First House Of Curtis Gilbert

Description:	Drawing of Curtis Gilbert House, Home of Pioneer Family Near First and Water Streets by Juliet A. Peddle, Terre Haute Architect and Artist. Curtis Gilbert House, Home of Pioneer Family Near First and Water Streets. Drawing By Juliet A. Peddle, Terre Haute Architect and Artist.The first house built by Curtis Gilbert was located on the first lot north of the northeast corner of First and Water streets, which is included in the jail site of today.Curtis Gilbert came to this part of the country quite early and we find him in 1815 at Fort Harrison, where he had come with another man to bring goods and supplies. In 1817 he became the postmaster of Fort Harrison, in Sullivan County, as it was at that time. The following year the post office at the Fort was discontinued and he was transferred to the newly created post office at Terre Haute. In that year he went to Terre Haute to live, and as soon as it was established that Terre Haute was to be the new county seat, he started the construction of a building suitable for public purposes.The building is described as having a post office on the ground floor and the county clerks office and the county courtroom upstairs. It is said that Curtis Gilbert also had a stock of goods in the house and for a time resided there.Not long after Mr. Gilbert came to Terre Haute, he was elected county clerk and Mr. John Coleman received the appointment of postmaster in his stead. Mr. Gilbert continued as clerk for 21 years by successive elections.There being so few buildings which could accommodate any public meetings during those early few years, lodge meetings were held here as well as county and town affairs.There were log cabins before this house but it is said to be the first frame house built in Terre Haute, to have housed the first post office and the first county clerks office, and to have been the location of the first Masonic lodge meeting.Architecturally it is harmonious with the period of its construction and the pioneer community in which it was built. I am told that a mantel from this house is now in the house out on Fruitridge Avenue where Mr. Joseph Gilbert lived for so many years.It is my understanding that after the courthouse and other semi-public buildings were built, this house was used more for residential purposes. When the jail was constructed at this location, it was moved from the original site to a lot on South Eighth Street where it was used as a dwelling house, but was finally torn down some years later when it had fallen into decay.Photographs were unknown in early days, and drawings so rare that we are fortunate that a drawing has come down to use of a building which was the scene of so much which is important and interesting in the early life of our city. The above illustration is based on this drawing.
Origin:	01/01/2005
Contributor(s):	Peddle, Juliet, 1899-1979
Source:	http://indianamemory.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/rose/id/825
Collection:	Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology Logan Library
Rights:	http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/UND/1.0/
Copyright:	Copyright Undetermined
Subjects:	Architectural drawings Architecture Houses Post offices County government Gilbert, Curtis, 1795-1877 Architecture Domestic Life

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