Chamberlain House

Description:	Chamberlain House on East Maple Street. the CHAMBERLAIN HOME ON EAST MAPLE AVENUE. DRAWING BY MISS JULIET A. PEDDLE, TERRE HAUTE ARTIST AND ARCHITECT.The Chamberlain house is located out on the Maple Avenue road, near Glenn. It is on the north side of the road and is set back on the property among some rather nice old trees.The house was built in 1843 by Moody Chamberlain, who came here from New England. He established a sawmill and bought up several tracts of forestland to supply lumber for his mill. After the land was cut over it was converted into farms, and he chose this tract of land for his home. This house was built by a man named Van Tassel.Mr. Chamberlains several children grew up in this house and in the normal course of events all of them except his two daughters, Sally and Jane, were settled elsewhere. This left the two sisters to occupy the house alone. They loved the old place as they had known it as young people, and kept it virtually unchanged during their lifetime. After they were both gone and it was deemed advisable to rent the property, the heirs went over the house to prepare it for tenants and found that the sisters had kept all the old household equipment that the parents had used years and years before-spinning wheels for wool and flax, cards for wool, candle moulds, etc., a wealth of interesting antiques from the modern standpoint.At that time Mr. Hansel, who owned the Markle Mill, was collecting such material in anticipation of opening a museum. Much of the household equipment found in the house was placed in his care to be used in this museum. He stored the things in the mill, and not long after the mill burned to the ground!The character of the house is reminiscent of the New England tradition of the period-somewhat austere but with a simple dignity. However, the treatment of the wings relieves its severity and adds interest to the design quite in keeping with its New England flavor. There were some minor changes made within the house when it was made ready for renting, and the front steps have been replaced, but it has undergone no major alterations.This house has a very effective setting, back from the road and surrounded by fine old trees. I have wondered whether Mr. Chamberlain did not keep some of the original forest trees near the house in order that his house might have an attractive setting. This is one of the few older homes in the neighborhood which we can enjoy in very nearly their original form.
Origin:	01/01/2005
Contributor(s):	Peddle, Juliet, 1899-1979
Source:	http://indianamemory.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/rose/id/807
Collection:	Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology Logan Library
Rights:	http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/UND/1.0/
Copyright:	Copyright Undetermined
Subjects:	Architectural drawings Architecture Houses Trees Chamberlain, Moody Architecture Domestic Life

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