fixer upper

Sold – Save This Old House – c.1865 Fixer Upper in Elkhart, IN Under $38K

519 W Franklin St, Elkhart, IN 46516     $37,500 Sold

Fixer Upper

OHU50K NOTES

Known as the John Carpenter House, this fixer upper home offers 3 bedrooms, 2 fireplaces, newer furnace, glass covered built-in bookcases, possible hardwood floors and a fenced yard. Formerly used as an office for attorneys. Detached 2-car garage and patio. Upstairs is plumbed for a washer and dryer.
The interior pics below are ones that I discovered from 2019. Since then the house has been vacant and the condition of the photos may not be indicative of the present condition.

History

It is believed that John Carpenter constructed the oldest part of the brick house around 1865. Subsequent owners added a solid granite wrap-around porch in the 1880s and enlarged the rear wing. Inside, Victorian-era elements blend with Craftsman details added during a 1920 remodel and reconfiguration.

Family History

Originally from Michigan, John A. Carpenter was a farmer with substantial real estate holdings. Per the 1870 US Census, his house was valued at $3,700 and his farm at $16,800. That amounts to $433,000 in today’s dollars. He lived in this home with his wife Mary, and children Ethan, George, Minerva and Austin.

INDIANA LANDMARKS

This nineteenth-century fixer-upper holds opportunity for the right buyer, with eye-catching original features and plenty of space to adapt for a large family or as a duplex.

The first floor features a wide-open floor plan with an open original staircase, woodwork, wood coffered ceiling, and brick Romanesque-style fireplace. The rear wing includes a large kitchen. A back stair reaches the second floor just off the side entrance. The second floor includes room for 4 bedrooms and a full bath, plus a kitchen if desired. There is a full basement under approximately half the house. The inviting wrap-around porch has exquisite stonework, and the large site includes a wide variety of flowers and decorative shrubs.

 

Indiana Landmarks acquired the house with support from the 1772 Foundation to save it from a tax sale and demolition, stabilizing the exterior and completing chimney repairs. Volunteers from the Elkhart Historic and Cultural Preservation Commission aided an extensive interior clean-out to prepare the house for sale.

The Carpenter House will require a complete rehabilitation including exterior painting, roof, window rehabilitation electric, plumbing, HVAC, kitchens and bathrooms.

The house will be sold subject to preservation covenants held by Indiana Landmarks governing exterior improvements. Potential buyers will need to demonstrate proof of financial capacity to undertake the needed rehabilitations, along with an approved plan and timeline. Buyers will have access to measured drawings and complete histories being drafted by students with the University of Notre Dame School of Architecture Preservation Concentration.

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