The County Line
In our rapidly growing county it is difficult, but important to preserve some of the historically relevant landmarks that physically reveal the pathway to our current times. The Hull-Brennan House is such a landmark. Located near Keystone and Smoky Row Road, it is far off the road and largely hidden by trees.
On land originally granted to William Wilkinson in 1822, the house started as a pioneer log cabin, probably built before 1835. Around 1853 an impressive two-story brick house was built adjoining the cabin. The practice of incorporating an earlier house with a later one was common in the mid-19th century, but surviving examples are rare.
The brick structure is a good example of combined Federal and Greek Revival architecture which was often found in homes of the 1840s and 50s. It is owned by descendants of the Dinkelaker family which bought the home and surrounding farmland about 115 years ago. They operated a dairy farm there for many years.
The last occupant was William H. Hull who died in 2014 at the age of 93. Dinkelaker heirs then listed the remaining 59 acres of farmland and the house for sale. Beazer Homes of Atlanta, Ga. plans to buy and developed the property with 164 new homes.
Indiana Landmarks, a preservation organization which has participated in saving numerous significant historic structures, has joined the Carmel Clay Historical Society in trying to save the Hull-Brennan House.
The Beazer application for zoning and development is pending in a Carmel Plan Commission review committee. There have been discussions among Carmel officials, Landmarks, local historians and Beazer regarding ways to save the house, one of very few of its kind remaining in the rapidly developing community.
The zoning application will return to the Plan Commission with a committee recommendation, probably in the next month or two. A zoning change to allow what is called a Plan Unit Development on the site will then go to the Carmel City Council for a final decision.
Local historians say the house is architecturally and historically worthy of saving if a buyer can be found who wishes to restore and reside in the house.
The Landmarks foundation has been successful in assisting to locate buyers of historic properties including to former McShane Home south of Carmel which is regarded as an outstanding example of preservation efforts.