# Rubush & Hunter

Rubush & Hunter was an architectural firm in Indianapolis, Indiana in the United States. Established in 1905 by architects Preston C. Rubush and Edgar O. Hunter, Rubush & Hunter operated until 1939.

## Firm history

Preston C. Rubush and Edgar O. Hunter formed their partnership in 1905. Previously, Rubush had been a member of the firms of Scharn & Rubush and P. C. Rubush & Company. Rubush and Hunter maintained their partnership until 1939, when both retired. In 1940 the firm was taken over by Philip A. Weisenburgh, chief draftsman and designer of the firm. Weisenburgh retired in 1969.

## Partners
### Preston C. Rubush

Preston C. Rubush was born March 30, 1867, in Oakford, Indiana, to William G. and Marie E. (Wyrick) Rubush. His father was a general contractor. He attended public schools and completed a special course in architecture at the University of Illinois. He initially found employment in the Peoria, Illinois, branch office of architect James F. Alexander, based in Lafayette, Indiana. He worked for Alexander for two years, and then for others until 1893. In that year he came to Indianapolis and formed a partnership, Scharn & Rubush, with John H. Scharn. In 1900, Scharn retired, and Rubush continued the business as P. C. Rubush & Company. In 1905, he formed his partnership with Hunter. They remained together until they retired in 1939.
In 1898, Rubush married Renah J. Wilcox of Nebraska. Rubush died February 4, 1947, at his winter home in Miami Beach, Florida. He was survived by his wife and other family members, but no children.

### Edgar O. Hunter

Edgar Otis Hunter was born in 1873 in Versailles, Indiana. He attended public schools in Indianapolis and the University of Pennsylvania. Upon his return to Indianapolis he worked for Vonnegut & Bohn before joining Rubush. He became partner in the firm in 1905, and like Rubush retired in 1939.
In 1899, Hunter married Anna Blanche Lee. He died in Miami Beach, Florida, on November 20, 1949.
Hunter's younger brother, Frank B. Hunter, was also an architect in Indianapolis.

### Philip A. Weisenburgh

Philip Arthur Weisenburgh was born in 1887 in Frankfort, Kentucky. When he joined Rubush & Hunter is unknown, but he was chief draftsman by 1925. He succeeded to the practice when Rubush and Hunter retired in 1939, He himself retired in 1969. He died in Indianapolis November 12, 1972.
His wife was Louise Weisenburgh, with whom he had a daughter. He was a member of the American Institute of Architects from 1942 until his death.

## Legacy

Many of the firm's buildings in Indianapolis have been listed on the United States National Register of Historic Places, and others contribute to listed historic districts.
In addition to their work in Indiana, the firm was hired by Indianapolis developers Carl G. Fisher and Joseph Wesley Young Jr. to do extensive work at their Florida resorts, Miami Beach and Hollywood, respectively. Several of their Hollywood buildings survive, and Rubush and Hunter would both own second homes in Miami Beach.

## Architectural works

| Year | Building | Address | City | State | Notes |
| 1905 | Knights of Pythias Castle Hall | 230 E Ohio St | Indianapolis | Indiana | Presently the Indiana Bar Center. |
| 1906 | Campus development, Indiana School for the Deaf | 1200 E 42nd St | Indianapolis | Indiana | Rubush & Hunter were responsible for the initial seven buildings. As of 2020 only Alumni Hall and some service buildings remain. The campus was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1991. |
| 1906 | Knights of Pythias Lodge No. 56 | 121 E Ohio St | Indianapolis | Indiana | Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1997 as a contributing property to the Washington Street–Monument Circle Historic District. |
| 1907 | House for William S. Craig | 3312 N Washington Blvd | Indianapolis | Indiana | Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1990 as a contributing property to the Meridian Park Historic District. |
| 1907 | Odd Fellows Building | 1 N Pennsylvania St | Indianapolis | Indiana | Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1997 as a contributing property to the Washington Street–Monument Circle Historic District. |
| 1908 | Masonic Temple | 525 N Illinois Ave | Indianapolis | Indiana | Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2008. |
| 1908 | Kothe, Wells & Bauer Company Building | 157 E Maryland St | Indianapolis | Indiana | Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982 as a contributing property to the Indianapolis Union Station-Wholesale District. |
| 1908 | Daniel Stewart Company Building | 50 S Meridian St | Indianapolis | Indiana | Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1997 as a contributing property to the Washington Street–Monument Circle Historic District. |
| 1909 | The Buckingham | 3101-3119 N Meridian St | Indianapolis | Indiana | Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1992. |
| 1909 | Indianapolis City Hall (former) | 202 N Alabama St | Indianapolis | Indiana | Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. |
| 1910 | North factory of the H. Lauter Company | 35 S Harding St | Indianapolis | Indiana | Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2015. |
| 1910 | Sommers Building | 143-149 W Washington St | Indianapolis | Indiana | Demolished. |
| 1911 | Hume-Mansur Building | 23 E Ohio St | Indianapolis | Indiana | Demolished in 1980. |
| 1912 | University Park Building | 333 N Pennsylvania St | Indianapolis | Indiana | In 1929 the building was stripped down to its structure and incorporated into the new Architects and Builders Building. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2019. |
| 1914 | Fidelity Trust Company Building | 148 E Market St | Indianapolis | Indiana | Individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980, and as a contributing property to the Washington Street–Monument Circle Historic District in 1997. |
| 1915 | Henry P. Coburn Public School No. 66 | 604 E 38th St | Indianapolis | Indiana | Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1986. |
| 1915 | Oriental Lodge No. 500 | 2201 Central Ave | Indianapolis | Indiana | Designed in association with Herbert L. Bass & Company and Herbert W. Foltz. The senior principals of all three firms were members of the lodge. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2016. Presently the Prince Hall Masonic Temple. |
| 1916 | Circle Theatre | 45 Monument Circle | Indianapolis | Indiana | Individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980, and as a contributing property to the Washington Street–Monument Circle Historic District in 1997. Now known as the Hilbert Circle Theatre. |
| 1919 | House for Clark E. Mallery | 4160 N Washington Blvd | Indianapolis | Indiana | Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2008 as a contributing property to the Washington Park Historic District. |
| 1920 | Nebraska Cropsey School No. 22 | 1231 S Illinois St | Indianapolis | Indiana | Demolished. |
| 1920 | Flamingo Hotel | 1500 Bay Rd | Miami Beach | Florida | Noted hotel architects Price & McClanahan were also hired to prepare a design, but their plans were not used. The hotel was demolished in 1955. |
| 1920 | Manufacturing facilities for the H. C. S. Motor Car Company | 1402 N Capitol Ave | Indianapolis | Indiana | Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2009. |
| 1921 | Garage for the Hollywood Land and Water Company | 2033-2051 Hollywood Blvd | Hollywood | Florida | Remodeled in 1933 into the Ingram Arcade. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1999 as part of the Hollywood Boulevard Historic Business District. |
| 1921 | Hollywood Hotel | Young Circle | Hollywood | Florida | Later known as the Park View Hotel. Demolished. |
| 1921 | Lincoln Hotel | W Washington St and Kentucky Ave | Indianapolis | Indiana | Demolished during the 1970s. |
| 1922 | Guaranty Building | 20 N Meridian St | Indianapolis | Indiana | Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1997 as a contributing property to the Washington Street–Monument Circle Historic District. The building features architectural carving on the facade by Alexander Sangernebo. |
| 1922 | Masonic Temple (former) | 120 W 7th St | Bloomington | Indiana | Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1990 as part of the Courthouse Square Historic District. |
| 1922 | Addition to the Murat Shrine (former) | 502 N New Jersey St | Indianapolis | Indiana | Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1992 as a contributing property to the Massachusetts Avenue Commercial District. |
| 1923 | Stores for the Hollywood Land and Water Company | 1940-1948 Hollywood Blvd | Hollywood | Florida | Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1999 as part of the Hollywood Boulevard Historic Business District. |
| 1924 | Blue Triangle Hall | 725 N Pennsylvania St | Indianapolis | Indiana | Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988. |
| 1924 | Columbia Club | 121 Monument Circle | Indianapolis | Indiana | Individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983, and as a contributing property to the Washington Street–Monument Circle Historic District in 1997. The building features architectural carving on the facade by Alexander Sangernebo. |
| 1924 | Hollywood State Bank Building | 2001 Hollywood Blvd | Hollywood | Florida | Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1999 as part of the Hollywood Boulevard Historic Business District. |
| 1924 | Reserve Loan Life Insurance Company Building | 429 N Pennsylvania St | Indianapolis | Indiana | Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1990. |
| 1925 | Hollywood Beach Hotel | 101 N Ocean Dr | Hollywood | Florida | Has been stripped of much of its exterior ornament. |
| 1925 | Hollywood Hills Inn | 4000 Hollywood Blvd | Hollywood | Florida | Only used as a hotel for one season. Later occupied by the Riverside Military Academy. Demolished. |
| 1925 | House for Joseph W. Young | 1055 Hollywood Blvd | Hollywood | Florida | Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1989. |
| 1926 | Illinois Building | 17 W Market St | Indianapolis | Indiana | Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1997 as a contributing property to the Washington Street–Monument Circle Historic District. |
| 1927 | Indiana Theatre | 140 W Washington St | Indianapolis | Indiana | Individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979, and as a contributing property to the Washington Street–Monument Circle Historic District in 1997. The building features architectural carving on the facade by Alexander Sangernebo. |
| 1927 | Madam C. J. Walker Building | 617 Indiana Ave | Indianapolis | Indiana | Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980, and a National Historic Landmark in 1991. Now known as the Madam Walker Legacy Center. |
| 1928 | House for Scott C. Wadley | 4750 N Meridian St | Indianapolis | Indiana | Since 1973 the house has been the Indiana Governor's Residence. |
| 1929 | Architects and Builders Building | 333 N Pennsylvania St | Indianapolis | Indiana | Incorporated the structure of the firm's 1912-built University Park Building. Upon completion the building housed the offices of Rubush & Hunter as well as architects Leslie F. Ayres, Pierre & Wright, contracting firms and architectural and building organizations, among other tenants. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2019. |
| 1929 | Circle Tower | 5 E Market St | Indianapolis | Indiana | Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1997 as a contributing property to the Washington Street–Monument Circle Historic District. |
| 1930 | Indiana Garage | 145 E Market St | Indianapolis | Indiana | Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1997 as a contributing property to the Washington Street–Monument Circle Historic District. |
| 1931 | Bottling plant for the Coca-Cola Bottling Company | 858-868 Massachusetts Ave | Indianapolis | Indiana | Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1992 as a contributing property to the Massachusetts Avenue Commercial District. |
| 1937 | H. P. Wasson & Company Building | 2 N Meridian St | Indianapolis | Indiana | Individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1997, and as a contributing property to the Washington Street–Monument Circle Historic District in the same year. |
| 1938 | Remodeling of the Beth-El Zedeck Temple | 3359 Ruckle St | Indianapolis | Indiana | Originally designed in 1924 by Vonnegut, Bohn & Mueller. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2019. |