Wallace-Bosart Home Predates Irvington

It is impossible not to notice the beautiful brick two-story home at 4704 East Washington Street. Most sources indicate that the large farmhouse was likely built around 1862 for the Wallace family. Little is known at this point about that family other than that they lived in the house until 1881 and that a nearby street is named for them. Ads placed in the Indianapolis News from March until November 1881, listed the house as for sale.

                    Farm of Wm. John Wallace--19 acres, great deal of fruit, outbuildings,
                    and a handsome brick house. Price low, terms easy. (March 31, 1881)

The Wallace-Bosart home in 2017. The two-story brick porch was likely added around 1915.

The Wallace-Bosart home appeared in an Indianapolis Star article on March 5, 1906 (p.3). The house had a one-story wrap around porch at the time and a windmill in the back. 

In early 1882, Timothy and Ruth Bosart along with their five children moved into the lovely estate. The children had plenty of room to play and in the backyard sat a three-story Second Empire structure with a windmill on top of it. Mr. Bosart had earned a comfortable income in the wholesale grocery business and then in the new electric power industry. He actually filed several patents and served as the Vice President and business manager for Jenney Electric Company. Mr. Bosart owned quite a lot of property and helped to develop the area north of his house now known as Bosart-Brown.  The street that bears the family name was also put in sometime in either the late nineteenth-century or early twentieth century. An Indianapolis Star article noted that sidewalks were added along Bosart Avenue north of Washington Street on May 2, 1903.

Two tragedies struck the Bosart family within two years. The first blow came on May 4, 1900, when Mr. Bosart died of a massive heart attack while at work. He was only 55 years old. The second and more horrifying event occurred on June 1, 1902. Mrs. Bosart along with her young son, Russell, and her mother, Lucetta Murray had gone to Crown Hill Cemetery to visit Mr. Bosart's grave. Upon leaving the cemetery, Mrs. Bosart's mother failed to see a streetcar. Lucetta Murray was instantly killed in front of her daughter and grandson.

Timothy Bosart (1844-1900), was a successful businessman. He helped to develop much the area around East Washington Street and Bosart Avenue. His untimely death of a heart attack shocked his family. (Photo courtesy of the Bosart family descendants via Ancestry.com)

Ruth Bosart (1858-1943) did her best to hold the family together after her husband's passing. Some of her adult children lived with her in the large house at 4704 East Washington Street. She died at the age of 84 having been a widow for forty-three years. (Photo courtesy of the Bosart family descendants via Ancestry.com)

Lucetta Murray, the mother of Ruth Bosart, was killed in horrible streetcar accident in 1902 near Crown Hill Cemetery.  (Photo courtesy of the Bosart family descendants via Ancestry.com)

Despite the sadness in her life, Ruth Bosart continued to manage and live in the large home with her children. In March of 1906, a reporter from the Indianapolis Star, profiled the Bosart family and property. He noted the flowing well, the large veranda that wrapped around the house (removed), and the number of fireplaces in the dwelling. At the time, the property was managed by Ruth's son, Oscar Bosart.

Several joyful moments took place on the property including an unusual event, a graduation ceremony. On June 13, 1909, the nearby Emerson School at New York Street and Linwood Avenue held their eighth-grade celebration on the lawn of the property. The students recited poetry by Longfellow including, "The Birds of Killingsworth" and "Tales of a Wayside Inn." They also sang words to Mendelssohn's "Spring Song." The Assistant Superintendent, Nebraska Cropsey, distributed diplomas to the 15 graduates who all held a garland of flowers while the remaining students and families watched.

The windmill on the Bosart property at 4704 East Washington Street as it looked in 1906. An Indianapolis Star article noted that the mansard-roofed structure was also likely used as a smokehouse in the nineteenth century. 

Dora Bosart, the daughter of Timothy and Ruth Bosart, became quite active in the Women's Franchise League, an organization dedicated to getting women the right to vote. The Smith College graduate, campaigned in the years leading up to the passage of the 19th Amendment. At some point, she met and fell in love with a British naval war hero, Alfred Evans. The young man was a veteran of the Boer Wars in South Africa and he had fought in World War One. The couple lived at 4704 East Washington Street along with other Bosarts until 1925 when they moved to Long Beach, California.

The Bosart sibling to have the most important role in the home was Oscar Bosart.  Along with his wife, Mabel, and their children, the next generation of Bosarts transformed the residence into the Green Lantern Tourist Home in 1936. A "Talk of the Town" article from the Indianapolis News in 1937 revealed that Oscar and Mabel had the house painted white with green shutters to reflect the Civil War era. The author pointed out that the house had been painted red, gray, and brown in previous years. A 1944 Indianapolis Star ad touted the inn as having "running water in rooms." Weary travelers along the National Road could stop off and stay with the Bosart family.

The matriarch of the family, Ruth Bosart, moved to Long Beach, California to live with her daughter in 1928 and died there in 1943. Oscar and Mabel Bosart continued to dwell in the family home for the next several decades. Their daughter, Jane, was married in the house and the society page of the Indianapolis Star on April 20, 1941, wrote of the beautiful candlelit service. One of their sons, Oscar, Jr., sadly drowned in an accident near New York City in 1936. Their youngest son, Robert, served the country during World War II as a pilot in the North African and Italian campaigns.

Oscar and Mabel Bosart took over the management of the property. The young couple, photographed in 1914, were likely standing in front of an older porch at 4704 East Washington Street. They later turned the home into an inn in 1936. (Photo courtesy of the Bosart family descendants via Ancestry.com)

By 1917, the Bosarts had removed the older porch and added a two-story brick porch. In this photo, Mabel Bosart posed with her children, Jane and Oscar, Jr. (Photo courtesy of the Bosart family via Ancestry.com)

So, the next time you drive or walk by the large house on the northeast corner of Washington Street and Bosart Avenue, you will know that you are viewing one of the oldest homes still standing on the east side of Indianapolis.

Sources:
Timothy Bosart obituary, Indianapolis Journal, May 5, 1908, 8; Lucetta Murray's Death, Indianapolis News, June 1, 1902, 2; Ruth Murray Bosart obituary, Indianapolis Star, May 1, 1943, 3; Profile of Bosart Family, Indianapolis Star, March 5, 1906, 3; Ads for Wallace Sale, Indianapolis News, March 31, 1881, 1; Dora Bosart and the Women's Franchise League, Indianapolis Star, November 3, 1914, 8; Graduation Ceremony, Indianapolis Star, June 13, 1909, 20; Jane Bosart Wedding, Indianapolis Star, April 20, 1941, 47, Talk of the Town, Indianapolis News, October 19, 1937; Date of Wallace-Bosart home--

• Bodenhamer, D. J., Barrows, R. G., & Vanderstel, D. G. (1994). The Encyclopedia of Indianapolis. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1262.

Prominent Architect Designed Emerson Avenue Duplexes--1944

After Butler moved away from Irvington in 1929, many people began to wonder what would become of the abandoned campus structures and 30 acres. Throughout the 1930s, the college tore down most of the original university buildings. There was talk of donating the land for an Indianapolis high school and some people wanted the area to become a park. Neither idea materialized and eventually the acreage was sold for redevelopment. Beginning in the early 1940s, Meridian Construction Company began building small cottages along Ohmer and Butler Avenues in what became known as the Campus Terrace Addition. The builders worked around some of the huge trees planted by the college although some of the groves vanished with the extension of University Avenue to Emerson Avenue.

In 1944, the Meridian Construction Company partnered with architect, Leslie F. Ayres, to design fourteen brick duplexes facing South Emerson Avenue. Still a young man at 38 years old, Ayres had already designed many impressive homes and commercial buildings throughout the country. He specialized in Tudor-Revivals early in his career, but by the late 1930s and early 1940s he had embraced the Art Moderne style.  The Wilkinson Home in Muncie, Indiana represents the peak of his his design during the Art Moderne period.  He also drafted "modernized" colonial revival homes which is what he termed the Emerson Avenue structures. Most of his incredible work still exists today along streets like Washington Boulevard on the north side of Indianapolis. He also designed the very beautiful Harry Moore Chapel along East Michigan Street. Beginning in the 1930s, Ayres was awarded the prestigious honor of being the architect of several Indianapolis Home Show residences. These dwellings were constructed at the Indiana State Fairgrounds and then often times reconstructed in various neighborhoods in northern Indianapolis. His untimely death of heart disease when he was only 45 robbed the world of an amazing architect.

Today, most east side residents of Indianapolis drive by the line of unusual doubles and do not know that these residences were designed by a brilliant architectural star. Mr. Ayres was also an accomplished artist and his work was exhibited by the Hoosier Art Salon. One of his early mentors happened to be his art teacher, Frederick Polly, an instructor at Arsenal Tech High School and resident of Irvington.

On September 8, 1944, the Indianapolis News featured the duplex at 251-253 South Emerson Avenue. The unnamed author described each of the rooms beginning with the living room with its long windows and tan-striped wall paper. The dining room sat in an alcove and the L-shaped kitchen featured two rows of white-painted cabinetry. Two bedrooms upstairs had "generous" closets with another closet in the hallway. The bathroom, also located upstairs, boasted a recessed tub and a "Venetian Mirrored" medicine cabinet. The double opened on to a large uncovered terrace. Hundreds of residents moved in and out of the 28 units over the years including former Indiana House of Representative, Dan Burton.

251-253 South Emerson Avenue under construction in the autumn of 1944 (Indianapolis News, September 8, 1944, 25)

217-219 South Emerson Avenue in 1948 can be seen behind Alfred Moffitt, who dwelled at 218 South Emerson Avenue (photo courtesy of the Moffitt family via Ancestry.com)

Duplexes in the 200 block of South Emerson Avenue in 2017

Duplexes in the 200 block of South Emerson Avenue in 2017

Leslie Ayres (1906-1952), a brilliant architect, designed many homes and structures in Indianapolis. (photo courtesy of Ball State Digital Archives) 

Leslie Ayres designed this residence for the 1941 Indianapolis Home Show

Leslie Ayres designed this home for the 1940 Indianapolis Home Show. 

The Wilkinson House in Muncie, Indiana was designed by Leslie Ayres. (photo courtesy of Indiana Landmarks)

Sources:
"1941 Home," Indianapolis News, April 18, 1944, 37.
"Campus Terrace Addition," Indianapolis News, September 8, 1944, 25.
Lucile Morehouse, "Drawings of Historical Interest," Indianapolis Star, August 25, 1946, 53.
Obituary for Leslie Ayres, Indianapolis Star, September 7, 1952, 21.

To see some of Leslie Ayres beautiful renderings click on the Ball State digital site below:

Leslie Ayres

Our Lady of Lourdes Cheerleaders--1956

In September of 1956, five young ladies from Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School assembled in a backyard to practice for the most exciting football game of the year. Every autumn, the Catholic Youth Organization hosted a football jamboree on the west side of Indianapolis for all Catholic schools in grades six through eight. The local diocese owned land across from Bush Stadium on West 16th Street so that local Catholic high schools could have a "home" field.

Lynda Foster (820 North Layman Avenue), Terry McDonnell (419 North Bancroft Street), Judy Lindeman (5234 East Michigan Street), Mary McDavitt (655 North Ritter Avenue), and Katy Grothaus (340 North Ritter Avenue) all worked very hard for the big day. Terry McDonell Wilgus Knisely recalls that one of the most exciting moments came when the parade of teams began and the cheerleaders rode in the back of a convertible waving their school colors of blue and gold as Our Lady of Lourdes families cheered along. Each young lady then walked across a small stage as their name was called over the loudspeaker. Teams from schools like Little Flower, St. Joan of Arc, Christ the King, St. Patricks, Holy Spirit, and numerous others would scrimmage for about ten minutes. Teams who scored could have bragging rights the next day.

All five girls faced a big decision that year as they would have to decide where they would go to high school. Lynda Foster, Terry McDonnell, and Judy Lindeman chose Scecina High School while Mary McDavitt selected Our Lady of Grace in Beech Grove. The Grothaus family moved to Mississippi so Katy attended a high school there. The young women had no inkling on that autumn day in 1956 that they would not all be together again in one room for fifty years! They reunited at an Our Lady of Lourdes class reunion in 2007 at DuFour's Restaurant in Irvington and three of them gathered to pose for a photograph. 

The photographs and the memories of this day are courtesy of Terry McDonnell Wilgus Knisely.

Our Lady of Lourdes Cheerleaders posed in the backyard of the McDavitt family at 655 North Ritter Avenue in September of 1956.  Pictured from left to right: Lynda Foster, Terry McDonnell, Judy Lindeman, Mary McDavitt and Katy Grothaus

Our Lady of Lourdes Reunion Photo in 2007. Pictured left to right: Katy Grothaus Boeding, Judy Lindeman Johns, Terry McDonnell Wilgus Knisely  

Lost Irvington--A Church

In 1900, the Indianapolis News announced that the Methodists of Irvington would be getting a larger building. There had been members of this faith in the neighborhood since its founding in 1870 and they had met in a variety of places. Mrs. Frances Barbour (possibly Barber) donated two lots on Layman Avenue north of East Washington Street with the stipulation that the Methodist build a brick edifice. The building committee seemed thrilled at the donation, but they had planned a wooden chapel. Mrs. Barbour's requirement forced the Methodists to raise some additional cash which they managed to do. By the winter of 1901, they moved into their new Gothic and Romanesque-inspired church.

For the next 25 years, the congregation met on Layman Avenue. However, by the late 1910s and early 1920s, the church membership had grown dramatically. Eventually, the congregation built a stunning church at 30 North Audubon Road. They kept the Layman Avenue structure and used it for a variety of purposes. In 1937, the Irvington Church of Christ moved into the facility and remained until 1964. Revivals and radio broadcasts could be heard from the older chapel throughout the mid-twentieth century. The Church of Christ grew too large for the smaller structure and they also moved out.

In 1965, the Irvington Methodist Church once again acquired the structure and demolished it for a parking lot for their booming congregation.  The site is still a parking lot in 2017 and most local Irvington residents do not know that a beautiful brick church once stood on the site.

In this photo, taken around 1948, Cynthia Hopping posed for parents, Don and Helen Louise Brown Hopping, on the steps of their home at 21 Layman Avenue. Behind her, you can see the former Irvington Church of Christ. The second image came from an advertisement in the Indianapolis News in 1944.

Cynthia Hopping posed on the steps of 21 Layman Avenue c1948. Behind her you can see the former Irvington Methodist Church/Irvington Church of Christ at 25 Layman Avenue. 

An ad in the Indianapolis News 1944. The church was torn down in 1965.

The historic image is courtesy of Ted Lollis.  

Sources:  "Irvington's New Church," Indianapolis News, October 6, 1900.
                "Meeting," Indianapolis Sentinel, February 22, 1885, 5.  

Life along Rawles Avenue

Perry and Lucille Owen Roehl moved into their modest bungalow at 5715 Rawles Avenue in 1937. Their two children, Perry and Marilyn, were already in school and would spend the next five years of their lives in the residence. Their backyard abutted the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad so it was not the quietest location, but like most Irvingtonians in this part the neighborhood, they likely became accustomed the rumble and call of the trains.

Mr. Roehl was a rising businessman while living in the home as he opened a firm called P.W. Roehl Trucking Company. The couple incorporated the business in 1940. Mr. Roehl's obituary noted that he was a member of many Irvington clubs and he was an avid bowler. Mrs. Roehl stayed at home and raised the couple's two children although she was a partner in the trucking firm and later in a paint store. She was an active member of the Irvington Methodist Church.

Perry O Roehl, their son, was a talented student and athlete at Howe High School.   He later fought for the country during World War II.

The bungalow was not the forever home for the Roehl family. As their income increased and most likely their desire for a larger home, the family moved from Rawles Avenue in 1942 to a beautiful residence at 969 North Campbell Avenue.

The images for this post are courtesy of the descendants of the Roehl family via Ancestry.com.

Lucille and Perry W. Roehl stood in their kitchen at 5715 Rawles Avenue c1937

The Roehl family gathered in the living room of their home at 5715 Rawles Avenue c1938. (left to right: Lucille, Perry O., Marilyn, and Perry W. Roehl) 

5715 Rawles Avenue in 2016

Alfred and Lettie Trefz of Audubon Road

Alfred and Lettie Trefz moved into their Tudor-Revival dream home at 953 North Audubon Road shortly after it was built in 1929. Although the nation was beginning to struggle with the onset of the Great Depression, developers continued to erect houses in the Irvington Gardens area just south of East Tenth Street. Mr. Trefz did not lose his job as a tool engineer for the Detroit Division of the Allison plant on the west side of Indianapolis. Mrs. Trefz taught elementary children for Indianapolis Public Schools so she too had a steady income. The couple would remain in their lovely dwelling for the next several decades.

By all accounts, Mr. and Mrs. Trefz seem to have been very involved both in Irvington and throughout Indianapolis. Mr. Trefz's obituary noted that he was an amateur photographer so it was perhaps he who took the photos of the house a few years after its construction. He was a member of the Masons, the Murat Shrine, and the Nature Study Club. One has to wonder what became of his other photographs?

Mrs. Trefz never seemed to rest. She was a member of numerous clubs and civic organizations. She received several awards including one for "Woman of the Year" from the Business and Professional Women's Club of Indianapolis. She hosted meetings in her home and even in retirement she remained a consultant for the Indianapolis Public Schools.

An Indianapolis Star article noted that the couple took a cruise in 1949. They departed from New Orleans and sailed down to Guatemala and Panama. Upon their return, Mrs. Trefz plunged into more work for various sororities and committees. The couple were active members of the Irvington United Methodist Church. Mrs. Trefz, a graduate of Butler University, also remained involved with her Alma Mater. They died within months of each other. Mr. Trefz passed away in April of 1982 at the age of 86 while Mrs. Trefz died in June at the age of 83.

The historic photos for this story were provided by Todd Cloud.  

953 N. Audubon Road c1930

953 N. Audubon Road c1930: The woman in the photograph might be Mrs. Lettie Trefz. Also seen in this image is part of 957 N. Audubon Road.

The rear of 953 and 957 N. Audubon Road c1930

The home of Alfred and Lettie Trefz c1930. The vacant lot would later be the site of 943 N. Audubon Road. 

Mrs. Trefz was very involved in numerous organizations. Here is a photograph of her from 1961 as she was part of an organization that loaned money to senior citizens. (Indianapolis News, April 7, 1961)

Lost Irvington--28 South Audubon Road

Built for Thomas Carr Howe in 1901, this stunning home, formerly located at 28 South Audubon Road, was one of the most elegant in the neighborhood. In 1946, James and Patricia McWilliams purchased the residence from the Cassell family. Mr. McWilliams owned a Shell Gas Station at East 38th Street and Fall Creek Road. Mrs. McWilliams was busy at home with seven children and soon four more! The large dwelling was a perfect place to raise eleven children.

Jerry McWilliams, who grew up in the house, remembers many stunning architectural details about the place including the large porch, a widow's walk where he could see downtown, and gorgeous woodwork throughout. The home sat on an immense lot with two outbuildings so there was plenty of room for play. In 1963, James and Patricia McWilliams sold the house to the Irvington Presbyterian Church, who demolished the entire property in 1964 for a parking lot. Throughout the demolition, workers would place pocket doors and other architectural features along Audubon Road with price tags on the salvage.  It was a staggering loss for the neighborhood.

More stories and photos about this property will be posted so stay tuned.  The historic images and stories are courtesy of Jerry McWilliams.

28 South Audubon Road in 1946

Ellen McWilliams rides her tricycle in front of 28 South Audubon Road in 1953

Group shot of the McWilliams family in 1958:  Richard, Joe, Ken, Jerry (driving), Ellen, and Ed in the backyard of 28 South Audubon Road