Caldwell-Dennis House History

189 N Wabash Street, or the "Caldwell-Dennis House" named in honor or Elizabeth Caldwell, its original owner and Leroy and Lalan Dennis, owners of the home from 1930 to 1973, is a Second Empire home located in the East Wabash Historic District, a National Register of Historic Places district. 

The exact construction date of the Caldwell-Dennis House is unknown, however due to historic research a written account of a former resident stated that the house was built in the 1870's. The house acted as a multi family residence until c. 1920 with Elizabeth Caldwell and subsequently Carey E. Cowgill, son of congressman Calvin Cowgill, living in one section and renting out other areas. 

Following Elizabeth Caldwell's death, the home was used as an income property for the Cowgill family until it was eventually purchased in 1930 by Lalan (Moore) Dennis, beginning the era of significant architectural change. Leroy Dennis, worked as an editor of the Wabash newspaper and established the Dennis Lyceum Bureau, to set up lectures, performances and Chautauqua’s in communities, schools and churches across the Midwest. His firm eventually transformed into the Dennis Film Bureau, where Dennis would show movies out of his car, funded by local merchants. Lelan would become well known in the Wabash area, and in 1963 becoming the third woman ever to receive the Wabash Chamber of Commerce's Distinguished Citizen award. 

Between 1930 and 1950 the Dennis' significantly modified the interior and exterior of their home with the help of noted Indiana Architect A.M. Strauss. Strauss was well known in the area due to his designs for many residential, commercial, and civic buildings, including the Wabash Eagles Theatre. The landscaping was also significantly altered during this period, with many alterations designed by Indianapolis nurseryman Alex Tuchinsky. Tuchinsky, owner of Hillsdale Nursery, was noted for his involvement in a number of well-known landscape projects in the state, including Eero Saarinen's North Christian Church in Columbus, Indiana.