INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana Landmarks today announced the 10 Most Endangered, an annual list of Hoosier landmarks in jeopardy. The list includes two schools that provided unprecedented learning opportunities to African Americans; a church that anchored its historic neighborhood; a train depot that embodies Indiana’s limestone legacy; an artfully designed jail and sheriff’s residence; two architecturally important homes; an awe-inspiring church outfitted in head-to-toe Tiffany; a nationally lauded Carnegie library; and an entire downtown.
Places that land on the 10 Most Endangered list often face a combination of problems rather than a single threat — abandonment, neglect, dilapidation, obsolete use, unreasonable above-market asking price, or owners who simply lack money for repairs.
The 10 Most Endangered in 2020 includes three sites repeating from last year’s list and seven new entries:
• Church of the Holy Cross, Indianapolis (repeat entry from 2019 list). The church, built in 1921, anchors the Holy Cross neighborhood on the east side. The building is one of the best examples of Italian Renaissance Revival architecture, and the 136 foot tall bell tower serves as a neighborhood landmark. In 2014, the Archiocese of Indianapolis merged Holy Cross with another parish. In 2015 the building was closed when part of the arched portico collapsed.
• Downtown Attica (repeat entry from 2019 list)
• Elwood Carnegie Library
• Falley-O’Gara-Pyke House, Lafayette
• Gary Roosevelt High School
• Monon Station, Bedford
• Reid Memorial Presbyterian Church, Richmond (repeat entry from 2019 list)
• Romweber House, Batesville
• Tipton County Jail & Sheriff’s Residence
• Union Literary Institute, Union City
Demolition has claimed only 19 of the 146 Most Endangered sites listed since 1991, while 95 places are completely restored or no longer endangered.
To find out more about each of the 10 Most Endangered, visit www.indianalandmarks.org or contact Indiana Landmarks, 317-639-4534 or 800-450-4534.
