NEWS
Taking on a Project When No One Else Would
Indiana Landmarks is rehabbing the early nineteenth-century McCormick’s Tavern in Vevay before placing it on the market.
Picking Up the Tab
Along the Ohio River between Cincinnati and Louisville, the small town of Vevay lies nestled in the hills of southeast Indiana. Swiss immigrants settled the area in the late eighteenth century and established a prosperous wine-producing industry, a local tradition that takes center stage every August during the Swiss Wine Festival.
By 1815, Vevay settler David McCormick was serving even stronger stuff at his tavern on Walnut Street. Today, it’s one of the city’s oldest landmarks—one that’s been decaying for decades.
When the property went on the market in 2020, no buyers emerged to take on the long-neglected building. Indiana Landmarks acquired the house in 2022 and began making improvements in anticipation of listing it for sale. We hired contractors to stabilize the building and make it watertight, including leveling the foundation, removing rotted sills and beams and installing new supports and windows. This fall, workers are installing new wooden clapboard siding before adding fresh paint.
“When no one else would take this on, Indiana Landmarks did,” notes Indiana Landmarks President Marsh Davis.
The two-story house retains several features hinting at its more-than-200-year history, including two fireplaces and Victorian-era built-in cabinetry. With ample square footage, the building could be developed as a single-family home, for an office or business, or a mix. The property offers plenty of room for a small parking lot, garage, or serene garden.
Vevay is a thriving community with an elegant nineteenth-century courthouse, popular historic sites including Musée de Venoge and Thiebaud Farmstead, and the historic Hoosier Theatre, which is home to stage plays, musical acts, and movie nights. The historic tavern is located at 306 Walnut Street, just a block off both the Ferry Street and Main Street commercial corridors.
Watch Indiana Landmarks’ For Sale page for McCormick’s Tavern to go on the market in 2025.
This article first appeared in the November/December 2024 issue of Indiana Preservation, Indiana Landmarks’ member magazine.
Stay up to date on the latest news, stories, and events from Indiana Landmarks, around the state or in your area.