Attention Getter

In 1911, Anthony W. Romweber built an impressive home at 507 North Walnut in the Rosemont neighborhood of Batesville. The founder of Romweber Furniture Company, he clearly intended his home should make a statement. The house features an eclectic combination of architectural styles, including a Dutch Colonial roof, Tudor Revival-style half-timbered walls, an Arts and Crafts porch, and Shingle Style shake siding. The showcase home needs a new owner with vision to rescue and restore it.

The Romweber name vies with Hillenbrand in Batesville’s history. Romweber Furniture Company manufactured home furnishings there for over 130 years. The company’s Viking Oak Collection, based on Nordic folk furniture, remains highly prized among antiques enthusiasts. Beginning in 2009, the company repurposed its factory complex into Romweber Marketplace, which includes office space, a restaurant, senior living, event space, and an antique mall.

An out-of-state bank owns Romweber’s house, now vacant after its most recent use as a law office. The bank has made some repairs but doesn’t plan a full restoration. The shingle siding needs attention, and so do the deteriorated window sashes, including some with curved and stained glass. Leaks in the tile roof led to damaged plaster inside. The house needs attention soon before the situation gets worse.

It’s a great opportunity for the right buyer. The 6,000 square-foot home has nine bedrooms, two full baths, two half-baths, and a parking lot. Located adjacent to the historic Hillcrest Golf & Country Club just a couple of minutes off of I-74 Batesville’s revitalized downtown, the property could remain an office, return to use as a single family home, or be converted to a bed& breakfast inn or restaurant.

Working with Indiana Landmarks, a group of local citizens has organized to save the Romweber house. To learn more, contact Jarrad Holbrook in our Southeast Field Office, 812-926-0983, jholbrook@indianalandmarks.org.