WABASH, Ind. (WOWO): A historic building in Wabash, slated for demolition, will receive upgrades thanks to Indiana Landmarks.
The historic Wabash Sheriff’s House and Jail, built around 1880 and replaced by a new jail in 1979, has been vacant and deteriorating since 2004. Indiana Landmarks included the building on its 10 Most Endangered list in 2014 and paid for temporary roof repairs.
After Indiana Landmarks and the Wabash County Commissioners spent a year searching without success for a new owner of the structure at 31 West Main Street, the commissioners once again considered demolition. Instead, the commission decided to give the building to Indiana Landmarks with the $75,000 it would have spent on demolition.
The nonprofit preservation organization will match the $75,000 and this summer will put a new roof on the building, restore the masonry, overhangs, and windows, paint trim, and install a handicap ramp.
“The porch added in the 1930s doesn’t suit the elegant Italianate building, so we’ll replace it with one in keeping with the original architecture,” says Paul Hayden, director of Indiana Landmarks’ northeast field office. “Inside, we’ll clear debris and remove modern paneling and dropped ceilings,” he adds.
