NEWS

Prolific but little-known Indy architect subject of March 22 talk

Researcher Deedee Davis shares Louis H. Gibson’s legacy in Indiana and beyond.

Louis H. Gibson was a prolific architect in Indiana and beyond at the beginning of the 20th century, but his work was little recognized. When Deedee Davis began researching her own home in the Herron-Morton Place Historic District, she discovered Gibson and how his work spread throughout the state and even the nation.

On March 22, Davis, visual resources specialist for the Herron Art Library, will share what she learned in an illustrated lecture on Gibson at Indiana Landmarks Center. She has identified about 30 Gibson houses in Indiana, including several in Herron-Morton Place and the Old Northside in Indianapolis.

After taking courses at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the Ecole de Beaux-Arts in Paris, Gibson practiced architecture in Indiana from the 1880s until his death in 1907. While his work included collaborations on designs for state mental hospitals in Logansport, Richmond, and Evansville, and Lindley Hall on IU’s Bloomington campus, his passion was residential architecture.

Among his many books and articles, Gibson created two house plan books issued by national publishers in 1889 and 1895 with subsequent editions for each. In his first book, Convenient Houses, Gibson provided 50 plans for houses that included the latest modern conveniences, such as central heating, indoor plumbing, and contemporary kitchens.

A few years later, in Beautiful Houses, he declared “that there is no good reason for ugliness, that it costs no more to make an artistic detail than to make an ugly one.” You can find original editions of Beautiful Houses listed on eBay for $125. The books account for the spread of Gibson’s designs beyond Indianapolis.

WHO: Local researcher Deedee Davis

WHAT: Illustrated lecture on the architecture of Louis H. Gibson

WHEN: March 22, 6 to 7 p.m., doors open at 5:30 p.m. with cash bar (beer/wine/soft drinks)

WHERE: Indiana Landmarks Center, 1201 Central Avenue, Indianapolis

COST: Free with RSVP at www.deedeedavistalk.eventbrite.com or call 317-639-4534

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Media contact: Tina Connor, Executive Vice President, Indiana Landmarks, tconnor@indianalandmarks.org, 317-639-4534

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About Indiana Landmarks
Indiana Landmarks, a nonprofit organization, saves unique, historically significant, and communally cherished properties—rescuing them, rehabilitating them, and giving them new purpose. Why save historic places? Because landmarks lend character, visual appeal, and a sense of place that enhances our quality of life and makes our communities attractive and meaningful places to live, work, and build a future. Indiana Landmarks’ staff in nine regional offices help individuals, organizations, and communities preserve, restore, and celebrate historic places. To learn more visit www.indianalandmarks.org.

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