Tour
Stop
Shrewsbury-Windle
House
to open for a special
sneak peek tour
The
19th-century treasure
to be a Christmas treat
Staff
Report
One of Americas greatest 19th century architectural
wonders, the Shrewsbury-Windle House, was recently deeded to Historic
Madison Inc. preservation organization by the estate of Ann S. Windle.
The home, formerly the residence and antique gallery of the late John
and Ann Windle, will be preserved and re-opened to the public as a museum,
HMI officials said.
To celebrate this early Christmas present with the community, HMI will
offer a special sneak peek of the home to ticket holders
of the annual Nights Before Christmas Candlelight Tour of Homes at no
extra cost. Availability of the Shrewsbury-Windle House for this special
offering may vary from the Candlelight Tour schedule Friday and Saturday,
Dec. 2-3.
|
Photo
courtesy of HMI
The
home of Historic Madison Inc.
founders John and Ann Windle will
be open to the public during special
hours for ticket holders of the
Nights of Christmas Candlelight.
Tour
of Home on Dec. 2-3.
|
Historic Madison Inc. is pleased to make this wonderful
building available to the public once again, said John Staicer,
HMIs president. Ann and John Windle entertained thousands
of guests at the Shrewsbury-Windle House over the course of more than
50 years. They would be happy knowing the public will once again enjoy
this amazing landmark.
The house was built in 1846-1849 for Capt. Charles L. Shrewsbury and
his family. It was designed in the Classic Revival style by Francis
Costigan, Indianas most distinguished pre-Civil War architect
and master builder. Costigan designed a number of other Madison buildings,
including the state-owned J.F.D. Lanier Mansion and the Francis Costigan
House, located on Third Street and now an HMI house museum.
The Shrewsbury-Windle House was designated a National Historic Landmark
in 1994 by the U.S. Secretary of the Interior as one of the most important
architectural treasures in America.
The Windles bought the home and moved from Chicago in 1948 to save it
from being turned into a rooming house. The Windles lived in it and
operated it as an antiques gallery, opening it to the public from the
late 1940s until 2005. They founded HMI in the Shrewsbury-Windle House
in 1960 to preserve Madisons outstanding nationally significant
architecture.
As the not-for-profit organizations first president, John Windle
oversaw a wide range of property acquisitions and activities to bring
attention to, and assist in the preservation of, Madisons large
and nationally significant collection of 19th architectural gems. Madisons
historic district includes more than 1,600 19th and early 20th century
buildings including a vibrant commercial core, residential neighborhoods,
churches, school buildings and even industrial structures.
During the Nights Before Christmas Candlelight Tour, six rooms of the
Shrewsbury-Windle House, plus the first and second floor halls with
its spiral staircase will be available for viewing. Rooms included
are the elegant drawing rooms on the first floor and the Windle Decorative
Arts Collection rooms and two bedrooms on the second floor.
For tickets and information about the Nights
Before Christmas Candlelight Tour of Homes, call VisitMadison Inc. at
(812) 265-2956 or visit: www.visitmadison.org.
For more information about the Shrewsbury-Windle House, contact HMI
at 500 West St., Madison or call (812) 265-2967.
Back to December
2011 Articles.