First United Methodist Church
110 North Cass StreetBuilt: 1900Style: Gothic RevivalThe First United Methodist Church was dedicated on March 11, 1900 during the pastorate of Reverend H. N. Herrick. The congregation was organized in 1837. The 1890 pipe organ in the church came from their 1863 building, once located on the site of Saint Bernard Catholic Church across the street.This Gothic Revival structure has undergone minor alterations, yet it remains an excellent example of its style. Notable features include the octagonal turret with lancet windows at the corner, the two main sanctuary windows with tracery, and the three extruding limestone entry vestibules with sharply pointed gables. The stained glass windows were purchased from the Kansas City Stained Glass Company in 1899. An addition was completed in 1964, and another large addition is planned.In early 2020, this site was opened as The Sanctuary, a boutique hotel and event venue. Major renovations and updates were performed to the structure, including preserving the iconic stained glass windows. More information can be found at www.thesanctuaryofwabash.com.
Frank & Abbie Blount House
44 West Sinclair StreetBuilt: 1883Style: Stick StyleFrank and Abbie Blount received this lot on West Sinclair Street as a wedding gift from his parents, Dr. and Mrs. Rufus Blount. Mr. Blount joined Kothe, Wells and Bauer, an Indianapolis wholesale grocery firm, in 1889 and served as a local manager for most of his life. Dr. Blount, who lived in the home in his later years, served as a physician in Wabash for more than fifty years.An excellent example of Stick Style architecture, this home retains many of its historic features such as its tall proportion, very irregular plan, complex roof forms, knee braces and brackets, contrasting vertical siding above and below the windows, banding and paneling, and cornerboards. Also of interest is its square tower with pyramidal roof and projecting porch.
Joseph & Kate Busick House
40 West Sinclair StreetBuilt: c. 1890Style: EclecticJoseph Busick was one of the wealthiest and most prominent citizens of Wabash when he and his wife Kate built this home about 1890. Mr. Busick was involved in multiple business ventures which ultimately let to a fortune estimated between $200,000 and $300,000.With its varied architectural features, this structure is classified primarily as eclectic. Italianate features include its hipped roof, projecting cornice supported by brackets, rectilinear massing of the building, and arched porch on the façade. Typical of the Queen Anne style are the stepped, hexagonal tower over the east projecting bay and the jerkinhead gable over the two-story projecting bay of the front façade.
Talbert-Weesner House
206 West Main StreetBuilt: c. 1890; 1902Style: Queen AnneWilliam and Mary Talbert, the earliest known owners, purchased the home in 1893 when Mr. Talbert was involved in the international horse-trading business. Later, he served as President for Citizens Savings and Trust Company in Wabash. Clarkson and Anna Weesner moved to the home in 1902 and remained there until 1924. While in this home, Mr. Weesner edited the 1914 two-volume History of Wabash County. The Talberts made a major T-plan addition to the originally narrow, one-story structure in 1893. In 1902, the Weesners added Neo-Classical features including the porch of the south elevation wiht its coursed limestone block piers, pedimented gable, dentilled frieze, and colonettes.
Sivey-Tyer House
306 West Main StreetBuilt: c. 1850sStyle: Gothic RevivalJohn Sivey, one of Wabash County's early settlers, was the Wabash Circuit Court clerk from 1848 to 1859. While clerk, he and his wife Lucinda built this home. Mr. Sivey was also a successful land agent who lent his name to two real estate plats in Wabash. In 1862 John and Sarah Tyer purchased the home and lived there until 1867. Mr. Tyer was also an early Wabash County settler and served as a constable in Wabash for many years.The Gothic Revival-style cottage is a rare example of a residence of the style in Indiana. The steeply pitched central front gable, the two-level porch, and board and batten wooden siding are all characteristics of the style. Original decorative details to the front gable have been lost, but new similar elements have been added.
Harry & Lola Jackson House
442 West Main StreetBuilt: 1916Style: CraftsmanHarry and Lola Jackson built this home and resided there until 1941. The Jacksons were married in September 1891 and were avid members of the Wabash Christian Church, where Mr. Jackson served as a trustee. He was active in the Wabash community and belonged to the Elks Lodge and Rotary International of Wabash.This home is an excellent example of a Craftsman-style bungalow. Its low-pitched side-gabled roof, central shed dormer supported by simple squared piers, and exposed rafter ends are very common to the style. Other typical features include its three-over-one window glazing and the partial-width porch supported by a square column and contained under the main roof.
David & Harriet Marks House
170 Thorne StreetBuilt: 1905Style: Queen AnneDavid and Harriet Marks were the first owners of this home. Mr. Marks served as a Wabash city councilman and chair of the county's Democratic central committee. In 1914, he was called by President Wilson to serve on the Claims Commission for the Isthmus of Panama, in connection with the Panama Canal.This home of irregular plan incorporates features such as diagonal corners, several projecting bays, and a patterned slate roof. Also notable is the large wrap-around veranda on the east and south sides. The veranda includes a semicircular turret overlooking the bluff, a gable over the entry steps, paired Tuscan columns, and a spindle balustrade.
Woman's Clubhouse
770 West Hill StreetBuilt: c. 1889Style: InstitutionalThe Woman's Clubhouse Association has leased this building from the Wabash Park Board since 1930. However, the building was erected as the Orphan's Home. It was remodeled in 1905 and used as a hospital and training school for nurses until 1919. The initial membership of the Woman's Clubhouse was 701 and reached 1,002 during the late 1950s and 1960s. The Clubhouse has served the community by hosting events such as art exhibits and benefit parties.This large two-story brick structure is notable for its hipped, low-pitched roof, tall, narrow windows with the original four-over-four wooden sashes, segmental window arches, and asymmetrical plan.
Daugherty-Ford House
654 West Hill StreetBuilt: 1860sStyle: Federal/ClassicalJosiah and Minerva Daugherty built this home. Mr. Daugherty was in the meatpacking and livestock business and served as president of the First National Bank of Wabash for over thirty-five years. Their daughter, Marie Daugherty Webster, became a famous quilt designer; her home in Marion, Indiana is used as the Quilters Hall of Fame. John and Kathryn Ford purchased the home in the late 1930s while Mr. Ford was serving as the secretary-treasurer of the Ford Meter Box Company.The home originally had Federal style features in its façade, an Italianate cornice with panels and brackets, and three one-story porches. The two-story pedimented portico in the Ionic style was added to the home in the 1940s and gave the home a Classical appearance. However, the Federal style can still be seen in the oblong shape and gable roof.
William Yarnelle House
614 West Hill StreetBuilt: 1900Style: Colonial RevivalSoon after William and Mildred Yarnelle built this home, Mr. Yarnelle bought the Duck & Pressler Lumber Company and created the Yarnelle Lumber and Coal Company. He served as president of this company and also as president of the Nonotuck Oil and Gas Company of Wabash. In the 1930s, their son Kenneth took over the business and continued to live in the home. He served in World War I, became a district commander of the American Legion, and was elected a director of the Home Loan & Savings Association.Notable details of this home include the symmetrical arrangement of features, the central Palladian window in the second story, and the pediment with its fanlight window and cornice with modillions and dentils. Other interesting elements include the dormer windows with swan's neck pediments and the Tuscan pilasters at the corners of the house.
DePuy-Vaughn House
373 West Hill StreetBuilt: 1899Style: EclecticFrank DePuy, a real estate agent, and his wife, Henrietta, built this home. Thomas F. Vaughn, president of the Wabash Cabinet Company, purchased the home in the late 1910s.This house is an eclectic mixture of the Prarie style, Romanesque Revival, American Foursquare, and Colonial Revival styles. Prarie style characteristics can be seen in the low, flared, hipped roof with wide overhanging eaves. Romanesque features include the round-arched windows of the first and second floors. American Foursquare elements are the rectangular façade, hipped roof, and central dormer. Colonial details are seen in the Tuscan columns of the porch and the entry with side-lights and transom.
Clarkson & Anna Weesner House
313 West Hill StreetBuilt: 1885Style: Queen AnneClarkson Weesner, one of Wabash's most prominent citizens, and his wife Anna built this home. Mr. Weesner served as deputy treasurer, county clerk, city clerk, mayor of Wabash, and president of the Old Settlers Association.This Queen Anne-style home was included in Wilbur Peat's classic book, Indiana Houses of the Nineteenth Century, and is one of the best examples of the style in Wabash. Interesting features of the structure include the two tiers of porches with fretwork and balustrades on the façade, the side veranda, diagonally-cut corners, projecting rectangular bay at one of the corners, and dormer windows with varied shapes.
Harmon & Carolyn Wolf House
261 West Hill StreetBuilt: 1890sStyle: EclecticWhile the original owners of the home are unknown, Harmon and Carolyn Wolf occupied this home from 1904 until the mid-1940s. Mr. Wolf, originally from Germany, was in the business of importing Belgian draft horses. His sons, Louis and Henry, joined their father in this business and continued to reside in the home.Although it has features of both Romanesque Revival and Colonial Revival styles, this home takes on a very individualistic approach. Consistent with the Romanesque style are the rock-faced, coursed limestone of the façade and the round-arched hoods of the first-story windows. Colonial Revival features are the oblong shape, somewhat symmetrical arrangement of windows, and symmetrical dormer windows. Two projecting bay windows with sheet metal ornamentation on the façade and side elevation draw more from the Queen Anne style.
Thomas & Mary McNamee House
208 West Hill StreetBuilt: c. 1870Style: Second Empire/ItalianateThomas McNamee began business in 1855 with a stove store and tin ship. His business ultimately grew to include hardware and prospered considerably, allowing him to build this stately home. Mr. McNamee was one of three founders of the Wabash County Bank and served as president of its successor, the Wabash National Bank, for nearly twenty years. According to the 1914 History of Wabash County, he was "one of the most widely known men in the county."This home won local note when it was included in the 1962 Indiana Houses of the Nineteenth Century by Wilbur Peat. The Second Empire style is seen primarily in the corner tower with its convex mansard roof and dormer windows. The rectangular massing, hipped roof, and cornice with brackets suggested the Italianate style. The pattered slate roof and heavily molded window hoods add to the splendor of this home.
Carnegie Public Library
188 West Hill StreetBuilt: 1903Style: Neo-ClassicalThe Wabash Carnegie Public Library was built with a donation of $20,000 from Andrew Carnegie. The structure's architect was John Franklin Wing of Wing and Mahurin of Fort Wayne. The initial stacks contained less than 5,000 books, but a growing collection of volumes and other educational materials brought about a tripling of size with a 1970s addition, which is sympathetic in materials and color.The most prominent feature of this Neo-Classical structure is its portico with Ionic columns supporting a plain frieze and pediment with decorative antefixes. Before the 1970s addition, a stairway led from Hill Street to the main entry door within the portico. Another very noteworthy feature is the copper dome, which in the interior, exhibits a display of colored wire glass.
Dr. James Ford Historic Home
177-179 West Hill StreetBuilt: c. 1841Style: Federal/ItalianateOne of the most respected physicians in the region, Dr. James Ford built this home with his wife America. Dr. Ford also served as a charter trustee of North Western Christian (later Butler) University in Indianapolis. Currently, the Dr. James Ford Historic Home is a museum offering interpretations of 19th century family life in Wabash, a doctor's office, decorative arts, and gardening.The L-shaped original house was probably Federal in style when built-- the flat stone lintels over the windows and the side-lights and transom of the main entry are Federal features. Italianate features probably added later include the paired brackets and dentil pattern along the cornice. A major restoration by Richard E. Ford, a great-grandson of the doctor, has returned lost features, such as the projecting bay window and entry porch to the façade.
Presbyterian Church
123 West Hill StreetBuilt: 1884Style: Gothic RevivalThe current Presbyterian Church was constructed to replace the original building, erected in the 1850s. The present structure was built over approximately four years and cost roughly $28,000. Dr. Charles Little was the pastor of this congregation when they constructed the new edifice and served until his death in 1921.The Gothic Revival style of this structure is clearly seen in its pointed arch windows, stone-capped brick buttresses on the east and west façades, and the ninety-foot tall multi-staged spire including a belfry. Also of note is the large stained class rose window in the façade and the brick corbel table below the cornice.
Wabash Christian Church
110 West Hill StreetBuilt: 1871Style: Romanesque/ItalianateThe Wabash Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) was designed by Dr. James Ford. The church building, which has been in continual service for over 130 years, is one of the oldest religious structures in the county.Several styles are combined in the design, including Romanesque and Italianate. The façade features an entrance below and arch of compound archivolts and an octagonal belfry with a domical roof. Other notable features include the corbelled cornice, the stone quoins on the corners, circular window of the entry pavilion, and semicircular hood molds over tall, arched windows. The church retains its original stained glass windows and oak-and-walnut pews installed in 1890.
Lumaree-Adams House
106 North Miami StreetBuilt: c. 1900Style: Colonial RevivalCornelius and Lida Lumaree lived in the residence from its construction until 1932. The property then changed hands six times before it was occupied by J. Warren and Irene Adams, who lived there through the 1950s and 1960s. Mrs. Adams was a clerk at Thompson Electric Store, and Mr. Adams, a painter, served in World War I. He later became a charter member and commander of the American Legion of Wabash and a member of the Elks Lodge.Loosely based on vernacular Colonial houses of the 18th century, this home is a nice example of an average citizen's residence. Architectural features include a side-gabled roof, cornice emphasized by a wide band of trim comprised of undecorated boards, small frieze-band windows set into this trim, and a small front porch supported by slender spandrels and pilasters.
Gardner-Houser-Nixon House
180 North Miami StreetBuilt: 1903Style: TudorMarland Gardner, founder of the Wabash Cabinet Company, and his wife Della built the home and later sold it to Dr. Burvia Houser, a renowned surgeon and physician, and his wife Anna. The Housers sold the home to Don and Eugenia Nixon in the late 1920s or early 1930s. Mr. Nixon was the founder of Nixon Newspapers. Mrs. Nixon, a concert pianist, later became the wife of Mark Honeywell, a founder of Honeywell International.An excellent example of the Tudor Revival style, this home employs the use of half-timber and stucco. Architectural features include the steeply pitched cross gables of the roof, the large polygonal projecting bay of the west façade, and the diamond quarrels of the windows.
