PLAINFIELD, Ind. — The historic "Little House" in Plainfield will soon be relocated.
The Town of Plainfield and Hendricks Regional Health will be moving the house from its current location, just north of US 40 and Vandalia Boulevard, to a new site to "preserve its legacy," according to a news release.
Officials said the move will only take a few hours.
“The Town is proud of this partnership to preserve the historic Little House,” said Robin Brandgard, the Town of Plainfield Town Council President. “In April, the Town of Plainfield and Hendricks Regional Health announced their intent to preserve the Little House. Since then, owner James (Jim) Wheeler has prepared and stabilized the home and built a new foundation at its new location. We are excited to be a part of another preservation effort in the Town of Plainfield.”
The home was built between 1885 and 1891 by Thomas and Louisa Little. It features Queen Anne style elements such as a corner turret, a wrap-around porch, fishscale shingles and ornate wooden windows.
"The Little House had fallen into disrepair and remained unoccupied for years until Hendricks Regional Health purchased the property in 2017 to expand healthcare services in Plainfield and further west," Stephanie Singh, a spokesperson for Plainfield, said. "The nonprofit health system has actively sought solutions to honor the home's history, and the community has championed its preservation, gathering nearly 9,000 petition signatures."
Singh said relocating the Little House to the northern edge of the Hendricks property will allow for future development while preserving the historic structure.
“This project is a great example of how partnerships help us care for each other,” Dr. Michelle Fenoughty, President & CEO of Hendricks, said. “Our heartfelt thanks go to the Town of Plainfield Town Council, Mr. Wheeler and the community for their support. We are preserving a cherished piece of our shared history by working together.”
Officials said the relocated Little House will become Wheeler’s permanent residence.
