History of the Hoffman House and the Chatham-Arch Historic District
Prior to this building's construction, a dwelling built by William A. Bodine around 1873 was located on the site. Bodine was a grocer whose store was located nearby on 11th Street. In 1884, the dwelling was sold to Charles H. Hoffman, a contractor, who demolished it to build this new residence for himself in 1903. Hoffman continued to live at this address until his death in 1920.
As a residence typical of the turn of the century, this house features a four-square plan with hipped roof and hipped roof dormers. The Neoclassical style porch exhibits Ionic columns, panels along the frieze, and dentil molding above. An unusual projecting line supported by small brackets follows around the main body of the house at porch roof level. Also of note is the leaded glass top light of the picture window to the left of the entrance.
As the near east side section of Indianapolis became an established residential area, its citizens sought civic improvements to adorn their rights-of-way. In the Chatham-Arch Area, this spirit of improvement resulted in "street centers" (commonly known as esplanades) and public fountains.
The street centers logically went into some of the widest streets. With its 80-foot width, Christian Avenue (renamed 11th Street in 1893), had for a time served mule car tracks as early as 1871. With the founding of a municipal park system in the 1890's, much interest arose in providing "breathing spaces" in densely populated sections of the city. Accordingly, from Central to College Avenues, the street received six centers containing 13 flower beds. During the late 1890's a dozen varieties of flowers were planted in the esplanades during the warmer months. The street centers remained at least through the 1920's but eventually were removed.
During an age in which people walked or traveled in horse-drawn conveyances,
public fountains were essential features in public places. Chatham-Arch
enjoyed two such conveniences. One stood at the intersection of 11th Street and
College Avenue; the other was for a time the pride of the Chatham-Arch
vicinity. The second named the Nathan Morris Memorial Fountain was erected by friends of a popular
Indianapolis attorney, tragically killed in a fire in 1903. The foundation was
erected in Chatham Place (originally "Square"), the triangle at Park
Avenue, Walnut Street, and Massachusetts Avenue. Two sides of the foundation
supplied water to pedestrians; the other two to horses.
Other buildings with historical significance include:
- The Canby-Depew House located at 746 N. Park Avenue, was built in 1874 by Samuel Canby. Canby, a farmer in Center Township, erected this house only to die two weeks after moving in. His wife Elizabeth Depew Canby and her sister, Nancy Depew, lived in the house until 1894. In that year, Dr. Richard J. Depew took up residence here after giving up his medical practice in St. Omer, Indiana, due to ill health. Following Dr. Depew's death in 1987, his wife Emma Ely remained in the house until her death in 1913. Mrs. Richard Depew bequeathed $50,000 from her estate to the City of Indianapolis for the erection of a memorial fountain to her husband in "some park or public place where all classes of people may enjoy it." The resulting fountain is now located in University Park. The original commission was given to famous sculptor, Karl Bitter, who died before completing it. A. Stirling Calder, a renowned sculptor in his own right and father of Alexander Calder of "mobile" fame, then completed it in 1919.
- Click here to see a photo of this fountain today.
Click image to enlarge.