Historic home in Plainfield relocates to ‘preserve legacy’
LATEST: The Plainfield town government on July 8 announced the relocation has been rescheduled for the week of July 29 due to “unforeseen construction delays.”
PLAINFIELD, Ind. (WISH) — A historic house in Hendricks County will soon be relocated to help preserve its legacy.
The Plainfield town government and Hendricks Regional Health announced Wednesday they are relocating the historic Little House.
The move took place on July 31.
The house was built between 1885 and 1891 by Thomas and Louisa Little. The home features a distinctive Queen Anne Style, with elements such as a corner turret, a wrap-around porch, fish scales shingles, and ornate wooden windows.
The Little House fell into disrepair and remained unoccupied for years until Hendricks Regional Health purchased the property in 2017 to expand healthcare services in Plainfield.
The nonprofit health system has actively sought solutions to honor the home’s history, and the community has championed its preservation, gathering nearly 9,000 petition signatures.
The House will move from its current location, just north of U.S. 40 and Vandalia Boulevard, to the northern edge of the health campus. The move allows the hospital to expand further west and for future development and preservation of the house.
Robin Brandgard, Plainfield’s town council president, said in a statement that the town takes pride in the move to preserve the Little House “In April, the Town of Plainfield and Hendricks Regional Health announced their intent to preserve the Little House. Since then, owner James (Jim) Wheeler has prepared and stabilized the home and built a new foundation at its new location. We are excited to be a part of another preservation effort in the Town of Plainfield.”
Dr. Michelle Fenoughty, president and chief executive officer of Hendricks, expressed her thanks to the Plainfield town government for its support in a statement: “This project is a great example of how partnerships help us care for each other. … We are preserving a cherished piece of our shared history by working together.”
This story was updated to correct that the date of the move has been set.
News release
“PLAINFIELD, IN – The Town of Plainfield played a role in the relocation of the Thomas Little House, a notable structure listed on Indiana Landmark’s “Top 10 Endangered” List. The move took place on Wednesday, July 31, 2024. This initiative underscores the Town’s dedication to safeguarding local heritage and responding to community voices.
The effort to save the Thomas Little House, initially facing demolition, gained widespread support with over 9,000 signatures on a petition advocating for its preservation. The project includes partnerships with various stakeholders to protect this historic home. The Town contributed financially to the project, covering a portion of the relocation costs, with expenses not exceeding $47,000. A local resident plans to renovate the house and make it their permanent residence.
The Town’s involvement in preserving the Thomas Little House underscores a broader commitment to honoring and maintaining its historic structures, balancing development with the preservation of the community’s cultural and architectural heritage. To learn more about past preservation efforts, click here.
Plainfield, Indiana, town government