehabilitating the former Coca-Cola Bottling Plant in architect on the House of Tomorrow ages 5 and under. places-conference for conference agenda and
Indianapolis as the Bottleworks Hotel involved restor- restoration, provides insight on the pricing options.
City Market Catacombs
ing thousands of polychromatic ceramic tile. What landmark’s architectural legacy. $10/
Chatham Arch/
does it take to get the perfect match? Artist Barbara Join a guided tour of the
general public, $7/member. Buy remains of Tomlinson Hall, hid-
Zech reveals the painstaking process that went into online at centuryofprogresstalk21. den beneath the Indianapolis Bottleworks Tour
refreshing the landmark’s signature tile designs. City Market. In 2021, tours
eventbrite.com or call 317-639-4534. Oct. 5, Indianapolis
Tickets are $7/general public, free for members. begin on the market’s mez-
A guided walking tour of Indianapolis’s Chatham
Doors open at Indiana Landmarks Center at 5:30 p.m., zanine and include a brief
with talk beginning at 6 p.m. Join us in person or
Century of Progress history about the building’s Arch neighborhood examines the historic district’s
watch online via Zoom. And don’t miss your chance Tour development. Tours depart history and close call with destruction, highlight-
Sept. 25-26, Indiana Dunes every 15 minutes from 10 a.m.- ing examples of modern infill and adaptive reuse.
to see the spectacular ceramics during our Chatham
2:15 p.m. on Sept. 4 & 18, Oct.
Arch neighborhood and Bottleworks District tour on Visit four homes featured at the 2, 16, and 30. Advance ticket
Get an inside peek at a restored historic home, a
October 5 (see p.6 for more info). 1933 “Century of Progress” Chicago encouraged. $12/general condo in the former Phoenix Theatre, and public
World’s Fair, relocated to the Indiana admission, $6/child (age 6-11), spaces in the nearby Bottleworks District. The
shore of Lake Michigan. Tours depart $10/member; free for children two-hour tours depart every 15 minutes from
ages 5 and under.
indianalandmarks.org/tours-events • (317) 639-4534 by shuttle 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Central Time 4-6 p.m. Tickets cost $20/adult (ages 12 and
Catacombs After Hours
All times are eastern. Please note that some events are in-person, and others are virtual. on Sept. 25 and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Grab a beverage from the
up), $15/Indiana Landmarks or Chatham Arch
Central Time on Sept. 26. Tickets Thomlinson Tap Room before Neighborhood Association member, $10/child
are $30/Indiana Landmarks mem- a relaxed, adults-only (ages (ages 6-11). Free to children 5 and under. Learn
Annual Meeting FRENCH LICK & WEST BADEN ber, $35/general public, and will be 21+) tour of the Indianapolis more on p.6.
City Market Catacombs.
Sept. 11, online SPRINGS TOURS limited in timed tour slots to allow Offered on select Thursdays:
On Sept. 11, we’ll unveil a video version of our annual meeting Ongoing tours open only to overnight guests. Visit for social distancing. Buy online at Sept. 9 & 23, Oct. 7 & 21. Tours Cummins: Engines,
on our website, indianalandmarks.org. Tune in any time after indianalandmarks.org/french-lick-west-baden for more info. centuryofprogresstour21.eventbrite. depart every 30 minutes from Architecture, and Innovation
4:45-7:15 p.m. $15/general
3:30 p.m. to welcome new board members and honor award West Baden Twilight Tours
com or call 317-639-4534. Nov. 4, Indianapolis and online
public, $12/member.
winners of the Williamson Prize, Servaas Awards, and Cook Cup Springs Hotel On select Saturdays, Cummins Heritage Center lead archivist Lori
for Outstanding Restoration. We’ll highlight this year’s 10 Most Tuesday-Saturday, Twilight Tours explore what Barn Tour Athenaeum Lindberg, historian Steve Butler, and restoration
Endangered and salute some of our favorite saves from the past year. 2 & 4 p.m. it was like to be a guest of Sept. 25, Allen & DeKalb counties On select Wednesdays and manager Bruce Watson present an illustrated talk
the West Baden Springs Sundays, May through October,
No RSVP necessary. Simply watch and enjoy the show. French Lick Indiana Barn Foundation offers a on the Indiana company’s history of automotive
Hotel during its grand era one-hour guided tours
Springs Hotel
with costumed characters self-guided driving tour of barns in explore the history, architec- and engineering innovation, its outsized influence
Tuesday-Saturday, Noon
Outdoor Market representing famous Allen and DeKalb counties from 10 ture, and preservation of the on architecture and preservation in Bartholomew
Tours depart from our guests. Offered on Sept. Athenaeum, as it evolved from
Sept. 12, Oct. 10, Indianapolis
Landmarks Emporium
a.m.-4 p.m. Tickets cost $20 and may County, and its future as a world leader in power
11 at 7 p.m. $20/Indiana German clubhouse to a hub
Indiana Landmarks partners with Indy Urban Flea to host an shops in the hotels. Landmarks member; $25/ be purchased at indianabarns.org or of modern urban life. Tours production technology. Program begins at 6 p.m.
outdoor market featuring vintage, locally made, and one-of-a-kind Discount for members adult general admission, on the day of tour at 1958 Chapman depart at 5:45 and 6 p.m. on at Indiana Landmarks Center with brief highlights
handcrafted items on the parking lot and Place de Basile courtyard of on tours and in shops. $10/child (ages 6-14). Road, Huntertown. Children 16 and Sept. 22 and Oct. 20. Advance from our Indiana Automotive affinity group, fol-
Reservations recom- Purchase by calling 812- ticket encouraged. $10/general
Indiana Landmarks Center, 1201 Central Avenue. Free building tours mended. 812-936-5870, 936-5870 or by emailing
under are free with an adult. lowed by talk and Q&A. $10/general public, free for
admission; $5/child (age 6-11);
ongoing during market, which will include a food truck on site. Free swoodward@ swoodward@ $8/member; free for children Indiana Landmarks and Indiana Automotive mem-
admission and parking on surrounding streets. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. indianalandmarks.org. indianalandmarks.org. ages 5 and under. bers. Join us in person or watch online via Zoom.
18 INDIANA PRESERVATION indianalandmarks.org 19Nonprofit Org.
PAID
U.S. Postage
1201 Central Avenue
Indianapolis, IN
Indianapolis, IN 46202
Permit No. 3464
AN D F INALLY
Dream Come True
WHEN INDIANAPOLIS’S In late July, the curtain performances of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer’s Night’s Dream
Thomas Taggart Memorial landed rose on Indianapolis’s presented by Indy Shakes, with the memorial’s elegant lime-
newly completed
on Indiana Landmarks’ 10 Most Taggart Memorial
stone colonnade serving as a stately backdrop.
Endangered list in 2011, chain link Amphitheatre, now More than a decade ago, Indiana Landmarks spearheaded
fencing prevented passersby from the home stage creation of the Taggart Memorial Task Force to stabilize
getting too close to the precarious of Indy Shakes, the monument, built in 1931 to honor Indianapolis Mayor
whose inaugural
site. Fast forward to 2021 and the performances of Thomas Taggart. Indiana Landmarks collaborated with Indy
Neoclassical monument is now a Shakespeare’s A Parks, Indianapolis Parks Foundation, and Indy Shakes on a
showpiece in Riverside Regional Midsummer’s Night’s plan to restore the monument as a performance venue, fueled
Dream drew an esti-
Park, revitalized as the Taggart by a $9.2 million grant from Lilly Endowment to the Parks
mated over 3,000
Memorial Amphitheatre. In late patrons. Alliance of Indianapolis. It’s a transformation tale worthy of
July, crowds gathered there for PHOTO © INDY SHAKES the bard!
indianalandmarks.orgYou can also read
