Important Indianapolis Black-Owned Landmark Discovered in Sumner Images

      For the past several years, a group of local researchers have been busy trying to identify hundreds of images in the Osbert Sumner photo collection. Mr. Sumner, who lived in Irvington, documented many scenes throughout Marion County in between 1898 and 1903. Some of the photos have stymied our faithful researchers as Mr. Sumner was originally from Canada. As you would expect, he also snapped images there. We wondered about a tall three-story structure located on a body of water. Was this in Oakville, Ontario? The answer was no. Last week, historian Deedee Davis, solved the mystery. The Park House sometimes known as the Franklin House stood at 126 North Missouri Street along the Central Canal in what is today, downtown Indianapolis. 

      While the story of this building is still unfolding, here is what we know. The Indianapolis Sentinel recorded that Thomas Nelson took out a building permit for the large house in 1865. An Indianapolis News article indicates that it was Black-owned by at least 1870. Over the next several decades, dozens of black families and individuals moved in and out of the boarding house. Its position along the stagnant and defunct canal and across the street from a large brewery did not make it an ideal location. Numerous additions to the sprawling structure also provided rooms for folks who might not be staying long in the city. If you zoom in on the Sumner image, you will see the word "Hotel" on the sign. We also know that black members of the Grand Army of the Republic (Civil War veterans) held a reunion in the house in 1890. 

     By the late 1890s, a dispute over the ownership and the deterioration of the building led many city officials to call for closing the boarding house.  In 1900, the city condemned the building and ordered that it be demolished. Dozens of people lost their home. Before its removal, a census taker named Frank D. Hester arrived on June 1, 1900, and recorded the last residents. His documentation revealed that 22 people still lived on the property. Many had been enslaved in their younger years. While most could read or write, some of the older residents could not.  Most were from the South and had moved north during the beginning of the Great Migration. George W. Harris managed the house and lived there with his wife, Alice, and several of their children, including Effie Jane, Ida May, Geneva, Susana, Charlotte, Edna, and Jeanette. Mary and Joseph Dobbins leased rooms from Mr. Harris. She was a cook and he worked as a day laborer. Other people to live in the house that year included: Clarabel Huston, 39; Spencer Brown, 60; Abram and Augusta McCallister; Samuel Haddox, 59; William Turner, 28; William Shiflett, 40; John Scott, 56; Perry Fishback, 57; Martha and Florence Neal; and Berry Crabtree 18. 

     Now we have to get to the question as to why Osbert Sumner photographed this landmark. Believe it or not, his maternal grandfather's name was Thomas Nelson! We believe that he was likely documenting a structure built by his grandfather before it was torn down sometime in 1900 or 1901.  How did Deedee Davis solve this mystery? While researching another topic she came upon the Indianapolis News article and photo seen below. Stay tuned as we continue to identify more images from the Osbert Sumner collection. 

Irvington resident, Osbert Sumner, photographed the boarding house at 126 North Missouri Avenue one block from the Indiana State Capitol building c1900 (Irvington Historical Society)

If you look closely, you can see "Park House" printed on the side of the boarding house formerly located at 126 North Missouri Street. You can also see the footbridge that used to cross the canal. (Indianapolis News, December 1, 1900, p. 3)

The 1898 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map shows the exact location of 126 South Missouri Street along the bend in the canal in between Market and Ohio Streets. Across the canal workers toiled in the American Brewery Company, a large brick industrial building. (Library of Congress)

Google satellite imagery reveals that nothing remains of the former neighborhood except the canal where the Park/Franklin House once stood. (Google Earth)

     To See Sumner's images of the Benton House in Irvington, click on the link below:

Benton House by Osbert Sumner

    

I wish to thank Deedee Davis for her tenacious research on the Sumner Collection.

Sources:  Building Permit--Indianapolis Sentinel, March 16, 1865, p. 3; Black owned hotel--Indianapolis News, May 27, 1870, p. 4; Indianapolis News, July 23, 1870, p. 1; Ads for boarding house--Indianapolis News, April 12, 1872, p. 1 and Indianapolis News, November 29, 1872, p. 29; Refurbished A.T. Ramsey--Indianapolis News, June 2, 1874, p. 1 and Indianapolis News, June 12, 1874, p. 1; Reunion for GAR--"Reunion of Colored Soldiers," Indianapolis Journal, September 27, 1890, p. 5; Legal issues--"A Complicated Mortgage Case," Indianapolis Journal, September 11, 1896, p. 8; Condemnation--"Franklin House Condemned," Indianapolis News, November 26, 1900, p. 8 and "Board of Works Routine," Indianapolis Journal, November 29, 1900, p. 8.

Downey Avenue Christian Church Founded 150 Years Ago

      On September 19, 1875, 40 people gathered for the very first formal religious service conducted in the new town of Irvington. With just a smattering of houses scattered here and there, the community welcomed what would be known as Butler University in 1875. Ovid Butler, the founder of the college, associated the university with the Disciples of Christ, a denomination founded in the United States in the early nineteenth century. The new administration building on campus had a chapel and it was in that room that the Disciples worshipped and prayed for 18 years. Most of the members came from the college, but services were open to all. Butler students were required to attend during those early years.

     The weather on that Sunday in 1875 turned cooler and into the 40s so Professor John O. Hopkins recommended that the congregants move into his classroom where it was warmer. He also preached the first sermon. Later that year, the church welcomed 87 charter members. Nearby, many local residents gathered at Pleasant Run Creek for baptisms. An Indianapolis News article in 1879 reported that the church baptized 30 new members in the icy stream. As both the town and the college grew, the Disciples needed a larger space. That dream became a reality in 1893 with the dedication of a new brick church located at 111 South Downey Avenue. 

The chapel in the Administration Building (Butler Hall) served as the first space for members of the Disciples of Christ in Irvington to worship. (photo courtesy of the Irvington Historical Society)

The Brick Church (1893-1952)

     On September 5, 1892, church members broke ground at 111 South Downey Avenue for their first sanctuary away from the Butler campus. Designed by William F. Sharpe of Crawfordsville, Indiana, and erected by J.H. Jameson, the brick structure had several gables and a bell tower. At the dedication ceremony on April 9, 1893, congregants sat on carved oak pews and heard a sermon by the Reverend Carey E. Morgan, a Butler University graduate. Many of his former teachers sat in the pews before him.   

     Participation in the church swelled with the new facility. In 1914, the board added an education building just south of the church. The arrival of the Christian Board of Missions nearby also increased membership as many employees attended services at Downey Avenue Christian Church. Sunday schools, Boy Scout troops, and Camp Fire Girls increased the participation of younger Irvington residents in the church. 

     With the church population rising and repairs needed on the 59-year-old structure, the board of directors made the surprising decision to tear down the brick structure for a modern stone edifice.  There is no evidence that church members disapproved of this decision although it was likely that a few might have mourned the loss of the pretty church. 

       

Sketch in the Indianapolis News, February 24, 1892, p. 6

View of Downey Avenue Christian Church from South Downey Avenue looking north towards Julian and Downey Avenues in 1952 (photo courtesy of Don Rouse)

Downey Avenue Christian Church in 1952 from Julian Avenue; You will note the Education Building was  just south of the structure. (photo courtesy of Don Rouse)

Members of the Downey Avenue Christian Church at 111 South Downey Avenue could enter through doors on Julian or Downey Avenues. This photo was likely taken in 1952. Frederick William (Bill) Wiegmann served as the minister. (photo courtesy of Don Rouse)

Easter services in 1952 served as the final time that Downey Avenue Christian Church members attended worship in the brick church. The structure was razed shortly after this service. (photo courtesy of Don Rouse)

Members of a Sunday School program posed for this photograph in 1934 at the Downey Avenue Christian Church at 111 South Downey Avenue. (Photo courtesy of Don Rouse)

The Stone Church (1953--?)

     After the board decided to build a new church building, they hired Edward J. Clark to design the new structure. The architect had designed numerous churches in Indiana including the nearby Linwood Avenue Christian Church at 4424 East Michigan Street. The new church, a "modified" Gothic, was to be clad in limestone from southern Indiana. With a seating capacity for 475 people in the main hall, Clark also added room for 375 additional people in "Fellowship Hall." He included a youth chapel, rumpus rooms, and parlors. The cost came in at $250,000. 

     On a snowy Sunday morning on December 14, 1952, hundreds of church members gathered on the site for the cornerstone laying. Paul F. Brown, the board president, presided while Frederick W. Wiegmann and other dignitaries offered prayers and words. Ida Lamberson Russell, who had the distinction of being present at the 1893 dedication, "helped" to put the stone in place. Also assisting was Hilton U. Brown, the venerable publisher of the Indianapolis News. Both of them had witnessed Irvington grow from a small village into a thriving neighborhood. Several members placed items into the cornerstone box. John D.  Bruckman added a bible. Other items included an invitation to the 1893 dedication, a ceremonial shovel used to break ground, and various church programs. 

     The sanctuary opened in 1953 and for 72 years, the structure has been part of the neighborhood. In 2005, the congregation had a shock when an arsonist attempted to damage the building. Quick work by the fire department saved the structure allowing the congregation to restore the church. The Downey Avenue Christian Church is the oldest denomination within the boundaries of Irvington followed by the Irvington Methodist Church and First Baptist Church. On December 7, 2025, the congregation will be hosting a special service celebrating 150 years in operation with a reception afterwards. 

Frederick William Wiegmann, Francis W. Payne, and Paul F. Brown placed the ceremonial box into the cornerstone on December 14, 1952. We do not know the name of the boy in the photo so if you recognize him, let us know! Behind the crowd, you can see the Creighton Apartments located on the northwest corner of Julian and Downey Avenues. (photo courtesy of Don Rouse)

On December 14, 1952, Downey Avenue Christian Church members gathered to lay the cornerstone of their new church. Beyond the group you can see the former Scot Butler home at 124 South Downey Avenue. In 1952, the house served as the American Legion Post No. 38. To the north of that house you can see the side of 5339 Julian Avenue. That home along with the Butler residence and another house at 5319 Julian Ave were torn down to make way for the new mid-century Board of Church Extension structure. (Photo courtesy of Don Rouse)

On December 14, 1952, Downey Avenue Christian Church members filed past their new building under construction. Behind the beams, you can see the former educational building that had served the church since 1914. It was later razed for a new fellowship hall. (photo courtesy of Don Rouse)

Workers placed beams into position for the new Downey Avenue Christian Church in 1952. Behind the crew you can see the Creighton Apartments and homes along both Julian and Downey Avenues. (Photo courtesy of Don Rouse)

Workers for E. B. Ball finished the new Downey Avenue Christian Church in 1953. (photo courtesy of Don Rouse)

Associate Minister Enos Nelson preached to a packed congregation at the Downey Avenue Christian Church in 1953. (photo courtesy of Don Rouse)

Teens gathered for a Friday night dance in Fellowship Hall adjacent to the church c1955 (photo courtesy of Don Rouse)

The board added a new education wing to the church in 1962. (Photo courtesy of Don Rouse)

The congregation added beautiful stained glass windows to the sanctuary in 1975 in honor of the centennial of the church. (photo courtesy of Don Rouse) 

     I wish to thank Don Rouse for his generosity in loaning me photos for this post, and for providing key historical information.

Sources: George Earle Owen,  A Century of Witness: A History of the Downey Avenue Christian Church, 1875-1975, Indianapolis, 1975; Early Years--"City News," March 31, 1879, 4; Brick Church--"A New Church in Irvington," Indianapolis News, September 5, 1892, p. 2; "Irvington's New Church," Indianapolis News, December 24, 1892, 6; "New House of Worship," Indianapolis Journal, April 10, 1893, 3; "Irvington Church Dedicated," Indianapolis News, April 10, 1893, p. 6; Stone Church--"Downey Avenue to Break Ground," Indianapolis News, May 3, 1952, 4; "Downey Avenue to Lay Stone," Indianapolis News, December 13, 1952, 3; "New Irvington Church Ceremony to be Tomorrow," Indianapolis Star, December 13, 1952, 12; "Downey Avenue Congregation to Dedicate New Edifice," Indianapolis Star, October 31, 1953, 10; Architect--"Edward J. Clark Dies: Designed Many Churches," Indianapolis Star, January 29, 1965, 9.