Lane Place is the Greek revival home of Senator Henry S. and Joanna Lane. Lane was a U.S. Representative, U.S. Senator and helped found the Republican Party.
Lane Place was built by Senator Henry Smith Lane (1811–1881) and his wife, Joanna Elston Lane (1826–1914). Joanna’s niece, Helen Elston Smith, inherited the home and eventually deeded the house and its contents to the Montgomery County Historical Society. After some renovation, the home became a museum that preserves and displays furnishings and objects belonging to the Lanes or the Elston family and items from Montgomery County.
The historic house has evolved over the years. Around 1830, there was a cabin built on the site. In 1845, the front portion of the home was built when Henry and Joanna were married. The cabin was treated as a summer kitchen cabin. It was not connected to the main house until 1870 when the library was added. Extensive work was done in 1890 when the upstairs was expanded, the roof lines were altered, and the space between the front house and the cabin was enclosed.
The Speed Cabin, once a haven for runaway slaves, is located on the north side of the grounds.
Also available:
Self-Guided Walking Tour, Elston Grove Residential Area
Self-Guided Walking Tour, Trees of Lane Place
Location
212 S Water Street
Crawfordsville, IN 47933
Crawfordsville, IN 47933
Phone Number
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