• Posted in: Friday Favorites Friday Favorite: “Hidden Gems”

    Towering stained glass windows… Marble and finely carved woods… Beautiful, hand painted works of art… Is it a cathedral or an art museum about which I wax poetic? No. I opine about the Indiana State Library...

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  • Posted in: Building Language Building Language: Coping

    Coping. The architectural term coping refers to the top course of masonry used to “cap” the top of an exterior wall. Coping is commonly sloped or curved to help divert water away from the building....

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  • Posted in: Friday Favorites Friday Favorite: 6 Trivia Bits, Scottish Rite Cathedral

    * This is the largest Scottish Rite cathedral in the world. * It was designed by George F. Schreiber, architect and member, 1926. * The Indianapolis Scottish Rite Cathedral cost $2.5 Million to build. *...

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  • Posted in: Building Language Building Language: Keystone

    Keystones in South Elevation, Alumni Hall, Indiana School for the Deaf (1200 E. 42nd Street) Keystone. No, today’s Building Language term is not in honor of Keystone Avenue that runs north to south in Indianapolis....

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  • Posted in: Building Language Building Language: Rustication

    Rustication. Rustication is found in ashlar masonry, a finished, stone block laid in horizontal courses with mortar. The term rustication applies when ashlar masonry is arranged so that the face of the stone projects out,...

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  • Posted in: Then & Now Indianapolis Then and Now: Kroger Grocery and Big Al’s Superstore, 4601 N. College Avenue

    Courtesy of Ball State University, University Libraries, Drawings + Documents Archive,                                         Pierre and Wright Architectural...

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  • Posted in: Building Language Building Language: Cornerstone

    Cornerstone. The cornerstone is one of the great features of any historic building. The cornerstone, typically literal in its presentation, is a major stone placed near the bottom corner of a structure. You may hear...

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  • Posted in: Building Language Building Language: Art Deco

    The Circle Tower, 5 East Market St, Art Deco Ornament at Entrance Art Deco. There’s something about the Art Deco style you have to love – I’ve always been drawn to the modern elements of the...

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  • Posted in: Building Language Building Language: Cartouche

    Indiana Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Monument Cartouche, Northeast Corner Cartouche. One might be familiar with the term cartouche as the ellipse frame surrounding a group of Egyptian hieroglyphs. However, the term cartouche can also be applied...

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  • Posted in: Building Language Building Language: Voussoirs

    Stone arched entrance with rough-faced voussoirs, Blacherne Apartments, 402 North Meridian Street Voussoirs. The use of arches in masonry is widespread across historic buildings in Indianapolis. However, today’s Building Language term explores the vocabulary associated...

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  • Posted in: Building Language Building Language: Quoin

    St. Mary’s Academy/Academy of the Arts, 429 Vermont Place with Quoins Quoin. Constantly trying to find ways to use the intractable letter Q into your Scrabble vocabulary? Today’s Building Language term should help your plight....

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  • Posted in: Historic Miscellania Old City Hall

    Formerly the New City Hall After years of having offices in the basement of the beautiful old Marion County courthouse, the city offices had to relocate to make space for the expanding county business. Indianapolis...

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