Charles L. Shrewsbury House
Encyclopedia
The Charles L. Shrewsbury house is located at 301 West First Street in Madison, Indiana
. It is a private historic house museum. It was designated a National Historic Landmark
in 1994.
. The Shrewsbury house has twelve rooms, thirteen fireplaces and a fifty-three step spiral staircase. The floor to ceiling windows are thirteen feet tall. A man on horseback could easily step through the enormous front door.
Architectural historians have ranked the house's free-standing spiral staircase as the most impressive part of the interior. Built of pine
stairs and cherry
railings, the staircase ascends from the middle of the house, supporting its own weight. Aside from allowing access to the second floor, the staircase helps to cool the house: hot air from the first floor can rise through the stairwell and leave the house through the attic
windows.
Francis Costigan, the architect of the Shrewsbury house and the nearby Lanier Mansion
, was one of America's outstanding architects of the mid 19th century. He was born in Washington, D.C. about 1810 and worked as a carpenter builder in Baltimore prior to moving west and settling in Madison in 1837. Madison was growing prosperous, and Costigan designed and erected residences and other buildings for its leading citizens. In 1851, Costigan left Madison for Indianapolis
. All of his work in Indianapolis has been razed. Other extant examples of Costigan's work in Madison include the Costigan house and St. Michael's Catholic Church.
Madison, Indiana
As of the census of 2000, there were 12,004 people, 5,092 households, and 3,085 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,402.9 people per square mile . There were 5,597 housing units at an average density of 654.1 per square mile...
. It is a private historic house museum. It was designated a National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
in 1994.
History
The Charles Shrewsbury House, also known as the Shrewsbury-Windle House, is the 1848 Greek Revival home of Charles Shrewsbury, a salt-barge riverboat captain, flour manufacturer and pork merchant. Shrewsbury was also the mayor of Madison. The house was designed by Francis CostiganFrancis Costigan
Francis Costigan was an early Indiana architect known primarily for his work in Madison, Indiana and Indianapolis....
. The Shrewsbury house has twelve rooms, thirteen fireplaces and a fifty-three step spiral staircase. The floor to ceiling windows are thirteen feet tall. A man on horseback could easily step through the enormous front door.
Architectural historians have ranked the house's free-standing spiral staircase as the most impressive part of the interior. Built of pine
Pine
Pines are trees in the genus Pinus ,in the family Pinaceae. They make up the monotypic subfamily Pinoideae. There are about 115 species of pine, although different authorities accept between 105 and 125 species.-Etymology:...
stairs and cherry
Prunus
Prunus is a genus of trees and shrubs, which includes the plums, cherries, peaches, apricots and almonds. There are around 430 species spread throughout the northern temperate regions of the globe. Many members of the genus are widely cultivated for fruit and ornament.-Botany:Members of the genus...
railings, the staircase ascends from the middle of the house, supporting its own weight. Aside from allowing access to the second floor, the staircase helps to cool the house: hot air from the first floor can rise through the stairwell and leave the house through the attic
Attic
An attic is a space found directly below the pitched roof of a house or other building . Attic is generally the American/Canadian reference to it...
windows.
Francis Costigan, the architect of the Shrewsbury house and the nearby Lanier Mansion
Lanier Mansion
The Lanier Mansion is the 1844 Greek Revival home of James F. D. Lanier, located at 601 West First Street in the Madison Historic District of Madison, Indiana. The home was designed by architect Francis Costigan of Madison....
, was one of America's outstanding architects of the mid 19th century. He was born in Washington, D.C. about 1810 and worked as a carpenter builder in Baltimore prior to moving west and settling in Madison in 1837. Madison was growing prosperous, and Costigan designed and erected residences and other buildings for its leading citizens. In 1851, Costigan left Madison for Indianapolis
Indianapolis
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
. All of his work in Indianapolis has been razed. Other extant examples of Costigan's work in Madison include the Costigan house and St. Michael's Catholic Church.
Further reading
- 99 Historic Homes of Indiana by Marsh Davis and Bill Shaw, copyright 2002 pages 229-231.
- Historic American Buildings Survey in Indiana, edited by Thomas M. Slade, copyright 1983, pages 72,73. ISBN 0-253-32741-5