# Vinegar Hill Historic District

The Vinegar Hill Historic District is a historic district and neighborhood in Bloomington, Indiana, United States. Built primarily in the second quarter of the twentieth century, and located a few blocks south of Indiana University Bloomington campus, Vinegar Hill has been the home of leading Indiana University faculty members. It has inspired literary attention, and it has been designated a historic site.

## Construction

Rapid growth in the importance of Bloomington's limestone industry made limestone company executives wealthy and created heavy demand for skilled stonecutters in the city. As limestone became the city's leading industry in the 1920s, an apple orchard was removed to permit the extension of First Street eastward up a long hill and the platting of a new neighborhood.$^{:xxxvi}$ Several other city neighborhoods, such as the distinctive Prospect Hill, already bore topographical names; according to local tradition, the fermentation of apples from the orchard produced a distinctive smell that became the neighborhood's namesake. The first families to build houses in this new development were those of stonecutters, many of whom were European immigrants. Leading among these families were the Donatos,$^{:89}$ whose members built seven significant houses in the neighborhood. Because so many of the new residents were skilled stoneworkers, they decorated their houses with carvings and sculptures that would have been far too expensive for all but the richest members of society. At the top of Vinegar Hill were the mansions of the wealthy limestone executives; like the workers' houses below them, these homes featured ornate stonework with images such as those of the children of the homeowners. Yet other residents of the district were some prominent Indiana University faculty, including sexology professor Alfred Kinsey, music dean Winfred Merrill, and Nobel-winning biology professor Hermann Muller.$^{:90}$

## Architecture

As limestone workers and owners, the residents of Vinegar Hill naturally looked to limestone as the material for their own houses.$^{:89}$ They used these materials to construct residences in a wide range of architectural styles, including American Craftsman, Neoclassical, and Art Deco. Inside, the houses were also ornate: many feature mantels and balusters of carven stone, and the four houses built by Christopher Donato also include elaborate transoms and lintels. The most prominent houses in the neighborhood are the hilltop homes of the wealthy near the eastern end of the district; here may be found styles such as Tudor Revival and Georgian-influenced Colonial Revival.$^{:90}$ Throughout the district, many houses are found in various forms of Colonial and English Revivals, and multiple Spanish Colonial Revivals are among the most significant residences of the lower part of the hill. Among the books that have concentrated on the architecture of Vinegar Hill is Carol Shields' novel The Stone Diaries, in which the neighborhood is part of the setting for much of the novel.$^{:91}$
Closely related to the neighborhood's distinctive architecture is the unusually significant lawn furniture present around many of the houses. Objects such as detailed individual portraits, carvings of lions and griffins,$^{:89}$ and sculptures of children make the neighborhood unique: it is the only neighborhood anywhere in Indiana in which lawn furniture is a major element of the area's historic nature.

## Historic assessment

Between 1999 and 2001, historic preservation officials working with the city of Bloomington surveyed the entire city and identified over two thousand buildings that were deemed to be historic to one extent or another, most of which were concentrated in several historic districts.$^{:vi}$ Composing one of these districts were sixty-one buildings on Vinegar Hill; deemed contributing properties,$^{:94}$ they help to make the district historic. These buildings were divided into three classifications: Outstanding, Notable, and Contributing. Properties rated as "Outstanding" were deemed to be historically significant enough to deserve consideration for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places by themselves; "Notable" properties were worthy of special consideration, although not likely to be worthy of individual National Register status; "Contributing" locations were seen as significant parts of their historic districts, but not of great significance by themselves. Eight of Vinegar Hill's contributing properties received an "Outstanding" rating, and thirteen were deemed "Notable;" only thirty-one were called "Contributing." The district includes a disproportionately large number of above-average properties: about 13% of the city's sites were named either "Notable" or "Outstanding," in contrast to 40% of those on Vinegar Hill. Particularly unusual is the concentration of eight "Outstanding" properties, which represented one-eighth of all such buildings citywide.
In 2003, a movement started to have Vinegar Hill accorded the national recognition that it was seen as lacking, and the city received a historic preservation grant from the state government for use in the district. In an attempt to have it nominated to the National Register of Historic Places, an Indiana University class began collecting detailed information about the district's houses and interviewed many residents in order to gather support for the proposed nomination. Support grew for according federal recognition to the neighborhood, and it was officially added to the National Register on June 17, 2005. Although the city-designated historic district encompasses fifty-two contributing properties, all of which are buildings, the area designated as historic by the federal government comprises seventy-one contributing buildings and thirty-eight other contributing sites, structures, and objects.

## Table of contributing properties

Download coordinates as:
* KML
* GPX (all coordinates)
* GPX (primary coordinates)
* GPX (secondary coordinates)
Appearing in the table below are the buildings included within the boundaries of the city-designated historic district.
| Rating | Address | Year | Style | Comments |
| Notable | 1001 First Street 39°9′34″N 86°31′20.5″W﻿ / ﻿39.15944°N 86.522361°W﻿ / 39.15944; -86.522361﻿ (1001 1st St.) | 1948 | Dutch Colonial Revival | Home of Hermann Muller;$^{:90}$ known as the "Muller House" |
| Outstanding | 1002 First Street 39°9′33″N 86°31′21″W﻿ / ﻿39.15917°N 86.52250°W﻿ / 39.15917; -86.52250﻿ (1002 1st St.) | 1934 | Spanish Colonial Revival | Known as the "Mazzullo House" |
| Contributing | 1006 First Street 39°9′33″N 86°31′20″W﻿ / ﻿39.15917°N 86.52222°W﻿ / 39.15917; -86.52222﻿ (1006 1st St.) | 1926-27 | Dutch Colonial Revival | |
| Contributing | 1010 First Street 39°9′33″N 86°31′19.5″W﻿ / ﻿39.15917°N 86.522083°W﻿ / 39.15917; -86.522083﻿ (1010 1st St.) | 1945 | American Foursquare | |
| Notable | 1014 First Street 39°9′33″N 86°31′19″W﻿ / ﻿39.15917°N 86.52194°W﻿ / 39.15917; -86.52194﻿ (1014 1st St.) | 1928 | Arts and Crafts/Bungalow | Known as the "Franzman House" |
| Contributing | 1017 First Street 39°9′34″N 86°31′19″W﻿ / ﻿39.15944°N 86.52194°W﻿ / 39.15944; -86.52194﻿ (1017 1st St.) | 1927 | Colonial Revival | Known as "The Manhammer" |
| Contributing | 1018 First Street 39°9′33″N 86°31′18.2″W﻿ / ﻿39.15917°N 86.521722°W﻿ / 39.15917; -86.521722﻿ (1018 1st St.) | 1928 | American Foursquare | |
| Outstanding | 1019 First Street 39°9′34″N 86°31′18″W﻿ / ﻿39.15944°N 86.52167°W﻿ / 39.15944; -86.52167﻿ (1019 1st St.) | 1941 | Art Deco | Built by Chris Donato |
| Contributing | 1022 First Street 39°9′33″N 86°31′17.5″W﻿ / ﻿39.15917°N 86.521528°W﻿ / 39.15917; -86.521528﻿ (1022 1st St.) | 1955 | Tudor Revival | |
| Outstanding | 1025 First Street 39°9′34″N 86°31′17.4″W﻿ / ﻿39.15944°N 86.521500°W﻿ / 39.15944; -86.521500﻿ (1025 1st St.) | 1940 | Art Deco | Built by Chris Donato |
| Contributing | 1026 First Street 39°9′33″N 86°31′16.8″W﻿ / ﻿39.15917°N 86.521333°W﻿ / 39.15917; -86.521333﻿ (1026 1st St.) | 1929 | Spanish Colonial Revival | |
| Contributing | 1104 First Street 39°9′33″N 86°31′15.6″W﻿ / ﻿39.15917°N 86.521000°W﻿ / 39.15917; -86.521000﻿ (1104 1st St.) | 1928 | Colonial Revival | |
| Notable | 1107 First Street 39°9′34″N 86°31′16.8″W﻿ / ﻿39.15944°N 86.521333°W﻿ / 39.15944; -86.521333﻿ (1107 1st St.) | 1938 | Renaissance Revival | Known as the "Donato House" |
| Contributing | 1108 First Street 39°9′33″N 86°31′14.7″W﻿ / ﻿39.15917°N 86.520750°W﻿ / 39.15917; -86.520750﻿ (1108 1st St.) | 1928 | Colonial Revival | |
| Contributing | 1109 First Street 39°9′34″N 86°31′16″W﻿ / ﻿39.15944°N 86.52111°W﻿ / 39.15944; -86.52111﻿ (1109 1st St.) | 1937 | Colonial Revival | |
| Notable | 1111 First Street 39°9′34″N 86°31′15.3″W﻿ / ﻿39.15944°N 86.520917°W﻿ / 39.15944; -86.520917﻿ (1111 1st St.) | 1940-41 | Art Deco | |
| Contributing | 1112 First Street 39°9′33″N 86°31′14″W﻿ / ﻿39.15917°N 86.52056°W﻿ / 39.15917; -86.52056﻿ (1112 1st St.) | 1928 | American Foursquare | |
| Contributing | 1113 First Street 39°9′34″N 86°31′14.7″W﻿ / ﻿39.15944°N 86.520750°W﻿ / 39.15944; -86.520750﻿ (1113 1st St.) | 1937-40 | Colonial Revival | |
| Contributing | 1115 First Street 39°9′34″N 86°31′14″W﻿ / ﻿39.15944°N 86.52056°W﻿ / 39.15944; -86.52056﻿ (1115 1st St.) | 1932-36 | French Renaissance Revival | |
| Outstanding | 1116 First Street 39°9′33″N 86°31′13.2″W﻿ / ﻿39.15917°N 86.520333°W﻿ / 39.15917; -86.520333﻿ (1116 1st St.) | 1928 | Spanish Colonial Revival | |
| Outstanding | 1119 First Street 39°9′34″N 86°31′13.2″W﻿ / ﻿39.15944°N 86.520333°W﻿ / 39.15944; -86.520333﻿ (1119 1st St.) | 1937-40 | Spanish Colonial Revival | Known as the "Anthony House" |
| Contributing | 1120 First Street 39°9′33″N 86°31′12″W﻿ / ﻿39.15917°N 86.52000°W﻿ / 39.15917; -86.52000﻿ (1120 1st St.) | 1928 | Dutch Colonial Revival | |
| Contributing | 1122 First Street 39°9′33″N 86°31′7″W﻿ / ﻿39.15917°N 86.51861°W﻿ / 39.15917; -86.51861﻿ (1122 1st St.) | 1930 | American Foursquare | |
| Notable | 1123 First Street 39°9′34″N 86°31′12″W﻿ / ﻿39.15944°N 86.52000°W﻿ / 39.15944; -86.52000﻿ (1123 1st St.) | 1933 | Spanish Colonial Revival | Known as the "Bruner House" |
| Contributing | 1127 First Street 39°9′34″N 86°31′11.4″W﻿ / ﻿39.15944°N 86.519833°W﻿ / 39.15944; -86.519833﻿ (1127 1st St.) | 1951 | Colonial Revival | |
| Contributing | 1130 First Street 39°9′33″N 86°31′9.6″W﻿ / ﻿39.15917°N 86.519333°W﻿ / 39.15917; -86.519333﻿ (1130 1st St.) | 1928 | Colonial Revival | |
| Contributing | 1200 First Street 39°9′33″N 86°31′8.8″W﻿ / ﻿39.15917°N 86.519111°W﻿ / 39.15917; -86.519111﻿ (1200 1st St.) | 1927 | Renaissance Revival | |
| Contributing | 1202 First Street 39°9′33″N 86°31′8″W﻿ / ﻿39.15917°N 86.51889°W﻿ / 39.15917; -86.51889﻿ (1202 1st St.) | 1926 | Tudor Revival | |
| Notable | 1213 First Street 39°9′34″N 86°31′6.4″W﻿ / ﻿39.15944°N 86.518444°W﻿ / 39.15944; -86.518444﻿ (1213 1st St.) | 1938-39 | Tudor Revival | Known as the "Humphries House" |
| Contributing | 1214 First Street 39°9′33″N 86°31′5.2″W﻿ / ﻿39.15917°N 86.518111°W﻿ / 39.15917; -86.518111﻿ (1214 1st St.) | 1934 | French Provincial | |
| Contributing | 1220 First Street 39°9′33″N 86°31′4.4″W﻿ / ﻿39.15917°N 86.517889°W﻿ / 39.15917; -86.517889﻿ (1220 1st St.) | 1939 | Colonial Revival | |
| Contributing | 1300 First Street 39°9′33″N 86°31′3.2″W﻿ / ﻿39.15917°N 86.517556°W﻿ / 39.15917; -86.517556﻿ (1300 1st St.) | 1928 | Colonial Revival | |
| Notable | 1319 First Street 39°9′34″N 86°31′1.6″W﻿ / ﻿39.15944°N 86.517111°W﻿ / 39.15944; -86.517111﻿ (1319 1st St.) | 1928 | Tudor Revival | Known as the "David Wylie House"; designed and built by Charles A. Pike Construction |
| Notable | 1320 First Street 39°9′33″N 86°31′1″W﻿ / ﻿39.15917°N 86.51694°W﻿ / 39.15917; -86.51694﻿ (1320 1st St.) | 1927 | Tudor Revival | Home of Alfred Kinsey; known as the "Kinsey House". Designed and built by Charles A. Pike Construction |
| Notable | 1323 First Street 39°9′34″N 86°31′1″W﻿ / ﻿39.15944°N 86.51694°W﻿ / 39.15944; -86.51694﻿ (1323 1st St.) | 1928 | Tudor Revival | Known as the "Cline House"; designed and built by Charles A. Pike Construction |
| Outstanding | 1327 First Street 39°9′34″N 86°31′0″W﻿ / ﻿39.15944°N 86.51667°W﻿ / 39.15944; -86.51667﻿ (1327 1st St.) | 1928 | Tudor Revival | Known as the "Woodward House"; designed by Alfred Grindle |
| Notable | 1330 First Street 39°9′33″N 86°30′59.6″W﻿ / ﻿39.15917°N 86.516556°W﻿ / 39.15917; -86.516556﻿ (1330 1st St.) | 1928 | American Foursquare | Known as the "Krebs House" |
| Contributing | 714 Ballantine Road 39°9′34.5″N 86°31′10″W﻿ / ﻿39.159583°N 86.51944°W﻿ / 39.159583; -86.51944﻿ (714 Ballantine Rd.) | 1928 | Colonial Revival | |
| Contributing | 720 Ballantine Road 39°9′34″N 86°31′10″W﻿ / ﻿39.15944°N 86.51944°W﻿ / 39.15944; -86.51944﻿ (720 Ballantine Rd.) | 1927 | Colonial Revival | |
| Contributing | 721 Ballantine Road 39°9′34″N 86°31′8″W﻿ / ﻿39.15944°N 86.51889°W﻿ / 39.15944; -86.51889﻿ (721 Ballantine Rd.) | 1937 | Tudor Revival | |
| Outstanding | 725 Highland Avenue 39°9′34″N 86°31′3″W﻿ / ﻿39.15944°N 86.51750°W﻿ / 39.15944; -86.51750﻿ (725 Highland Ave.) | 1927 | Tudor Revival | Known as the "Irvin Matthews House"; designed by Alfred Grindle |
| Contributing | 700 Jordan Avenue 39°9′36″N 86°31′0″W﻿ / ﻿39.16000°N 86.51667°W﻿ / 39.16000; -86.51667﻿ (700 Jordan Ave.) | 1933 | Tudor Revival | |
| Contributing | 701 Jordan Avenue 39°9′35.4″N 86°30′58″W﻿ / ﻿39.159833°N 86.51611°W﻿ / 39.159833; -86.51611﻿ (701 Jordan Ave.) | 1930 | Tudor Revival | |
| Contributing | 710 Jordan Avenue 39°9′35.4″N 86°30′58″W﻿ / ﻿39.159833°N 86.51611°W﻿ / 39.159833; -86.51611﻿ (710 Jordan Ave.) | 1930 | Tudor Revival | |
| Contributing | 719 Jordan Avenue 39°9′34.5″N 86°30′58″W﻿ / ﻿39.159583°N 86.51611°W﻿ / 39.159583; -86.51611﻿ (719 Jordan Ave.) | 1930 | Colonial Revival | |
| Contributing | 727 Jordan Avenue 39°9′34″N 86°30′58″W﻿ / ﻿39.15944°N 86.51611°W﻿ / 39.15944; -86.51611﻿ (727 Jordan Ave.) | 1930 | Tudor Revival | |
| Notable | 800 Sheridan Drive 39°9′32.4″N 86°30′58″W﻿ / ﻿39.159000°N 86.51611°W﻿ / 39.159000; -86.51611﻿ (800 Sheridan Dr.) | 1938 | Georgian Revival | Known as the "Hoadley House" |
| Notable | 824 Sheridan Drive 39°9′31.5″N 86°30′56.4″W﻿ / ﻿39.158750°N 86.515667°W﻿ / 39.158750; -86.515667﻿ (824 Sheridan Dr.) | 1928 | French Renaissance Revival | Known as the "Merrill House"; designed by Ernest Flagg |
| Notable | 836 Sheridan Drive 39°9′30″N 86°30′55″W﻿ / ﻿39.15833°N 86.51528°W﻿ / 39.15833; -86.51528﻿ (836 Sheridan Dr.) | 1930 | Renaissance Revival | |
| Contributing | 837 Sheridan Drive 39°9′30.8″N 86°30′52.8″W﻿ / ﻿39.158556°N 86.514667°W﻿ / 39.158556; -86.514667﻿ (837 Sheridan Dr.) | 1929 | Tudor Revival | Known as the "Sullivan House" |
| Contributing | 840 Sheridan Drive 39°9′29.2″N 86°30′55.2″W﻿ / ﻿39.158111°N 86.515333°W﻿ / 39.158111; -86.515333﻿ (840 Sheridan Dr.) | 1938 | Tudor Revival | |
| Outstanding | 715-717 Woodlawn Avenue 39°9′34.8″N 86°31′21″W﻿ / ﻿39.159667°N 86.52250°W﻿ / 39.159667; -86.52250﻿ (715-717 Woodlawn Ave.) | 1937 | Eclectic | |