Historic home in Plainfield relocates to ‘preserve legacy’
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 has been scheduled for July 10.
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 – On Wednesday, July 10, 2024, the Town of Plainfield and Hendricks Regional Health will relocate the historic Little House, moving it from its current location just north of US 40 and Vandalia Boulevard to a new site to preserve its legacy. This move has been made possible through close collaboration with the owner, James Wheeler, and will take only a few hours.
“‘The Town is proud of this partnership to preserve the historic Little House,’ said Robin Brandgard, the Town of Plainfield Town Council President. ‘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.’
“Built between 1885 and 1891 by Thomas and Louisa Little, the home features distinctive Queen Anne style elements such as a corner turret, a wrap-around porch, fishscale shingles, and ornate wooden windows. The Little House had fallen into disrepair and remained unoccupied for years until Hendricks Regional Health purchased the property in 2017 to expand healthcare services in Plainfield and further west. 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 Town of Plainfield Town Council and Hendricks Regional Health’s agreement to relocate the Little House to the northern edge of the Hendricks property will allow for future development while preserving the historic structure.
“‘This project is a great example of how partnerships help us care for each other,’ said Dr. Michelle Fenoughty, President & CEO of Hendricks. ‘Our heartfelt thanks go to the Town of Plainfield Town Council, Mr. Wheeler and the community for their support. We are preserving a cherished piece of our shared history by working together.’
“The relocated Little House will become Mr. Wheeler’s permanent residence. The move is expected to have minimal traffic impact.”
Plainfield, Indiana, town government