1133 W. Washington

1887, Free Classic Queen Anne

3300 sq ft

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Built in 1887 for Charles Jacobs, the Italianate and Queen Anne style brick structure features a centered gable and a low-pitched roof with eaves embellished by decorative brackets. Other features include a rusticated stone foundation; stone water table, belt courses, window sills, and lintels; flared chimneys; and patterned masonry panels on the main façade. The paneled double door main entrance still retains its glass transom displaying the pre-1902 house number of “297.”

Born in Germany, Charles Jacobs arrived in the United States at age 18. He settled in Fort Wayne in 1865 where he ran a bakery business for forty years. He died in 1910 at the age of 78, while still residing in this home.

The current owners bought this house in 2015. Previously a 4-unit apartment, the house sat empty for about 10 years before being purchased. The condition was said to be "decrepit," and the front exterior was covered with overgrown bushes, making the home nearly invisible. The new owners discovered a refrigerator and Crock-Pot that still had food in them from a decade before.

The house underwent an extensive renovation. The 3 story, 3 bedroom home features wood floors, an open floor plan on the main floor, original stained glass windows, and a second-story deck above the garage. Just inside the second story deck is a small kitchenette with a built-in Kegerator. Most of the front staircase, wood trim, fireplaces, and second story floor are believed to be original to the home.

The current owners have also installed a community garden and Little Free Pantry along the side of the house.

Turn around and you will see a traffic box covered in art. This was a 2020 initiative by the West Central Neighborhood Association to bring more color and art into the neighborhood. When completed, there will be 3 art-covered boxes along the edges of the historic district, along major thoroughfares.

Next, continue heading west on Washington, crossing College and Rockhill, and take a left at Garden Street.