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Indianapolis Trailblazer Wins Williamson Prize
Community advocate honored for decades of preservation leadership
Passionate Protector
Today, Indianapolis is known for its vibrant commercial core and picturesque historic neighborhoods, but in the 1970s, when Jim and Marjorie Kienle relocated to the city, downtown was characterized by blight and disinvestment, so much so that one realtor advised them not to look for a house south of 86th Street.
The Kienles ignored that advice, instead becoming part of a group of dedicated urban residents who helped revive the Lockerbie Square neighborhood. Their efforts launched a lifetime of advocacy for historic preservation, work that Marjorie has continued following Jim’s passing in 2022. In recognition of her decades of community activism, Indiana Landmarks selected Marjorie Kienle to receive the 2026 Williamson Prize.
Marjorie credits Jim, a preservation architect, with shaping her appreciation for historic places, starting with early dates to visit “smelly old buildings” and continuing with their hands-on restoration of three historic houses and nightly discussions of his latest projects at the dinner table. The couple moved to Indianapolis in 1975, when his firm won the contract to develop a master plan for the Indiana State Capitol complex.
They began looking for a home within walking or biking distance of his work and decided on Lockerbie Square. At the time, the neighborhood was scarred by vacant lots and boarded-up homes marked with demolition numbers. Undaunted, the Kienles bought an 1872 Carpenter Gothic-style house Indiana Landmarks had relocated to a vacant lot to save from demolition and embarked on a DIY renovation despite the lack of running water. Alongside other determined neighbors, they helped spark Lockerbie Square’s revival. Majorie supported the neighborhood’s continuing renewal by twice serving as president of the neighborhood association.
“Early on, we really had to fight to educate people as to why it was important to save buildings,” recalls Kienle. “We’ve come a long way in gaining acceptance for preservation, but there’s still work to be done to convince people not to tear old buildings down.”
A speech-language pathologist, Kienle developed preservation expertise through hands-on work and by attending conferences hosted by the American Institute of Architects and National Trust for Historic Preservation, where she saw how communities around the country repurpose and sustain historic places. She gained additional insights managing Jim’s preservation architecture practice for seven years, serving as president of Historic Urban Neighborhoods of Indianapolis (HUNI), and as a member of Indiana Landmarks’ Real Estate Committee.
For more than a decade, Kienle has worked with HUNI and the Marion County Alliance of Neighborhood Associations on initiatives to keep Indianapolis attractive and competitive, including fighting the intrusion of digital billboards into historic neighborhoods. After learning of a proposed signage plan in 2015, Marjorie spent her Thanksgiving holiday emailing every member of the Indianapolis City-County Council to voice her concerns. Her efforts helped return the issue to the council, which ultimately passed an ordinance banning digital billboards.
“Marjorie is tenacious, energetic, and articulate. She does her homework and has the ability to lead people, help them understand the issues and the process, and change minds,” says Marsh Davis, who collaborated with Kienle on a variety of preservation issues as past president of Indiana Landmarks. “She’s been a champion of preservation at all levels. You’ve heard the phrase, ‘You don’t mess with Mother Nature?’ When it comes to local preservation, you don’t mess with Marjorie Kienle.”
In 2017, after the Indiana Department of Transportation proposed reconstructing and expanding Interstates 65 and 70 through downtown Indianapolis, Kienle organized community leaders to call for a review. Their efforts led to a better design that reduced barrier walls and prohibited new lanes within eight historic districts. The coalition also launched the Rethink Coalition, a nonprofit that advocates for recessed interstates and reconnected neighborhoods in central Indiana.
“Marjorie is direct, forthright, and impossible to ignore,” says Garry Chilluffo, who served alongside Kienle for HUNI. “She’s that rare combination of intellect, grit, and civic devotion to quality-of-life issues.”
“I’m passionate about protecting our visual environment from clutter so that people can see the beauty of what’s around us,” says Kienle. “When it comes to preservation, I’ve learned it always takes longer than you think it will. It usually costs more. But it’s worth the effort.”
The Williamson Prize honors the impactful career of Indiana Landmarks’ Past President Reid Williamson Jr., who championed the value of local preservation organizations and using restoration to revitalize communities. The prize includes a sculpture by the late Evansville artist John McNaughton and a $1,000 cash award. Kienle will be honored as part of Indiana Landmarks’ annual meeting in Indianapolis on September 12
This article first appeared in the July/August 2026 issue of Indiana Preservation, Indiana Landmarks’ member magazine.
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