Humbert House Recently Featured on WPTA Channel 21

WPTA’s Eric Olson (Ft. Wayne 21) was in Huntington last week to feature Huntington Alert’s Humbert House. You can view the story here.

In Memoriam: The Milligan Stone House

By Shannon Zuercher, Secretary, Huntington Alert, Inc.

The Milligan Stone House, pictured in 2013. Photo by Brian Zuercher.

I first began researching the Milligan Stone House in 2012 while writing the nomination for Memorial Park to be listed in the National Register of Historic Places. You can read that nomination here. At first I had included the structure in the historic district boundary, taking for granted the “history” that had previously been written about the structure. However, the reviewers at the Indiana Division of Historic Preservation and Archaeology wanted me to provide evidence of it having been used to hold runaway slaves in order for it to be a part of the historic district boundaries. For the next six months, I searched (as many historians before me had) for any shred of evidence that could link this structure to the well-embraced theory that this was a building used to house runaway slaves. And like all those before me, I came up empty handed. Because of that and the fact that the structure was moved from its original location (loss of setting) and rebuilt from a combination of original and new materials (loss of integrity), the Milligan Stone House was not included as part of the Memorial Park National Register Historic District. Personally, I still felt the structure was historically significant for its architecture–being a soundly reconstructed example of a stone outbuilding that pre-dated the Civil War. We simply do not have many examples of structures from that era that are still extant and that in itself is significant.

What are the facts?

• The building dated to c.1860.
• It featured 22-inch-thick walls, a chimney, a door opening, and five narrow slit openings.
• It was originally located on the farm property owned by Lambdin P. Milligan (south of Hitzfield Street near the Little River–where Clarks Recycling is today).
• Milligan’s former house was destroyed in a 1964 fire but this structure survived.
• It was moved to its location on West Park Drive across from the entrance to Memorial Park in 1984/85 so that it would be accessible to the public and maintained properly. Archaeologists were involved with the de- and re-constructions as was the Indiana Division of Historic Preservation and Archaeology.
• The effort to move/reconstruct/preserve the structure was a project of the Huntington County Bar Association, with assistance from the Huntington County Historical Society and Huntington Alert.
• It has been known locally as the “Slave House, “Jail House,” or “Stone House.”
• It was architecturally significant as a rare example of a pre-Civil War era stone structure.
• It is also significant for its connection to Lambdin P. Milligan and the Ex Parte Milligan case.

The Milligan Stone House as it appeared in the 1982 Huntington County Interim Report, prior to its relocation.

About Lambdin P. Milligan (1812-1899)

Milligan was a Huntington lawyer and a member of the Knights of the Golden Circle, a secret society said to be dedicated to preserving the slave states and to establishing a new slave empire in Mexico. He was arrested on October 5th, 1864 and sentenced to death by military tribunal in 1865 for treason for conspiring to overthrow the U.S. government and aiding the enemy during the Civil War. He was represented by James Garfield during the “Indianapolis Trials for Treason,” who later became the U.S. president. Milligan gained national fame due to the U.S. Supreme Court Ex Parte Milligan case (1866), which is still relevant today: Milligan’s life was saved when the Supreme Court ruled that the application of military tribunals to civilian citizens when civilian courts are still operating is unconstitutional. Milligan returned to Huntington, continued practicing law, and lived a long life, dying in 1899. He is buried at Pilgrim’s Rest Cemetery.

Why NOT call it a slave house?

Some have suggested that calling this structure the “Milligan Stone House” rather than the “Milligan Slave House” is motivated by a desire to “whitewash” history. I can only speak to my own motive and believe me, I tried to prove that this was a slave house because I wanted to see it included in the National Register historic district. Others have suggested that “of course there wouldn’t be a paper trail” because things like that weren’t recorded; that simply isn’t true from what we know about the history of the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850.

During my research, I consulted with Jeannie Regan-Dinius, Director of Special Initiatives for the Indiana Division of Historic Preservation and Archaeology. Not only is Jeannie an expert on the Underground Railroad and the Civil War era in Indiana, she is a former resident of Huntington and served as the Executive Director of the Forks of the Wabash. Jeannie shared some fascinating perspective on what we could expect to find if this were indeed a building that had been used to house runaway slaves:

• Had Milligan been involved with returning runaway slaves to the south, it would be expected that his name would have come up in reward ads from the time. A professor at the University of Louisville has done extensive research into reward ads and Milligan’s name is not in the database.
• According to the census, there were black people living here in Huntington County at the time yet there is no evidence any were ever accused of being runaway slaves by Milligan.
• Under the provisions of the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850, had Milligan attempted to return a runaway slave to the south, he would have had to appear before the Justice of the Peace to justify the accusation and the alleged slave owner would have had to appear here in person to claim the “property.” To date, no one has produced these Justice of the Peace records.
• Jeannie also found that the first suggestion that this structure might have been used to house runaway slaves appeared in a book about Milligan in 1974, by an author who wrote in a later article that he found no evidence to support the theory.

Regarding the Underground Railroad in Huntington County, Jeannie gave me a copy of a DHPA report from 2003, including a section on Huntington County that she wrote. Most documented activity took place in the southern part of the county, though there was a Reverend Chamberlain in Huntington at the Baptist Church who was publicly accused of running an Underground Railroad station in 1861. The Huntington Democrat also reported that on June 6, 1863 there was an abolition meeting held in Warren that 200-300 people attended (including anti-abolitionists).

With all this in mind, we refer to this structure as the “Milligan Stone House” because in all likelihood it was simply an outbuilding used perhaps as a smokehouse (another theory that is just a theory).

If it’s historic, shouldn’t it be protected?

There are a lot of misconceptions about historic buildings, designations, and protections associated with “being historic.” In short, protection of historic structures happens at a local, not state or federal, level. Here in Huntington we have a Historic Review Board that can, in cooperation with City Council, locally designate historic structures to preserve them with preservation guidelines adopted to protect a property when exterior alterations, new additions, or demolition is proposed. The Milligan Stone House was NOT a locally-designated historic structure. You can learn more about the Historic Review Board and Huntington’s locally designated historic structures here.

National Register listing, a designation that Memorial Park has but not the Milligan Stone House, is largely honorary and does not afford protections from demolition unless federal money is involved (if federal money is involved, a review process known as “Section 106” kicks in). It does, however, qualify property owners to apply for rehabilitation tax credits when rehabilitating a property in a historically-appropriate manner.

The Demolition

During the last year, I served on a committee Mayor Fetters brought together to discuss the Milligan Stone House after the structure was again vandalized on Easter Day. The meetings and conversation that resulted from them was productive and interesting. We talked about what the building is vs. what it has come to symbolize; we talked about better interpreting the structure where it sits; we talked about a potential move of the structure if a willing “taker” could be found; and yes, we did talk about simply razing the structure. However, there was never a consensus/conclusion reached by the committee about how to proceed during these meetings. So I was as shocked as anyone yesterday (December 3, 2018) to see on facebook that demolition of the structure had begun.

May 2018 Public Meeting

Huntington Alert held a public meeting on May 22nd, 2018 at the Young – Yentes – Mattern Farm located on Maple Grove Road.  Local preservationist Jean Gernand led the group on a tour of the home and outbuildings.  Jean grew up on this farm and has also spent the last few years rehabilitating the dwelling.

 

In Memoriam: The Lesh Block

The Lesh Block. 12 March 2018, just prior to demolition. Photo by Brian Zuercher.

Demolition of the Lesh Block, located at the southeast corner of Cherry and Market Streets, began on March 13, 2018. A year earlier, the building had suffered a fire fueled by high winds on March 8, 2017, which destroyed the roof and resulted in significant water and mold damage. An owner of the building reached out to Huntington Alert and Indiana Landmarks in an attempt to save the structure but unfortunately, no solution was identified quickly enough to make it financially feasible.

U. S. Lesh

The Lesh Block takes its name from Ulysses S. Lesh, the Huntington Attorney who erected the structure in 1912-1913. U. S. Lesh began practicing law in Huntington in 1891, forming the partnership of Kenner & Lesh in 1892. Later, he and his brother Eben formed a partnership known as Lesh & Lesh, and their firm was one of the original occupants of the new Lesh Block in 1913, having moved from the Bippus Block.

Ulysses S. Lesh. Clipping from the Blufton Chronicle, 21 Oct 1914.

U. S. Lesh authored the book A Knight of the Golden Circle, published in 1911. The book recounts a tale of the mid-19th century secret society whose original objective was to annex a “Golden Circle” of territories as slave states. One alleged member was  Lambdin P. Milligan, another Huntington lawyer who gained notoriety for being tried and sentenced to death for treason by military tribunal in 1864, but is most famous for having his sentence overruled in the Supreme Court case Ex Parte Milligan, in which the court ruled that a civilian could not be tried by military tribunal when civilian courts were open and operating. Milligan returned to Huntington and continued practicing law until 1893, later passing away in 1899.

U. S. Lesh would serve as Indiana’s Attorney General from 1922 to 1926 and lived a long, distinguished life. In 1962, he was profiled in a number of Indiana newspapers as “still going strong” at 92, having practiced law in Indiana for 71 years at the time. He passed away in 1966.

The Lesh Block

“One of the most unsightly places in Huntington, the spot on the corner of Market and Cherry, will soon be graced by a two story business building as the result of action taken yesterday by U. S. Lesh, who awarded the contract for the construction to Chester Boyd, a young contractor of Huntington.” The Huntington Press, 19 July 1912, Pg. 1.

Construction of the Lesh Block began in 1912 and the new building was to have upstairs two apartments fronting Market and two apartments fronting Cherry Streets, while the lower floors would be used for businesses. A newspaper article recounts how in August of that year, the Chief of Police and his officers hauled in hoboes “given a good work out, helping in the digging of a basement for the Lesh Building” with the Deputy Chief using “a pick and shovel with the rest of the men.” The Huntington Herald, 5 August 1912, Pg. 1.

A 1919 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map showing the Lesh Block at the corner of Cherry and Market Streets.

The U.S. Post Office was the very first occupant to move into the completed Lesh Block on February 3, 1913. The arrangement was meant to be temporary until a new federal building for the Post Office could be constructed. The long-promised Federal Building finally opened in September, 1918 and the Post Office moved from the Lesh Block at that time.

The Commercial Club was another original occupant of the Lesh Block, in the east apartment of the 2nd floor: “The apartment will consist of five rooms of good size, two of which will face Market Street. In the rear of these will be a Secretary’s room. A novel feature of the apartment is the arrangement whereby the rooms can be converted into one large hall. Each room will be divided by large folding doors and so arranged that when these doors are opened, the spacious arches between will practically convert the rooms into one large hall. It is estimated at such times 300 people can easily be accommodated.” The Huntington Herald, 3 December 1912, Pg. 1.

A candy kitchen, “operated by two Greeks,” was another of the original occupants of the Lesh Block. “It is said that a first class stock of candies and cigars and a soda fountain will be installed.” The Huntington Press, 1 February 1913, Pg. 5.

Later occupants included a Western Union Telegraph office, The People’s Clothing Company, a bus terminal for the Hoosier Stage Lines, and Johnston’s Furniture.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

The Fire

On the morning of March 8, 2017, firefighters were called to the Lesh Block just after 8 a.m. 60 to 75 firefighters from across the area were called to battle the attic fire, fueled by strong winds. The fire burned for over a day, resulting in a roof collapse. Fortunately, none of the people who lived and worked in the building lost their lives or were injured. However, a number of people who lived in the six upstairs apartments were displaced from their homes, as were businesses that operated below: Coldwell Banker real estate agents, an attorneys office, and a barber shop.

Once the fire was out, there was heavy smoke and water damage. Insurance complications apparently prevented temporary stabilization measures to take place and mold developed as the building sat open to the elements. Walking by on the street, the building looked fairly sound. However, a view from above shows the extent of the damage:

A view of the fire damage, taken from the Lafontaine Center in May 2017. Photo by Brant Ricker.

Demolition

March 13, 2018, just a little more than a year to the day of the fire, heavy equipment operated by Amor Construction began to take down the Lesh Block. The once celebrated remedy to “one of the most unsightly places in Huntington” was largely reduced to rubble by mid-afternoon. Exposed once again was the basement crater, dug long ago (at least partially!) by “hoboes and tramps.” A number of people stopped to gawk, some in excitement, others in mourning, as the walls of this 105-year-old building, a legacy of U. S. Lesh, fell.

Demolition underway 13 March 2018. Photo by Shannon Zuercher.

Watch our demolition video on facebook.

Thanks, U. S. Lesh, for your vision we enjoyed for a century.

2017 Historic Preservation Awards and January Public Meeting

Huntington County Courthouse

Meeting Attendees fill the G.A.R. Room

Gib Young shares the history and significacnce of the G.A.R. Room

G.A.R. Room

Huntington Alert held its January 2018 Public Meeting in the G.A.R. Room at the Huntington County Courthouse on Tuesday, January 30th. We extend a special thanks to Gib Young, who started off the meeting by sharing the history and significance of the G.A.R. Room. He discussed the influence of the Grand Army of the Republic members in Huntington County, the personalities and symbolism present in the paintings seen in G.A.R. Room, and restoration/preservation efforts over the years.

Next, Huntington Alert presented its 2017 Historic Preservation Awards.

Atom and Theresa Cannizzaro were presented an award for the adaptive reuse of the Huntington Masonic Temple on East Franklin Street as their home. Several years ago, Huntington Alert became concerned about the future of the Huntington Masonic Temple when the Masons put the property on the market and indicated that it might have to be torn down if a buyer was not found. Fortunately, Atom & Theresa decided to make the building their home, moving their family from San Diego, California. You can follow their rehabilitation efforts on their blog, Freemason to Mansion, and their facebook page.

Shannon Zuercher (right) presents Atom & Theresa Cannizzaro a Historic Preservation Award.

Huntington Masonic Temple

Interior work to create a family bathroom in the adaptively reused home.

David and Mary Reust were presented an award for the stewardship and continued maintenance of their home on East State Street in Huntington. For over 50 years, David & Mary have lived and cared for their home on East State Street. Lovingly restored (twice! according to David), Alert wanted to recognize their efforts to maintain the property, which includes a beautiful iron fence. We’re not the only ones to take notice—in August 2015, they were awarded the very first “Huntington Yard of the Month” recognition. Mary couldn’t be at the meeting but David was there to accept the award.

Shannon Zuercher (right) presents David Reust a Historic Preservation Award

The Reust Home on East State Street in Huntington

Saints Peter & Paul Church were presented an award for the exterior rehabilitation of their church building on Cherry Street in Huntington. The church is a Huntington institution with a long history on Cherry Street. We wanted to recognize the church for their commitment to maintaining their historic building, most recently with an exterior rehabilitation project that will ensure the building’s condition for many years to come. Father Tony Steinacker accepted the award on behalf of the church.

Brant Ricker (right) presents Father Tony Steinacker a Historic Preservation Award

Sts. Peter & Paul Catholic Church

Brian and Shannon Zuercher were presented an award for the exterior rehabilitation of a home that had been slated for demolition on Guilford Street in Huntington. In June, 2015, Brian & Shannon became aware that the City intended to tear down the property across the street from where they lived. Brian made a plea before the Board of Works to postpone demolition so that he could work out a purchase agreement with the absentee property owner in Florida. Amazingly, the Board of Works agreed and the property owner excepted Brian’s offer. Vinyl siding was removed and a complimentary paint scheme chosen; code violations were addressed, such as fixing drainage issues due to the flat roof of the rear porch–the flat roof was removed and a new slanted roof installed. The property was removed from the demolition list and interior work is on-going.

Guilford Street house before

Guilford Street house after

In 2013, Huntington Alert introduced the David A. Schenkel Memorial Award. This special award is meant to recognize exceptional recipients in memory of Mr. Schenkel (1950-2007), who was a local community advocate and passionate historic preservationist. This year’s Schenkel Memorial Award was presented to the Markle Historical Society for saving and moving the Markle Log Home from Draper Street to the nearby Mill Park in Markle. In 2016, preparation to demolish a house in Markle, located at the corner of Draper and Wilt Street, uncovered a log cabin hidden beneath 20th century siding. The Markle Historical Society sprang into action, raising the funds necessary to purchase and move the cabin. On February 4th, the cabin began its one block journey to its new home at Mill Park, next to the Wabash River. The Historical Society is currently working to move the cabin onto its permanent foundation. Restoration efforts will continue so that the cabin will serve to educate the community about the early life and settlers of Huntington County along the Wabash River. Contributions are encouraged! Teresa Beck and Lisa Street accepted the award on behalf of the Markle Historical Society. A plaque showcasing recipients of the David A. Schenkel Memorial Award is displayed in the Indiana Room at the Huntington City-Township Public Library.

Brant Ricker (center) presents Teresa Beck and Lisa Street a Historic Preservation Award on behalf of the Markle Historical Society

The Markle Cabin, as it appeared covered in siding

The Markle Cabin, moving day February 4th, 2017

Officer election were also held. Members elected the following individuals to serve on Huntington Alert’s Board for a two-year term:

• Brant Ricker (President)
• Amber Hudson (Vice President)
• Brian Zuercher (Treasurer)
• Shannon Zuercher (Secretary)
• Nate Burnard (Past President)

Thanks to everyone who attended and all of our members that help support our mission of preserving Huntington County’s built heritage! Congratulations to all of our award recipients!

2016 Historic Preservation Awards and January Meeting

On Tuesday, January 31st, 2017, Huntington Alert presented its 2016 Historic Preservation Awards during our public meeting held at the home of Amber Hudson, on North Jefferson Street in Huntington. Amber’s home was a former project of Huntington Alert and Indiana Landmarks. In 2014, Huntington Alert presented a Historic Preservation Award to the property’s former owners, Mark and Michele Mussman for the rehabilitation work they did to the home’s exterior. Many thanks to Amber for graciously opening her home and hosting our meeting so we could peek at the work she is continuing inside!

2016 was a busy year for our board because of its attention to rehabbing the Humbert House at 337 E. Market Street. Because of this, we were tardy handing out our 2016 Historic Preservation Awards. Thankfully, there were many people to honor for their local preservation efforts in 2016!

Nate and Jessica Burnard received a Historic Preservation Award for the rehabilitation work to their Craftsman style home on North Jefferson Street, Huntington.

Nate Burnard, accepting his Historic Preservation Award from Alert President, Brant Ricker.

The Burnard Home’s exterior rehabilitation.

Gary and Sondra Fowler received a Historic Preservation Award for the complementary garage addition at their Colonial Revival home on Poplar Street, Huntington. They were not present to accept the award but it will be forwarded to them.

Fowler Home

Complementary garage addition

Mark Reust received a Historic Preservation Award for the maintenance of his property, which includes a beautiful Italianate house and multiple outbuildings, on West 200 North, Andrews. He was not present to accept the award but it will be forwarded to him.

Reust property

Finally, our 2016 David A. Schenkel Memorial Award was presented to the City of Huntington Redevelopment Commission for its work to redevelop the former Odd Fellows Hall/U.B. Building Block on East Franklin Street, Huntington. Over the course of several years, the Redevelopment Commission worked with Indiana Landmarks and developer Anderson Partners to find a reuse for the structures. Thanks to their efforts, the block is slated to be redeveloped into market rate apartment units, space for Pathfinder Services’ Creative Arts Abilities Center, and space for Huntington University’s Center for Entrepreneurship (read more about the proposed development here). Several Commission members were present, along with Mayor Fetters and Bryn Keplinger of the Department of Development and Redevelopment.

Alert board members Brant Ricker and Shannon Zuercher (holding awards) present the Schenkel Memorial Award to Redevelopment Commission members Joe Blomeke (left) and Jim Dinius (2nd from right), and Mayor Brooks Fetters (right).

A rendering by Kil Architecture of the Odd Fellows Hall & U.B. Building block.

The Odd Fellows Hall and U.B. Building Block, pre-redevelopment.

The Schenkel Memorial Award recognizes exceptional recipients in memory of Mr. Schenkel, who was a local community advocate and passionate historic preservationist. A plaque showcasing recipients of the Memorial Award is displayed in the Indiana Room of the Huntington City-Township Public Library.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Great News for the Odd Fellows Hall & U.B. Building Block

A rendering by Kil Architecture of the Odd Fellows Hall & U.B. Building block.

On December 13th, the Northeast Indiana Regional Development Authority (RDA) recommended funding for a redevelopment proposal at the former Odd Fellows Hall & U.B. Building Block. The recommendation now goes to the Indiana Economic Development Corporation for review and final approval.  If you’ve been following the plight of this endangered historic building block–an important anchor in Huntington’s Courthouse Square Historic District–you’ll understand what an amazing victory this is for the block’s future preservation.

The $1.6 million in recommended funding fills a critical gap in the financing of the proposed $8 million redevelopment. The Development team, consisting of Anderson Partners, Huntington University (HU), and Pathfinder Services, presented their Regional Cities Initiative proposal at the RDA’s November 15th meeting. The finished project will include market-rate housing, artist studios, a gallery, and space for HU’s Center for Entrepreneurship.

Jonathan Anderson of Anderson Partners led the development effort, responding with Indiana Landmarks to the Huntington Redevelopment Commission’s 2014 Request for Proposals for the block. Since that time they, along with City officials, have worked to pull together the current proposal, which will help attract and retain talent in Huntington. And bonus–the buildings will be preserved!

The proposal includes 35 market rate housing units called the “UB Lofts.” There will be eleven 2-bedroom apartments with rent projected to be in the $900-1,100 range, fourteen 1-bedroom apartments with rent projected to be in the $700-800 range, and ten studio apartments with rent projected to be in the $400-500 range. Creative floor plans will integrate historical elements of the buildings. The housing units will be located in all four floors of the former U.B. Building and in the third floors of the former Odd Fellows Hall and Annex buildings.

Pathfinder Services President, John Niederman, presented their proposal to locate their Creative Abilities Art Center to the building block. There are currently 66 people in the program. There will be studio space for artists with and without disabilities and a gallery in which the artists can display and sell their work to the public.

Huntington University President, Dr. Sherilyn Emberton, presented their proposal to create a Center for Entrepreneurship within the building block. The University will move and expand its current offerings, including its Fast Forward, HU Ventures, Clear Elevation, and Clear Distribution programs. The Center will help incubate small businesses at the ready-to-launch phase.

Also speaking was Huntington Mayor, Brooks Fetters, who was there to pledge his support of the adaptive reuse of this “historic and iconic” building block. He stressed how this project will improve the quality of life for Huntington residents and that it helps achieve the vision set forth in the City’s Comprehensive Plan.  He pointed out that approximately 80% of jobs in the U.S. are created by small businesses yet our community has not invested in small business at an equal ratio in the past. This is an opportunity to remedy that and invest in a project that will spur small business growth and encourage talent to locate and remain in Huntington.

Huntington Alert applauds our local governmental bodies for recognizing the opportunity that this redevelopment proposal represents. The project could not have happened without local investment. $2 million is pledged from the City of Huntington Redevelopment Commission Tax Increment Financing (TIF) districts, $500,000 from Huntington County Economic Development Income Taxes (CEDIT), and $100,000 from Huntington County. In addition, $350,000 in local private funds are being invested. The RDA Chairman summed it up best when he said, “I don’t know anyone who does it better than Huntington…Huntington gets it.”

The current timeline is to commence construction in May 2017 with construction complete and a ribbon cutting ceremony to take place in August 2018.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

HNHS Seniors make the Humbert House Shine!

In October, about two dozen senior class members from Huntington North High School helped spruce up the exterior of the George & Martha Humbert House. The young volunteers weeded flower beds, spread mulch,  spread dirt to fill low spots in the yard, mowed the yard, and painted the porch. Huntington Alert President, Brant Ricker, and Secretary, Shannon Zuercher, were there to direct the students’ efforts. Many thanks to our volunteers–you give us hope for the future!–and especially to the City of Huntington’s Community Engagement/Volunteer Coordinator, Andrew Rensberger, for planning the day.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

 

Neighbors Unite Grant

In June, Pathfinder Services awarded Huntington Alert a $500 grant for landscaping at the George & Martha Humbert House (337 E. Market Street) as part of their Neighbors Unite grant program. These funds helped:

• Remove two tree stumps
• Clean-out the sewer and cap a pipe in the front yard
• Rent a sod cutter
• Purchase perennials and a tree
• Purchase topsoil and mulch

In August, we hosted two volunteer days on the 6th and 13th to work on the landscaping. Six volunteers helped cut flower beds, level the yard, clear the sidewalk, and plant perennials and a new tree. Volunteers were: Jessica Burnard, Mary Reust, Brant Ricker, Scott Thornsberry, and Brian Zuercher, and Shannon Zuercher.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Alert and Old Plat meet at the George Humbert House

On February 16th, members of Huntington Alert and the Old Plat Neighborhood Association met at the George Humbert House, 337 E. Market Street. Huntington Alert has been appointed Receiver of the property and is rehabilitating the property with an Endangered Places loan from Indiana Landmarks.

The George Humbert House will be rehabilitated by Huntington Alert with a loan from Indiana Landmarks.

Attendees who bundled up and braved the cold weather learned about the history of the house and were able to tour the first story, which retains much of its historic character.

The high-style Italianate house was built by George Humbert, Sr. (1840-1899) in c.1879. Mr. Humbert was a prominent Huntington businessman and City Commissioner who first came to Huntington in 1866 to work in the drug store of Jesse Griffith. By the early 1890s, Mr. Humbert operated a grocery store at 24 (now 53) E. Market Street in the Opera House building. His family lived in this home until shortly before his death in 1899. In 1975, the house was purchased by Huntington Township and it was used as a senior center until 1987, when it was sold at public auction.

After the Huntington County Department of Community Development issued an order of enforcement against the property in February 2014, the City of Huntington approached Huntington Alert to see if Alert would be interested in intervening; if violations were not addressed, the property would be demolished. Alert began work to seek receivership of the property through the courts and applied for an Endangered Places loan through Indiana Landmarks. Alert was appointed Receiver in 2015 and Todd Zeiger of Indiana Landmarks was in attendance at this meeting to close on the loan and share with everyone Landmarks’ involvement with the project. Rehabilitation work will begin shortly and there will be opportunities for volunteers to help in the process–stay tuned!

Ben Davis and Mike Perkins were also in attendance to share information about the newly forming Old Plat Neighborhood Association. Huntington Alert looks forward to working with the Association as we rehabilitate the Humbert House! Davis invited the public to attend Neighbors Unite: Growing Our Community Together, an event hosted by Pathfinder Community Connections taking place from 10:30-3 on Saturday, April 23rd at St. Peter’s First Community Church.

Finally, Huntington Alert held officer elections for 2016-2017. Members voted to retain the existing slate of officers: President Brant Ricker, Treasurer Brian Zuercher, and Secretary Shannon Zuercher.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Todd Zeiger of Indiana Landmarks presents the board of Huntington Alert with the first loan installment. From L to R: Shannon Zuercher (Secretary), Brian Zuercher (Treasurer), Todd Zeiger, Brant Ricker (President).