Many Changes to Emerson Avenue Home Over the Years

      In the spring of 1903, Charles O. and Jessie Pearl Shimer sold several lots on Auvergne Avenue in southwestern Irvington for $5000. Mr. Shimer grew up on land nearby along Brookville Road. The couple then purchased lots 3 and 4 on the northwest corner of South Emerson and University Avenues from Dr. Richard Stone for $1,210. It is unclear if the Queen Anne cottage was already on the lot or if the Shimers had it built. Dr. Stone, whose address was on Alabama Street, operated out of an office at 222 South Emerson Avenue. The Shimers had a fantastic view of the Butler campus across the street. Mr. Shimer worked as a postal clerk for the Railway Mail Service. An article in the Indianapolis News in 1905 noted that he received a pay raise and earned $1000 a year. 

     The Shimers had two children, Edna Rae and William Ralph. It appears that both kids went by their middle name like their mother. The city of Indianapolis had already annexed Irvington by 1903 so the Shimers were likely hoping for improvements along Emerson Avenue. In the summer of 1906, the city awarded a contract to brick Emerson Avenue. Street workers began the process, but something happened and for over one year no one could get up or down the street. Frustrated residents who could not get their fuel or groceries delivered met at the Shimer home on July 5, 1907, to plan a course of action. The city eventually got its act together and finished the street. 

    Both Charles and his son, Ralph, witnessed two separate tragedies while living in the cottage. On the night of October 3, 1913, Charles Shimer noticed a light on at Dr. Richard F. Stone's office next door at 222 South Emerson Avenue. The Shimers had purchased the land for their home from Dr. Stone. Charles looked into the window and could see Dr. Stone's lifeless body on the floor. He summoned another neighbor, Joseph Ostrander, who lived at 216 South Emerson Avenue, to help pry open a window. The men were overcome by gas fumes and nearly passed out. Authorities who arrived on the scene could not save the elderly physician. A debate then ensued in the local press. Some thought that because the doctor had received some bad health and financial news that he deliberately turned on the gas to commit suicide, but his family maintained that he likely left the gas on as he was cooking his dinner. The doctor's office had four rooms and he sometimes spent the night there instead of at his Alabama Street home. We shall never know the truth. 

     Two years later, seventeen-year-old Ralph Shimer along with his cousin Thomas Shimer, and their friend Richard Rubush were hanging out along a fence row near the intersection of the Pennsylvania Railroad and Downey Avenue. While they were there, a slow moving freight train passed along one of the tracks. Ralph happened to notice Butler University student, Harold Howe Higbee, pacing along the train. Then, much to his surprise, he saw Higbee deliberately dive under the fourth car. The young man instantly died. Ralph testified to what he saw to authorities. Once again a debate emerged. Did Harold Higbee commit suicide? The general consensus from most people at the time was that he was trying to cross under the slow-moving train and made a costly error. 

     During the decades that the Shimers resided in the home, they did make some changes. In the autumn of 1915, the Shimers took out a building permit for a garage and they would need it as they purchased a Hudson Super-Six one year later. An ad in the Indianapolis News that year listed several people who purchased the same car in the city including the well-known author, Booth Tarkington. In the summer of 1921, the Shimers took out a building permit for an addition to the home. They may have also added the wrap-around porch at this time as well. 

     Mrs. Shimer died in 1934. Mr. Shimer lived another nine years before passing away in 1943. Their children sold the house to Lee Roy and Velma Smith. The Smiths dramatically altered the residence as Mr. Smith worked for the Stonekote Company. He placed ads in the local newspapers touting the veneer product and he completely sheathed the older home with the product. The house reflects the Smith era, but the photographs below show what the home used to look like prior to the remodeling. 

Edna Rae and William Ralph Shimer along with a family dog posed on the front porch of 230 South Emerson Avenue c1915 after a significant snowstorm. Both children went by their middle names. (photo courtesy of Chris Shimer)

The Shimer home at 230 South Emerson Avenue, c1915, sat across the street from Butler University. The empty lot next door was not developed until the spring of 1925 when Frederick Mertz built the double at 224-226 South Emerson Avenue. (Indianapolis Times, April 21, 1925, 11) The small structure in the photograph served as a doctor's office for Richard Stone at 222 South Emerson Avenue. You can also see the two-story home at 218 South Emerson Avenue. 

Ralph Shimer c1910 standing in the backyard of 230 South Emerson Avenue (photo courtesy of Chris Shimer) 

Edna Rae Shimer posed with two other young women c1915 at 230 South Emerson Avenue. (photo courtesy of Chris Shimer)

Edna Rae, William Ralph, and Jessie Pearl Shimer c1910 at 230 South Emerson Avenue. (photo courtesy of Chris Shimer)

On April 12, 1940, a member of the Shimer family snapped an image of 230 South Emerson Avenue after a spring snowstorm. You can see that the porch had been changed and that the double at 224-226 South Emerson Avenue had been constructed on the formerly empty lot. The Shimers witnessed many changes along the street including the closing of Butler University and the redevelopment of the site. 

Lee Roy Smith worked for the Stonekote Corporation out of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He clad 230 South Emerson Avenue in the veneer "stone" material. (Indianapolis Star, April 3, 1949)

Google Streetview of 230 South Emerson Avenue with the veneer "stone-like" material on the home. (August, 2019) 

     I wish to thank Chris Shimer and Anne Hardwick for their help with this post. 

Sources:  Land sales and purchases--Indiana Tribune, May 22, 1903, 4 and May 28, 1904, 4; Obituary for Jessie Pearl Shimer--Indianapolis Star, May 31, 1934, 3; Obituary for Charles O. Shimer--Indianapolis News, September 25, 1943, 9; Charles Shimer pay raise--Indianapolis News, July 24, 1905, 7; Emerson Avenue problems--Emerson Avenue Meeting," Indianapolis News, July 3, 1907, 5; Dr. Richard Stone death--"Doctor Dies in Gas-Filled Room," Indianapolis Star, October 4, 1913, 3; Building permits--Indianapolis Star, September 25, 1915 and Indianapolis Star, July 3, 1921, 26; Harold Howe Higbee Death--"Ralph Shimer Tells How Higbee Met Death," Indianapolis News, October 28, 1915, 3.

South Arlington Avenue--1965

On Friday, June 4, 1965, a member of the Indianapolis Police Department arrived in Irvington to document some of the larger potholes around the neighborhood and found a sizable crater at the intersection of South Arlington and Beechwood Avenues.  The photographer snapped the image before the street was widened as residents on the eastern side of Arlington Avenue used to have more of a front yard. So who might have been home on that sunny day?  Likely no one as most of the folks along that block had full-time jobs.

The front porch, visible in the foreground of the photo, is that of 429 South Arlington Avenue on the southeast corner of Arlington and Beechwood Avenues. Bernice H. Bunner, the widow of Gale Bunner, lived in that house and was most likely at her job at a Sears Department Store where she was an office worker. Next door at 431 South Arlington Avenue, lived Ralph and Florence Brokenhamer. They were a busy couple as they ran the Dog N Suds Drive-In at 6020 Brookville Road. Mr. Brokenhamer made headlines in the Indianapolis News in 1961 when he found a wallet containing $1000 at his drive-in. He called the police and they successfully found the grateful owner.

Living in the bungalow at 437 South Arlington Avenue, was James F. and Sherron Skaggs. Were they home when the photo was snapped? Mr. Skaggs was most likely at work where he was the assistant manager for the Pittsburgh Plate Glass Company. Louis T. and Marguerite Mertz resided next door at 439 South Arlington Avenue. Mr. Mertz managed the Anchor Inn Restaurant at 1616 North Arlington Avenue while his wife worked in the office at St. Francis Hospital.

In the only two-story home visible in the photo, resided Aaron and Eura York and their family at 443 South Arlington Avenue.  Mr. York at the time worked as a distributer for the Schilling Chilling Company. He worked in the heating and cooling industry for decades.  The only other home that can be seen this image is that of 451 South Arlington Avenue as the small house at 447 South Arlington had not yet been built. Arthur L. and Naomi P. Burns lived in the bungalow at 451 South Arlington. Mr. Burns served as an accountant for the Real Silk Company located on Massachusetts Avenue.

400 block of South Arlington Avenue on June 4, 1965 (photo courtesy of Patrick Pearsey)

400 block of South Arlington Avenue on April 7, 2020

I wish to thank Patrick Pearsey, who chronicles the history of the Indianapolis Police Department. 

Sources: Polk's Indianapolis City Directory, 1965; "Drive-in Owner Finds $1000.06," Indianapolis News, June 3, 1961, 13.