Nights before Christmas Candlelight Tour of Homes Preview

402 W. 1st Street

History

Beginning with the front door, the history of this 1940s Colonial Revival home is immediately evident. Originally owned by John C. Finch, manager of Madison’s Tack Factory, the home remained in the Finch family until 1958, when it was sold to Dr. William E. Stucker, a Madison dentist who practiced for 32 years.

A special piece of that history remains today: the front door still proudly bears W. E. Stucker’s name. Following Dr. Stucker’s passing in 2017, his niece, Michele Barlow, and her husband, Rob, purchased the home with the hope of keeping it in the family. Michele’s childhood memories of visiting her cousins here made the home especially meaningful, and she wanted to continue creating those memories with her own family.

Renovations

• A wall and chimney were removed from the kitchen to create a more open, spacious layout.
• A new HVAC system was installed throughout the home, including the sunroom.
• The four original upstairs bedrooms were reconfigured into three bedrooms and a primary bathroom.
• The laundry room was relocated from the kitchen to the second floor.
• The home’s exterior siding was replaced with durable Hardie Board.
• A new roof was installed.
• A side patio was added, featuring decorative pillars and a privacy wall.

Special Features

• Artwork displayed throughout the home includes pieces by local artists Lou Knoble, Larry Rudolech, and Bill Barnes.
• The sunroom features a robin’s egg blue ceiling, a color traditionally believed to discourage spiders and insects by mimicking the appearance of an open sky.
• The nativity displayed in the front hallway was handmade by a Franciscan nun in Oldenburg, Indiana, and given to Rob and Michele as a wedding gift in 1970.
• A framed 1991 photograph commemorates Indiana’s first bald eagles to hatch in the state since 1897 at Monroe Lake. The photograph is displayed in the home’s small first-floor bathroom.

718 E. 2nd Street

History

This is the home of Charlie and Lisa Ferguson. This quaint cottage, Hope Cottage, is named in honor of Lisa’s mother and their daughter, both named Hope. European travels by the couple inspired them to choose a name for their home. The cheery exterior paint colors were inspired by the colorful bungalows of Mackinac Island and the painted ladies of Martha’s Vineyard and the Haitian homes of Key West.

The home features a main door which has a wide decorative surround with a cornice, bullseyes and diamond patterns. The adjacent window trim mirrors the door. The gable is of medium height with scrolled brackets at the eaves. Decorative quatrefoils in the gable and a pierced attic vent cover, complete the front façade of this tiny charmer. A traditional shotgun built for this property was the front two rooms, the additional rooms were added in unknown years.

Renovations

• The exterior was repainted several times before the homeowner settled on the home’s current color.
• A sunroom addition was constructed by a local Amish contractor.
• New flooring has been installed throughout the home.

Special Features

• The home is a Folk Victorian shotgun-style residence.
• Original trim in the front rooms dates to the home’s 1860s era.
• Historical evidence on the property indicates that the home once included an outdoor kitchen and privy.
• The garden was designed by a local landscape contractor to complement the home’s cottage-inspired style.

421 Mill Street

History

This charming Victorian style duplex was built circa 1875. Originally a four-room house with cook stove, it has now been converted into a three-bedroom 2-bathroom home. The earliest tenants recorded in the 1890 city directory were the Logan Family: James Logan, a lumber dealer and his wife Mary Logan. It was then occupied by the Lane Family in the late 1910’s and early 1920s and sold to the Tewell family in 1924. The property became a rental around 1974 and remained one until recently, when it was converted back into a private home.

Renovations

• The home’s interior was completely gutted and renovated.
• The kitchen was relocated from the rear of the home to its current location.
• The backyard garden and landscaping have been redesigned and enhanced.

Special Features

• Distinctive gingerbread trim and a steeply pitched gable add to the home’s historic architectural character.
• Original windows remain among the home’s preserved historic features.
• A Jack-and-Jill bathroom connects two of the home’s bedrooms.

615 W. 1st Street

In the 1890s, railroads became the preferred form of travel in the United States and in 1895, the Pennsylvania Railroad built a new passenger station on W. 1st Street. Ornate for its size, it boasted a ladies waiting room, indoor washrooms, central heating and electric lights, as well as a distinctive octagonal ceiling, complete with colorful stained glass.

Hollywood film star Irene Dunne would have passed through this station when visiting her hometown, and Spanish-American War and World War I soldiers would have boarded here on their way to—and return from—the front lines.

When automobiles took over the transportation landscape in the 1930s, the station served as a freight depot and later as commercial office space. It was purchased and restored, and now operates as a museum at the
Jefferson County Historical Society’s History & Art Center.

601 W. 1st Street

Step back in time to experience the magic and charm of the holiday season as it was celebrated in the mid-19th century. During the tour, visitors can see the “crown jewel” of Madison’s Historic District decorated as it might have been in 1850. Back before homes featured finely wrapped gifts stacked high beneath a sparkling tree, the Lanier family likely celebrated its final holiday season in Madison in a way that was more modest but just as beautiful.

Highlighted by the festive seasonal décor, the Lanier Mansion is one of the best examples of Greek Revival architecture in the country and features dramatic architectural details, such as the grand spiral staircase bearing the signature on the newel post of Indiana architect Francis Costigan. Visitors can explore the home’s stately interiors accented with ornate plaster moldings and opulent furnishings in the same 19th century style.

Commissioned by banking and railroad magnate James F. D. Lanier and completed in 1844, the Lanier Mansion is part of Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites museum system and is featured on the National Register of Historic Places.

217 W. 2nd Street

Built circa 1815, this Federal-style structure is believed to be the first two-story tavern house in Madison. The ground floor housed a tavern, a post office, and a general store in the entrance, a bedroom (now the parlor), a kitchen (now the dining room) and an upstairs room which served as a meeting place and a sleeping loft. It was in this room in January 1818, fourteen Masons from all nine of the Indiana Masonic Lodges, met here to form the new Grand Lodge of Indiana. In 1972, the Scottish Rite Valley of Indianapolis purchased the property on behalf of the Freemasons of Indiana, did major renovations to restore the authenticity of the historic structure, and presented it to the Grand Lodge of Indiana who now preserve and present the structure.

Experience a unique architectural gem from 1851! This building was built by Francis Costigan, Madison’s premier architect and master builder, and showcases his magnificent skill in design and craftsmanship. The Costigan house showcases Corinthian-capitaled columns, a pocket entry door, fine woodwork, a curved door that is more than 10 ½ feet tall, and a unique stepladder staircase with a hinged gate at the top. This restored Greek Revival home displays grand 19th-century styles designed to keep the eye moving in a structure that is an architectural masterpiece of proportions.

Costigan also built Madison’s two individually listed National Historic Landmark properties, the Shrewsbury-Windle House and the J.F.D. Lanier Mansion. The Costigan House is operated as a historic house museum and is a property of Historic Madison, Inc., a local, award-winning, not-for-profit preservation and educational organization founded in 1960.

610 Main Street

History

Emilie Todd Helm (half-sister of First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln) or, as the President called her, “Little Sis”, moved to this house in 1866. Mrs. Helm moved to Madison from Elizabethtown, Kentucky after her husband, a Confederate General, was killed at the Battle of Chickamaugua. She lived here several years, teaching piano and playing the organ at Christ Episcopal Church. Her life epitomized the Civil War: on one side her husband, a fallen Confederate General, on the other side the President of the United States.

Renovations

• Stay tuned for more information

Special Features

• Greek-revival style house
• Built in the mid 1850s
• Boasts 13 ½ foot ceilings, five fireplaces and crown molding in the living room crafted by Francis Costigan.

416 Vine Street

Madison First Baptist Church traces its founding back to 1807when Elder Jesse Vawter called together a group of 15 people in his cabin at the top of what is now Michigan Hill and founded what was then called Crooked Creek Baptist Church. In 1812, the church relocated to Mount Pleasant and became known as Mount Pleasant Baptist. The membership grew rapidly and within a decade of its founding teams were being sent out to form other churches. Several churches in southeastern Indiana find their roots in Madison FBC.

In 1829, the church felt called by God to relocate their ministry to the heart of the nearby, growing metropolis of Madison. That December, the congregation began meeting in public spaces in Madison and began calling themselves the Madison First Baptist Church. In 1831 they built a small structure on the site of the present church on Vine Street and in April 1831, having sold their meeting house on the hill for $251, permanently moved to town. The site was sold to the church for $50 by the heirs of John Paul.

The congregation quickly outgrew their building and, in 1850, they began construction on a bigger facility with more modem amenities. Construction was sporadic, as they built only as funds became available. Services were held in various public places in downtown Madison until the lower level of the church was completed in 1853. Worship services were conducted in the Lower Auditorium for seven years until the construction of the upper sanctuary was completed in 1860.

The building architecture is Greek Revival. The original plans called for a seventy-one-foot steeple, but a lack of funds cancelled those plans. There is no surviving record of the architect, although it has been suggested to be Francis Costigan.

Various features of the current Sanctuary were added over the years including the stained-glass windows in 1907. The building was added onto several times, beginning with an eight-room addition to the east end of the sanctuary in 1916. The Education Wing added in 1964.

420 East Street

History

Deed records indicate this Federal-style row house was built in 1832, a charming survivor from Madison’s early days. Its brick façade is crowned by an ornate cornice lined with decorative corbels and dentils, a showcase of 1830s craftsmanship. Purchased in 2016 by Dave and Amy White, the home has been lovingly maintained and thoughtfully decorated by stewards who value its historic character, with primitive custom cabinetry, an original tin kitchen ceiling, exposed brick walls, and two original coal-burning fireplaces (now non-operational). The dining room is especially memorable, featuring distinctive board-and-batten millwork paired with elegant woodland wallpaper that brings a touch of nature indoors.

Just beyond the main house, a cozy she-shed and home office overlooks a delightful festive garden, offering a peaceful retreat year-round. During the Christmas season, evergreen garlands, twinkling lights, and treasured holiday accents fill the home with warmth and nostalgia. Together, the home’s historic details and traditional décor create the feeling of stepping into a simpler time, when Christmas was celebrated with timeless charm and wonder.

Renovations

• Board-and-batten walls and woodland-inspired wallpaper were added to the dining room last winter.
• The backyard “she shed,” located directly off the house, was converted from a weight room into a home office and den.
• The festive backyard garden was reconfigured and refreshed this summer.

Special Features

• Original artwork throughout the home by the homeowner’s mother, a Cincinnati-based artist, and brother, an artist based in Atlanta.
• The river scene beneath the mantel in the upstairs primary bedroom was painted by the homeowner’s mother.
• The kitchen features its original tin ceiling.
• The metal floor grate between the living and dining rooms is believed to be a remnant of a Caloric pipeless furnace, an updated heating system commonly installed in the early 1900s.
• The large photograph displayed along the staircase features the homeowner’s great-grandfather following a fox hunt in the early 1920s.

720 E. 2nd Street

History

Built circa 1870, this shotgun Italianate home is officially recognized as a contributing historic property within Madison’s local and national historic districts. When first constructed, the home consisted of only the two front rooms. Over time, thoughtful additions expanded the residence while preserving its historic character. The living room on the west side of the home originally served as a porch and was constructed with one-inch shiplap.

Outside, additional pieces of the property’s history remain. The detached garage was originally a barn and still retains the hayloft door visible from the alley. Inside the garage, a preserved two-seat outhouse offers an unexpected glimpse into everyday life from an earlier era.

Renovations:

• The interior of the home was completely gutted and renovated.
• A sunroom addition was completed in 2014.

Special Features

• Stay tuned for more information

North Broadway & Main Street

Broadway Fountain, a Madison treasure, is a bronze copy of the original nineteenth-century iron fountain that was part of the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition of 1876. The Independent Order of Odd Fellows purchased the fountain and presented it to the city of Madison in 1886. Although other copies of the fountain can be found in Poughkeepsie, NY; Cusco, Peru; and Forsyth Park in Savannah, Georgia, the Broadway Fountain is the least altered design from the illustration in the James Kirtland Company Catalog. In honor of the nation’s bicentennial celebration, the citizens of Madison raised funds to restore the esplanade and recast the fountain. The fountain was rededicated in 1980.

801 W. Main Street

Restrooms and Refreshments

Olde Tyme Marketplace will be holding special HOLIDAY hours during Nights Before Christmas.

Come enjoy some refreshments while holiday shopping for vintage and new farmhouse style décor for your home and garden. Don’t forget to check out the boutique and jewelry section while you are there! Housed in a former supermarket, there is much room to explore!

Little Golden Fox is your place for all things creative. Whether it is classes, workshops, creative supply, pottery painting, creative gifts or hosting memory making gatherings, this corner of Main Street is a place full of joy and happiness. Serving the community for 15 years as a family-owned business, it truly provides something for all ages. Little Golden Fox is proud to be home to Growing Minds Farm Stop, the first student ran business of its kind in the state of Indiana.

Refreshments & Restrooms Available

721 W. 1st Street

Come enjoy some refreshments at the amazing three-story antique mall in the beautiful historic downtown of Madison! The building structure was originally the town lumber mill located on the river. Repurposed to an antique mall in 1990, the mill now houses approximately 70 vendors across three stories, displaying and selling their amazing treasures. Stop in for a treat and see what treasures you can find!

301 E. Main Street

The Madison Area Chamber of Commerce has served the local business community since 1924 and today represents nearly 300 area businesses and organizations. The Chamber’s current home once served as the public relations building for the Marble Hill Nuclear Power Plant and later housed several community organizations, including economic development, Madison Main Street, and Visit Madison. Today, it serves as a hub for the Chamber and its members, hosting gatherings, workshops, Lunch & Learns, and other opportunities that bring the local business community together.

221 W. Main Street

Recently renovated, this convenient Main Street stop features refreshed restrooms, a small gift shop, and a new satellite Visitors Center operated by Visit Madison, Inc.