Building a Preservation Portfolio

Even in decay, the Craftsman house at 917 South Adams Street in Marion is a standout. Samuel Plato, Indiana’s first licensed African American architect, designed the 1905 estate. At one time, Marion boasted several landmarks attributed to Plato. Today, only a few of his designs remain, making the house an even more important community landmark.

Earlier this year, the owner donated the property to local preservation group, Save Our Stories (SOS). As soon as the ink dried on the new deed, SOS mobilized an army of volunteers to clear mounds of debris from both the main house and the carriage house. Using a loan from Indiana Landmarks, the group is replacing a leaky roof and restoring brickwork on the main house. We also supplied a grant from our Efroymson Family Endangered Places Fund to restore leaded glass windows on the house’s sunporch. Once exterior repairs are complete, SOS will market the property with protective covenants to a new owner who will finish the restoration.

Founded in 2012, Marion’s nonprofit preservation group, Save Our Stories (SOS), has championed projects including adaptive reuse of the Marion National Bank, saving the Wolfe Law building from demolition, and developing preservation guidelines for the city’s downtown commercial district.

“We’re pleased that Indiana Landmarks’ covenants will protect our investment in the Plato property,” says William Munn, SOS president and Grant County historian. “The partnership has been an invaluable asset for our organization’s growth. We’re able to take on more, larger-scale projects due to the expertise and confidence they have instilled in us”.

To show progress at the Plato home, SOS is hosting an open house on Saturday, September 28, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Visitors will be able to enjoy refreshments and take self-guided tours of both the house and carriage house. Tickets are $5 at the door on the day of the tour. All funds will support ongoing rehab of the property.

For more information, contact Paul Hayden, director of Indiana Landmarks’ Northeast Field Office, 260-563-7094 or phayden@indianalandmarks.org.