Once centers of culture, industry and community, these historic Indiana sites are now in peril. On Monday, Indiana Landmarks released its 10 Most Endangered list for 2022, which includes a high school gymnasium, an industrial tycoon’s neglected mansion and Indiana’s oldest covered bridge that remains in its original location.
The list places a spotlight on historical sites facing a series of problems — such as abandonment, dilapidation, neglect, lack of funding or unreasonable above market asking prices — among others.
Marsh Davis, president of Indiana Landmarks, said in a written statement the 10 Most Endangered list has several functions, from education and advocacy to assisting in fundraising and saving pieces of Hoosier history.
“Every listing comes with significant challenges,” Davis said in a news release. “In all cases, when an endangered place lands on our list, we commit to seeking solutions that lead to rescue and revitalization.”
Since 1991, when the list was introduced, only 20 of the 159 most endangered sites have been demolished. Meanwhile, nearly 100 sites have been restored or are no longer endangered. Three sites — the Courthouse Annex, the James M. Shields Memorial Gymnasium and Kamm and Schellinger Brewery — are back on the list for a second year after being on it in 2021.
Here are the stories behind the sites on this year’s list.
Birdsell Mansion
511 W. Colfax Ave., South Bend
Built in 1898, industrial titan J.B. “Ben” Birdsell’s mansion was once a paragon of grandeur: hardwood paneling, fireplaces and a third floor ballroom. In its heyday, it was to an adequate rival of other iconic South Bend mansions, Tippecanoe Place and Copshaholm. But these days, it’s fallen into disrepair and is plagued by code violations, according to Indiana Landmarks.
Today, Birdsell Mansion has fallen into disrepair. The house’s water gutters are leaking, windows are missing and water is seeping in, according to Indiana Landmarks.
Cades Mill Covered Bridge
West Cades Hollow Rd., about four and a half miles southwest of Veedersburg
Built in 1854, the Cades Mill Covered Bridge in Fountain County is Indiana’s oldest covered bridge still in its original location, but its fate is in trouble.
The bridge was built to help Fountain County’s early settlers travel to a mill located at Coal Creek and for decades has functioned as a pedestrian bridge for the area. But the Cades Mill Covered Bridge has serious safety hazards: a broken chord could cause the 150-foot long bridge to collapse if left unrepaired, according to Indiana Landmarks.
The Fountain County Art Council Historical Committee is fundraising to completely rehabilitate the bridge. However, the cost of repairing the bridge is estimated at over $800,000, a figure which will likely increase with the cost of labor and materials shortages due to the pandemic.
Carol Freese, Fountain County historian and member of the Art Council, told IndyStar that as of Friday the group has raised nearly $300,000 in total towards bridge restoration.
Geter Means House
2044 Monroe Lane, Gary
Means Brothers, Inc., founded by brothers Andrew and Geter Means, built nearly 2,000 homes and rental units in Gary alone, making it one of the largest Black-owned real estate development companies in the Midwest by the 1950s.
The Means Manor neighborhood quickly became a preferred area for Black middle-class homebuyers, and it remains, to this day, a neighborhood where many residents have lived for their entire lives. Geter Means’ mid-century ranch home, built in 1954, sat on a corner and was once a focal point of the area.
However, in recent years, neighbors have taken to caring for the Geter Means House as vandalism, neglect and abandonment have turned a once well-loved home into a neighborhood eyesore, according to Indiana Landmarks.
Hulman Building and Garage
20 N.W. 4th St. and 109-111 N.W. 3rd St., Evansville
The Hulman Building in Evansville is a 10-story commercial…