National Register of Historic Places

Carmichael, Otto, House

Muncie, Delaware County, Indiana
Listed
January 6, 2000
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
99001596

About this property

Otto Carmichael House, also known as the Mary Louise Farm, is a historic home located at Muncie, Indiana. The original section was built in 1875, and later enlarged and remodeled in 1929. It is a rambling 2+1⁄2-story, brick and frame dwelling Colonial Revival and Tudor Revival design elements. It features steeply pitched gable roofs. It was part of the Carmichael family's "Mary Louise Farm" complex, which included barns for livestock, a log cabin, and flower gardens. The rest of the area was redeveloped into a shopping plaza, with the house remaining as the last vestige of the complex today. The home is named for prominent journalist, conservationist, and civic leader Otto Carmichael. Born near Muncie in 1865, Carmichael worked for various local papers (including the Muncie Morning Star). Otto Carmichael (in collaboration with his brother, Milton) gained rose to prominence in the realm of journalism by selling stories on the Johnstown Flood and the death of Jefferson Davis to various national papers. In 1890, Carmichael was hired by the Detroit Journal as a Congressional correspondent. He served as a Washington correspondent for various national papers, including the Boston Herald, the New York World, the Louisville Times, the Cincinnati Commercial Tribune, the Minneapolis Times, and the Indianapolis Journal. He was also a founding member of the National Press Club. In 1904, he joined a group of investors in purchasing the Detroit Free Press. The group's sale of the paper in 1909 earned Carmichael a significant sum of money. Carmichael invested these funds into various conservation projects in Muncie and also helped to finance the construction of Muncie's initial sewer system. Carmichael's secretary, Marcella Hayes, inherited the house in 1942. In 1942, Margaret Nickols purchased the home and used it as a residential club for seniors. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2000.

Location

900 W. Kilgore Ave.
Muncie, Delaware County, Indiana
40.19125, -85.39751

Categories

COMMUNICATIONSARCHITECTURECONSERVATION
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Nearby Historic Sites

Old West End Historic District
Listed
0.2 mi
Meeks Avenue Historic District
Listed
0.4 mi
Beech Grove Cemetery
Listed
0.4 mi
West Washington Street Bridge
Industrial
0.4 mi
Riverside Historic District
Listed
0.4 mi

Questions about this property

When was Carmichael, Otto, House listed on the National Register?

Carmichael, Otto, House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on January 6, 2000.

What type of historic resource is Carmichael, Otto, House?

Carmichael, Otto, House is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Carmichael, Otto, House?

The period of significance for Carmichael, Otto, House is recorded as the industrial era.

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