Hitchens House
303 LINCOLN STREET | WILLIAMSPORT, IN, $75,000, BUILT IN 1855
Towering Italianate
Nestled in the quiet Old Town neighborhood of historic Williamsport, the 1855 Hitchens House is a beloved landmark situated on over an acre of land with expansive lawn. Constructed for prominent local business leader Elisha Hitchens and his wife, Mary, the impressive two-story brick Italianate is the surviving mirrored identical twin to the house built next door by their daughter & son-in-law, Sarah & William Kent. Dominating the exterior of the house is the three-story tower uniquely rotated 45 degrees. Other original exterior features include the broad bracketed cornice, tall paired and tripled windows, and sandstone window hoods, sills, and front porch, which match the foundation.
The large enclosed west porch now serves as the main entry into the first-floor public spaces. The entry foyer, living room, dining room, and first-floor bedroom all feature 11-foot ceilings and original wide crown moulding. A slight interior remodel at the turn of the twentieth century added quarter-sawn oak flooring and Neoclassical touches such as the columned fireplace surround in the living room, the decorative Classical trim in the dining room, and the wide openings between spaces. Off the dining room are the main service areas including the kitchen, a ¾ bath, a laundry/mud room, and large storage room with basement access. Located off the laundry/mud room is an attached one-car drive-thru garage not currently accessible from the property’s main drive.
Perhaps the most stunning interior feature is the original spiral staircase curving gracefully from the first floor to the top of the three-story tower where one gains a birds-eye view of the surrounding neighborhood and beyond. The main stairway and rear servant stair provide access to four second-floor bedrooms and a sleeping porch. The bedrooms all feature 10-foot ceilings, hardwood floors, and abundant natural light. The second floor also features an unfinished full bath. See plans for the first and second floors.
The property will be sold as-is with Indiana Landmarks’ protective covenants attached to the deed to ensure long-term preservation. Proof of financing may be requested before a showing will be scheduled.
For more information, contact Tommy Kleckner, director of Indiana Landmarks’ Western Regional Office at 812-249-3116 or tkleckner@indianalandmarks.org.
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