The Haughville Historic District [†] represents a cohesive concentration of buildings associated with the Slovenian community in Indianapolis. Recruited to work in the foundries of the near-Westside, this ethnic group was most prominent in Haughville from circa 1895 through the 1960s; however, the period of significance extends only to 1942. Though few Slovenians remain in the area, evidence of their contributions to the city is demonstrated through their modest housing, commercial buildings and social halls, the Slovenian National Parish of Holy Trinity Church, and the Slovenian National Home. Such cultural landmarks make the Haughville Historic District the most representative area in Indianapolis associated with this ethnic group.
Though the town of Haughville has the historic boundaries of Belmont Avenue on the east, Tibbs Avenue on the west, 10th Street on the north, and Michigan Street on the south, the boundaries for the historic district incorporate less land. The boundaries of the National Register Historic District were selected following the evaluation of census records for 1900 and 1910 and city directory listings. Unfortunately the 1890 census was destroyed by fire before publication and the 1920 census had not been released at the time this nomination was prepared. After plotting Slovenian residents associated on a map, the greatest concentration of this ethnic group formed the proposed district boundaries.
In addition to the census study, Holy Trinity Slovenian Catholic Church documents, decades of news clippings, and comprehensive oral histories of elderly residents of the district also provided great insight as to where the borders should be designated.
a glance Haughville resembles other Indianapolis working class neighborhoods of the same period. The majority of houses are frame, single family dwellings, of one to two stories. They are built closely together on small lots with shallow setbacks. Streets are typically wide enough to allow parking and most of the sidewalks are shaded by mature trees.
Upon closer examination, certain unique characteristics distinguish the district. Examples include the Catholic church acting as a National Parish for Slovenians, the Slovenian National Home, and the large number of corner commercial buildings, many which once housed saloons. The district is united by the similarity in scale and design but primarily by the concentration of Slovenian immigrants and the cultural institutions.
The period of significance, circa 1895-1942, reflects the dominant years of Slovenians within the district. In his history of Holy Trinity Church, Dr. James Divita discussed the immigration of Slovenians to Haughville. "The first Slovenes arrived in Indianapolis because George Lambert (Jurij Lampert) told them about jobs at Malleable...He crossed the Atlantic seven times after 1895 and recruited able-bodied Slovenes to work [in the Malleable factory]." According to Dr. Divita, "The Jews excepted, the Slovenes became the largest Eastern European immigrant group in Indianapolis."
Haughville, as it is recognized today, began when Benjamin Haugh located his foundry there in 1880. Following the move of the Haugh Foundry to Haughville in 1880, Benjamin Haugh joined with J. L. Ketcham to form Haugh, Ketcham & Company. The company specialized in the production of architectural elements such as columns, sills, building fronts, and balconies.4 Pieces of their work may be seen in the Indiana State Capitol.
Prior to Haugh's foundry and the immigration of Eastern Europeans, Irish immigrants populated the farmland of the near-westside. The Irish, many of whom worked in the Kingan meat processing plant just east of White River, were concentrated south of Michigan Street. In an interview conducted by the Indianapolis Times in 1961, former Haughville resident and Indianapolis prosecutor, Phillip L. Bayt, said, "Michigan Street was the border between the two colonies." Census returns for 1900 and 1910 reveal pockets of Irish, predominantly south of Michigan Street with small clusters scattered north to 10th Street.
Other factories also located in the Haughville area included National Malleable Castings Company and the Link-Belt Company. Appendix number one is a map of the historic boundaries of Haughville showing the amount of property occupied by industrial operations. While these companies are gone, their existence helped to define the historic district boundaries. Today, subsidized apartment complexes fill much of the former industrial space.
In 1883 Haughville was incorporated with the boundaries of Belmont Avenue, Tenth Street, Tibbs Avenue, and Washington Street. The area within the town boundaries remained relatively rural until the early twentieth century, except for the industrial operations of Haugh, Ketchum & Company, and the nearby National Malleable Castings Company and Link-Belt Companye A town hall was built at 519 Belleview Place in 1891 with subscription funds. The hall contained club rooms, a large hall, and a small library known as the Haughville Reading Room.? In March 1897 Indianapolis annexed the incorporated area.
As a comparison of plat maps revealed, Haughville went from one iron foundry with several small clusters of workers' housing and ten small farms in 1883 to four large metal producing facilities, three railroad yards, a stockyard, and densely populated housing units in 1900.
In 1886 the Irish formed the St. Anthony of Padua Parish-the first Catholic Parish in Marion County west of White River.s Located at Vermont Street and Warman Avenue, the church served an English-speaking congregation which would be a future source of conflict for the non-English speaking immigrants.
Although Slovenes supported St. Anthony's Church and attended services, Slovene priests began to visit Haughville until finally disputes between ethnic groups led the Slovenians to build their own parish.9 In 1906 permission was received to form a Slovenian National Parish. The parish invited Father Joseph Lavric to come from Slovenia and lead the congregation.
Further testament of the concentration of Slovenians came from a letter issued by Father Lavric in September 1906. Dr. Divita summarized the correspondence as follows: "Apparently Lavric disliked the proposed location of the permanent church. He considered the site at Ketcham and Calvelage [now St. Glair] undesirable because it was on the edge rather than in the heart of the Slovene neighborhood. 10 The present location of the church was perceived as the center of the Slovene community. The present church was dedicated April 28, 1907 and designed by Indianapolis architect George Bedell.
Born to German parents in 1861, Holy Trinity became George Bedell's first major commission as an architect. Following work in Haughville, Bedell went on to design St. Philip Neri Church, St. Mary's Academy, St. Francis de Sales Church as well as several movie theaters including the Rit2 and Talbott. The outstanding Holy Trinity Church reflects the Romanesque Revival style of architecture. The monochromatic brick is highlighted by the use of limestone trim. The round arch window hoods are made of limestone, as are the round hoods of the louvered openings in the bell tower. Creating a symmetrical pattern on the main facade is a small rose window on each side of the door. Above the door is a larger rose window under which is inscribed "Slovenian Roman Catholic Church." Of the beauty of the church, Dr. Divita wrote, "More costly than the larger St. Anthony's, Holy Trinity Church not only witnessed the immigrants' Catholic faith but also was a monument to the Slovene community in Indianapolis.
The census records reflect a total of sixteen different nationalities within Haughville: Croatian, Austro-Polish, Polish, Russian-Polish, Hungarian-Magyar, Austrian-Magyar, Russian-Lithuanian, Austro-Lithuanian, Slovak, Albanian, Bulgarian, Greek, Turkish, Romanian, Serbian, and Macedonian. 12 Professor Susan Sutton of Indiana University- Purdue University at Indianapolis wrote, "Slovenians were far and away the largest group, numbering approximately 600 and constituting 48 percent of Haughville's immigrant population [according to the 1910 census].
With the recent border changes resulting from the struggles for independence in Eastern Europe, it is perhaps easiest to define the area of Slovenia in relation to the former boundaries of Yugoslavia. Slovenia was for the most part contained within the easternmost boundaries of Yugoslavia extending into part of Austria and Italy. 14 Today the area of Slovenia struggles for independence.
An important community institution in Haughville was the fire station. Though now slightly isolated from the heart of the district by a city park, the architectural and historical significance of the building makes its inclusion in the district justifiable. Due to the park, the fire station at 537 Belleview Place is accessible only by an alley. Built in 1898, the station began as Hose Company No. 20 and later became Station No. 9- The brick building was a neighborhood landmark. It originally housed four firemen, a captain, a driver, two hosemen, and a two-horse four-wheeled hose wagon. Upon closing in 1981 it was the oldest active fire station in Indianapolis. The building has remained vacant since its closing.
† Adapted from: Suzanne T. Rollins, Preservation Historian and Jon Smith, Intern, Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana, Haughville Historic District, nomination document, 1992, National Register of Historic Paces, Washington, D.C.
Nearby Neighborhoods
Street Names
10th Street • Belleview Place • Concord Street • Haugh Street • King • Walnut Street West • Warman Avenue North