Ransom Place Historic District
Ransom Place Historic District | |
Section of the Ransom Place historical marker at the corner of St. Clair and Camp streets in Indianapolis | |
39°46′44″N 86°10′11″W / 39.77889°N 86.16972°W / 39.77889; -86.16972 | |
Area | 6 acres (2.4 ha) |
---|---|
Architectural style | Queen Anne, L-Plan Cottage |
NRHP reference No. | 92001650[1] |
Added to NRHP | December 10, 1992 |
Ransom Place Historic District is a national historic district in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. The district consists mainly of a six-square block in a historically Black residential section of Indianapolis, located just one block from Indiana Avenue. It was originally developed during the 1880s and 1890s, coinciding with the growth of Indiana Avenue as the central commercial district for Indianapolis's Black population at that time. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1992.[2][1]
Historical significance
At its peak, Ransom Place (although not known as "Ransom Place" at that time) was the site of numerous Black-owned businesses, including churches, clubs, community centers, restaurants, shops, and theaters. Many residents had prominent careers as well.[3] The best-known resident of this area was Freeman Ransom, a lawyer, businessman, and civil rights activist who also worked with Madame C. J. Walker as her legal counsel and the general manager of her company.[2] His son, Willard Ransom also lived in the neighborhood, and he worked as a local chapter president of the NAACP in the 1940s and 1950s.[2][4]
The district was officially renamed to Ransom Place in 1992 in Freeman Ransom's honor.[5] This district was designated as "most intact neighborhood associated with [the] city's African-American population" by the Indiana Historical Bureau in Ransom Place's historical marker.[6]
Decline and restoration
By the 1950s, when the Indiana Avenue community began to decline as other opportunities drew Black residents away, the area became a target for razing by the city of Indianapolis. Starting in the 1960s and continuing into the 1980s, city leaders worked with Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) to clear land for the expansion of the university.
Due to community worry about the possibility of continued growth of IUPUI, residents Lathan Frayser, Addie Jones, Wilma Bailey, Mary Frisby, Jean Spears, and Teresa Crawford-Cottingham formed the Ransom Place Neighborhood Association (RPNA) in August 1991.[7] This was the first recorded use of "Ransom Place" as the name of the district.[3]
This nonprofit focused on encouraging preservation of Ransom Place homes and promoting the neighborhood's history. After gaining recognition on the National Register of Historic Places in 1992, the neighborhood experienced a revitalization effort throughout the rest of the decade.[3] Today, the association hosts many community events, helps fund property improvements, and operates a community garden.[8]
Architecture
The architecture of the district includes many representative examples of Queen Anne style architecture. A notable building in this district is the former Second Christian Church, which was used from 1910 to 2003 until the congregation relocated to a new building near the Butler University campus.[9]
See also
References
- ^ a b "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
- ^ a b c "National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination: Ransom Place Historic District". National Park Service. December 10, 1992. Retrieved April 10, 2023. With accompanying pictures
- ^ a b c "Ransom Place". indyencyclopedia.org. January 5, 2022. Retrieved March 5, 2023.
- ^ "Willard B. (Mike) Ransom". Encyclopedia of Indianapolis. February 5, 2021. Retrieved April 11, 2023.
- ^ "Ransom Place Historic District". National Park Service. Retrieved 3 June 2012.
- ^ IHB (December 7, 2020). "Ransom Place Historic District". IHB. Retrieved March 5, 2023.
- ^ "Ransom Place recognized as Neighborhood of the Month". Indianapolis Recorder. February 6, 2017. Retrieved March 5, 2023.
- ^ "Ransom.Place". Ransom.Place. Retrieved March 5, 2023.
- ^ "Light of the World Christian Church". www.lovelwcc.org. Retrieved March 9, 2023.
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- The Propylaeum (Schmidt House)
- Prosser House
- Recker House
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Apartments
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Apartments
Libraries
- Administration Building, Indiana Central University
- Arthur Jordan Memorial Hall
- Central Library
- Crispus Attucks High School
- East Washington Library
- Hawthorne Branch Library
- IPS 13
- IPS 33
- IPS 36
- IPS 58
- IPS 66
- IPS 82
- IPS 84
- IPS 97
- Indiana School for the Deaf
- Indiana State Library
- Riverside Branch Library
- Old Southport High School
- Spades Park Library
- Shortridge High School
- Architects and Builders Building
- L.S. Ayres Annex Warehouse
- City Market
- Fame Laundry
- Fidelity Trust Building
- Hammond Block
- Indianapolis News Building
- Jackson Buildings
- Kahn Tailoring Company Building
- Lombard Building
- Majestic Building
- Marott's Shoes Building
- Merchants National Bank and Annex
- Morrison Block
- Reserve Loan Life Insurance Company
- Rink's Womens Apparel Store
- Selig's Dry Goods Company Building
- Taylor Carpet Company Building
- Tee Pee Restaurant
- Test Building
- H. P. Wasson and Company Building
- William Buschmann Block
- Fort Harrison Terminal Station
- Indianapolis Union Station
- Marion County Bridge 0501F
- Michigan Road Toll House
- P.C.C. & St. L. Railroad Freight Depot
- Stout Field Administration Building and Hangar
Theater
- Circle Theater
- Foster Hall
- Indiana Theatre
- Madam C. J. Walker Building
- Rivoli Theater
Recreation
- Broad Ripple Park Carousel
- Bush Stadium
- Highland Golf and Country Club
- Butler Fieldhouse
- Hillcrest Country club
- Indianapolis Motor Speedway
- Woodstock Country Club
- Bethel A.M.E. Church
- Beth-El Zedeck Temple
- Big Run Baptist Church and Cemetery
- Christ Church Cathedral
- Mt. Pisgah Lutheran Church
- Our Savior Lutheran Church
- Roberts Park Methodist Episcopal Church
- St. John's Church and Rectory
- St. Mary's Catholic Church
- St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church
Civic Groups
- Athenaeum
- Christamore House
- Colored Knights of Pythias Castle Hall
- Columbia Club
- General German Protestant Orphans Home
- Independent Turnverein
- Indiana State Federation of Colored Women's Clubs
- Indianapolis Athletic Club
- Indianapolis Masonic Temple
- Maennerchor Building
- Oriental Lodge No. 500
- Scottish Rite Cathedral
- South Side Turnverein Hall
- University Club
Spaces
- Archeological Sites 12Ma648 and 12Ma649
- Caleb Blood Smith Historic Site
- Crown Hill Cemetery
- Crown Hill National Cemetery
- Indiana World War Memorial Plaza
- Indianapolis Park and Boulevard System
- McCormick Cabin Site
- Military Park
- Nurses' Sunken Garden and Convalescent Park
- State Soldiers and Sailors Monument
- University Park
Entries in italics have been removed from the registry