The Courtyard Inn Is On Indiana Landmarks' "10 Most Endangered"

The five-building facility built in 1827 was operating as a restaurant up until about three or four years ago.

The Courtyard Inn in Rising Sun. Photo courtesy Indiana Landmarks.

(Rising Sun, Ind.) - A building on Rising Sun’s riverfront is being listed among the most endangered historic buildings in the state of Indiana.

Each year, Indiana Landmarks names the 10 Most Endangered buildings, a list of historic properties in jeopardy of being lost to demolition, disrepair, or development.

Appearing on the list for the first time is The Courtyard Inn in Rising Sun. The five-building facility built in 1827 was operating as a restaurant up until about three or four years ago, but has largely sat vacant and deteriorating since. According to Indiana Landmarks, the owner is selling the property

“The landmarks need a preservation-minded buyer, or several. Sold separately, the structures could return to residential use, although many bemoan the loss of the restaurant and pub that was popular with locals, tourists and casino visitors alike,” the organization’s website states.

Here’s the history of the building, according to Indiana Landmarks. Shadrach Hatahway operated a general store in The Courtyard starting in 1827. In the 1830s, Pinckney James and Able C. Pepper constructed row houses adjacent to the mercantile, filling out the block facing the river.

“The early structures help establish the visual character of the town. For many years, the buildings operated as an inn and popular restaurant that contributed to the town’s resurgence. In the stone-walled basement, adapted as a bar and banquet room, a long-collapsed tunnel to the river served as an intriguing centerpiece.”

The full 10 Most Endangered in 2018 includes one site repeating from last year’s list and nine new entries:

Cannelton Historic District, Cannelton

Commandant’s Row at Indiana Veterans’ Home, West Lafayette

The Courtyard Inn, Rising Sun

Cravenhurst Barn, Madison

Marion National Bank Building, Marion (repeat entry from 2017 list)

Muncie Fieldhouse, Muncie

North Christian Church, Columbus

Old Masonic Hall, Knightstown

Rocky Edge, Terre Haute

Saint Joseph’s College campus, Rensselaer

Another Rising Sun place, The Speakman House, was featured on the list in 2016 and 2017. The 1864-built, 17-room home has been removed from the list, as it was purchased earlier this year by local businessman Mark Banschbach. He plans to transform it into a private residence, office, and community gathering place.

As in the case of the Speakman House, being listed on Indiana Landmarks’ annual 10 Most Endangered list has largely led to properties being saved. Demolition has claimed only 16 of the 131 Most Endangered sites listed since 1991, while 84 places are completely restored or no longer endangered.

“We put places on the endangered list to raise awareness and find ways to save them,” says Marsh Davis, president of the nonprofit preservation organization. “Indiana Landmarks has been able to solve problems, forge partnerships, and create revitalization strategies that wrest these sites from the brink of extinction.”