Indiana Landmarks is America's largest private statewide

historic preservation Historic preservation (US), built heritage preservation or built heritage conservation (UK), is an endeavor that seeks to preserve, conserve and protect buildings, objects, landscapes or other artifacts of historical significance. It is a philos ...

organization. Founded in 1960 as Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana by a volunteer group of civic and business leaders led by Indianapolis pharmaceutical executive

Eli Lilly Eli Lilly (July 8, 1838 – June 6, 1898) was an American soldier, pharmacist, chemist, and businessman who founded the Eli Lilly and Company pharmaceutical corporation. Lilly enlisted in the Union Army during the American Civil War and r ...

, the organization is a private non-governmental organization with nearly 6,000 members and an endowment of over $40-million.The Encyclopedia of Indianapolis By David J. Bodenhamer, Robert Graham Barrows, David Gordon Vanderstel, pg 685 The organization simplified its name to Indiana Landmarks in 2010. Indiana Landmarks owns and restores historic buildings, buys and sells vacant and endangered property, and helps people throughout Indiana save and restore historic places through a variety of programs including grants, loans, and advocacy. Indiana Landmarks employs staff at its state headquarters in Indianapolis and in regional offices throughout the state of

Indiana Indiana () is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States. It is the 38th-largest by area and the 17th-most populous of the 50 States. Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis. Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th s ...

. Regional offices are located in South Bend, Gary, New Albany, Aurora, Evansville, Cambridge City, Wabash, and Terre Haute. The organization's state headquarters are located at the former Central Avenue United Methodist Church in Indianapolis, now known as Indiana Landmarks Center. In addition to Indiana Landmarks Center, Indiana Landmarks owns and operates three historic properties as event and rental venues: the Morris-Butler House in Indianapolis, the Huddleston Farmhouse Inn Museum in

Cambridge City, Indiana Cambridge City is a town in Jackson Township, Wayne County, in the U.S. state of Indiana. The population was 1,870 at the 2010 census. History Cambridge City was laid out and platted in 1836. The community was named after the city of Cambridge, ...

, and

Veraestau Veraestau is a historic home located in Center Township, Dearborn County, Indiana. It was built in 1838, and is a two-story, Greek Revival style brick and frame dwelling. It incorporates an earlier brick extension to the original 1810 log cab ...

historic site in

Aurora, Indiana Aurora is a city in Center Township, Dearborn County, Indiana, United States. The population was 3,750 at the 2010 census. Geography Aurora is located at (39.058551, -84.906351). According to the 2010 census, Aurora has a total area of , of wh ...

. Landmarks' honorary board chair is Indiana's former Chief Justice Randall T. Shepard. The organization's first project was restoration of the 1865 Morris-Butler House in Indianapolis. Eli Lilly personally underwrote the acquisition and restoration of the house as a museum of Victorian decorative arts. Though the Morris-Butler House no longer operates as a museum, it is part of the Indiana Landmarks Center campus and functions as an event and rental facility. One of Indiana Landmarks' largest projects was the $30-million+ restoration of the

West Baden Springs Hotel The West Baden Springs Hotel, formerly known as the West Baden Inn, is part of the French Lick Resort and is a national historic landmark hotel in West Baden Springs, Orange County, Indiana. It is known for the dome covering its atrium. Prior ...

's exterior and public spaces. Indiana Landmarks helped lead the effort to bring riverboat gaming to

Orange County, Indiana Orange County is located in southern Indiana in the United States. As of 2020, its population was 19,867. The county seat is Paoli. The county has four incorporated settlements with a total population of about 8,600, as well as several small u ...

as a way to revitalize the

French Lick Resort Casino French Lick Resort is a resort complex in the Midwestern United States, located in the towns of West Baden Springs and French Lick, Indiana. The complex includes two historic resort spa hotels, stables, a casino, and three golf courses that a ...

and the West Baden Springs Hotel.

New name and headquarters

In April 2010, in conjunction with the organization's 50th anniversary, Indiana Landmarks announced its name change from Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana. At the same time, it announced that medical device entrepreneur

Bill Cook William Osser Xavier Cook (October 8, 1895 – May 5, 1986) was a Canadian professional ice hockey right winger who played for the Saskatoon Crescents of the Western Canada Hockey League (WCHL) and the New York Rangers of the National Hockey Le ...

and his wife, Gayle pledged $17-million to renovate the former Central Avenue United Methodist Church at 12th Street and Central Avenue in the

Old Northside Historic District Old Northside is a residential neighborhood near downtown in Indianapolis, Indiana. It is bordered by 16th Street on the north, Pennsylvania Street on the west, Interstate I-65 on the south, and Bellefontaine Street on the east. The Monon Trai ...

of Indianapolis as a performance space and new headquarters for the organization, to be known as Indiana Landmarks Center.

Endangered landmarks

Each May (National Historic Preservation Month), Indiana Landmarks announces a list of the state's ''10 Most Endangered'' landmarks. Circumstances that land properties among the 10 Most Endangered generally involve one or more of the following factors: demolition threat, abandonment, neglectful owner, dilapidation, obsolete use, lack of money for repairs, unreasonable above-market sale price, out-of-the-way location, or encroaching sprawl. Indiana Landmarks uses the ''10 Most Endangered'' list to bring public attention to the imperiled sites and mobilize support for their preservation. 2015 Ten Most Endangered list * Bedford Elks Building, Bedford *

Camp Chesterfield Camp Chesterfield was founded in 1891 and is the home of the Indiana Association of Spiritualists, located in Chesterfield, Indiana. Camp Chesterfield offers Spiritualist Church services, seminary, and mediumship, faith healing, and spiritual ...

, Chesterfield * First Presbyterian Church & Lafayette Building, South Bend * Indiana County Homes *

Indiana Medical History Museum The Indiana Medical History Museum is an Indianapolis monument to the beginning of psychiatric medical research. It is located on the grounds of what was formerly Central Indiana Hospital for the Insane, later shortened to Central State Hospital ...

, Indianapolis * IOOF United Brethren Block, Huntington * McCurdy Hotel, Evansville * McDonald House, Attica * Mills House, Greenwood * Rivoli Theater, Indianapolis 2016 Ten Most Endangered list * Beech Church, Carthage * Hazelwood, Muncie * Speakman House, Rising Sun * Washington County Courthouse, Salem * Monon High Bridge, Delphi * Pryor’s Country Place, Fox Lake near Angola * Ford Motor Company Assembly Branch, Indianapolis * Southside Turnverein Hall, Indianapolis *

, Chesterfield * Rivoli Theatre, Indianapolis 2017 Ten Most Endangered list * Marion National Bank Building, Marion * Newkirk Mansion, Connersville * Former Fire Station 18, Indianapolis * Old Marquette School, South Bend * Old YMCA, Terre Haute * Pryor's Country Place, Fox Lake * Round and polygonal barns, statewide * Simpson Hall,

Indiana School for the Deaf Indiana School for the Deaf (ISD) is a fully accredited school for the deaf and hard of hearing, located in Indianapolis, Indiana. It won the best deaf school in America in 2011 and 2014. History When the first school for the Deaf was establi ...

, Indianapolis * Speakman House, Rising Sun * Washington County Courthouse, Salem 2018 Ten Most Endangered list * Cannelton Historic District, Cannelton * Commandant’s Row at Indiana Veterans’ Home, West Lafayette * The Courtyard Inn, Rising Sun * Cravenhurst Barn, Madison * Muncie Fieldhouse, Muncie * National Bank Building, Marion *

North Christian Church The North Christian Church is a church in Columbus, Indiana. Founded in 1955, it is part of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). The church building of 1964 was designed by Finnish-American architect Eero Saarinen (1910–1961) and comp ...

, Columbus * Old Masonic Hall, Knightstown * Rocky Edge, Terre Haute * Saint Joseph’s College campus, Rensselaer

Annual awards

Indiana Landmarks issues several annual awards, including: * Cook Cup for Outstanding Restoration * Sandi Servaas Memorial Award * Williamson Prize Together with the Indiana Farm Bureau, Indiana Landmarks also co-sponsors the John Arnold Rural Preservation Award.

References

External links

*
National Trust for Historic Preservation
{{Authority control Historic preservation organizations in the United States Organizations established in 1960 State history organizations of the United States Non-profit organizations based in Indianapolis Museum organizations

New name and headquarters

Endangered landmarks

Annual awards

References

Further reading

External links