Elias Abel House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
Elias Abel House
|
|
|
U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
|
Front and southern side of the house
|
|
 Location in Indiana
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | 317 N. Fairview St., Bloomington, Indiana |
|---|---|
| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1845 |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Part of | Bloomington West Side Historic District (ID97000055) |
| NRHP reference No. | 82000023 |
| Added to NRHP | February 19, 1982 |
The Elias Abel House is an old building in Bloomington, Indiana, United States. It was built in 1845 in the Greek Revival style. This style was popular for grand homes back then. Elias Abel, an important person in Bloomington, once lived here.
Over time, the house became run down. It was almost torn down. But it was saved and fixed up. Now, it is a special historic site because of its old and real architecture.
Contents
Who Was Elias Abel?
Elias Abel was born in 1800 in Wythe County, Virginia. In 1824, he moved to the area near Bloomington. He started a farm there. At that time, southwestern Indiana was mostly countryside. Bloomington had about 600 people. But it was the biggest town in that part of the state.
From 1841 to 1862, Elias Abel was active in local government. He was the treasurer for Monroe County many times. He also served in the Indiana General Assembly (the state's law-making group) from 1856 to 1857.
Abel finished building his Bloomington house in 1845. He lived there until 1856. He had bought the land for only $250. But he sold the house for $1,000. After living somewhere else for four years, he bought another house nearby. This house is now called the Blair–Dunning House. In 1862, he sold it to the future wife of Paris C. Dunning. Paris Dunning later became the Governor of Indiana. Elias Abel stayed healthy and important in the community even when he was old. He was known as a leading member of the Democratic Party in Monroe County into his mid-eighties.
What Happened After Abel Left?
For many years, the house was a home for different owners. But in 1923, it became a rental property. This meant people paid to live there. The house started to fall apart because it wasn't taken care of.
During this time, the front porch was made bigger. The outside walls were covered with cheap brown asphalt siding. The original wooden parts on the outside also got old and damaged. By the late 1970s, both the old and new parts of the house were crumbling.
How Was the House Built?
House Structure
The Elias Abel House is built in a style called the "I-house". This means it has two stories. Each story has two rooms, one on each side. This type of design was common in Monroe County in the mid-1800s. Early settlers liked the "I plan" because it was simple. It met their needs without being too plain.
Not many of these old "I-houses" are still in good shape. Even with the changes made to it, the Abel House is considered the best "I"-house left in Bloomington.
The house has a pitched roof made of modern materials. It has wooden eaves (the parts of the roof that hang over the walls). It also has a large basement with limestone walls. There's even a special room in the basement for storing fruit. The house has several brick chimneys.
Over the years, two parts were added to the back (western side) of the house. One was a saltbox-style addition on the southwest corner. The other was a simpler addition on the northwest corner. You can enter the house through a main door in the middle. There are two windows on each side of the door. The door is surrounded by special windows called transoms. Some of these might even have original glass.
Special Details
The Elias Abel House is a great example of the popular Greek Revival style. It's a frame building with two stories. When it was first built, it had a small porch called a portico at the entrance. Later, this small porch was made into a large one. Most of the original portico was taken away.
But some original parts survived the changes made in the 1900s. The most important of these are the pilasters. These are flat, column-like decorations on the corners of the house.
Inside the house, many more original parts remain than on the outside. For example, the railing, balusters (the small posts that hold up the railing), and steps of the main staircase are made of hand-planed cherry wood. The mantel (the shelf above the fireplace) in the main room is also original. Other special features include transoms above all the inside doors in the southern part of the house. There's also a walnut log in the attic. This was a traditional item used to bring good luck to the house.
Why Is the House Important?
The Elias Abel House started to get attention again in 1976. The city of Bloomington named it a historic site. This saved it from being torn down. One year later, a couple bought the house. They started to fix it up and asked for money to help restore it.
In 1982, the house was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This is a list of important historic places in the United States. It was added because its old architecture was well-preserved. It was also important because it was the best example of an "I"-house in the city. Plus, it was the home of one of Bloomington's most important early residents.
Fifteen years after the house was added to the Register, much of the city's west side became a historic district. This area is called the Bloomington West Side Historic District. The Abel House was named one of the most important buildings in this district.
