Home of Noted Art Critic--Lucille E. Morehouse

Read any art history books on local artists from the early to mid-twentieth century and you will read the name of Lucille E. Morehouse.  For several decades, beginning in the 1910s, Miss Morehouse wrote a weekly column on art for the Indianapolis Star.  She personally knew all of the greats including T.C. Steele, Marie Goth, Simon Baus, Clifton Wheeler, and many others.  Her name graces the bibliographies of dozens of books and journal articles about the Indiana artist movement, including the Irvington Group.  She lived in several homes around Irvington in the early 1900s before finally moving into her new bungalow at 5958 Beechwood Avenue around 1916.  Upon her death in the early 1960s, her home was filled with local art that she had personally collected.  The Cavanaughs, who next moved into house, reported that the dwelling was filled with items, but the art was gone by the time they set up housekeeping.  More scholarship is needed on this interesting Irvington woman.  Her columns have been absolutely critical for documenting important eras of Indiana's art history.

In this photo, taken in 1959, the subject is clearly the beautiful car in a driveway; however, across the street you can see the home of Miss Morehouse.  She would only live a few years after this photo was taken.  Today, the home looks very different as it has been wrapped in aluminum siding and the porch has been enclosed.

The Lucille E. Morehouse stands across the street and behind the car at 5958 Beechwood Avenue in 1959. You can also see the  side of 5959 Beechwood Avenue.

The Lucille E. Morehouse Home in 2013

  The historic image is courtesy of Chuck McCleery.