Ruthmere Museum
Ruthmere Museum is located at 302 East Beardsley Avenue. Ruthmere, built between 1908 and 1910, combines the formality of Beaux-Arts style with the functional elements of Midwest Prairie School architecture. Turnock used American building materials when at all possible, utilizing Indiana limestone and Beldon brick. One of the unique features of Ruthmere is the conservatory, which is connected to the house by the porte-cochere and an underground walkway. Your next tour stop is St. Paul’s United Methodist Church located at 405 West Beardsley Avenue. From Ruthmere Museum, travel west on Beardsley Avenue, following along the St. Joseph River. Crossing over North Main Street, follow Beardsley to Edwardsburg Avenue, where Saint Paul’s Church is located at the southwest block of the intersection.This tour is sponsored by Kil Architecture Planning. Contact Kil Architecture today at (574) 288-2654
Saint Paul’s Church
Saint Paul’s Church is located at 405 West Beardsley. Built in 1910, Saint Paul’s was designed in the twentieth century Gothic Revival style. The structure features grey brick with Bedford limestone trim, and E. Hill Turnock’s signature red-tiled roof. The bell tower was originally topped with a pointed steeple. In addition, Turnock also designed the attached parsonage, which was completed prior to the church. Recently a half-million-dollar restoration project was completed to ensure that this historic church would remain sound and vital for generations to come. Your next tour stop is the Beardsley Memorial. The Beardsley Memorial is at the point of the intersection of Beardsley and Riverside Avenue.This tour is sponsored by Kil Architecture Planning. Contact Kil Architecture today at (574) 288-2654
The Beardsley Memorial
The Beardsley Memorial is located at the point of the intersection of Beardsley and Riverside Avenue. The Memorial was commissioned by Albert Beardsley in 1914 to honor his late uncle, Doctor Havilah Beardsley, founder of the city of Elkhart. E. Hill Turnock designed the memorial near the site of Havilah’s original mills on the Saint Joseph River. The main figure and tablet were sculpted from bronze, while the base and foundation is Georgian marble. Your next tour stop is the Harter House, located at 760 Riverside Avenue. From the Beardsley Memorial, simply turn to the south to view the Harter House.This tour is sponsored by Kil Architecture Planning. Contact Kil Architecture today at (574) 288-2654
The Harter House
The Harter House located at 760 Riverside Avenue. The Harter House was built in 1913 and was featured that year in an issue of Western Architecture magazine. The structure is a symmetrical, two-story home that features E. Hill Turnock’s signature red tile roof as well as art glass windows. The geometric designs in the windows bear a striking resemblance to those by noted American architect, Frank Lloyd Wright, with whom Turnock studied in Chicago. Your next tour stop is the Conrad Ziesel House, located at 515 Riverside Avenue. From the Harter House, take a quick left turn onto Beardsley Avenue and another left on Edwardsburg Avenue. From here, turn right onto Riverside as you follow the Saint Joseph River to arrive at the Ziesel house.This tour is sponsored by Kil Architecture Planning. Contact Kil Architecture today at (574) 288-2654
The Conrad Ziesel residence
The Conrad Ziesel residence is located at 515 Riverside Avenue. The house highlights the Colonial Revival style of architecture. This two-story residence features a more formal recessed entrance with a decorative balconet overhead. Turnock’s emphasis on the importance of the entryway into a structure is obvious with the entrance, employing a roman arch over the front door. Turnock used his signature red tile roof and limestone in this 1920s home. Your next tour stop is the home where Turnock resided at on 417 Prospect Street. Continue south on Riverside, turning right on Cedar Street and left on Prospect. This tour is sponsored by Kil Architecture Planning. Contact Kil Architecture today at (574) 288-2654
The former residence of E. Hill Turnock
The former residence of E. Hill Turnock is located at 417 Prospect Street. Although Turnock did not design this second empire style home, he and his wife lived here for several years before moving to Washington Street, while his children continued to live in the home on Prospect. Your next tour stop is another Turnock designed residence, located at 302 West Jackson Boulevard. Follow Prospect to the Bower Street Bridge, crossing the bridge and heading toward Third Street. Please make a careful left turn at Prospect and Bower Streets, as cross traffic does not stop.This tour is sponsored by Kil Architecture Planning. Contact Kil Architecture today at (574) 288-2654
302 West Jackson Boulevard
Another home designed by Turnock is located at 302 West Jackson Boulevard. This one and a half story bungalow was built between 1910 and 1912 and features E. Hill Turnock’s signature tile roof. The residence has been maintained to its original construction details and features one of the downtown areas most beautiful gardens surrounding the house. Turnock employed the typical exposed rafter beams under the wide overhangs, unusual for a bungalow.Your next tour stop is the Winchester Mansion, located at 529 South Second Street. From Third and Jackson, continue on Third Street for five blocks. Turn east on Harrison Street, where you will find the house located on the northwest corner of Harrison and Second Streets at 529 South Second. This tour is sponsored by Kil Architecture Planning. Contact Kil Architecture today at (574) 288-2654
The Winchester Mansion
The Winchester Mansion is located at 529 South Second Street. The residence features Turnock’s affinity for dark brick complimented by dark mortar, balanced symmetry, and limestone decorative details. Your next stop is the Municipal Building, located at the northwest corner of High and Second Streets. Immediately after the Winchester residence, turn north on Second Street and follow to the intersection of High and Second Streets, where the Municipal Building is located to the west. This tour is sponsored by Kil Architecture Planning. Contact Kil Architecture today at (574) 288-2654
The Municipal Building
The Municipal Building is located on the northwest corner of High and Second Streets. Turnock designed three of the four corners, which included the Municipal Building that is still standing, and the since demolished Elkhart High School on the Southwest corner. In addition, where the library stands today was once the First Presbyterian Church, which Turnock designed with its iconic glass dome. The Municipal Building was built between 1915 and 1916 using brown brick and Bedford limestone. Interestingly, Turnock designed the building so that light would stream in through the windows at all times of the day. The third floor courtroom features a stained glass skylight, designed to bring in light from above as well. Your next tour stop is the YWCA, or Lexington Building, located near the intersection of Lexington and Second Street. Traveling one block north on Second Street from the Municipal Building, turn east on Lexington, where the YWCA is located on the northeast block of the Lexington Avenue and Second Street.This tour is sponsored by Kil Architecture Planning. Contact Kil Architecture today at (574) 288-2654
The YWCA, also known as the Lexington Building
The YWCA, also known as the Lexington Building, is located on the northeast block of the Lexington Avenue and Second Street. The three-story Young Women’s Christian Association building was erected under the direction of Turnock between 1917 and 1918. Although no longer a YWCA, the building has been completely restored for office use and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It features dark brown brick, limestone accents, green tile roof overhangs with oversized brackets, large arched windows, and a wrought iron balconet. Your next tour stop is the City Water Works Building, located on the northeast corner of Lexington Avenue and Main Street. Follow Lexington on block further east to arrive at the building. This tour is sponsored by Kil Architecture Planning. Contact Kil Architecture today at (574) 288-2654
The City Water Works Building
The City Water Works Building is located on the northeast corner of Lexington Avenue and Main Street. Built in 1910, the City Water Works building was designed by E. Hill Turnock. He chose to feature limestone, a red tile roof, and arched windows. The use of glass blocks in the first floor windows blended the structural integrity of the design and the creative use of natural, exterior lighting. Your next tour stop is the Kuespert House, located at 149 Division Street. Continue through the stop light and turn right on Waterfall Drive, right onto East Street, then right onto Division.This tour is sponsored by Kil Architecture Planning. Contact Kil Architecture today at (574) 288-2654Historical photomerge by Mark Sties, FinePhotographics.com. Archival image portion courtesy of Elkhart Public Library.
The Kuespert House
The Kuespert House is located at 149 Division Street. The Kuespert House is considered the most fully recognized design by Turnock. The one and a half story linear design features a red tile roof, arched windows, dark masonry brick, decorative urns, and exterior planters. In addition, the extended overhangs create the illusion of a longer house. This residence concludes the E. Hill Turnock Architectural Tour. Continue west on Division Street, where you have another view of the Winchester Mansion. Turn right on Main Street, driving through downtown Elkhart all the way to the Main Street Bridge and Beardsley Avenue, near where the tour began.This tour is sponsored by Kil Architecture Planning. Contact Kil Architecture today at (574) 288-2654
