May 1998 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS STAFF REPORT APPLICATION -- 1998-0413 PROPERTY -- 12670 State Road 23 Granger, IN OWNER -- Berkeley Corporation DESIGNATION -- LL RATING -- Outstanding 0/13 STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE/HISTORIC CONTEXT In 1835 M. Isaac Hathaway, of Cass County. Michigan, sold 72.07 acres of. land .located in Section 18 of Harris Township to Daniel Follmer, a settler from Pennsylvania. Mr. Follmer sold the land to John Follmer in October of 1837, who built the house that same year.. Mr. John _Follmer organized the first Township Board in April of 1853 and was elected its first chairman. The Township Board held its first meetings in Mr. Follmer's house. Mr. Follmer was also responsible for helping construct the first school building in Harris Township in 1853 at 'the corner of Adams and Cherry Roads. After the Civil War Mrs. Margaret Follmer, wife of John, became Granger's first postmaster and established the first post office in her home in 1875. Mr. Follmer died in 1865 and Mrs. Follmer passed away in 1906, at which .time the house was left to Mrs. Follmer's brother, Mr. W. C. Kownover.. Mr. Kownover took up where his sister left off by becoming postmaster.' His son Charles Frank took up the torch when his father retired and upon, C.F. Follmers death Mrs. Charles Frank (Nellie) Kownover became postmistress for twenty-five years, eventually selling the house in 1953 to James W. Goff. The house was used as the office of the Township Trustee and Assessor from 1966 to 1974, Mrs. James W. Goff was the elected official. The farmhouse and several. outbuildings were established as a Local Landmark in 1976. Mrs. Goff sold the house to Thomas A. Selsor in 1986. Mr. Sel.sor, president of the Berkeley Corporation, intended to use the building to house a restaurant and shops. Around 1988, the Berkeley Corporation in conjunction with Belinda and Phil Albert opened the Yesterday's Food & Spirits restaurant, which the Berkeley Corporation eventually sold to the Alberts, thus severing the continuity of ownership for the collective farmyard buildings. At the same time the overall legal description of the Landmark was reduced from its original approximate 4.5 acres to approximately 1.6 acres occupied by two approximately equal lots, one with the house and another with the barn and other assorted outbuildings. PROPOSED CHANGE Applicant proposes to expand the existing building by 30 feet in the front and 40 feet in the rear. The additions would utilize the same style and color to match it with the existing building and adjacent barn. The applicant has also proposed an alternative plan consisting of a two story addition with the same floor dimensions noted above, (see drawing #3).