Willard Carpenter House

Willard Carpenter House
Willard Carpenter House, July 2011
Location405 Carpenter St., Evansville, Indiana
Coordinates37°58′30″N 87°34′32″W / 37.97500°N 87.57556°W / 37.97500; -87.57556
Area1 acre (0.40 ha)
Built1848 (1848)
Architectural styleGreek Revival
NRHP reference No.78000057[1][2]
Added to NRHPFebruary 10, 1978

The Willard Carpenter House, located at 405 Carpenter Street in downtown Evansville, Indiana, is one of two landmarks recognized as memorials to one of the city's most influential pioneers, philanthropist Willard Carpenter. The other is Willard Library, which he built, endowed and gave to the people of the area.[3] Willard Carpenter, born on March 15, 1803, at Strafford, Orange County, Vermont, was a son of Willard Sr. and Polly (Bacon) Carpenter, and a descendant of the Rehoboth Carpenter family.[4]

Construction on Willard Carpenter's house began in 1848 and was completed in 1849. It was built in the Greek Revival style.[5]

The home passed from Carpenter ownership during the Great Depression to Funkhouser American Legion Post. In 1956, they sold the property to WTVW. Medco purchased the mansion in 1974 and restored the home to as close to original condition as possible. Medco stayed in the home until 1985, when it was purchased by WNIN (TV). It now also houses the offices of WNIN-FM.[6]

It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  2. ^ "NPS Focus". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. Archived from the original on August 1, 2013. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
  3. ^ WNIN Tri-State Public Media, Inc., 405 Carpenter Street, Evansville, Ind.: The Historic Carpenter House, https://www.wnin.org/about/history-carpenter-house/, accessed March 27, 2013.
  4. ^ Early Evansville Portraits and Biographies from History of Vanderburgh County, Indiana, Brant & Fuller, 1889, http://www.usgennet.org/usa/in/county/vanderburgh/portraits/pages/carpenter.htm, courtesy of John R. Carpenter of La Mesa, Calif.
  5. ^ "Indiana State Historic Architectural and Archaeological Research Database (SHAARD)" (Searchable database). Department of Natural Resources, Division of Historic Preservation and Archaeology. Retrieved August 1, 2016. Note: This includes John M. Dunn (February 1974). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory Nomination Form: Willard Carpenter House" (PDF). Retrieved August 1, 2016.
  6. ^ WNIN Tri-State Public Media, October 6, 2009.