The George Brown Mansion is an example of the Queen Anne's Style of architecture. It was a dominant style during the 1880s and 1890s, the time when Chesterton was a growing city in northern Indiana. George Brown arrived in the United States in 1852. In 1855, he married Charity Carter, daughter of a local family. He became a successful farmer in the township. The farm was located on what is 950 North, west of 400 East. By the year 1882 he was operating a farm of . He had expanded into supplying

cordwood Cordwood construction (also called cordwood masonry or cordwood building, alternatively stackwall or stovewood) is a term used for a natural building method in which short logs are piled crosswise to build a wall, using mortar or cob to perma ...

to the Porter brickyards after 1870. George and Charity had ten children. In 1884 George Brown bought in the town of Chesterton from the John Thomas family. His plans called for a retirement home on this site. He engaged Chicago architect Cicero Hine to design the house. In 1891 the family sold all but . It was the same year, that he built a brick store downtown at Calumet and Broadway. During the 1902 fire, it was the only store to survive. Charity Brown died in 1895 at 56. George died in 1899 at the age of 71. After a probate fight, his son John Franklin (Frank) moved into the house with his family. In 2010, the Westchester Historical Society uses the Brown Mansion as the Westchester Township History Museum and Society offices.

Architecture

The Queen Anne's Stylehouse was built in 1885 by George and Charity Brown.Photos: Local historians hear history of Brown Mansion, Chesterton Tribune, 3/10/2006 The contrasting colors of brick are characteristics of this style. The smooth white limestone horizontal band encircle the house, contrasting with the rough red brick. The brick was obtained locally from the Porter brick yards. more contrast is achieved with the straight exterior walls broken by the two-story bay windows on the east and front of the building. The front bay has George Brown's initials and date of construction in white limestone. Asymmetrical shapes are characteristic of the Queen Anne style. The architect, Cicero Hine, blended a variety of stone, from plain and decorative molded bricks, and limestone trim. Additional variation comes from the patterned wooden clapboards on the third floor balcony. The decorative variations in porches and balconies are highlighted by dormers, decorative gables and fanciful brackets under all the overhangs. Originally there was a wide veranda across the front and around the east side. ''Note:'' This includes and Accompanying photographs. The interior reflects the Queen Anne style with an asymmetrical floor plan. Through the front doors is a large entry hall. The interior includes stained and etched glass windows, plaster corbels and arches. The fireplace is decorated in a flower motif of oak with a

faux Faux may refer to: People *Faux (surname) Places Places in Belgium * Faux, a village in the Belgian commune of Court-Saint-Étienne Places in France * Faux, Ardennes, French commune of the Ardennes department * Faux, Dordogne, French commune of t ...

marble painted soapstone enclosure. Door lights are made of engraved glass. The third floor has a ballroom for formal dances. The third floor balcony is accessible from the dance floor. The house was constructed on local materials, including Porter bricks and Jackson Township lumber. It included hot and cold running water, with a bathroom on the second floor, and a coal fired furnace.

Gallery

GBM P6080017.jpg, East Facade GBM P6080022.jpg, Southwest corner GBM Main Entrance P6080029.jpg, Main entrance GBM Fan light P7180062.jpg, Fan light over front door; GBM Dining Room P6080046.jpg, Dining Room GBM 3rd Floor stairway P7180074.jpg, 3rd Floor Stairway GBM Parlor P6080041.jpg, Parlor GBM Date on Chimney P6080032.jpg, Carved date on Chimney GBM Upper Chimney P6080034.jpg, Chimney top

National Register of Historic Sites

Chesterton Commercial Historic District The Chesterton Commercial Historic District is a historic district in Chesterton, Indiana. Originally called Coffee Creek and located a little to the south of the current downtown, the name was changed some time after the post office was estab ...

* Chesterton Residential Historic District * George Brown Mansion * Norris and Harriet Coambs Lustron House *

New York Central Railroad Passenger Depot, Chesterton, Indiana Chesterton is a disused train station in Chesterton, Indiana. The current depot replaced a wooden structure built in 1852 for the Northern Indiana and Chicago Railroad, a predecessor road of the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway, that bu ...

* Martin Young House

References

External links

Westchester Township History Museum
{{DEFAULTSORT:Brown, George, Mansion Houses on the National Register of Historic Places in Indiana Queen Anne architecture in Indiana Houses completed in 1885 Museums in Porter County, Indiana National Register of Historic Places in Porter County, Indiana History museums in Indiana Houses in Porter County, Indiana