Dr. Nelson Wilson House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
Dr. Nelson Wilson House
|
|
Front and western side of the house
|
|
 Location in Indiana
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | 103 E. National Highway, Washington, Indiana |
|---|---|
| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1896 |
| Architect | John W. Gaddis |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne |
| NRHP reference No. | 08000566 |
| Added to NRHP | June 27, 2008 |
The Dr. Nelson Wilson House is a special building in Washington, Indiana. It's so important that it was added to the National Register of Historic Places on June 26, 2008. This list includes places that are important to American history and architecture. The house is famous for its unique style, which mixes two cool designs: Queen Anne and Eastlake. It was also designed by a very well-known local architect named John W. Gaddis. An official report about buildings in Daviess County even called the house "Outstanding"!
Contents
Meet Dr. Nelson Wilson
Dr. Nelson Wilson was born in Jefferson County, Indiana on November 12, 1844. He became a dentist and worked in Washington, Indiana, from 1890 to 1895. He married Matilda M. Campbell in 1889. The couple had this amazing house built in 1893. Sadly, Dr. Nelson Wilson passed away in 1895. After his death, the house was owned by the Beck family until 2001.
Unique House Design
The Dr. Nelson Wilson House is a two-story building. It's built in the Queen Anne style, which often features towers, turrets, and decorative porches. The house has a strong brick foundation and walls made of brick and limestone. Its roof is covered with asphalt.
Architect John W. Gaddis
The house was designed in 1893 by John W. Gaddis. He was an architect from nearby Vincennes, Indiana. Gaddis became very famous for designing courthouses in Indiana. Some of his other works include courthouses in Clay County, Huntington County, and Putnam County.
Eastlake Style Details
Gaddis added some cool touches from the Eastlake style to the house. This style is known for its detailed "stickwork," which means decorative patterns. What's really unusual about this house is that the stickwork isn't made of wood, as it usually is in Eastlake designs. Instead, it's made of brick! This makes the Dr. Nelson Wilson House very special and unique.
Secret Symbols in the Porches
Look closely at the side porches of the house. You'll see a special pattern there. It looks like a Masonic Cross. This pattern is similar to a Maltese Cross. Both Dr. Nelson Wilson and the architect John Gaddis were active Freemasons. Freemasonry is one of the oldest social and charitable organizations in the world. It's thought that one of them decided to use this Masonic Cross pattern. This explains why the design might have changed from a typical Eastlake style to include these meaningful symbols.
