James Whitcomb Riley Museum, Indianapolis

The James Whitcomb Riley Museum Home, located in the historic Lockerbie Square Historic District of Indianapolis, is a preserved gem of 19th-century architecture and culture. It is one of two homes known as the James Whitcomb Riley House on the National Register of Historic Places and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1962 for its connection to the celebrated "Hoosier Poet," James Whitcomb Riley (1849–1916).

Constructed in 1872 by Indianapolis baker John R. Nickum, the house's origins are tied to Nickum's Civil War-era success in supplying the Union Army with hardtack, a durable yet unpopular soldier ration. Ownership passed to Nickum's daughter Magdalena and her husband, lawyer Charles Holstein, who, in 1893, invited Riley to reside with them. Riley lived in a second-floor bedroom for 23 years, contributing to household expenses during his stay.

After the deaths of Riley and the Holsteins, the house was purchased by William Fortune in 1916, who later transferred ownership to the James Whitcomb Riley Memorial Association. Its swift preservation ensured that most of the original furnishings and household items from Riley's time, excluding the kitchen, remain intact.

A fine example of Italianate architecture, the two-story brick house boasts a stone foundation, slate-shingled hipped roof, and decorative features like overhanging eaves, a central tower, and tall windows with masonry crowns. Inside, hand-carved hardwood decor and innovations like speaking tubes and an attic-fed water system showcase its 19th-century sophistication, now updated with electric lighting.

Run by the Riley Children's Foundation, the museum showcases artifacts from Riley's life, including his favored wicker chair and the bed where he passed on July 22, 1916. Celebrated for its architectural beauty and poetic heritage, the home stands as a cultural landmark in Lockerbie Square, offering insight into Riley's life and era.