Google Streetview Reveals the Lost Structures of the Greater Irvington Area, Part II

      Since 2007 the Google car has captured dozens of lost structures from the greater Irvington area. In part two of this series you will get to revisit many houses and two commercial buildings that used to grace the neighborhood. I am working on a third post just about the lost buildings of East Washington Street. That will come later this spring.  

39 South Arlington Avenue

     For as long as I could remember it, the cute cottage at 39 South Arlington Avenue had been empty, but that hadn't always been the case. The small residence was likely built in 1905 for Charles Wambold, a painter and wallpaper installer. Numerous families lived in the home over the years including the Armstrongs, Vannettes, Reeds, Coreys, Kelleys, and Willettes. No trace of the home exists today, but Google captured one of the last photos of the house in 2007. 

39 South Arlington Avenue, 2007 (Google Streetview)

Sonia Johnson posed in her front yard at 44 South Arlington Avenue in 1975. Her Grandpa and Grandma Willett lived across the street in the cottage located at 39 South Arlington Avenue. (photo courtesy of the Garza family)

4902 East New York Street

     The former two-story home located on the northwest corner of East New York and DeQuincy Streets dates to at least 1908. Clarence and Helen Cummins and their daughter Marian were likely the first residents of the home. Mr. Cummins earned a reputation as an outstanding reporter for both the Indianapolis News and Indianapolis Star. He briefly moved out to California to improve his health, but sadly he died at a young age in 1917. Mrs. Cummins also died at a young age leaving Marian without parents. She later went to Butler University and was a candidate for the May Queen pageant. The house burned sometime around 2013 and the site is now an empty lot. 

4902 East New York Street, Google Streetview, 2009

Marian Cummins (lower right) grew up at 4902 East New York Street. By the age of 20 she had lost both of her parents. (Indianapolis Times, April 30, 1930, p. 2)

446-448-450 North Riley Avenue

      Earl R. Gillum opened his grocery store at 448 North Riley in 1911. Next door, Hugh R. Kennedy operated at a drugstore. Later Beverly D. Brown took over the pharmacy. Numerous families lived upstairs in the apartments overlooking the Michigan Streetcar line. With the arrival of the concept known as the supermarket, little groceries like Mr. Gillum's struggled to survive. It also didn't help that the drugstore next door seemed to be a magnet for bandits. In the 1950s, a company known as Musi-Com leased the building for an office. Owner Robert Whitesell and engineer Charles Bailey pumped music into various large stores like Marsh Supermarkets. By the end of the twentieth century, not much seemed to be going on with the building. The structure had so much potential, but there must have been issues as one day it was just gone. 

446-448-450 North Riley Avenue, Google Streetview, 2009

This Sanborn Fire Insurance Map shows a sketch of the corner in 1940. The pinkish color represents that building was brick. (Indiana University-Indianapolis Digital Collections) 

435-437 South Ritter Avenue

     The first ad for renting either 435 or 437 South Ritter Avenue first appeared in various Indianapolis newspapers in 1909. For over a century, numerous people moved in and out of the tiny one-bedroom duplex. You could rent either side for $6.00. By 1930, it leased for $20 a month. In 1912, burglars snuck onto the back porch of 437 South Ritter Avenue and stole Martin Moore's recently-churned ice cream and spoons. He only called the police because he wanted his spoons back. Several couples welcomed babies while living in either half including Otha and Mary Higgenbotham in 1922, Earl and Thelma Oaks in 1924, Ernest and Lucille Settle in 1930, and Clarence and Emma Stockdale in 1945. Of course joy and sadness often go hand in hand. Perhaps the most tragic case occurred in 1912 when forty-one-year old George Moore failed to hear the train at South Audubon Road crossing at the Pennsylvania Railroad. His young son Edward had to identify his deceased father. Many neighbors along Audubon Road testified that the train was going too fast. By 2009 the property was in poor shape and all of those memories were wiped away with the removal of the historic structure. 

435-437 South Ritter Avenue, Google Streetview

In 1922, several local newspapers announced that Mary and Otha Higgenbotham welcomed a baby girl into their lives. The Higgenbothams resided at 437 South Ritter Avenue at the time and were active members of the First Baptist Church on Good Avenue. They named their little girl Ardell. Long after they moved out of their home on Ritter Avenue, Ardell posed for this photograph.  (photo courtesy of Krystal Wagner via Find-a-Grave)

466 South Ritter Avenue

       For the first several decades of its existence, 466 South Ritter Avenue served as a home for the Meyer family. They were first recorded living in the house in 1907. The Meyers have the distinction of being one of the founding families of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church. Irvington had largely been a Protestant neighborhood until the early twentieth century when many Catholic families like the Meyers moved into the area. The Meyers eventually moved around the corner into the beautiful two-story farmhouse located at 5802 Brookville Road. Through the remainder of the twentieth century, the home changed into both a restaurant and eventually a bar. The Ritter Inn became a landmark for many International Harvester employees who stopped by after work for a drink or two. The structure went up in flames in 2013. It had been empty for sometime. 

The Ritter Inn at 466 South Ritter Avenue, Google Streetview, 2011; The Meyer home in the rear of the structure was still visible. 

Regulars at the Ritter Inn swapped stories to reporter Marge Hanley in 1978. (Indianapolis News, May 4, 1978, p. 14)

110 South Webster Avenue

     In 1922 Jasper Raymond Rogers took out a building permit to erect the bungalow formerly located at 110 South Webster Avenue. He was a carpenter so it is possible that he built the house. Located in the Tilford and Thrasher Subdivision of Irvington, Rogers was one of the few white residents in the neighborhood. Over the years many Black residents purchased lots and built homes in the addition. Racist covenants and redlining prevented many Black citizens from the dream of homeownership in certain parts of the city. In 1938 Jesse and Maude Wright along with their children moved into the house. They resided in the bungalow through much of the remainder of the 20th century. Census records reveal that Mr. Wright moved to Irvington from South Carolina. He was part of the Great Migration, a movement of Black residents from the South for opportunities in the North. He worked in a foundry. The Google car captured one of the last images of the house in 2009. 

110 South Webster Avenue, Google Streetview, 2009

Tilford and Thrasher East Addition to Irvington as seen on the Baist map of 1927 (Indiana University-Indianapolis Digital Collections) 

     

Sources:  39 South Arlington Avenue--Polk's Indianapolis City Directory, 1905-1989; US Federal Census Records-1910, 1920, 1930, 1940; 4902 East New York Street--"Clarence Cummins Dies in California, Indianapolis News, September 11, 1917, p. 4; Obituary for Helen Cummins--Indianapolis News, December 12, 1928, p. 8;  448 N. Riley--"Addicts Blamed for Drug Store Narcotics Theft," Indianapolis Times, May 8, 1924, p. 2; "Two Armed Bandits Hold Up Drug Store," Indianapolis News, March 31, 1927, p. 40; 466 S. Ritter--"Meyer Services Wednesday," Indianapolis News, October 13, 1958, p. 8; "Former Ritter Inn is Destroyed by Fire," Indianapolis Star. October 24, 2013, p. A5; 110 South Webster--Obituary for Mrs. Maude Wright, Indianapolis Star, January 25, 1978, p. 40; Obituary for Carter Babb--Indianapolis Star, May 24, 1966, p. 42; Obituary for Jesse Wright--Indianapolis News, July 30, 1956, p. 7

Google Streetview Reveals Lost Structures of Greater Irvington Area, Part I

      Since 2007, someone has been driving around in a little Google car with a camera on top, photographing streets and alleys around Indianapolis and beyond. Thankfully, Google archives these images and keeps them on their website. During a particularly rainy period, I got on Streetview and "drove" around from within the confines of my little home office. What I found saddened me as dozens of structures have vanished in the nineteen years since Google first arrived. When you see some of the photographs, you will shake your head and wonder how they even survived another day. Others were lost to development or parking lots. A few tragically burned, upending the lives of the families inside. While the core of Irvington is protected by the Indianapolis Preservation Commission, that still does not guarantee that a house or commercial building will survive into the next decade; however, most of the structures below had no protections and no chance to survive. Let's take a journey and see a sample of what is missing.

135 South Arlington Avenue

     The cute cottage located at 135 South Arlington had been on the same lot since the 1890s. A white couple named James and Jennie Milton resided here for decades. After her death in 1916, numerous long-time Black families resided in the home. Thomas and Carrie Handley lived here during the late 1910s and early 1920s. Mr. Handley was a jack of all trades and remodeled the house. They hailed from Kentucky. The Dobsons, Blythes, and Pitts lived here during the 1930s, 40s, and 50s. Harland and Rita Nuckols purchased the property in 1959 and their family remained for decades. Mr. Nuckols worked for International Harvester for many years. Their children attended Howe High School. The Google car captured the image below in 2009. In my mind, I see flowers growing out of that pretty flower box and curtains in those upper dormer windows. Today the site is an empty lot. 

135 South Arlington, Google Streetview, 2009

The Nuckols family was a fixture at 135 South Arlington Avenue for many years. In this montage you can even see Mrs. Nuckols standing on her stoop speaking to some kind of salesman. (images courtesy of Kisa Cunningham via Ancestry.com) 

569 South Arlington Avenue

     Some houses have been flattened for development. That is what happened to the nearly century-old bungalow located at 569 South Arlington Avenue. It had the misfortune of being in the way of a proposed convenience store and gas station. In the early years many tenants rented the property. In 1932 it cost $18 a month to live in the two-bedroom residence. It was never a grand place, but dozens of people built their lives here. 

569 South Arlington Avenue, Google Streetview, 2016

The cute little dog was the subject of this photograph in 1941, but behind the pooch you can see 569 South Arlington Avenue. (courtesy of Helen Hunt) 

5902 Beechwood Avenue

     William Wuest opened his grocery store at 5902 Beechwood Avenue in 1922. Over the years the structure served as a beauty shop and as apartments. By 2010 it was in rough shape. I kept thinking that the building could be saved. Perhaps an antique dealer or chocolatier or a rare book dealer would buy it and turn the fortunes of fate around, but all of that was lost when a teenage-arsonist destroyed the property in the spring of 2010. 

     

5902 Beechwood, Google Streetview, 2009

The grocery store formerly located on the northeast corner of Good and Beechwood Avenues can be seen in this photograph snapped in 1953. Pictured (left to right) Linda Bevis, Debbie St. John, Claudia St. John, Donna Bevis, and Jean Ferling. (photo courtesy of Bill Ferling) 

40-42 South Butler Avenue

     Although this beautiful double sat in the preservation district, it did not survive a disastrous fire. Built in the early 1920s, dozens of families resided in the duplex (I thought it was older!). From 1948 until 1968 John and Mary Flanagan owned and lived in the property. They rented out the other half to family members. This stylish double had both hipped and gabled rooflines. 

40 South Butler Avenue, Google Streetview, 2009

John Flanagan posed with his daughter, Theresa on the day of her First Communion at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in 1960. Behind them you can see the double formerly located at 40-42 South Butler Avenue. (photo courtesy of the Flanagan family and Paula Schmidt)

501-03 North Emerson Avenue

     The substantial brick commercial building had been on the northeast corner of Emerson Avenue and Michigan Street since at least 1910. Frank Wright and others operated a grocery store at 501 North Emerson for decades. In the 1920s, it was known as Forsyth Pharmacy. Most long-time residents will remember the corner as McShane's Parkway Tavern. Apparently, the St. Patrick Day celebrations here were legendary. It was torn down sometime after 2007. The only saving grace for the loss of this structure is that at least in 2026 it is now the site of beautiful flower and vegetable gardens. 

501-03 North Emerson Avenue, Google Streetview, 2007

McShane's Tavern at 501 North Emerson Avenue in 1962 (photo courtesy of Frank Widner)

5507 Greenfield Avenue

     For years I used to drive by the sweet house with the fieldstone front porch on Greenfield Avenue.  You can imagine how surprised I was to learn that it had been torn down! Built in the late 1890s, the dwelling was home to William M. and Harriett C. Baker, two of the earliest Black residents of Irvington. Mr. Baker worked as a teamster while Mrs. Baker served as a laundress. Her old-fashioned Christmas fruitcake recipe made the Indianapolis Times in 1926. The Bakers lived there until the 1940s. Another long-time Black family, James and Opal Drake, resided here for many years. Mr. Drake served as the Chef for the Holloway House Cafeteria for decades. The couple were very involved at St. Bridget's Catholic Church...also gone! Had their home been three blocks north it would have been protected from demolition. 

5507 Greenfield Avenue, Google Streetview, 2019

James and Opal Drake celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary at the house on December 21, 1974 (Indianapolis Star, December 22, 1974, p. 98) 

5139 East Michigan Street

     The beautiful American foursquare located in the Pleasanton subdivision of Irvington had been on the site since 1924. The immaculate home sadly burned and was demolished in 2017. An ad in 1925 described the property as a "four-bedroom house, close to Pleasant Run Blvd. and Ellenberger Park. One of the best locations east." The price at $10,000 made it one of the more expensive residences in the neighborhood. The Gisler family lived in the house through much of the mid-twentieth century. Various Democratic mayors of Indianapolis appointed Albert H. Gisler to various boards. Today the site is an empty lot.

5139 East Michigan Street, Google Streetview, 2009

In 1947 Mayor Finney appointed Albert Gisler to the Board of Safety for the police and fire departments. His photo appeared in the Indianapolis News on December 3, 1947.

Up Next:  Google Streetview Reveals Lost Structures of Greater Irvington, Part II

Sources:  135 S. Arlington--Polk's Indianapolis City Directories, 1897-1959; Federal Census Records, 1910, 1920, 1930, 1940, 1950; Obit for Thomas Handley--Indianapolis Recorder, June 6, 1936, p. 14; Obit for Harland Nuckols--Indianapolis News, September 20, 1961, p. 7; 569 S. Arlington--Ad for rent--Indianapolis News, February 29, 1932, p. 23; 40-42 S. Butler--Interviews with Flanagan family by Paula Schmidt; 501-03 North Emerson--Ads from News, Star, and Times 1910-1962; 5507 Greenfield Avenue--Federal Census Records 1900-1940; 5139 E. Michigan--Ad--Indianapolis News,  June 12, 1925, p. 40.

Brookville Village Opened in 1949

      Four years after the end of World War II, the city of Indianapolis faced a housing shortage. Prices for existing homes remained out of reach for many residents. War-time shortages in certain sectors had hindered development, but that soon would change as developers purchased vacant land on the outskirts of the city. By the late 1940s, most of the land around Irvington had been developed, but there were still opportunities. Many acres east of South Audubon Road, west of Arlington Avenue, north of Brookville Road, and south of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad sat vacant on what was formerly the Shimer and Hartman family farms. 

     Developers Louis and Mildred Markun purchased the land and came up with a novel idea. They saw an opportunity that could benefit the city and would-be home buyers. The Markuns planned to build dozens of prefabricated homes and sell the properties for modest prices. For $400 dollars as a downpayment and $40 a month, local residents could own a piece of the American dream.  The houses ranged in cost from $6000 to $6400. An Indianapolis News article praised the couple for helping to ease the housing shortage in the city. Mildred Markun took the lead on the project. She had already made a name for herself as leader. Mayor John Kern had appointed her as only the third woman on the Park Board in 1935. Governor Henry Schricker appointed her to several other boards.  When a reporter questioned her about leading such an endeavor she responded that she "would rather be in business than just keeping house." 

     The Markuns hired Detroit architect Richard Pollman to design the homes. They employed Emanuel Farley & Son to construct the modest two and three bedroom dwellings.  The first house open to the public was at 515 South Audubon Road. The residence, painted white with green shutters, served as the model for the neighborhood. An Indianapolis Star article featured the house on March 20, 1949. The two-bedroom home, erected on a slab, had hardwood floors throughout and asphalt tile in the kitchen and bathroom. Mr. Pollman designed a large picture window in the living room along with a dinette and a utility room. Contractor Farley insulated the home. The house came with a forced-air Silent Sioux oil heating system and a waterheater. The kitchen was described as "streamlined" with an American 64" sink and steel kitchen cabinets. Mrs. Markun worked with Wm. H. Block Department Store to furnish the spec house. 

     Hundreds of people toured the house and the development during the open house. Many of those who walked through the residence worked across the street at the International Harvester plant. To say that the venture was a success might be an understatement.  In one week, the Markuns sold 153 houses to families and individuals. Their million-dollar investment proved to be a sound one. They later built other subdivisions north of Irvington. The small homes have served the community for nearly 80 years. Most of them have been altered or enlarged over time. 

Aerial shot of the intersection of Shimer and South Graham Avenues, 1949 (courtesy of Bass Co. Photo Collection, Indiana Historical Society)

Aerial photograph of Brookville Village located north of the International Harvester factory, 1949; The wide street is Brookville Road. In the distance, you can see the homes along South Arlington Avenue and those located north of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. (courtesy of Bass Photo Co. Photo Collection, Indiana Historical Society)

Two historical homes are visible in this aerial shot of Brookville Village in 1949. In the foreground you can see the home belonging to the Sutter family at 5718 Brookville Road. It is no longer standing. In the distance you can see the former Hartman farmhouse at 5802 Brookville Road. It is still standing in 2026. The Meyer family lived there in 1949. New homes along Shimer Avenue, South Graham Avenue, and Greenfield Avenue awaited their new homeowners. (courtesy of the Bass Co. Photo Collection, Indiana Historical Society)

Aerial photograph of new homes along Shimer, Greenfield, and Arlington Avenues in 1949; (courtesy of Bass Photo Co., Indiana Historical Society)

Aerial photograph of Brookville Village located in southern Irvington, 1949 (photo courtesy of Bass Photo Co., Indiana Historical Society)

Ad for Brookville Village spec home at 515 South Audubon Road (Indianapolis Star, March 20, 1949, p. 72)

515 South Audubon Road served as the model home for the Brookville Village subdivision. (Google Streetview, August, 2022)

Mildred Markun served as the lead developer on the Brookville Village subdivision. (Indianapolis Star, October 31, 1943, p. 59)

Sources:  Brookville Village--Roger Budrow, "Million-Dollar Subdivision Due With 170 Homes," Indianapolis News, January 7, 1949, p. 1; "Brookville Village," Indianapolis News, January 10, 1949, p. 10; "Brookville Village Housing Project To Be Open Sunday," Indianapolis Star, March 18, 1949, p. 43; "154 Homes Sold in Housing Project," Indianapolis Star, March 27, 1949, p. 27; "$6,400 Homes Are 'Sold Out'," Indianapolis News, March 22, 1949, p. 1; Mildred Markun--Lotys Benning Stewart, "They Achieve," Indianapolis Star, October 31, 1943, p. 54; Louis Markun--"Louis Markun Dies; Apartment Builder," Indianapolis Star, November 1, 1973, p. 61. 

IPS #77 Dedication, November 14, 1951

 

     Last year the Irvington Historical Society acquired a recording of the dedication of I.P.S. #77 and then had it digitally converted so that voices from 71 years ago could now be heard again. 

Indianapolis Public School #77 c1951 (courtesy of the Indianapolis Marion County Public Library)

Indianapolis Public School #77 c1951 (courtesy of Indianapolis Marion County Public Library)

     On Wednesday evening, November 14, 1951, hundreds of families gathered for the dedication of School #77 at 6040 East Pleasant Run Parkway South Drive. Designed by Wilbur Shook, the beautiful mid-century building had not been open for very long. Residents assembled in the Delker Auditorium for the formal ceremony at 8:00PM.

The Delker Family

   Christian and Barbara Kuhner Delker lived for decades in a farmhouse that faced Pleasant Run Parkway South Drive (formerly known as Shelley Street) near Arlington Avenue. For years, the school children who attended the portable classrooms at School #77 could see the Delker home and the large red barn. The Delkers were kindly neighbors to the school and often gave the students refreshments and treats. They didn't mind if the children walked on their property. Eventually, they sold the land to the Indianapolis Public Schools, but they asked to live out the remainder of their lives in the old farmhouse. Mr. Delker passed away first in 1942. After Mrs. Delker's death in 1949, the house and barn were leveled to make room for a new school building. To honor the family, the school built an impressive auditorium that could also be used by the public. They named it the Delker Auditorium.

Cathryn Boggy Assumes the Role of Principal

Cathryn Kuemmick Boggy (Indianapolis Marion County Public Library)

     Northern Irvington residents grew weary of the four-classroom building located on Arlington Avenue north of Pleasant Run Parkway. Their children had to attend other nearby schools for fifth through the eighth grade. After some intense lobbying by local residents, the district agreed to build a new school to replace the small building and house children up to the eighth grade. The school was to be named for a beloved teacher, Miss Anna Pearl Hamilton, who passed away in 1948.  Construction started in 1950, but delays occurred over post-war shortages. 

     To lead the new school, the district appointed Cathryn Boggy (1907-1987). Mrs. Boggy had been a teacher for many years at I.P.S. and would serve as the principal for the School #77 for twenty years beginning in the 1947-48 school year.  

      Mrs. Boggy noted in an oral history, conducted in 1981, that the children in the older school became very interested in the construction of the new building. The superintendent of construction frequently informed the children on what would be happening daily on the site. Mrs. Boggy recalled that on the day that the old red barn was pulled down by tractors, the entire structure fell into a pile of dust. She thought that the children might cheer upon seeing the demolition but they stared in silence. She never forgot that moment. On another day, the contractor brought in one of the blond bricks used to clad the new structure. The teachers designed lessons around the events happening outside their windows. 

The red lines show where the new school was to be built. In the upper left hand corner, you can see the outline of the portable classroom building that faced Arlington Avenue. Below you can see the Delker house and outbuildings, including a large red barn. The house faced Pleasant Run Parkway and was torn down along with all of the other farm buildings to make way for the new school. (Courtesy of Indianapolis Marion County Public Library) 

A New School is Dedicated

     On September 12, 1951, Dr. Herman L. Shibler, the Superintendent for the Indianapolis Public Schools, informed Mrs. Boggy via a memo that she was to prepare the dedication program. He was very specific with his instructions in that students were to be part of the program and that the event would take place on Wednesday evening, November 14, 1951.  Thankfully, someone recorded the event.

     We do not know the names of the children who participated, but their voices can be heard throughout the recording so perhaps someone listening will recognize either themselves or a loved one. Parents and community members filed into the new auditorium while students who were not in the ceremony reported to their classrooms with their teachers. They would listen to the skits and speeches over the new public address system funded by the Irvington Lions Club.

     At 8:00PM an older student can be heard welcoming the guests. Another student asked the question, "What does it mean to dedicate a building?" A third student introduced the first skit which attempted to answer the question while another pupil performed the school song on the accordion. Then, a small group sang the school song a cappella. It sounds like members of the audience also joined in. In a second skit, additional kids discussed the importance of Anna Pearl Hamilton, for whom the school was named and of the kindly Delker family. 

     In the early 1950s, the United States was fighting a war in Korea and an imaginary war against communists at home. There was also very little separation of church and state in that era. After the students wrapped up their well-rehearsed skits, another child led the community into a dedication prayer culminating with an "amen." The junior high choir sang two Christian hymns, "Holy, Holy, Holy," and "Bless This House."

     Mrs. Boggy then had the task to introduce the many dignitaries on the stage and there were many! Not all of the adult speakers were as interesting as the children. Wilbur Shook, the architect of the school, presented the key to Mrs. Louis Bruck, the school board representative for Irvington. Mrs. Bruck spoke next and she reminded Mr. Shook that this was the second school key she had received from him as she had been pivotal in lobbying for Thomas Carr Howe High School, which opened in 1938.  Dr. Herman Shibler, the school superintendent, used a sports analogy in his speech. (Lean into the ball and you will have a higher batting average.) He also spoke of moral and spiritual values and good citizenship. Mrs. Robert Platte, the local P.T.A. president, had the task of introducing members of the Delker family and of the Hamilton family along with the "Survey Committee." The tape suddenly ends during her speech. To listen to these voices from the past click on the Sound Cloud link below.

Letter from Dr. Shibler to Cathryn Boggy,  September 12, 1951 (courtesy of Indianapolis Marion County Public Library)

Dedication Program for IPS #77 (courtesy of Indianapolis Marion County Public Library)

       

To listen to the dedication, click on the link below.

IPS #77 Dedication

To listen to the interview with Cathryn Boggy, click on the link below.

Interview with Cathryn Boggy, 1981

Sources: Delker Family--1900, 1910, 1920, 1930, and 1940 Federal Census, Find-a-Grave, Delker obituaries in Indianapolis newspapers, 1942, 1949; Cathryn Kuemmick Boggy--Oral History conducted by Rosemary Dilley with the Brown branch of the Indianapolis-Marion County Public Library; "Cathryn Boggy Funeral Saturday," Indianapolis News, May 27, 1987, 46; Dedication of school--"Dedication of Three New Elementary School Buildings to Mark Education Week," Indianapolis Star, , November 11, 1951. 

Who Lived Here? Two German-Born Siblings

      In July of 1925, local contractor Marion Cordill, took out a building permit for the construction of a small bungalow at 36 South Arlington Avenue. Mr. Cordill was very busy during that summer as he constructed several residences along Arlington and Julian Avenues. His crew completed the dwelling by October as ad an in the Indianapolis Star touted: 

     New five-room bungalow, 1/2 block from Washington Street; hardwood floors, fireplace, breakfast nook, brick porch, thoroughly modern garage...(October 11, 1925, 25)

     In either late-1926 or early 1927, two German siblings, Wendell and Antoinette Goerich, moved into the modest bungalow and remained for the next several decades. 

The Goerich siblings resided in this small bungalow at 36 South Arlington Avenue from 1926 until 1982. (photo taken on August 10, 2021)

The Goerich Siblings

Wendell (Wendelin) Goerich (1883-1966)

     Sometime in the early twentieth century, a young man named Wendell Goerich left the village of Dingelstadt in the German state of Thuringia for a new life in America. For many years, beginning as early as 1909, he boarded with Oliver and Luella Snell (Schnell) who lived on Spann and later Fletcher Avenue. Was he related to the Snells? Did they sponsor him? There are still many unanswered questions about his early years. He immediately found a job as switchman with the New York Central Railroad. He was 25 years old.

     Working as a switchman in the early twentieth century was a very dangerous job. The men worked in all kinds of weather and if they were not careful they could be crushed in between train cars. Young immigrants like Mr. Goerich frequently put themselves in great danger with such positions. In December of 1909 Wendell Goerich suffered such an accident and lost his left arm. A publication called The Brotherhood of Rail Trail Men documented that the young immigrant received a claim of $500 for the loss of his limb. Incredibly, Wendell Goerich went back to work for the New York Central Railroad and remained  for the next fifty years. 

     During World War One, many German immigrants living in the United States faced suspicion and discrimination. In Indianapolis the school board terminated the teaching of German and the town elders in one eastern Indiana town attempted to rename their town to Pershing from East Germantown in honor of the American general. On December 7, 1917, the Indianapolis Star published a list of unnaturalized German immigrants living in the city. Wendell Goerich was on that list. What did this mean? Mr. Goerich had to voluntarily register with the city police and he had to stay at least a half a mile away from any factory producing munitions for the war. He was now on a watch list. To prove that he sided with the Americans during the war, the young German even registered for the draft although he had no chance of serving due to his accident. 

The Arrival of Antoinette (Antoninette) Goerich (1896-1988)

     On October 1, 1921, twenty-four-year old Antoninette Goerich arrived at Ellis Island. A ship passenger list reveals that her final stay would be in Indianapolis where she would be living with her older brother, "Wendelin" Goerich. The clerk who processed her paperwork described her as 5'6" with blond hair and gray eyes. She had traveled across the ocean with dozens of other immigrants like herself to live with family members who were already rooted in America. 

Antoinette (Antoninette) Goerich arrived in the Indianapolis in 1921. I recently unearthed this photo of her in a local antique mall. She moved to 36 South Arlington Avenue in either 1926 or 1927.

Miss Goerich signed the back of her photo. Her signature matches that of the one found on her naturalization papers. (see below)

By 1927, Miss Goerich changed the spelling of her first name. A clerk misspelled her last name on this form. 

     Little is known about her early years on the south side of Indianapolis, but by late 1926 or early 1927, both she and Wendell lived in a brand new house at 36 South Arlington Avenue. Had Wendell learned of the house through the ad published by the contractor Marion Cordill? We will likely never know, but the Goerich siblings spent most of the remainder of their lives in the little bungalow with the breakfast nook. 

     Antoinette Goerich appears to have kept the household running while Wendell, who was now a yardmaster, left for the job. The siblings joined Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church and both were involved with local Moose chapters. Miss Goerich loved to read and she belonged to Irvington's Brown Library Great Books Club. She was also an excellent quilter and was featured in the Indianapolis Star on October 2, 1957, along with other women of the church for their beautiful quilt. 

     On January 4, 1960, seventy-six-year-old Wendell Goerich was struck by an automobile as he crossed the street at Audubon Road and Washington Street. Amazingly, he survived his second big accident. He would go on to live another six years, dying at the age of 82 in 1966. Antoinette Goerich found herself alone in the small bungalow, but she seems to have had many friends and neighbors who checked in on her. The Garza family, who resided at 44 South Arlington Avenue, described her as a kind woman who was very good with children. Regina Garza Ruopoli, who grew up near Miss Goerich, fondly recalled visiting her. The elderly woman frequently gave the children treats including grapes from her arbor in the backyard where she also kept a small pond surrounded by flowers. At Christmas she gave her fruit strudels to her neighbors and friends.

     Living alone and far away from any family began to take its toll. She told her neighbor Rudy Garza that "it is hell getting old." In 1982, Miss Goerich moved into a nursing home in Beech Grove. Her home was put on the market nearly 57 years after she and her brother first moved in. She died in 1988 at the age of 91. 

Antoinette Goerich c1980 sat in her rocking chair at 36 South Arlington Avenue. Her neighbors reported that she generally wore cotton dresses and she likely knitted the items visible in the photo. (photo courtesy of the Garza family) 

    If you knew the Goerich siblings and have memories to share, please do so in the comments section under this post. I would love to find a photo of Mr. Goerich. Thank you!!

Sources:  Interview with Rudy and Christina Garza along with their daughter, Regina Garza Ruopoli; I would also like to thank Jon Oliger, Paula Schmidt, and Bill Selm;  Wendell Goerich--World War One Alien List: Indianapolis Star, December 7, 1917, 12; Accident--Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen, 1910, 425; World War One registration via Ancestry.com; Accident--Indianapolis Star, January 5, 1960, 21; Obituary--Indianapolis Star, April 21, 1966, 57; Antoinette Goerich--Ship Passenger list and naturalization papers via Ancestry.com; House for Sale--Indianapolis Star, October 17, 1982; Obituary--Indianapolis News, June 28, 1988, 57; Death certificates for both Wendell and Antoinette Goerich via Ancestry.com.      

     

 

Two Giant White Pine Trees Dominate South Arlington Avenue

     The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago. The second best time is now. (Chinese Proverb)     

      Irvington has always been a leafy neighborhood. The founders of the community had an expectation that residents would plant trees. Some of those early trees still shade the narrow streets. Century-old maples, oaks, catalpas, and numerous other species can be found throughout the area. When Rodolfo (Rudy) and Christina Garza purchased the bungalow at 44 South Arlington Avenue in 1970, they noticed that the front yard was bereft of trees. While they did have a beautiful persimmon tree in the backyard, the couple wished for some shade or beauty along Arlington. In 1974, they traveled to visit a friend's property in Trafalgar, Indiana with the idea of digging up a few saplings for their Irvington property. Christina wanted dogwood trees, but they couldn't seem to locate any so they settled on two small white pine trees. They loaded the two evergreens atop their long Ford station wagon and drove home. Mr. Garza planted the pines and over the years the family marveled at the fast growth of the trees.

     Mrs. Garza particularly liked to use the branches and pinecones to decorate the home at Christmas. Over the years, their children enjoyed racing around the trees and in some cases jumping over them which is why one tree is shorter than the other.  As the trees matured, the utility company asked the Garzas to trim some of the lower branches so that the water meter could be read properly. By 2021, both trees were still standing at four and five-stories tall despite some harsh winter winds and strong summer storms. The half-a-century-old trees could live for another fifty to one hundred years. 

Rodolfo (Rudy) and Christina Garza purchased 44 South Arlington Avenue in 1970. Four years later they planted two white pine trees in the front yard. In 1979, they posed next to one of the pines. Behind the couple, you can see several homes in the 100 block of South Arlington Avenue. (photo courtesy of the Garza family)

Rodolfo (Rudy) Garza proudly posed next to one of his pine trees after a winter storm in 1980. Behind Mr. Garza, you can seen the wintry scene at the intersection of South Arlington and Julian Avenues. (photo courtesy of the Garza family)

Rodolfo (Rudy) Garza posed with daughters, Sonia Johnson and Regina Garza in 1979 next to one of the pine trees in their front yard at 44 South Arlington Avenue. Behind the family, you can see 17, 21, 27, 31, and 33 South Arlington Avenue. 17 South Arlington was later demolished for a CVS Pharmacy. (photo courtesy of the Garza family)

Regina Garza, the daughter of Rudy and Christina Garza, posed next to one of the pine trees in 1979 in her front yard at 44 South Arlington Avenue. Behind her, you can see 103, 107, 109, and 115 South Arlington Avenue. (photo courtesy of the Garza family)

In 2021, the white pine trees planted by the Garza family in 1974 now tower over the small bungalow at 44 South Arlington Avenue. (photo William Gulde)

I wish to thank Rudy and Christina Garza, Regina Garza Ruopoli, and Jon Oliger for photos and information regarding this post.