A Stroll Through History

Our Salem Stroll on October 23 includes tours of several local landmarks, including two private homes open just for our guests. The afternoon’s exploration begins at noon with an optional walking tour of Salem’s courthouse square, led by local attorney Drew Wright. Part of the larger Salem Downtown Historic District, the picturesque square is lined with nineteenth- and twentieth-century buildings, anchored by the 1888 Washington County courthouse, where our tour begins on the south steps.

The walking tour concludes at the John Hay Center. The Center’s campus include the 1824 brick birthplace of John Milton Hay, who served as personal secretary to President Abraham Lincoln and as US Secretary of State under presidents McKinley and Roosevelt. The birthplace, a pioneer log village, and the Stevens Memorial Museum, with three floors of Washington County artifacts will be open for exploration.

John Hay Center, Salem

Pause for refreshments at the John Hay Center and presentation of Indiana Landmarks’ 2016 Rosemary Prentice Awards for Historic Preservation, recognizing four outstanding projects from across southern Indiana.

After the awards program, return to the Washington County Courthouse for a community photo as part of the National Trust’s “This Place Matters” campaign. An entry on our 10 Most Endangered Places list, the Washington County Courthouse needs urgent repairs to its signature tower. Chronic roof and masonry leaks also require attention. The Romanesque Revival landmark will be open for tours following the photo, and you can learn more about efforts to preserve the courthouse.

Following the courthouse tour, two private residences will be open for exploration. Located just off the square, the 1886 Alfred Shrum House is a distinctive towered Second Empire-style home. Shrum was a brick mason, and local tradition maintains that the house — and its unusual brick privy — was built from brick and timbers salvaged from the previous Washington County Courthouse. Homeowners Raymond and Tina Lee welcome you to tour all three floors of the landmark home, which is protected by a preservation easement held by Indiana Landmarks.

Alfred Shrum House

A ten-minute drive east outside of Salem takes you to the c.1850 William Garriott House. Owners Tom Johnson and Lisa Thompson restored the home from a historic photograph taken before a 1950s fire destroyed the second floor of the house. They used original bricks, found in piles on the farm, for their award-winning restoration of the Federal/Italianate-style home. You can tour the house, summer kitchen, gardens, and a timber frame barn recently featured in the 2016 Indiana Bicentennial Barn Quilt. Enjoy refreshments at the farm before concluding your exploration of Salem.

Tickets for the Salem Stroll are $25 per person, $15 per member of Indiana Landmarks. Reserve your spot online, or call 812-284-4534.