by
Fred Swift
Hamilton County Reporter
(NOTE: Commentaries by Fred Swift are posted here as the result of a partnership between the Hamilton County Reporter and LarryInFishers.com. Views expressed are those of Mr. Swift)
In our rapidly growing county it is difficult, but important, to preserve some of the historically relevant landmarks that physically reveal the pathway to our current times. The Hull-Brennan House is such a landmark. Located near Keystone and Smokey Row
Road, it is far off the road and largely hidden by trees.
On land originally granted to William Wilkinson in 1822, the house started as a pioneer log cabin, probably built before 1835. Around 1853, an impressive two-story brick house was built adjoining the cabin. The practice of incorporating an earlier house with a later one was common in the mid-19th century, but surviving examples are rare.
The brick structure is a good example of combined Federal and Greek Revival architecture which was often found in homes of the 1840s and 50s. It is owned by descendants of the Dinkelaker family, which bought the home and surrounding farmland about 115 years ago. They operated a dairy farm there for many years.
The last occupant was William H. Hull who died in 2014 at the age of 93. Dinkelaker heirs then listed the remaining 59 acres of farmland and the house for sale. Beazer Homes of Atlanta, Ga. plans to buy and develop the property with 164 new homes.
Indiana Landmarks, a preservation organization which has participated in saving numerous significant historic structures, has joined the Carmel Clay Historical Society in trying to save the Hull-Brennan House.
The Beazer application for zoning and development is pending in a Carmel Plan Commission review committee. There have been discussions among Carmel officials,
Landmarks, local historians and Beazer regarding ways to save the house, one of very few of its kind remaining in the rapidly developing community.
The zoning application will return to the Plan Commission with a committee recommendation, probably in the next month or two. A zoning change to allow
what is called a Planned Unit Development on the site will go to the Carmel City Council for a final decision.
Local historians say the house is architecturally and historically worthy of saving
if a buyer can be found who wishes to restore and reside in the house.
The Landmarks foundation has been successful in helping locate buyers
of historic properties, including the former McShane Home, south of Carmel, which
is regarded as an outstanding example of preservation efforts.