03/02/2010
For those who are not familiar with the Decorator's Show house...
The 2010 Decorators’ Show House and Gardens, located at 4270 North Meridian Street, was built in 1911 by Mrs. Marie Fletcher Hare. It is the oldest existing residence in the historic Meridian corridor. The property for the original house ran from Meridian to Illinois Streets, between 42nd and 43rd Streets, and included stables in what is now the rebuilt carriage house with a paddock at 43rd and Illinois Streets. The house was purchased by Mrs. Hare’s friend, Booth Tarkington, in 1923 for $37,000.
Booth Tarkington’s first book, The Gentleman From Indiana, was published in 1898. He also wrote The Magnificent Ambersons that was later made into a movie. Tarkington won Pulitzer Prizes for both that book and another novel, Alice Adams. Indianapolis’ own Penrod Society takes its name from the title character of a Tarkington novel. Tarkington was a disciplined and prodigious writer with 46 novels, 24 plays, numerous magazine articles, pamphlets and essays to his credit. His writing was done in his study on the third floor of the house.
Tarkington’s home was quite an artistic gathering place, visited not only by his close friend James Whitcomb Riley, but also actors, entertainers, and authors including Helen Hayes, The Marx Brothers, Alfred Lunt, Lynn Fontaine, George Ade (of Purdue note), Otis Skinner, Alexander Woollcott, Ruth Gordon and Garson Kanin.
The house was remodeled extensively by the Tarkingtons. The front steps were relocated and many changes were made inside to accommodate their fine collection of European art and antiques. Fireplace mantels were replaced, marble floors and balustrades added, doors removed, and doorways enlarged to give a lighter, airier feel.
Booth Tarkington died in 1946, and his widow, Susanah, sold the property to Mr. and Mrs. Frederick Willkie in 1950. Mr. Willkie, an inventor and businessman, was the brother of 1940 presidential candidate Wendell Willkie of Elwood, Indiana. The Willkie family also did extensive house renovation, changing the mantels, doorways, and landscaping. The house was sold in 1960.
There were several more homeowners over the next 25 years, and the house served as the 1985 Decorators’ Show House. Since that time it has been a family home. It was recently purchased and is being remodeled once again by Tim and Doris Anne Sadler and their two children.
As country estate, literary salon, boarding house, show house and family home, 4270 North Meridian Street has been many things to many people but has remained a prominent landmark in the Indianapolis community.
Location: 4270 N. Meridian Street
Decorator's Show House - Before photo of "The Bar".
In this picture, you can see the light fixture for the Bar area, wait to see more pictures.... renovation is on the way..... Red walls..... probably are going way....
