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Summary of History and Significance
The St. Joseph Area is a significant multi-use district whose architectural resources reflect the city's development during the late nineteenth century and early twentieth century. The district contains good examples of residential architecture from that time period and the most significant collection of rowhouse buildings in the city. Its composite of structures (residential, commercial, and industrial) constitute a significant and distinguishable entity that yields a clear impression of the city's development during a time of great change and substantial growth.
St. Joseph residential architecture spans virtually the entire history of Indianapolis since the 1860's with good examples of Italianate, Queen Anne, Romanesque Revival, Tudor Revival, Nineteenth Century Commercial, Renaissance Revival, and Carpenter-builder. Of special note are two frame Civil War-era cottages, 215-217 Tenth Street and 238 St. Joseph Street. They are noteworthy for their early construction dates and for their contrasting styles, demonstrating the range of design available middle-class residents in the antebellum and post-bellum periods. In addition, the neighborhood offers a commercial building of early 1860's construction. Also of particular interest are the four row houses, which are extremely rare in Indianapolis. |