Establishing Historic Landmark 521 East South Street

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521 East South Street HISTORICAL CONTEXT The location of this house was developed for suburban residential use in the early 1870s, having been platted in 1869 by John Rush. By 1874, a house had been constructed on this lot as indicated in the 1874 bird's eye view published by Chas. Shober & Co. and the 1875 Atlas published by Higgins Belden & Company. according to the Sanborn maps, the prior house appears to have been a gable and wing type. The site was occupied until approximately 1906 when this address is found to be vacant in city directories. In 1911, Hannah Auer purchased this property from Edward Auer. Sometime around this date the present house was constructed. This house was occupied by Hannah and her siblings Margaret and James. Margaret moved from the house in 1914. James became a Captain of the Fire Department. Hannah taught at the South Bend Conservatory of Music. James who retired in 1935 lived in the house until 1952 and Hannah is last listed there in 1954. Irwin Sappington lived in the house in 1960._ In 1971 Silas Boyd purchased the property. It was in turn purchased by Helen Mester. George and Leslie Levitsky purchased' the property in 1992. ARCHITECTURAL DESCRIPTION This two story frame house is located on the north side of South Street and the west side of Rush Street. The foundation is brick. The house is very eclectic in style having generally Queen Ann features in plan and massing including protruding side bays in a more or less cruciform shape, wrap-around porch at the front and street side, and a two story porch at the northeast rear corner. The front porch roof is supported by Tuscan columns. In contrast, the siding and window placement has a evident Prairie style influence with horizontally divided areas of beveled siding at the first story and shingle siding above divided by a stringcourse of drip mould at the second floor window sill line. The main roof of the house and porch are hipped as is common in both the Queen Ann and Prairie styles and the gables over the side bay extensions feature triangulated gable pediments common to Queen Ann design.