After publishing a blog post based on a property history report I completed for a client living on the north edge of Garfield Park, a resident on the south side reached out, wanting to know more about their home. I was excited to dive into the history of their neighborhood—it offered another opportunity to explore a seemingly ordinary place. These are the places I’m drawn to most. Their stories are often scattered or forgotten, and I find a deep sense of purpose in bringing

This post picks up where the first left off. If you haven’t already, you may want to start with Part 1 before reading on. Last time, we ended with William Irwin, who built the house in 1880 with his wife, Sarah Sandusky. William sold the property in 1899. By then, Sarah and their daughter, Susan, were estranged from him and living in Danville. The McDaniel family William and his third wife, Mary Denny, sold the house and forty acres of farmland to Sarah’s cousin, Christopher

I’m passionate about researching and preserving old homes that belonged to regular people. These are the houses we pass by on our daily drives, the places where ordinary lives unfolded minute by minute, year by year. Often, the most relatable and interesting histories come from these familiar dwellings. The home of a recent client—featured in the blog below—is a perfect example. -Mark Belloni Research Consulting Tucked near the bottom of page 11 in the April 4, 1929, issue o

Much of my work as a public historian focuses on historic houses and their architectural significance. The Architectural Spotlight series briefly highlights some of the most recognizable and important architectural styles in American history, helping readers better understand the primary characteristics of each. If you’re interested in my professional historic research and National Register nomination services, you can learn more here . As of late, I have been working on a Na

I sometimes wish I could time-travel—not to live in another century permanently, but just to drop in for a day or two. The reason wouldn’t be to escape the modern world (I’m quite content with antibiotics, electricity, and women’s rights). It would be to experience the built environment of the past. To walk down streets where schools, churches, homes, and courthouses were crafted with proportion, ornament, and pride, and to compare that experience to the strip malls, subdivis

I was excited to see the town of Plainfield in Hendricks County launch its Curb Appeal Grant Program . The program, which has been promoted by the town as a vehicle for historic preservation, offers owners of homes built in 1939 or earlier matching funds to improve the exterior of their properties. Reimbursement grants of up to $5,000 are being offered—a generous sum. Out of all the towns in Hendricks County, Plainfield boasts one of the most intact and varied collections of

My work as a historian is deeply shaped by my personal experience of living in, researching, and restoring a historic home over the past seven years. This experience gives me a unique connection to the work I do for my clients. I channel the passion I have for my own home into the research I conduct for others, whether I’m writing a narrative history of a property or preparing a nomination for the National Register of Historic Places . In this blog post, I’d like to briefly

April 9, 2026 Update: This post was originally published in 2025 but remains applicable today, as the federal FY 2027 budget request again calls for the near-elimination of the Historic Preservation Fund. Scearce House, built 1852. Danville, Indiana. Currently under consideration for listing on the National Register of Historic Places. One of the reasons I’m passionate about historic preservation has nothing to do with history or old buildings. It’s that preservation has been

Both of my parents are from northeastern Ohio, so I’ve been making trips to the area my entire life. Despite that, I had never heard of Akron’s Stan Hywet Hall until just a year ago. When I finally visited, I was floored. The house is a breathtaking Tudor Revival mansion nestled at the heart of a sprawling estate. It was built between 1912 and 1915 by F. A. Seiberling, co-founder of the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, and his wife, Gertrude. There are ten thousand things to

Much of my work as a public historian focuses on historic houses and their architectural significance. The Architectural Spotlight series briefly highlights some of the most recognizable and important architectural styles in American history, helping readers better understand the primary characteristics of each. If you’re interested in my professional historic research and National Register nomination services, you can learn more here . Greek Revival architecture dramatically

This blog post came to be serendipitously after I stumbled across a few intriguing newspaper articles while researching a nearby, unrelated property. I kept pulling the proverbial thread until the full story began to take shape—one that I’ve outlined below. This kind of discovery is at the heart of my work. If you’re interested in uncovering the history of another property, you can learn more about my services here . -Mark Belloni Research Consulting If you’ve ever driven eas

North Salem Methodist Episcopal Church (Now United Methodist) c. 1923, shortly after its dedication. Photo courtesy of the Indiana Album, Riley Case Collection . I’m a sucker for old churches. Maybe it has something to do with being raised Catholic, but if I see an old church, I have to go inside. Hendricks County, Indiana, has been home to some magnificent churches, but unfortunately, many of them have been lost. I’m thinking of the red brick St. Malachy Church in Brownsburg

National Register of Historic Places recognition plaque If you love historic buildings, you’ve probably seen a plaque that reads: This property has been placed on the National Register of Historic Places by the United States Department of the Interior.  The National Register of Historic Places is the nation’s official list of properties significant to American history, at the local, state, or national level. But what exactly does National Register listing mean? How did this p

St. Louis Union Station, seen from across Market Street. My father-in-law is a big St. Louis sports fan, so we try to make a trip to the city every year to catch a Cardinals or Blues game. Tradition dictates that we stay at the Union Station Hotel. The first time I visited, I was awestruck, and it’s quickly become one of my favorite historic sites in the country. Completed in the Romanesque Revival style in 1894, St. Louis Union Station was, at the time, the largest train sta

Whether you're researching a house, a community, a person, or an entire family, historic newspapers are an invaluable resource. Every...

Sanborn maps are incredibly valuable sources available to anyone researching historic homes. First printed in the 1860s and continuing well into the 20th century, the primary purpose of these maps was to help fire insurance companies assess risk in urban areas. No longer used for their original purpose, Sanborn maps today serve as unique historical records, offering details pertaining to property boundaries, building footprints, window and door layouts, construction materials

Tax records , deeds, maps , and photographs are all sources readily available to house historians . Sometimes, however, historians are fortunate to find sources that are both unusual and incredibly valuable. One such source is part of the collection at the Hendricks County Historical Museum: a watercolor painting titled A Quiet Village . Allegedly painted by Reverend William E. Hinshaw around 1895, the painting depicts the small village of Belleville, Indiana. Watercolor pain

Much of my work as a public historian focuses on historic houses and their architectural significance. The Architectural Spotlight series briefly highlights some of the most recognizable and important architectural styles in American history, helping readers better understand the primary characteristics of each. If you’re interested in my professional historic research and National Register nomination services, you can learn more here . When driving around the rural Midwest,

When researching house and family histories , one of my favorite things to do is discover the local placenames that were historically synchronous with the subjects of my research. Placenames often reveal hidden stories, forgotten landmarks , and deep connections to the people who shaped a community. They add a layer of depth that traditional historical sources sometimes lack. Hopkins Ford in Brown Township, Hendricks County, is one such placename. In the not-so-distant past,

As we drive through the places we call home, it's easy to take the landscape for granted, overlooking the layers of history hidden in plain