111 E Second St - The Chandler Hotel

The Chandler Hotel has deep historic roots in Madison. The lot on which it stands was originally granted to William Hendricks in 1816, the year Indiana became a state as well as the year Hendricks became a U.S. Congressman. Later he was Indiana’s third governor and a U.S. Senator. He is buried in Madison’s Fairmount Cemetery.

By 1859, McCubbin and Sons Livery stood on the site and a succession of horse-related businesses followed.

The current two-story brick Italianate style structure was built c. 1870 as the Sam Herin Livery Stable. It has a hip roof covered with standing rib sheet metal that probably replaced the original wood shingles in the early 20th Century. The façade is embellished with decorative sheet metal cornice work. The original brick segmental arch still visible above the Chandler Hotel entrance marquee is a visible vestige of the days when that wide opening afforded access for horses and carriages.

In 1886, W.C. Watt’s Fashion Livery, including an office and a frame carriage house situated west of the building, was here. In the 1890s, then-owner Samuel Herin was recognized as an authority on horses. Years later, historian Ron Grimes noted, “… his advice on horse matters was often sought by those wanting to make an equine purchase. An article of the day describes his stables as a ‘model of beauty and convenience.’” Sam Herin changed his business from a livery stable to a “sale stable” by 1904. Herin also added windows along the east and west sides.

Louis Eisenhardt was the last to use the building as a livery and stable, in fact it was the last livery in Madison. Eisenhardt died in 1935.

Other uses were found for the structure over the years. The Try Me Bottling Works moved from Main Street to this address in 1939. According to The Madison Courier of that day, “Roy Cranford, president and general manager of the concern, has leased the Eisenhardt property, a two-story brick building on Second Street now owned by Vawter Irwin, in which he will install $20,000 worth of new machinery.” Try Me offered such flavors as Red Rock Cola, NuGrape, Rose-Bud Root Beer, Five-O Chocolate, Cheer-Up and Lime-Rickey. Unfortunately, Cranford died a few weeks after this announcement. Someone else took over the bottling works, but it didn’t survive long.

The Madison Courier, with offices nearby on West Street, purchased the building in 1972. The Madison Courier was first published weekly in 1837 and is now considered the second oldest newspaper in Indiana. For 50 years the Courier used this structure for storing large rolls of newsprint that could be moved to the printing press in the Courier building as needed. Curt Jacobs, from the last generation of the Garber family to own the newspaper, remembers helping to paint the interior of the building when he was around 8 years old. He recalls newsprint coming by rail to the west side of the city, near the present location of the wastewater treatment plant, then being off-loaded and taken to this building for storage. Jacobs later became the newspaper’s publisher.

Livery stable … horse sale barn … soda bottling plant … newsprint warehouse. When The Madison Courier quit printing newspapers in Madison, 111 E. Second St. became non-essential. During Madison Main Street’s 2021 Loft Tour, it was highlighted as “raw space” ready for someone to transform. That happened sooner than anyone at the time expected.

Dan and Matt Chandler had a vision for a small boutique hotel in downtown Madison. As they scouted an appropriate building, Curt Jacobs suggested this one. The Chandlers purchased 111 E. Second St. in January 2022. “Our hotel is a love letter to the town of Madison and all of the future guests who will experience a unique and memorable stay” said Matt Chandler, Owner, The Chandler Hotel. “So much intention and thought went into each detail of the property, paying tribute to this incredible destination, while elevating the quality of lodging for savvy travelers with a passion for perfection.”

Barely one year later, The Chandler Hotel opened in the spring of 2023. While retaining much of the original structure, the boutique hotel has a contemporary design that features a rooftop terrace and many local Madison-made guest amenities. A grand staircase leads from the lobby to the second floor. Each of the five second-floor suites has a different theme: LaBelle Riviere, Midnight on Main, The Lanier, Sunset on Broadway and The Stableman’s Quarters. The building of many uses has taken its place as part of Madison’s new downtown industry: tourism.