Living in a Dream Home--1913

George and Mary Terrill along with their three daughters, Mabel, Faye, and Norma moved into 5631 University Avenue in 1912.  The Terrills likely heard that Henry Earl, the owner of the home, was ill and on the way to Michigan to spend the last years of his life with his family.  As the Earl family began to get the house and property ready for auction they rented it to the Terrills for one year.  George Terrill, who ran his own securities and insurance company was just starting to see his business thrive.  Since the Terrills dwelled at 302 South Audubon Road in 1911, they would have noticed all of the activity going on at the Earl property located across the street from the Irving Circle Park.  For one year, the Terrills dwelled in the now iconic Irvington home and took these photos in winter of 1913. The Polk's Indianapolis City Directory reveals that one daughter, Faye, a talented musician, taught piano in the house.

In the summer of 1913, the beautiful home went on the auction block.  Lew Shank, a local resident and auctioneer, described the property in the Indianapolis Star as:

     The opportunity of a lifetime to buy one of the best located and most beautiful homes in Irvington on June 19, 1913 at 3 PM...No. 5631 University Avenue, the residence of Dr. Earl, who is going to move to Michigan. This is a ten room brick house, cut stone foundation, attic, basement, city water, gas electric lights, slate roof, with bath and furnace in first class condition.  This lot faces on three streets, Audubon Road, University Avenue, and Burgess Avenue--about two thirds of an acre, large trees, also cherry, apple, and peach trees.  

It is unknown if the Terrills attempted to buy the house, but if they did then they lost out to Wallace and Ellie Payne, who moved into 5631 University Avenue in 1913.  The Payne family added a covered porch, something that had not existed on the house until then. The Terrills moved out and purchased 315 South Audubon Road and remained there until finally buying their dream home in 1920 at 410 South Emerson Avenue, a large brick Second Empire style house.

Provenance of the photos:  Amanda Browning, the author of the Horner House blog, traveled to North Carolina to meet Gail Anderson, a descendant of the Terrills.  Amanda's mission was to find photos of her own house at 410 South Emerson Avenue (Horner House).  In the process of discovering incredible photos of her property, Amanda noticed images of 5631 University Avenue in the scrapbooks.  More from this collection will appear on the Horner House blog in the coming months so stay tuned as Amanda reveals more incredible images.  (hornerhouseindy.blogspot.com)  

5631 University after freezing rain and snow storm on January 4, 1913; Note that the Craftsman-era front porch had not yet been placed on the house!

Winter Beauty:  5631 University Avenue in January of 1913.  Photo taken by a member of the Terrill family who dwelled in the "Castle House" for just one year.  Note that 262 South Audubon Road has not been yet been constructed.  

Close up of 5631 University Avenue in the winter of 1913

Irving Circle Park in the 1970s

This small circular park has been part of Irvington since 1870.  Early twentieth century views of the green space showed many trees.  By the 1960s, the fountain and park needed work.  Community members restored the original fountain and planted more trees in the mid-1970s.  In these two images, you can see the original fountain and some of the homes around the park in 1974 and 1979.

The historic images are courtesy of Carol Kappel.

Irving Circle fountain and Johnson Home in 1974

Jerry Kappel pulls Chase Kappel through the snow in the Irving Circle Park in 1979

An Artist Moves Into the Johnson Home--1974

When Carol Kappel moved into the "Castle House," as it was affectionately called by the locals, she and her then husband, Jerry, had their work cut out for them.  The beautiful but drafty home had not been updated in years and time had not been kind to the house. Besides restoring the home, the Kappels would also have to furnish the place.  Ms. Kappel reported that she had moved into the home from a small apartment and would spend the next seventeen years adding period furniture and other antiques, some of which came from a beloved grandmother's home in New Albany, Indiana.

Maintaining and restoring such a home required an income so during the day the talented artist worked for an ad agency.  She noted that most of her best personal art came after she moved out of the house in 1991.  She had little time to create while living in the Johnson Home because she was busy raising a family and restoring the place.

In the summer of 1975, Pegg Kennedy, a journalist for the Indianapolis News, along with photographer Bob Doeppers visited the Kappels for a story.  They took several shots of the young couple.  In the top photo, Carol Kappel sat in the formal parlor surrounded by 1970s-era furniture that had been in her previous apartment.  She would later transfer this room back into a beautiful Victorian gathering place.  In the second photo, Jerry Kappel stands in the formal entryway.  At some point, previous owners added arches, a popular architectural feature from the 1920s through the 1940s.  A future owner, Toni James, removed the arches and replaced them with historic squared bays and transoms.

Carol Kappel (5631 University Avenue) posed for this photo in the summer of 1975 for the Indianapolis News. Photo credit:  Bob Doeppers

Jerry Kappel stood in the entryway of 5631 University Avenue in the summer of 1975, Photo Credit:  Bob Doeppers

5631 University Avenue in the summer of 1975, photo credit:  Bob Doeppers

As for Carol Kappel, she later went on to become an award-winning artist.  She won a Clio and has been featured in various art publications and exhibitions.  Two of her pieces included the Johnson Home.  They can be seen below.  She notes, "I have always seen life as a seamless mural of vibrance and sadness, great beauty and sordid ugliness, tragedy and comedy."

Exit From "Ugly Gables," mixed media by Carol Kappel

Johnson Home by Carol Kappel, 1991

The historic images and art are courtesy of Carol Kappel.  More information for this post came from: Pegg Kennedy, "Johnson House Challenge to Young Married Couple," Indianapolis News, August 13, 1975.

The Kappels Move into the Johnson Home--1974

When Carol and Jerry Kappel (rhymes with apple) saw the for sale sign in front of the Johnson Home at 5631 University Avenue in 1974, it was love at first sight.  Ms. Kappel reports that it was autumn and Irvington's trees were ablaze with color.  The young couple had no idea of what awaited them. They took the plunge and began to negotiate with the Cooney family who were selling the manse for $29, 900.  By December, they had the keys to their new home.  Immediately, the couple discovered problems.  Raw sewage leaking from pipes, water dripping through several ceilings, broken windows in the upper stories, and bird colonies roosting in the the home's storied towers were just the beginning of problematic scenarios for the Kappels.  Ms. Kappel worked as an art director for an ad agency while Mr. Kappel, a local actor, ran a children's theater.  Neither of the duo brought home riches from their jobs so when an engineer warned them that the back tower could collapse without some serious repointing and roof work, the couple likely wondered what they had gotten into.  Ms. Kappel laughed as she told me that they named the home "Ugly Gables" after removing layers of bird dung on the bricks of the upper story.  She quickly noted that the title was one of affection and that even though she has not lived in the home for twenty-four years, she still dreams about the place. The Kappel family dwelled in the home from 1974 to 1990.

In the top three photos, taken in 1974 and 1975, you can see what the home looked like when the family moved in.  A side porch, removed in the 1990s, still existed as well as several trees around the house.  The color photo, taken in 1975, reveals the condition of the back tower.  The bottom photo, taken in 1990, was shot in the last year that Carol and her daughter Chase lived in this very special home.

Carpenter Realtor photo of 5631 University Avenue in 1974...note the former side porch

5631 University Avenue in the winter of 1974

Tower trouble in 1975

Gorgeous shot of Johnson Home in 1990...photo by Carol Kappel

The photos and stories for this post are courtesy of Carol Kappel.

The Earl Family of University Avenue

The Earl family dwelled in what Irvingtonians now call the "Castle House" (5631 University Avenue) from the late nineteenth century till 1914. The Reverend Henry S. Earl (1831-1919) immigrated to the US in 1883.  He hailed from Northamptonshire, England, but his ministry took him to Adelaide, Australia, where he met his future wife Anna Jane Margarey (1850-1899).  Several of their children would be born in Australia.  The Earls moved into their Irvington home sometime in the 1890s although it is possible that it might have been slightly earlier.  The beautiful brick turreted house had been built for the Eudorus Johnson family in 1876.  Sadly, Mrs. Earl passed away at age 49 in 1899. The Earls sold the beautiful home to the Payne family on May 9, 1914.

The Earl Family of 5631 University Avenue

A contemporary shot of the Johnson Home (Earl dwelling) in 2004

Pictured in this nineteenth century portrait:  Standing:  William Rupert Earl (1870-1948); Henry E. Earl (1868-1965) Seated:  Ernest Theodore Earl (1872-1957); Mabel Sarah Earl (1874-1950); Anna Jane Magarey Earl (1850-1899); Percy Howard Earl (young boy-1885-1899); Henry S. Earl (1831-1919); Edwin Charles Earl (1877-1967); Albert James Earl (1881-1969) Based upon the age of the youngest child, the photo was likely taken sometime around 1889.

The contemporary shot was taken in 2004.

Irving Circle Park Area--1940s

Members of the Lamb Family, who dwelled at 5631 University likely took this picture. In the background, 240 and 232 South Audubon can be seen. A bus has also just entered the photo. If anyone has any idea on the make and year of the car then drop me an e-mail. Perhaps we could get closer to dating this photo. We do not know the names of young girls in the photo but they are probably part of the Lamb family. This photo along with about seventeen others were found rolled up in a shoe in the attic of 5631 University Avenue. This image is courtesy of George and Linda Cuff.

5631 University Avenue--c.1948

The beautiful Johnson Home sits at 5631 University across the street from the Irving Circle Park. The Lamb Family dwelled in the house longer than any other beginning in 1938 and staying for over 30 years. This photo was found with several others rolled up in a shoe in the attic. This image is courtesy of George and Linda Cuff.

Ernest T. Earl--5631 University Avenue--Part 2

Ernest Theodore Earl was a bit of an actor as you can see from this photo. He portrayed a variety of characters including one as a hobo. This photo was taken of him in 1898 when he lived with his parents in the "Castle House" at 5631 University Avenue. This rare photo is courtesy of George and Linda Cuff.

Ernest T. Earl--5631 University Avenue

The "Castle House" located across the street from the Irving Circle Park is perhaps one of the most photographed homes in the neighborhood. Built in 1876 for the Eudorus Johnson Family, it has been occupied by several other families including the Earl Family. The Earls moved into the large Victorian Gothic dwelling in the late 1890s and remained until 1913. Pictured here is Ernest Theodore Earl, the son of Henry and Anna (his first wife) Earl, standing by the front porch stoop in 1898. This rare photo shows what the home looked like before the Craftsman-era porch was added in the early twentieth century. This photo is courtesy of George and Linda Cuff.

Although upon first glance, the second photo might look like it had been shot in the 1930s, it was in fact, taken in July of 2004, by me. Many more photos and stories of this important Irvington house will be posted.