Home tour heads Back to the Future

Five northside homes on Historic Landmarks Foundation’s Mid-Century Modern tour

INDIANAPOLIS (April 11, 2008) – Boxy modernist houses and low-slung ranch homes were the height of hip when they were built, and they still have a cool factor today. They’ve been around long enough that some qualify as historic structures – a point that sparks debate and causes us to view them in a new light.

As one of several events to celebrate National Historic Preservation Month, Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana will offer a look inside some local examples of the classic modern residence of a half-century ago. Back to the Future: Mid-Century Modern Home Tour, to be held Saturday, May 31 from 1 to 6 p.m., features five Indianapolis houses built between 1958 and 1964, many filled with outstanding furniture from the same era.

In ’50s and ’60s America, many people considered Victorian architecture dated and ugly. As a result, countless architectural gems were lost to the wrecking ball. The Foundation’s Landmarks of the Recent Past Committee seeks to protect Modernist Indiana architecture from a similar fate and foster appreciation for the Modernist style.

Back to the Future: The Mid-Century Modern Tour showcases five homes in a northside Indianapolis area noted for fine examples of the period. Residences include:

Eric and Anne Anderson, 315 West 84th Street
Hector Jurado, 8111 North Meridian Street
Tony Murcia, 415 Woodmere Drive
Joe and Barb Richardson, 5952 Lieber Road
Tom and Lee Vriesman. 250 Williams Drive.

Maps will be available at each tour home and a shuttle will circulate among the sites. Ticket holders may drive on their own among the homes or park and ride a shuttle that departs from the north lot at Second Presbyterian Church, 7700 North Meridian Street. Maps, restrooms and refreshments will be available at the church (north entrance).

Tickets are $12 per person in advance and $15 on the day of the tour at each tour home and at the church. Call Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana 317-639-4534 or 800-450-4534, or check its website, www.historiclandmarks.org, for ticket sale locations, which include Form + Function, 10 National Bank of Indianapolis branches, and selected Kroger stores in Indianapolis, Carmel and Fishers. National Bank of Indianapolis is the primary tour sponsor.

To find out about other Preservation Month events, visit www.historiclandmarks.org or call 317-639-4534 or 800-450-4534.