The Horner House located at 410 South Emerson Avenue has intrigued residents for years primarily because of its condition. No one has lived in the Second Empire residence for many decades and it has deteriorated rapidly over time. Built in 1875 as part of the Downey and Brouse Addition to Irvington, Abraham and Emma Horner were the first people to live in the home although they did not stay for long. The land upon which the house was built used to belong to the Shimer family. One Shimer descendant, Nelson and his wife Mila Murphy Shimer, also lived in the Downey and Brouse Addition at 422 South Emerson Avenue. Shimer children and grandchildren grew up next door to the grand old house and it appeared in many of their family photos in the early twentieth century.
Steve Barnett, the Director of the Irvington Historical Society, discovered that numerous people owned or leased the house after the Horners including the Shoemakers, Turrills, Thompsons, Risleys, Sloughs, Fleeces, Terrills, McMillans, and Minors. In the mid-twentieth century the residence served as a VFW post and was carved into several apartments. Agnes M'Culloch Hanna wrote about the elegance of the home in a 1932 Indianapolis Star article. She noted the tower and the narrow spiral walnut staircase.
While families moved in and out of the beautiful brick home, the Shimers who lived next door, however, remained. In the photos below, various members of their family can be seen with the Horner House in the distance. Most likely, either the Fleece or Terrill family would have lived in the grand old brick house at that time in history. At some point in the early twentieth century, someone painted over the brick and added a more modern front porch.
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| An older woman who might be Mila Murphy Shimer (left) chatted with either Francis Fleece or Mary Terrill. The young girl might be Lula Mae Shimer. The photo was likely taken c1915. Behind the women you can see the Horner House at 410 South Emerson Avenue. (photo courtesy of Chris Shimer) |
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| Elizabeth Shimer c1910; Behind her you can see the Horner House at 410 South Emerson Avenue. (photo courtesy of Chris Shimer) |
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| Thomas Shimer, Sr. of 422 South Emerson Avenue, posed in the family yard c1918. Behind him you can see the Horner House at 410 South Emerson Avenue. An abstract for the Horner property reveals that it was built by New Albany contractors, John F. and Henry M. Cooper. Steve Barnett believes that there is a strong possibility that George Cooper might have been the architect. If you look closely, you can see some ornamental ironwork atop the tower. The Irvington Historical Society located at 5350 University Avenue has some of the iron work on display in a case. (photo courtesy of Chris Shimer) |
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| Elizabeth Shimer of 422 South Emerson Avenue with her bobbed hair posed near the Horner House at 410 South Emerson Avenue c1922 (photo courtesy of Chris Shimer) |
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| Alfred H. Johnson, the husband of Clara Belle Shimer Johnson, parked his vehicle along the Shimer driveway at 422 South Emerson Avenue c1925. Behind him you can see the Horner House at 410 South Emerson Avenue. (photo courtesy of Chris Shimer) |
From 2011 to 2016, Amanda Browning, who owned the Horner House at the time, wrote an amazing blog on the story of the residence. You can see incredible interior and exterior photos along with historic images on her site. Her mother, Mary Williams, also contributed to the blog.
Special thanks to Steve Barnett, Amanda Browning, Anne Hardwick, Ron Huggler, and Chris Shimer
Sources: Steve Barnett, "410 South Emerson--Horner House," Unpublished history of the home, Irvington Historical Society; Agnes M'Culloch Hanna, "Old Houses With Towers Examples of Dignified Style of Architecture," Indianapolis Star, February 14, 1932; Amanda Browning, "Horner House Project," Blog, 2011-2016; Indianapolis City Directories; Federal Census Records.
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