Reclaiming History

At first glance, the c.1834 Wilkinson-Hull House seems out of place. One of Carmel’s oldest homes, the historic Greek Revival structure sits on a wooded parcel near Keystone Parkway and Smoky Row, surrounded by mushrooming modern development.

When developers showed interest in the surrounding acreage for new housing construction, Indiana Landmarks urged the Carmel Historic Preservation Commission to temporarily protect the historic property from demolition. We later convinced developer Epcon Corporation to donate the house and two acres to Indiana Landmarks.

Then, preservation-minded buyers emerged literally in the house’s backyard.

From their neighboring home, Matt and Erin Uber were very familiar with the old house in the woods. The couple knew the last homeowner before his passing, and their four daughters often played among the surrounding trees. One of their daughters even researched the house for a school history project.

Hamilton County pioneer William Wilkinson bought land in the area in 1823, his son David building the site’s original log house c.1834, incorporating brick additions c.1840 and 1853. Captivated by the historic brick, hand-hewn joists, and underlying log construction, Matt convinced Erin they needed to buy the house.

“It took me a little longer to get on board with this big project. It’s truly like walking through centuries, from our modern updated home just one hundred steps away, you walk through the woods and it’s like a time warp where you emerge on the other side in the 1830s,” says Erin. “Kind of a crazy, whimsical experience for sure.”

After closing on the property in September, the Ubers’ first priority is cleaning up the outside and improving the house’s neglected appearance. They’ve created renderings for improvements, consulting with Indiana Landmarks and other old house experts on immediate plans to secure the exterior—including repairing brick and broken windows—before they turn their attention inside.

With the Ubers’ support, Indiana Landmarks is nominating the house to the National Register of Historic Places.

“You could recognize the home was loved,” adds Erin. “It’s in such disrepair right now, but if you squint hard enough, you can still recognize what’s there.”

“It’s kind of this storied place that’s been there for a long time,” says Matt. “When I saw the details of how it was put together and imagined that it was probably way too close to being destroyed, it became an amazing thing to be part of restoring it.”

This article first appeared in the November/December 2024 issue of Indiana Preservation, Indiana Landmarks’ member magazine.