Commissary Building

( Lawrie Library )

Dates:

1895-1896
Location:

Indiana State Soldiers' Home, near Lafayette, Indiana

Architects: J. F. Alexander & Son, of Lafayette, Indiana
Remodeled: 1909
Exterior Restoration: 2002-2003

The building now called the Lawrie Library was built during 1895-1896, along with the original main buildings of the Indiana State Soldiers’ Home. It was originally used as the Commissary Building, and was designed by the noted Lafayette architectural firm of J. F. Alexander & Son. A new commissary was built near the Widows’ Home & Dining Room before 1909, leaving the building vacant. A July 11, 1909, article from the Indianapolis Sunday Star, accompanied by several photographs including the old Commissary, stated,

The State Legislature has appropriated $1,000 for the art gallery at the home. Mr. Lawrie is painting the portraits as a pastime, having offered his services without recompense on the condition that the state would bear the expense. The trustees of the home purchase the materials for the portraits and pay for the frames. The interior of the old commissary building, now deserted by reason of the erection of a new one, is being rearranged so as to afford ample room for the art gallery. Mr. Lawrie and the trustees hope to see the new gallery open by October of this year.

The Commissary, 1895, from an original rendering by J. F. & W. C. Alexander The building was built with arch-topped windows instead of the stone lintels pictured in the rendering

The building seems to have been remodeled at this time, including the removal of the tower, addition of the vestibule, addition of a new roof with terra cotta tiles, and the replacement and filling-in of some windows. It is unclear whether the interior was greatly altered at this time.

A journalist with the Lafayette Journal wrote on August 14, 1915,

I was perfectly amazed on entering the library to see the wonderful exhibit of portraits of Indiana’s noblest men. The portraits are all of the same size and are framed alike, a plain gold frame of about four inches wide being used. The portraits are done in oil and occupy three sides of the library, the arrangement being especially good and artistic. Capt. Lawrie has superintended the hanging and placement of every portrait. . . . All who are interested in art should not fail to visit the library at the Soldiers’ Home and see this splendid collection of historical personages.

The Indianapolis Sunday Star of January 11, 1916 stated, “The paintings, which have been presented to the state, are hung from the walls of the library at the State Home. The room is poorly lighted and w Lawrie has sought to interest the Governor in obtaining a new building for their display.” The ceiling of the Library presently consists almost entirely of six false skylights, originally lit from above by electric bulbs. These were probably added sometime after this article was written, to provide more light for the portraits.

Alexander Lawrie, a self-portrait
(copy negative from the Herman Berry Collection, 1963)

An article from the same paper following Lawrie’s death on February 16, 1917, noted,

The 158 portraits of civil war generals that Captain Lawrie painted are now in the library of the state soldiers’ home here, 133 having been hung, and twenty-five remaining to be framed. All are to be placed eventually in the state-house in Indianapolis. . . . Many Indianapolis persons have seen the gallery of civil war generals in the library at the state home at Lafayette, and have commented favorably on his work.

The original tile roof seems to have been replaced with slate sometime prior to 1941. The top of the hipped roof was chopped off, and a flat deck built. The reasons for this are unclear, but it may have been intended for a skylight. The roof remodeling may have been contemporary with the addition of the false skylights on the interior of the building. The Lawrie Library was later abandoned by the Indiana State Veterans’ Home, sitting vacant and decaying as water leaked in. The exterior of the building has been restored to its c.1909 appearance during 2002-2003 by the Wabash Valley Trust for Historic Preservation, with assistance from a federal grant. The interior of the building is awaiting funding for restoration and a future use plan. A few of Lawrie’s portraits today hang unprotected in the new library of the Veterans’ Home, while most are hidden away in storage. This valuable art collection sits unappreciated and largely unknown. Contributions to the project will help bring Lawrie’s works back to the public for his original reason—to celebrate the great veterans of Indiana and the United States.

Lawrie Library, 1931 Interior, 1931 "150 portraits of prominent Americans painted by Captain Alexander Lawrie, a former member of the Home, are in the art gallery."
11-2002 Replacement of the tile roof in progress  
  December, 2002 The work continues