Moses Fowler House

Tippecanoe County Historical Museum

Dates:

1851-1852
Location: 909 South Street, Lafayette, Indiana
addition: 1916-1917 (William D. Mann of Chicago, architect)

The Fowler House was built during 1851-1852 for Moses Fowler, based on designs by A. J. Davis in The Architecture of County Houses by A. J. Downing. The house was remodeled for Fowler's grandson, Cecil G. Fowler, during 1917-1917 to plans by Chicago architect William D. Mann. The house has been the property of the Tippecanoe County Historical Association since 1941 and is open to the public for a very small fee.

The Moses Fowler House (1852/1916-17) from the intersection of Ninth & South Streets. The area to the left of the drainpipe is part of the 1916-17 addition designed by Wm. D. Mann of Chicago.
The east facade, primarily added in the 1916-17 remodeling. This view is from the entrance to the Wetherill Historic Resource Center. A springtime view of the Fowler House.
The bay window of the Dining Room added in 1916-17. Close up of the bay window of the old Living Room and a bedroom dormer. A wall was added down the center of the dormer in 1917 and each half is the window of a separate bathroom. All of this woodwork dates to 1852.
This is the view from the west porch looking south to the 1917 terrace. This is the reverse view of the previous. The brick floor of the porch is a restoration dating to about 1999 of the 1917 pavement. The original porch seems to have had a wood floor.
Detail of the west porch. This view to the northwest shows downtown Lafayette through the trees.
Looking north through the west porch. The south facade of the main house. The porch originally continued around this side and the balcony doors led out onto the deck on top. The porch was removed when the terrace was added in 1917.
The fountain and Living Room (doors at left) all date to the 1916-1917 remodeling. Looking up at the Living Room wing from a terrace landing.
Detail of the leaded glass of the Living Room. One level lower on the terrace. The railings had partially collapsed and been vandalized during the 1950s-1960s and the balusters are replacements from the early-1970s. The originals were more proportional to the design.
The Fowler House from the southwest, near S. Ninth Street. A night view looking down S. Tenth Street from the Wetherill Historic Resource Center with the Fowler House at right.
View from the southwest in Spring. View from the south in Spring.
Sunlight floods a window in the South Parlor. Note the paneled cabinets at the side which concealed wooden shutters (called "blinds"). Through this 1852 window is a window of the 1917 Living Room. One of the two massive walnut and oak pocket doors between the North and South Parlors. The woodwork was stained black in 1917 to give a more modern "Old English" look to it. The original two-tone colors can be seen in the door frame at upper left.
The elaborate plaster ceiling of the South Parlor. The matching parlor ceilings were made by Italian artisans brought from New York in 1852. North window of the Dining Room with more of the 1917 leaded glass.
View from the north sash door on the staircase landing. The railing of the porch is at bottom. The cell phone tower at center was built in violation of FCC codes and seriously mars the views of Downtown Lafayette. The the case against the cell company is in litigation in Washington D.C. This is a view looking towards the west sash door along the staircase landing.