NEWS
Beloved Landmark Reopens, Completely Restored
Batesville residents worried about the future of The Sherman House inn and restaurant, a local institution, when it closed in 2014. It recently reopened following a top to bottom restoration that incorporated boutique hotel rooms, the main dining room, and new Black Forest Bar.
Worth a Visit
The Sherman House inn and restaurant, founded in 1852, enjoyed a reputation far beyond Batesville, so it was a hard blow when the landmark closed in 2014. Not to worry! It reopened this month with a (slightly) new name and loads of reasons to visit.
The institution dates from same year as Batesville’s founding, so the place is integral in the city’s heritage. Over the years the inn grew to its current size. A renovation in the 1930s created the half-timbered façade. HPH Hospitality bought the property last year and completely restored the inn and restaurant, now known as The Sherman.
HPH replaced the roof and deteriorated cross timbers on the façade, and painted the exterior. A deep cleaning exposed interior beam work. HPH added a new bar, retiled or recarpeted floors, and restored the dining room murals, added in 1953 by Hoosier artist Harold Hancock. All of the guest rooms got a complete update.
The Sherman offers 22 redesigned boutique hotel rooms as well as meeting spaces, the main dining room, and the new Black Forest Bar. The next phase will transform part of the attached four-story former American Furniture Company into a Gasthof, a German-style pub for sports fans and families alike. “We are looking to create a place where the current as well as next generation of entrepreneurs, brides and grooms, club members and reunion-goers can continue the tradition of making The Sherman their spot for entertaining, meeting, playing and making memories,” says general manager Tom Pratt.
To help finance the massive undertaking, HPH Hospitality took advantage of Indiana’s Historic Renovation Grant Program. This competitive program, administered by Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs, replaced the state’s Historic Tax Credit in 2016. The Sherman received a $100,000 grant that helped pay for the exterior restoration. To learn more about the grant program, visit http://www.in.gov/ocra/hrgp.htm.
The Sherman Circa 1852—the main dining room—accepts reservations, with walk-ins welcome until the restaurant is full. “To ensure that all visitors experience exquisite food and remarkable service from the very beginning, we’ll start by taking limited reservations from the lunch hour through the dinner hour,” explained Pratt. Look for the hours of operation to expand soon to include breakfast and brunch. For more information on the evolution of this storied destination, visit www.The-Sherman.com.
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