Honor Roll

The National Register of Historic Places recognizes properties the federal government considers worthy of preservation because of their significance in American history, architecture, archaeology, engineering, or culture. Having a property distinguished by this listing conveys the honor of national recognition and may make owners eligible for certain tax credits and grants. In Indianapolis, two manor estates representing the height of early twentieth-century opulence—Laurel Hall and the Lacy-Berger Mansion—achieved listing in the National Register in June, a testament to their extraordinary architecture and history and their owners’ efforts to preserve their heritage.

Located on the city’s northeast side adjacent to the present-day campus of Cathedral High School, Laurel Hall was completed in 1916 for Stoughton A. Fletcher II and his wife, May (Henley) Fletcher. A relative of city father and banking magnate Calvin Fletcher, Stoughton hired architect Herbert L. Bass to design a home for entertaining a steady stream of dignitaries, situated atop a bluff along Fall Creek on a 1,500-acre tract of wooded rural land. Numerous massive chimneys and a series of steep gables distinguish the roofline of the yellow brick mansion with green clay tile roof and limestone accents.

Laurel Hall, Indianapolis

Inside, leaded casement windows and an abundance of richly carved wood wall paneling modeled after medieval English sources continue the extravagant design. Landscape architect Alex Tuschinsky planned the grounds to include a horseracing track, a winding driveway with decorative concrete bridge, and a terrace with steps spilling down the bank of the ravine. In 1921, the Indianapolis News described Laurel Hall as “one of the most imposing and unusual country places in the central west.”

The Fletchers did not reside long in their idyllic American castle. By 1921, family tragedy and financial instability led Mr. Fletcher rent the estate to Indiana statesman Thomas Taggart for the breeding of racehorses. The Sisters of Providence bought the property in 1926 for the Ladywood School, a Catholic boarding school for girls. The estate housed a dormitory and chapel for Ladywood-St. Agnes until its closure in 1976, later becoming subdivided for apartments and the Hudson Institute, a policy research center.

In more recent years, Laural Hall recaptured its past grandeur as a gathering place. Since 2006, the landmark has housed the national headquarters of the fraternity Phi Kappa Psi and its associated foundation, which also rents the mansion for weddings and events. When the fraternity wanted to further distinguish Laurel Hall with National Register listing, Indiana Landmarks supported the nomination with a grant from the Marion County Historic Preservation Fund in partnership with The Indianapolis Foundation and the Central Indiana Community Foundation (CICF).