John Askren Farm (Indianapolis, Indiana)

USA / Indiana / Warren Park / Indianapolis, Indiana / East 16th Street, 6550
 NRHP - National Register of Historic Places, draw only border, 1830s construction, 1820s construction, historic house
For 161 years, generations of the Askren family occupied and cared for their patriarch’s farmhouse on Indianapolis’s east side. The original 1,000-acre farm had dwindled to only nine acres before the family sold the property in 1989, but the 1828 Askren House survived as the city’s second-oldest structure. Today, a decade in the hands of neglectful new owners may destroy more than a century and a half of the Askren family’s proud stewardship.

After serving in the War of 1812, John Thomas Askren made his way to Indiana from Pennsylvania. He settled in the young city of Indianapolis in 1825 and began carving his farm from the wooded lands near present-day Irvington. He built a sturdy house, firing bricks on the property and making woodwork from the trees he felled. He farmed, raised horses, and established a strong lineage.

John’s descendants continued to live in the brick house at 6550 East 16th Street until 1989 when they sold the property to a developer who intended to refurbish the house and develop the rest of the land into condominiums. The plan never came to fruition, stalled almost immediately when the developer went bankrupt. The current owner bought the property in 1992 after the house had already endured three years of vacancy. With no plans to use the house or its surrounding acreage, the owner allowed the Askren House to deteriorate further.

In spite of profound neglect, the most historic portion of John Askren’s house remains structurally sound – testament to its sturdy construction. “The walls are three bricks thick, and you can still see bark on the original logs that make up the rafters. The walls and roof are solid, that’s the only reason this place has survived,” says Todd Ravelsoot, Community Preservation Specialist in Historic Landmarks Foundation’s Central Regional Office.

Though it was in good condition at the time of its purchase in 1992, the Askren House has remained vacant ever since. Overgrown and stripped of its windows, doors, mantels, and trim, the house has become a hangout for teens who continue to vandalize the property. Choosing demolition as the best solution for banishing this “criminal element,” the owner has announced his plans to raze the house.

The owner has made it clear that he has no desire to part with the land around the Askren House. In the meantime, he has nominally placed the house and surrounding acreage on the market. However, an unreasonably inflated asking price is sure to discourage buyers.

Historic Landmarks Foundation attempted to offer the owner a solution that would save the house but met with stiff opposition. Our Central Regional Office staff sought and won emergency local landmark designation from the Indianapolis Historic Preservation Commission, which must be approved by the Metropolitan Development Commission at a hearing scheduled for December 15.

If a local designation is approved, the house will be protected from active demolition by the owner. But it will still be vulnerable to demolition by neglect and by the destructive forces of vandalism. Designation buys time, however, when we will continue our attempts to negotiate with the owner.
Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Askren_House
Nearby cities:
Coordinates:   39°47'25"N   86°3'8"W

Comments

  • My name is Robyn Deckard. My Daddy is Raymond Askren. I have never commented on any of the Askren pages but I'll give it a try. I have many wonderful memories in this old homestead. I was born in Indlps. but when I was 2 years old(1960) my Dad became a Christian and surrendered to be a Pastor. My Dad, Mom, and my new baby Sister packed up and moved to Springfield Mo.so that my Dad could attend Baptist Bible College. I only had the privilege of going to my Grandma Askren's house about 2 times a year up until I got married in 1975. My memories are priceless when we were able to visit. I was able to spend time with my Grandma as well as with my Uncles,Aunts and numerous cousins. We had such great times when we were kids. Two of my Aunt's and Uncle's lived very close to my Grandma so we would have cook outs at my Aunt and Uncle's house. I'm tellin' ya'll us Askren's are absolutely awesome cooks! I remember going over to Uncle Floyd and Aunt Eva's house and playing pool in the basement. They have such a neat house! They also had a juke box in the basement too, it was so cool. I miss those times so very badly, but what tremendous memories God has blessed me with. God has also blessed me with the best of the Askren bunch. Unfortunately, I have not been able to see my cousins in years. Some of them still live in Indlps. and some of them have moved away. I still live in Springfield, Mo. I have been married to my wonderful Husband for 33 years. We have 4 children and 9 Grandchildren. The last time I saw Grandma's house only part of it still remained. I just got a big sinking feeling to see what had happened to a once extremely vibrant home. Even though the house may someday go away, my memories of my cousins playing or going down to the barn to look at the horses, or my precious Grandma and I sitting at her kitchen table playing Parcheesi, those happy memories will always be with me and I am so extremely fortunate to be called an Askren. How richly our Great God has blessed me and my family.
  • Interesting comment, thanks for posting
  • Hi. I'm Richard Askren, currently living in Seattle. I'm a grandson of William Wirt Askren, whose grandfather (or great grandfather, I'm not sure) was named John Askren, not sure if it's the same one, but he did spend time in Indiana. At any rate, just wanted to thank you for your efforts to preserve the farm house; so much of our country's proud heritage is being plowed under, and there's no recovering it once it's gone. Please keep us updated, and rest assured that many people appreciate your efforts.
  • The house was eventually sold to a couple who have rehabbed it and live in it. The house was separated from the surrounding 8 acres which have been for sale for a few years.
  • My name is Katherine Rose Askren, daughter of Richard Franklin Askren, Granddaughter of Richard Wallace Askren, Great Granddaughter of John Askren (not the original John but not too far off). I wanted so badly to keep the home in the family but I am thrilled that the current owners have so lovingly taken care of this special place and restored it maintaining many of its charming features. I remember attending a couple of family reunions there as a child and my children are fourth generation Askrens to graduate from Warren Central High School to which the land it stands on was gifted to the district by our family.
This article was last modified 7 months ago