The Dufour Family Moves to Indianapolis

The Dufour family name is well-known on the east side of Indianapolis because of a lovely cafe that sits on the northwest corner of East Washington Street and Audubon Road.  The family has been an important part of the Irvington community since 1940. Lawrence  and Carmella (Nell) Dufour met in Chicago and married there in 1935.  In 1939, the couple moved to Indianapolis on Guilford Avenue in Broad Ripple. Mr. Dufour was employed as a salesman.  By 1940, the couple had two small children so they rented a bungalow at 4003 Brookville Road. Soon that house had become too small so the Dufours, who now had four children, moved to 738 North Dequincy Street in Emerson Heights in 1942.

By the early 1940s, Mr. Dufour was established as a salesman of kitchen supplies for the Albert Pick Company. He helped firms, schools, hospitals, and non-profits with the designs of their kitchens. He spent much of his week traveling down the highways of Indiana from one city to the next selling stainless steel tables, cabinets, and industrial appliances. When he was home, he often worked at the dining room table creating blueprints, drawings, or plans.  His wife, Nell, would not only keep their growing family out of the dining room while Mr. Dufour worked, but she also typed up the quotes.

The Dequincy Street home would be the first of three houses that the Dufours owned. They paid $30 a month for their mortgage. While living in the house, the family attended Little Flower Catholic Church, but by the mid-1940s they would find their forever church with Our Lady of Lourdes on East Washington Street.  The Dufours would in total have ten children so there was always a great necessity of finding a larger house. Furthermore, Mr. and Mrs. Dufour occasionally took in families or people who needed a home.

With the start of World War II, Mr. Dufour attempted to enlist in the U.S. Army, but officials turned him down due to his blood pressure issues and the number of children he had. Instead, he became a local air raid warden for the Emerson Heights area. His job was to make sure that local neighbors turned off lights or at least shut their curtains so that would-be bombers wouldn't see the city during drills. In 1945, the growing Dufour family moved to 5125 East Michigan Street in the Pleasanton section of Irvington.

Stay tuned as more posts will be coming on this interesting Irvington family.

Lawrence and Carmella Rose Dufour were married in Chicago on May 18, 1935.

Growing Family:  Lawrence and Nell Dufour posed with their four children at that time (Lenore, Daniel, Sussanne, and Richard) on the front steps at 738 North Dequincy Street c1945. 

Proud Papa:  Lawrence Dufour posed with Lenore, Daniel, Richard, and Sussanne Dufour on their front steps at 738 North Dequincy Street c1945.  

738 North Dequincy Street in 2015.

The historic photos and stories are courtesy of the Dufour family.