Four Mile House

[David Sechrest]

...Or What's Left Of It, the caption should have read...

This dwelling has been written about in The Republic for the last few weeks. Some recall it being a stagecoach stop in the early days of Columbus history, as well as a stop on the underground railroad.

Whatever history the house recorded on what was once known as 4 Mile Road seems as fragile and decaying as the bricks, mortar, and wood that once held it all together...

This first picture is a view of the house looking south. Notice the foundation

It's the right side in this picture that has some residents worried, as it could possibly fall onto Goeller Boulevard, which is just a fancy name here for a country road. By the way, the foundation "supporting" the part that's leaning is made of concrete block

This is a view of the east side of the house

A view of the south side of the house and what weather and age has done to it

If you examine this old bird bath, you'll see that it's nothing that could be purchased at the new Wal-Mart that's going up just a couple of miles away from where the city will soon be demolishing what's left of this "historic" structure. I sure do hope that no one feels the birdbath poses any kind of threat. Maybe someone out there would be interested in contacting the owner and saving this from a doomed fate

The possibilities of the wall falling onto Goeller Boulevard seems pretty remote, if you ask me. It would have to fall and roll a pretty good measure before it would get out into the road. But hey. That's just my own personal opinion (and you know what they say about personal opinions). I think that some people out there just don't like looking at the place when they drive by. Let's face it: this house is located in an extremely PRIME real estate area, and is surround by homes that are worth a LOT of money. I guess, in a way, it's kind of like having the Clampetts living next door to you (minus the concrete pond).

The interesting thing to note about this house, to me anyway, is the part that's posing a threat was added onto the house at some point in time. For all intents and purposes here, the original structure of the house, which was built in the late 1800's, still stands strong.

"...ah, they just don't build stuff like they used ta..."

[Ricky_Berkey]

They also just tore down what must have been a motel North of town on 31. Sort of the old fashioned tourist court kind of place. Its been used as rental propery since I've been here. Anyone know what it used to be called? I'll bet there's a picture or postcard floating around here somewhere.

[David Sechrest]

rickyberkey2 said:

They also just tore down what must have been a motel North of town on 31. Sort of the old fashioned tourist court kind of place. Its been used as rental propery since I've been here. Anyone know what it used to be called? I'll bet there's a picture or postcard floating around here somewhere.

Ricky, glad to see you back! You've been gone for awhile!

If it's the place I think it is, it was the Columbus Motel, and yes, there are postcards of this place. I probably have one around here somewhere (I'm kind of like a library with no staff nor librarian, or better yet, a Fred G. Sanford. The "G" stands for "Golly," what a mess!). I'll have to see if I can find it and put it on here.

I had no idea they tore it down. I don't get over on that side of town too often. Richard, do you have a picture of it that you could post?

[David Sechrest]

The Columbus Motel

[Deleted]

David, The Columbus Motel was located were Walgreen's and Peters plumbing is today. The place that Ricky is referring to is across from the old Denny's drive-in, north of the 31 overpass.
I can't recall the name of the motel, but it was more like the motor courts that they had back in the 1930's and 40's. I believe that there were 8 or 10 one room units. The last several years the units were rentals.
It has not been to long ago I thought that I should get a picture of it........To late, the same with Rudy's filling station, one day they are here, the next day they are gone.

[DB]

Columbus Motel (pictured in the post card) was where the Walgreen's & pizza hut is now, across from Captain D's.

The building in the right of the postcard was parallel with Beam Rd.

I think that the place Ricky asked about was along about where 11a/Indianapolis Rd. merges with 31, on the west side of the road ?
Either multiple small buildings, or one long low building.

Sorta like the one on 31S near the Goldie Ann Trailer park?

There was a restaurant there ( 31N) as well.
Can't recall the name of it, but remember eating there.
I think that it's been converted into offices or something now?

I think that it's Lowell addition behind these business'?

Regarding 4 Mile House
The articles I've seen have sounded critical of the the county for wanting to knock down the building, but I've not seen anything criticizing the OWNER of the building for letting to fall into dis-repair.

Would a house in town be allowed to get that rundown?

I worked for a guy that tried real hard to buy the place in the mid 80's.
At that time, it was in decent shape.
Even then it wasn't a inexpensive piece of real estate.

That person might have more info about the building/history.
I'll have someone pass his name along to site admin.
If nothing else he might have accurate information as to the condition of the building at that time.

Seems like the foundation needed some work, and that kids had been in it, and made holes in the walls, etc.

[NancyH]

Hello to all,

The motor court you refer to on 31 North was called "Stell's Motel". I lived in that area for a while in the late fifties and early sixties. It was indeed a grouping of small red brick units around the south and west perimeters of the property.

We kids always made a joke of the name because it rhymed! It was a motor court until it became rental units. I also wanted to get a picture but waited too late. I was surprised to see it demolished the other day as I had no idea that it was slated for demolition.

Another of my childhood memories gone.

NancyH

[David Sechrest]

DB and NancyH, thanks for straightening out my posting mess here.

I had forgotten how "close" Columbus Motel was to what I remembered about Columbus from my youth. When I was younger, it always seemed to be so far away from everything!

Now I know which place Ricky was talking about. Heck, I should as many times as I've driven right by and looked over.

I had to go to the VA Monday. I didn't notice anything different, but then again, I had other things on my mind and probably just didn't look over.

Was this place still used as a Motel back in the 1960's? Something tells me it was and I can just barely remember some kind of sign out by 31?

And DB, you're right: the city would NEVER let a place like the 4 Mile House get the way it is today. Weren't there some houses just recently that suffered from this fate? Maybe the one on the corner of 11th and California or Chestnut?

Anyway, I visited the "new" flea market type place in the old Reeves building yesterday afternoon. I drove from downtown, past the old Central school, and noticed the progress they're making on the new school building.

Man, is it ever going to look so out of place in that neighborhood!

A few weeks back, I called the school system to see what kind of plans they had on their agenda to celebrate the old building before it's razed. I got the name of the guy who's the Project Manager, and he told me that nothing is in the works at the moment. He also told me that they don't even know yet, if and when, they're going to tear it down.
"If and when" is the important part of that statement, and it got me to thinking that, just maybe, by some sort of a miracle, it's not too late to save that building.
And what a miracle THAT would be. BUT, in looking at the building, it seems that at least the main part that faces 7th Street might be able to be saved. Heck, at least part of it!

Remember when Central caught fire back in the 1970's? There was talk about tearing it down and the PEOPLE said no way. Now it seems the PEOPLE do not care, or feel powerless to stop it.
This is nothing more than my own opinion, but I think it's because many of the "old timers" that were a part of the city are now gone. Let's face it: there's alot of "new blood" in Columbus. Newer residents that haven't been around as long. They didn't go to high school there...They didn't go to junior high there... They don't know about the history of that building, and could probably care less. To most, it's just an old building that has no meaning, and to them, it wouldn't.

It's going to be a sad day in Columbus Indiana when the wrecking ball makes that very first arc, gains momentum, and slams into the front of that building. It's going to be a sad day to watch over 100 years of history become nothing more than a big pile of rubble. 1000's upon 1000's of memories will cry out on that day. And the sad thing is: Most will never hear them.

But we will.

They will scream loudly in the minds of the men and women who once walked through the halls with their best friend...who once fell in love for the very first time, and passed notes to girlfriends in its classrooms...

You can call me crazy, but that building has a life of its own. "We..." are somewhere inside that building to this very day. We are there for one simple reason only: because we remember...

I hope the city realizes the number of people that's going to turn out on demolition day. I have a feeling they better.

I can just see it now...

"Getchyer hot dogs! Cold cokes here! Getchyer OFFICIAL souvenir program!"
The barker standing in the middle of 7th street was dressed like he'd just walked out of a 1940's carnival. He wore a brand new black derby, a very colorful vest, and had a thin mustache, waxed, pointed and curled up on each end.
I watched him as he sold his wares, barking out the words while shooing off a gaggle of kids that had gathered around him ("get outta my way kids, ya bother me").
Hundreds of people stood on the sidewalks and every available spot where one could stand. Some of the neighborhood home owners glared from living room windows. Demanding stares wanting to know "what in the world are you doing standing on my freshly cut lawn?!"
Vendors were set up smack dab in the middle of 7th Street, and the smells of popcorn and cotton candy filled the air. The streets that surrounded the old building were the same as this one I stood on, and for a brief moment, I thought I heard calliope music coming from one of the streets over.
I also stood on 7th Street, but I wasn't selling anything. It was a street I'd walked on so many times on my way to Olympia Dairy for lunch. Even though it was many years ago since those days, it seemed just like yesterday. Kids scattering from the building for that precious lunch hour, heading downtown to grab a quick bite at Lib's Nook or Lucas Brothers, or walking that closer distance just across the street to Olympia Dairy.
I cut in and out of the crowd and walked over by the old place where I'd spent so many school lunch hours eating french fries with mayonnaise and sipping on vanilla cokes. It wasn't a dairy or restaurant anymore, and hadn't been for many years.
The buzz I heard while I weaved my way through men and women, grandkids and grandparents, wasn't about the building they were getting ready to tear down, but about the man who'd locked himself inside.
"The police are trying to get the man to unchain himself," and "I heard someone say they were going to use teargas to get him out" were just a sampling of the coversations I heard on the way over to the old dairy.
By the time I reached the Dairy, I'd heard a hundred different accounts of what was happening inside the old school building. I'd stopped and bought some cotton candy on my way. I found a fairly decent spot, just behind some people who'd brought their lawn chairs, and fell in with them, pulling pieces of that pink gooey mess off and wadding it into my mouth. Cotton candy, while it looks like you're getting an awful lot, has a tendancy to melt away to nothing the moment you get it into your mouth.
I stood in front of a family. 4 generations to be exact. The great-granddad was in the middle of telling his greatgrandson about going to school at the building they were getting ready to demolish. His words were so eloquent, I wished I'd brought a tape recorder with me.
Men and women in blue and brown uniforms surrounded the old school building. Most stood there like they had no idea what was going on, and a few others gathered by the door, talking to one another and pointing every now and then at somebody in the crowd. Every now and then, someone from the crowd shouted "LET THE MAN GO!", or "DON"T TEAR THE BUILDING DOWN!" Small chants fired up, but the words fell on deaf ears. They might as well had been shouting to themselves, for all practical purposes.
While the rumor mill spread its own wares, most were right about some of the events that were going on inside the building. There was a man. He'd entered the building earlier that morning with chains and a padlock, and locked himself to one of the rungs on the bannister going up the stairway. The crowd speculated on who he was, and the barkers began taking full advantage of the situation by offering a glossy 8x10 of the man for only one dollar!
The great granddad in front of me paid no attention to this and continued with his stories. The great grandson who sat on his lap was wide-eyed caught up in his words.
I was to a certain extent, but every now and then, I drifted back to the reality of what was going on.
After all, I knew the man chained inside the school...

To be continued...

[Rhonda]

Dave.........and everyone else,

Some of these things you all are writing about need to be expressed as letters to the editor of the local paper. More people would see, and know, the concern about things such as the school eventually being torn down. This is a great forum, but you need to reach a larger audience by simply sending copies to The Republic!

[NancyH]

David,

Whew! What a scenario of Central's demolition. Lets hope it doesn't come to that! Even though I never attended the school I know a lot of people who did, including my mother when it was a high school and my husband and son when it became a junior high.

The history of the building, aside from the memories of students who attended, is remarkable.
Built in 1904-05 by Caldwell and Drake and designed by Elmer Dunlap. Caldwell and Drake were important contractors here in Columbus and were known throughout the country. They built many state capitals, buildings for the 1904 Worlds Fair in St. Louis and also worked on the West Baden Springs Hotel when the architect could find no one else that would tackle the enormous dome of that building.

I hope it can be saved, but if not they will surely save the 1859 cornerstone from the Old central school that's supposed to be in the basement and remember that wonderful statue that used to be out front?

What a grand apartment building it could be!

NancyH

[DaisyM]

In reference to the Central Jr.High School, I went there1962-1963 and was in class when we heard the news about President Kennedy being killed. school was dismissed for the rest of the day. Altho i was there only a short time, I have lots of memories of the school, having lunch at the Olympia, also some of us would have lunch at a place i believe was called Lucas Bros. anyone have pics of the front of Central they would care to post ? How sad it may be demolished. ahhhh a thing called progress! I love the website David ! I also lived on Center Street, in the early 70s. Different era than when you did, i remember the railroad tracks not far from the small house i lived in. It has been so many years since i have been to Columbus, have driven thru a few times , the town has grown so much! I wouldn't trade the days of my youth for the ones of the Columbus youths of today. Keep up the great work David, I read and enjoy all the posts! Again Thanks!

[David Sechrest]

Well, it didn't take the city long to get in gear regarding tearing down the 4 Mile Road House.

[nancs]

I am choosing to post this photo of the Mt. Pleasant Christian Union Church within 4 Mile House posts due to the notes that my mom made on this article from the Evening Republican, dated February 1, 1964.

According to the article the Mt. Pleasant Church was located south of Road 46 on the Four Mile House Road. At this date, 1964, the way I read the article, the church was celebrating its 100th anniversary, as well as the centennial anniversary of the denomination. Apparently the congregration was formed in 1864 in a building that is now (1964, at least) the Christian Union Cemetery.

My mom's notes indicate that this was the church of her childhood. Her family, she says, lived about a mile or so on west of 'this.' I believe that her dad farmed the Dipper Farm in that area. She went on to note, that her mother's funeral was held in this church in April 1918, as her mom passed when she was only six years old.

My memory may not be great on this next part, but it seems to me that in 1982 the Mt. Pleasant Church was in quite a shambled state, and I would hazard a guess that it no longer exists.




Nanc

[nancs]

To sort of 'round out my thinking' and clear my head of some things I wanted to post, this artist's conception of the Dipper Farm mentioned in the above post, comes from the Bartholomew County, Columbus, Indiana Sesquicentennial 1821 - 1971 booklet.



Nanc

[Rhonda]

George,

That's my great great grandfather's house. All the views of that house that I have are posted somewhere else on this site. The house changed dramatically from the late 1800's to 1947-50. Capt. Lucas was the president of First National Bank for a time, and his wife became president after his death.

I'll see if I can locate the other photos. They all need to be together on the board.

[Rhonda]

The other views of the house are listed under grocery stores. I mistakenly have them listed under the A & P grocery. It was the Standard grocery that went up after demolition of the Lucas mansion.

[Deleted]

Rhonda,

I agree , all of the pictures should be together. Growing up in that area of town I remember the home very well, went passed it many times in my youth.
The picture that I posted is in the 1898 GAR book that I have, there is a story about your great great grandfather that goes with the picture, I tried to scan the story, but did not have any luck, sorry.

George