Tessa Carla Blog's: Built in 1876, This Indiana Castle Is a Lovely Local Landmark

Friday, 26 February 2021

Built in 1876, This Indiana Castle Is a Lovely Local Landmark

Whoever decides to buy the castle in the Indianapolis suburb of Irvington will have to leave room in the family budget for the neighborhood’s favorite holiday.

“The Halloween festival is massive. We’re talking 50,000 people at the Halloween festival, and on Halloween night, you get anywhere from 1,000 to 2,000 trick-or-treaters. I set aside some money for my candy budget,” says Emily DiGiusto, who owns the residence with her husband, Dennis.

The welcoming porch at the house with the turrets on University Avenue is a perfect place to greet trick-or-treaters.

Multiple offers above the asking price of $385,000 came in after the property, the most prominent house in the neighborhood, had been on the market for only three days.

“The towers really make it stand out. If it didn’t have the towers, it would just look like a cool Victorian Gothic house—but it wouldn’t have that sort of defining feature,” DiGiusto says.

Exterior of home in Irvington, IN
Jon Smith/ Wide Eyed Illuminations

Aerial view
Jon Smith/ Wide Eyed Illuminations

Porch
Jon Smith/ Wide Eyed Illuminations

Turret
Jon Smith/ Wide Eyed Illuminations

Exterior
Jon Smith/ Wide Eyed Illuminations

The smaller octagonal tower at the back of the house is easily accessible from the main-floor family room and from the second-floor bedroom.

“Our kids had a massive beanbag there, with lots of stuffed animals, and it was the perfect spot to read,” DiGiusto recalls.

The larger main tower at the front of the house isn’t as easy to access. It’s on the second floor above another reading nook, through a trapdoor on the ceiling.

“You have to use a ladder to the ceiling access panel,” DiGiusto says. “And then, on the third floor, there’s another ladder up there to get up to the very top, where four windows are, that face out in every direction. It’s never been finished off, and it does have amazing views.”

She adds that the family initially had plans to put in a spiral staircase, but never got around to it.

Stairs
Jon Smith/ Wide Eyed Illuminations

Built in 1876, the house, known as Irvington Castle, was also once known as the Johnson home, after the man who built it, Eudorus M. Johnson, a son of a founder of the suburb of Irvington.

At one point, the 4,689-square-foot house on one-third of an acre was turned into apartments, but it was converted back into a single-family home in the 1980s.

Fireplace
Jon Smith/ Wide Eyed Illuminations

Bedroom
Jon Smith/ Wide Eyed Illuminations

Living space
Jon Smith/ Wide Eyed Illuminations

Dining space
Jon Smith/ Wide Eyed Illuminations

Bathroom
Jon Smith/ Wide Eyed Illuminations

As currently configured, the residence has three bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms, many with historic features. The house has six original fireplaces.

“The three on the bottom floor have been updated, and the three upstairs in the bedrooms are blocked off,” DiGiusto explains.

DiGiusto says that although the house is imposing, it doesn’t have a formal or unapproachable atmosphere. The wood floors, stairs, and other vintage accents give the large rooms character.

“It’s more the ceilings are 12-foot tall, and the rooms are massive, and it has all these beautiful fireplaces and beautiful moldings,” she adds. “It has a good feel to it, a good vibe of good energy.”

Kitchen
Jon Smith/ Wide Eyed Illuminations

Garage
Jon Smith/ Wide Eyed Illuminations

She says the current kitchen and the laundry/office were part of a 1910 addition to the original house. A detached garage was added to the property in the 1940s or ’50s.

The house is just across the street from a circular park with a fountain, where summer concerts are held and many holiday events take place.

Since the house is in a historic district, owners are not permitted to make changes without the approval of a preservation council.

DiGiusto says potential buyers must understand that this isn’t a starter home, and should be ready to assume responsibility for the task of caring for the building.

She said the ideal buyer would be someone “interested in history and restoration” who is willing to play a part in the life of the community. Since the property is 140 years old, a familiarity with old homes and what it takes to maintain them would be helpful, she says.

The listing agent for the home is Molly Hadley.