Homes of the Kitchen Industry

These homes were built for or by the men who built the kitchen industry in Nappanee. You will be going through Nappanee's East Historic District. The East Historic District was added to the National Registry of Historic places in 2003.

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Homes of the Kitchen Industry

Nappanee, Indiana 46550, United States

Created By: Nappanee Public Library

Tour Information

Ever drive through Nappanee and notice some of the beautiful homes that are speckled along US 6 in the Historic East District? Ever wonder what their stories are and who built them? Homes of the Kitchen Industry takes you through Nappanee’s Historic East District and you will learn about the Mutschler, Coppes and Zook family homes and the history behind them and the men who built them. Learn about what home in Nappanee was designed by well-known architect E. Hill Turnock. Find out about what home in Nappanee used to be three floors but now only has two. Learn about how one home was relocated to make way for Nappanee’s post office. Find out which house in Nappanee was the House the Depression built since it was built during the depression and they used recycled materials to save money.

Please remember that these are private homes.


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What You'll See on the Tour

At one time, Nappanee was the Kitchen Capital of the World! We were one of the largest kitchen cabinet making cities in the country. It started in 1873 when a sawmill was one of Nappanee's first industries, and it was a thriving b... Read more
Located at 252 East Walnut St., this home was built in 1924. Prominent Elkhart architect E. Hill Turnock designed this unusual Mediterranean Revival style home for the Lamar Mutschler family.  Lamar was the son of Albert and Mary Alice M... Read more
In 1884, business grew for the Coppes Brothers and they erected a brick building. The Nappanee Furniture Company had started in 1881. In 1893, Albert Mutschler came to Nappanee to manage the Nappanee Furniture Company. The Mutschler Br... Read more
Located at 258 East Walnut Street, this home was built in 1910. The architect Henry Frazier designed the home for Albert and Mary Alice Mutschler.  The Mutschler family moved to Goshen when Albert's family purchased the I-XL furniture com... Read more
In 1886 the Nappanee Milling Company was established by the Coppes Brothers, John, Sam, and Frank. In the 1890s, the Coppes Brothers made all of Dr. Miles shipping boxes. Albert and Charles Mutschler joined Coppes Brothers in 1902 a... Read more
Located at 201 North Madison Street, This home was built in 1935 for Carlyle Mutschler. It is a Tudor style structure. It features Cotswold stone and has many other distinctive features like the wall dormers, slate roofing, leaded-glass cas... Read more
By 1904, Coppes, Mutschler, and Zook were making chamber suits, sideboards, tables, and kitchen furniture and creating lumber, packing boxes and building materials. Factory A (former Nappanee Furniture Company) makes extension and libr... Read more
Located at 351 East Walnut Street was Muzzy's house. This home was built in 1936 and was designed by Lamar Mutschler for his mother-in-law Luella Slipher aka Muzzy. It is a combination of English Cottage and Tudor Revival architectural sty... Read more
In 1912, Daniel Zook died and the partnership dissolved with Mutschler Brothers. After this, Albert and Charles Mutschler formed Mutschler Brother Company. Harold Zook, son of Daniel, continued running the flour mill, and... Read more
Located at 153 North Hartman Street, the Richard Chapman home or "The House the Depression Built" was built in 1929. It gained the nickname "The House the Depression Built" because of using recycled materials to help cut costs and it gave m... Read more
By 1916, Coppes Bros., and Zook, Inc. emerged as a firm devoted exclusively to the manufacturer of Kitchen cabinets. The worktop of kitchen cabinets was covered with nickeloid or aluminum over a wood frame. By 1920 two million Hoosier c... Read more
Located at 352 East Market Street, it was built in 1910 for Harvey and Nellie Coppes. It was designed by Henry Frazier and is an Arts and Crafts architectural style. The original cost of the home was an estimated cost of $8,000-$10,000. In... Read more
In 1927, Richard Chapman joined Mutschler Brothers Company and was in charge of advertising and sales promotion. In 1928 Coppes added modular kitchen cabinets to their catalog and were available in gray, white, green and yellow. The M... Read more
Located at 302 East Market Street is one of the best examples of Queen Anne architectural style. It was built in 1887 and completed in 1893 for Frank and Katherine Coppes. Henry Frazier was the architect who designed the protruding bays, va... Read more
In 1942, The Hoosier Manufacturing Company was sold and liquidated. Also in 1942, the Lazy Susan cabinet was introduced by Coppes.
Located at 258 East Market Street, this home was built for John and Malinda Coppes and was designed by Henry Frazier. It was completed in 1895 and is a Queen Style home.  It featured a gorgeous wraparound porch, high pitched roofs, a tower... Read more
During World War II, Coppes built fuel tanks for B-25s and B-26s, roof sections for GI housing, ammunition boxes, bomb racks, tent floors and motor mounts for life rafts. In 1944, Coppes purchased the Lamb and Greene building for the Nappan... Read more
Located at 252 East Market Street, this home was built for Daniel and Elizabeth Zook. H.F. Frazier was the architect.  At one time this home has three floors and shared a carriage porch with the John Coppes home.  Daniel Zook moved to Nap... Read more
The Sellers Company, another kitchen cabinet making company in Indiana, ceased operations after struggling financially in the 1950s. In the 1950s Mutschler entered the school equipment field with cabinetry for home economics classrooms ... Read more
Formally located at 202 East Market Street, this home was built for Samuel and Elizabeth Coppes. It was most likely built in the 1870s-1880s. In 1885 Samuel put down a concrete sidewalk in front of his home. He did all the work himself and ... Read more

 

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