918 Van Buren

Mary Rockhill-Tyler House

1840, Hall & Parlor

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Mary Rockhill married Frederick Tyler on August 19, 1846. At the time, Frederick worked for William Rockhill, Mary’s father who originally owned this house. The 1850 Federal Census for Allen County lists seven people living in this house: Mary and her husband Frederick, their 3 children Susan, Frederick, and Daniel. They also had 2 German boarders.

This home is one of the earliest residences in the city still standing and is a rare example of hall-and-parlor style in northern Indiana. It is the oldest house within the West Central neighborhood. Constructed of brick on a rubble-stone foundation, the Hall & Parlor house plan only has two rooms on the first floor. The “hall” is a multi-purpose room used for cooling, washing, and daily activities. The “parlor” is primarily used as a reception room.

The upper floor has three bedrooms. A fireplace was never built. Residents used a franklin type stove in the parlor and a cooking stove in the hall. The house never had plumbing, running water, or electricity.

ARCH, Inc. our area's historic perseveration organization, has turned this home into a rental unit. Adding plumbing and electricity, the upper floor has one bedroom, a bath, and laundry. The first floor retained the hall and parlor form with a kitchen along one wall in the hall room.