Some Irvington houses have been lost over the decades because of the proximity to commercial businesses along East Washington Street. With the proliferation of the automobile, the need for parking rose exponentially. This lovely early twentieth-century home used to sit at 15 South Ritter Avenue behind a bank and the Irving Theater, but it was removed for a parking lot.
Butler fraternity members called the dwelling home throughout the 1920s. The following set of photos, taken in 1920, shows the home when it housed many local Butler students. In the top photo, you can not only see the house, but the Masonic Lodge and some homes along Johnson Avenue behind it. In the bottom photos, members of the fraternity pose for photos. Notice the wonderful woodwork, hardwood floors, and fireplace. You will also likely enjoy the interesting furnishings including the phonograph machine in the second photo. These photos are reminders that we must do better in our generation of preserving this wonderful neighborhood so that structures like this are never again demolished. The historic images are courtesy of Amy Friedly.
Fantastic, as always!!
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