Lewis Jones House (Centerville, Indiana) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Lewis Jones House
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View from the south, across College Corner Road
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 Location in Indiana
Location in the United States
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| Nearest city | Centerville, Indiana |
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| Built | 1840 |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| NRHP reference No. | 84001744 |
| Added to NRHP | June 7, 1984 |
The Lewis Jones House, also known as The Stephen and Betty Jones House, is a historic farmhouse in Centerville, Indiana. It was built a long time ago, in 1840. This special house was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1984. This means it's an important building worth preserving because of its history and design.
Contents
Meet Lewis Jones: A Pioneer and Farmer
Lewis Jones moved to Center Township, Wayne County, Indiana with his family in 1814. He was a true pioneer in the area. In April 1822, he made history by delivering the first mail from Centerville to Indianapolis, Indiana. This was a big deal, connecting Centerville to the state capital.
Lewis Jones was also a successful farmer. He grew a lot of fruit. He helped start the Wayne County Horticultural Society. This group focused on growing plants and fruits. It even started three years before the larger Indiana Horticultural Society. Lewis Jones passed away in 1877. His family is buried in Crown Hill Cemetery in Centerville. After Lewis Jones, the Dunbar family owned the house. They were involved in the lumber business in Centerville.
House Design: Federal Style Farmhouse
The Lewis Jones House is a great example of an early farmhouse. It shows the typical building style of its time in Wayne County. The house is built in the Federal architecture style. This style was popular in the United States in the early 1800s.
Parts of the House
The house has three main parts. There is the main section, a wing with a gable roof, and a story frame section.
The Main Section
The main part of the house is 2 1/2 stories tall. It is made of brick and has a classic five-bay front. A "bay" means a section of the building, usually with a window or door. This part has a side gable roof.
The main entrance is in the middle of the front of this section. It has its original wooden door with four panels. Above the door is a transom window with four small glass panes. The doorway also has a smooth stone sill plate at the bottom and a lintel above. The windows are double-hung, meaning they slide up and down. Each window has 12 glass panes. They also have sills and lintels.
The main section has a chimney on each side. The outside of the house has a decorative molded cornice and a flat band called a frieze. The roof is made of slate. It is believed the slate roof was replaced around 1860. The walls of the main part have a small square attic vent on each side.
The Gable Roof Wing
A wing with a gable roof connects to the main part on the west side. This part was originally built to be the kitchen.
The Story Frame Section
A story frame section extends from the east side of the main part. This section was built much later, in 1955. It was updated and remodeled between 1974 and 1978.
Inside the Main House
The inside of the main part of the house has two rooms on the first floor. There are also two rooms on the second floor. The rooms on the west side are larger than the rooms on the east side. Each of the four rooms has a fireplace, which would have been used for heating and cooking. In the western room on the first floor, there are cupboards next to the fireplace. In the room across from it, there is a staircase that goes up to a bedroom on the second floor.
House History: National Register Listing
The Lewis Jones House was submitted to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1981. This was done by Stephen and Betty Jones, who owned the house at that time. The house was officially added to the list on June 7, 1984.
