For those of you who have been perfecting recipes since last year, here’s your big chance to win the Golden Ladle or Cornbread Plate — HMP’s de facto trophies! The judges will NOT accept bribes nor will they be swayed by threats or taunts, so let’s keep it clean this year.

Those who wish to compete must deliver their dishes by 4:45 pm to be included in the competition. Each competing dish is given a number, so the judges are “blind” to the creator, but not to the creation. Newcomers to the competition are welcome (and encouraged) to compete.

Our thanks to Tour Chair Cassie Mehlman-Rhys and to tour Steering Committee members Doug Day, Sharon Gamble, Kara Haughey, Margie Luchtman, Abby and Ben Nicol, Larry Sanner, Jay van Santen, and Lorraine Phillips Vavul for their leadership, imagination, and dedication in managing the tour activities. Special thanks to our neighbor and talented graphic designer, Katie Wertz, for creating our tour logo, all tour promotional materials, and the tour program. Also many thanks to David Bartley, neighbor and writer extraordinaire, for writing the copy for the home tour program. We would also like to thank Lee Smith for coordinating signage and once again graciously hosting the Friday evening Twilight Tour, Mark Herner and Joe Wood for their help in researching the architecture and the amenities of a century ago, Tina Noel for her exemplary PR initiatives, Krista Edstene for being our social media guru, and Brett Edstene for often picking up the slack when things didn’t go as planned. Also thanks to Don Watson for his prep and clean up efforts and Carlene Hiner for distribution of promotional materials.

For our “Front Porches: Reflecting & Connecting” home and garden tour, we especially thank our Home and Garden owners who allowed their properties to be put on display (including the countless hours of preparation to make their homes shine!): David Bartley and Annie Owen, John Carmer, Sharon Gamble, Jerry Johnson, John Chirgwin, Ken Keene, Jess LaNore, City-County Councilor Jackie Nytes and Michael O’Brien, Jeff and Stacey Patrick, Ben Solomon, Hope Tribble, State Senator Thomas Wyss, and the Trinity Episcopal Church Cloister Garden. We’d also like to thank our “welcoming porch” owners for their hospitality: Gretchen and Greg Turner, Jean and Lamar Richcreek, and Doug Day.

Special thanks to the vintage automobile owners who brought their cars here free of charge as well as to Mark Webb for coordinating the vintage car display. Special thanks to the musicians who donated their time and talent to entertain our patrons. Also special thanks to Ripple Bagel & Deli and The Goodie Box who provided food and beverages to our many guests.

Running a home and garden tour is a huge undertaking that could not be done without hundreds of volunteers. Our hats off to the more than 200 volunteers and docents helping us over the two-day tour; without them, this tour would not have been possible! We apologize for not having enough space to give them the individual recognition they deserve. Also special thanks to our tour sponsors: Mapleton Fall Creek Development Corporation (MFCDC), Wilds Restoration Services LLC, and Kevin Warren of Prudential Realty, as well as the many generous businesses who purchased ads in our program that underwrote many of our tour expenses.

We would also like to thank Trinity Episcopal Church, Broadway United Methodist Church, and Tabernacle Presbyterian Church for their continuing, generous support of the tour. Many thanks to Dick Luchtman, HMP’s “Titan of Trash” for helping our neighborhood look its best, to Printing Partners for their role in providing beautiful and affordable printed materials, and to Jay van Santen for his photography talents and expertise. Also thanks to Marsh Supermarkets, Old National Bank, and the Mapleton Fall Creek Development Corporation (MFCDC) for selling advance tickets on behalf of the tour.

Last, but not least, we thank you for visiting our neighborhood and appreciating the historic homes and community within Historic Meridian Park. We always enjoy offering these tours and hope that you left the tour with some new ideas about Indianapolis history, a new appreciation of Arts & Crafts architecture, and a new opportunity to “reflect and connect” on one of our welcoming porches!

Tickets

Advance tickets are available for $13 at:

• The following Marsh Supermarkets:
  • 01, 8766 E. 96th Street    Fishers    IN, 46037
  • 04, 5249 E. Thompson Rd., Indianapolis 46237
  • 6, 6243 E. Washington St., Indianapolis    46219
  • 14, 2140 East 116th Street, Carmel 46032
  • 17, 7400 E. Fishers Station, Fishers 46038
  • 19, 1440 E. 86th Street, Indianapolis 46240
  • 21, 10679 N. Michigan Rd., Zionsville 46077
  • 37, 14450 Mundy Drive, Noblesville 46060
  • 38, 5624 Georgetown Rd., Indianapolis 46254
  • 41, 5151 E. 82nd Street, Indianapolis 46250
  • 46, 6121 Crawfordsville Rd., Speedway 46224
  • 48, 35 Lynhurst, Indianapolis 46224
  • 52, 2002 Stafford Road, Plainfield 46168
  • 58, 17901 River Avenue, Noblesville 46062
  • 72, 2135 N. Post Road, Indianapolis 46219
  • 73, 10901 E. Washington, Indianapolis 46229
  • 79, 7481 Shadeland, Indianapolis 46250
  • 80, 1960 E. Greyhound Pass, Carmel 46032
  • 83, 6965 W. 38th Street, Indianapolis 46254
  • 90, 1435 W. 86th Street, Indianapolis 46260
  • 93, 2350 Broadripple Ave., Indianapolis 46220
  • 104, 5830 W. 86th Street, Indianapolis 46278
  • 209, 320 N. New Jersey, Indianapolis 46204
• The following Old National Bank Branches:
  • Broad Ripple branch at 6135 North College Ave.
  • Downtown Indy branch at 136 North Delaware St.
  • Glendale branch at 6100 North Keystone Ave.
• Mapleton Fall-Creek Development Corporation (MFCDC) at 30th and Pennsylvania/Talbott Streets

On June 26 and 27, the days of the tour, tickets may be purchased on site at Trinity Episcopal Church, 3243 N. Meridian St., for $15.  Trinity is the suggested starting point for the tour, and parking is available in the lot north of the church.  Tour homes will be open from noon to 5 p.m. on both days of the tour.  Please note that the “Tuckaway” home will only be open to the public on Sunday.

“Front Porches: Reflecting and Connecting” Theme of First Home Tour in 4 Years

Historic Meridian Park, one of Indianapolis’ pre-eminent early 20^th century neighborhoods, will offer a rare glimpse inside a number of its beautifully maintained and restored homes, as well as some of its gorgeous porches, gardens and antique cars, during the 2010 Tour of Homes set for June 26 and 27, from noon to 5 PM.

Located within Mapleton Fall Creek, Historic Meridian Park is bounded by Pennsylvania St. and Washington Blvd. from 30^th to 34^th streets.  Tour organizers say they’re looking forward to sharing the splendor of their near north side community with the public for the first time since 2006.  In particular, they’re excited to shine the spotlight on the front porches in their neighborhood, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

“We decided on ‘Front Porches: Reflecting and Connecting’ as our theme because our porches illustrate not just the beauty of our neighborhood, but also utility and social connection,” said Cassie Mehlman-Rhys, chair of the 2010 Tour of Homes.  “Just as a kitchen serves as a gathering place within a home, a front porch serves as the same kind of place for a neighborhood.  I’ve met many of my neighbors, and made many friends, by simply sitting on my front porch and greeting people as they come and go.”

Tour attendees will be invited to stop and take a breather at “welcoming porches” between their visits to houses.  Antique cars will be found in the 3200 block of Pennsylvania St..; food and drinks can be purchased on Washington Ct.

Also of note for 2010, six of the tour homes have been restored to their former glory after being gutted down to the studs.  But you’d never know it with the attention to historic detail that has been preserved.

One home currently in the beginning stages of major renovations will be opening its doors to tour goers.

“We want to showcase the sometimes long and difficult work that goes into maintaining and restoring homes that are more than 100 years old,” Mehlman-Rhys added.  “Seeing a renovation project in progress is often inspiring.”

Among Indianapolis’ first suburbs, Historic Meridian Park is best known for its Arts & Crafts architecture, including Mission-, American Four-Square-, and Prairie-style homes; but it also features outstanding examples of Tudor, Dutch Colonial Revival, Italian Villa and French Eclectic styles.  All of the buildings in the area reflect the use of natural materials such as brick, stucco, wood siding and tile, and they emphasize visible structural elements such as beams and large overhangs.

Profits from the 2010 Tour of Homes will benefit neighborhood beautification as well as ongoing neighborhood projects.

In the Press

Don’t miss the excellent article about the home tour in the Urban Times.

Homes on The Tour

The following homes and gardens (listed with their owners and notes) are currently scheduled to participate in the Historic Meridian Park 2010 Tour of Homes:

• 201 Washington Ct.; Jerry Johnson; American Foursquare
• 215 Washington Ct.; Annie Owen and David Bartley; Garden oasis on unique Washington Ct.
• 3015 Pennsylvania St., Apt. 12 Esplanade; John Carmer; Three-story apartment in Historic Esplanade Apartments
• 3054 Pennsylvania St.; State Sen. Tom Wyss; Daughter and son-in-law renovated this home plus several others in neighborhood
• 3128 Pennsylvania St.; Ken Keene; Legendary “Tuckaway” (Sunday only)
• 3064 Delaware St.; Sharon Gamble, managing director for the Phoenix Theatre and host of WFYI’s “The Art of the Matter”; Gardens featuring a dozen varieties of hydrangea
• 3157 Delaware St.; Jeff and Stacy Patrick; Gardens grown from scratch
• 3210 Washington Blvd.; Hope Tribble; Modern decor
• 3363 Washington Blvd.; Jess LaNore; Previously a duplex, now under renovation
• 3444 Washington Blvd.; City-Co. Councilor Jackie Nytes, executive director of Mapleton Fall Creek CDC, and Michael O’Brien; Formerly housed a business
• 55 E. 32nd St.; Ben Solomon; Antique decor
• 3243 N. Meridian St.; Trinity Episcopal Church; English-style garden

Volunteer Opportunities

For volunteer opportunities, please review our many committees and contact one of our Committee Chairs.

Research Committee: The Research Committee works collaboratively to research and document the homes and gardens on the tour and to put the homes and gardens in a context that is useful to our tour patrons. Contact Sharon Gamble @ 317-283-1698.

Tour Staffing: The Staffing Committee is charged with recruiting, scheduling, and training the volunteers necessary to staff the home tour and its leadership committees. Volunteers are needed to serve as home and garden docents, committee members, and in other positions throughout the tour. Additionally, the committee assists with community marketing initiatives. Contact Ben and Abby Nicol @ 616-334-1012 or bsn@pkpfoundation.org.

Event Planning: The Event Planning Committee plans and coordinates all activities that will form entertainment aspects of the home tour, including food and beverage, antique cars, and music spotlights provided by vendors and volunteers.  Contact Kara Haughey @ 317-730-3812 or karahaughey@dci.org.

Coordination of Tour Homes: This Home Coordination Committee acts as the liaison between homeowners whose homes or gardens will be on the tour and the Tour Committees.
Contact Lorraine Vavul @ 317-931-9236 or Margie Luchtman @ 317-927-8970

Prep and Clean-up: The Prep and Clean-up Committee works to works together to plan and coordinate both set-up and tear-down of the event, including all material needs in homes and stations. Volunteers must be available on the tour dates to participate in this committee. Contact Larry Sanner @ 317-503-4212.

Marketing: The Marketing Committee works to promote the home tour via PR channels, promotional materials, community events marketing, and social networking. The committee also develops the home tour program and sells advertising space within the program. Contact Cassie Mehlman-Rhys @ 317-997-2791 or csm34@sbcglobal.net.

Mailing List

To receive news and updates about the tour via e-mail, subscribe to the Home Tour Mailing List.

The event will be held from 11:30 AM to 2 PM. Drs. Jeanette Holloway and Stephen Towns have offered to host the event in their Meridian Park home located at 3074 North Pennsylvania Street.

Attendees are welcome to bring snacks or desserts to share at this neighborhood pitch-in and social event. If you are a new to the neighborhood or know someone who is, please contact Wade Clark at 997-8957.

Unlike past years, the 2009 holiday party is not a pitch-in! Food and non-alcoholic beverages will be provided by Jillian’s (food prepared off-site cannot be brought into Jillian’s). Also, games will be available at no-charge to HMP members and their families (prize redemption games are not included). Neighborhood elections will take place at 6 pm.

Jillian’s is located at 141 S. Meridian Street. HMP extends its gratitude to Delaware Street neighbor and Jillian’s general manager, Wade Clark, for making this venue available to us.

If residents plan to leave the neighborhood that morning they should plan for delays entering and/or exiting. The half marathon participants will begin entering the neighborhood on Washington Boulevard at approximately 8:35 AM and will come back down Pennsylvania Street at approximately 8:45 AM. Expect to see runners and walkers on Washington Boulevard until around 9:45 AM and on Pennsylvania Street until 10:15 am. Meridian at 30th Street will be blocked from 8:30 AM for several hours. Visit www.monumentalmarathon.com for a full course map.

The “Monumental Marathon” half marathon course (13.1 miles) takes runners from downtown up Pennsylvania Street to Fall Creek Parkway and then west on 29th Street to Washington Boulevard. Participants will run north on Washington Bouleard — the length of HMP — to 34th Street, east to Central Avenue, north on Central Avenue to 37th. They will then turn west to Pennsylvania Street. Once on Penn, they head south through HMP again to 30th St. They turn west on 30th to Meridian, where they will join the full Marathon (26.2 miles) runners/walkers and go south on Meridian back to downtown. Participants will hit Mile 7 before they enter the neighborhood and will be on Mile 9 when they exit HMP on Penn.

Last year the full and half marathon races attracted 2,400 participants representing 43 states and six countries.  Proceeds benefit IPS, IPS Education Foundation, Mind Trust, and College Summit.

According to HMP President Doug Day, “This event is a great opportunity for us to shine! Please join in the fun and be patient if you need to travel outside the neighborhood that morning.”

“This year’s focus is on the people of the entire Mapleton-Fall Creek (MFC) neighborhood, especially their talents, skills, interests, and passions,” according to Diana Creasser, president of MNCC.  The event will consist of a stage presentation which will include a welcome by Creasser on behalf of MNCC, brief self-introductions by exhibitors, and a talent show.  “We hope to feature neighbors performing their own special ‘thing,’” said Sarah Blandina, communications chair of both MNCC and SOTN and a member of Mapleton-Fall Creek Unity Group (MFCUG).  “Some neighbors may tell a story, others may play a musical instrument, dance, show how they do or make something, sing, whatever it is they love doing.”

Why You Should Go

Organizers anticipate a great deal of interest in the event, called “SOTN” for short, since they are offering Mapleton-Fall Creek (MFC) residents, businesses and those entities that serve this area free exhibit space as well as free stage time.  “We are encouraging booths to feature ‘interactive displays’ because we hope visitors will be enticed to engage in conversation with the exhibitors as well as other visitors,” elaborated Lorraine Phillips Vavul, SOTN booth manager, and MFCUG member.   “We will also have informational tables, including some from agencies, even though SOTN is not an ‘agency fair,’” added Vavul.  Additionally, organizers foresee places to sign up for further conversation, to form neighborhood-empowering groups such as block clubs, to post or list help wanted/job wanted notices, and to join a volunteer pool.

The main goal is to facilitate connections among neighbors based on their interests, strengths, and passions, with the possibility of long-term action plans that might include the formation of small ‘grass-roots’ groups committed to the further pursuit of these connections,” summarized SOTN committee member Rev. Karen King, Associate Rector for Mission and Outreach of Trinity Episcopal Church.  Mapleton-Fall Creek Development Corporation (MFCDC) Communications/Outreach Manager and SOTN logistical coordinator Brooke Klejnot agreed, “The focus is on the people and their stories that make Mapleton-Fall Creek a viable, vital, and friendly place to live and work.”  Scott Semester, another SOTN committee member and board member of Freewheelin’, believes that “SOTN is a great way to connect, inform, and inspire neighbors and stakeholders.”

Several groups are collaborating with hosting organization MNCC in the SOTN event.  They are MFCDC, Raphael Health Center, MFCUG, with support from the Historic Meridian Park Neighborhood Association.  SOTN is funded in large part by a generous IMAGINE grant from Great Indy Neighborhood Initiative (GINI).

Volunteers Needed

Because of its scope and innovative nature, many volunteers are needed to work both with the organizing committee and during the SOTN event itself.  Those interested in volunteering may contact Klejnot at Brooke@mfcdc.org  or 317.956.9011.  More information as well as an exhibitor/performer registration form may be found at www.midnorthchurch.org  or www.mfcdc.org.

Accompanying Events

Two other events are being held in conjunction with SOTN.  On Saturday morning, there’s Raphael Health Center’s annual Miracle on 34th Street Health Fair (September 12 from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM).  On Sunday morning, people of all faiths and backgrounds are invited to the Interfaith Combined Church Service of Tabernacle Presbyterian Church and Phillips Temple CME (September 13 at 10:30 AM).  Both are on the grounds of Raphael.

“Two days, three events, one heck of a celebration!” touts Klejnot.  She noted, “Raphael’s generous offer to allow us to piggyback onto its successful health fair makes it possible for SOTN to become an even larger community-based free affair.”

The State of the Neighborhood Event and MNCC

Begun decades ago, the original SOTN event was established to showcase the results of MNCC’s stabilizing influence on the MFC area.  Its purpose ever since has been to give witness to how, in spite of the shifting demographics of the late 70s and early 80s, MNCC’s support of and cooperation with other facets of the neighborhood helped maintain essential qualities of MFC as a vital environment for individuals and fAMilies, along with their places of worship, work, and play.  Each year, other stakeholder groups in the MFC area have joined with MNCC in celebrating the people and groups that help the neighborhood endure.

In 2009, the purpose of SOTN has been expanded to embrace four goals:  (1) to provide a current snapshot of the neighborhood – its people, groups, and institutions; (2) to recognize and celebrate the influence and accomplishments of MNCC within MFC; (3) to empower on-going conversations aimed toward enhancing the quality of life for all the residents  and stakeholders; and (4) to provide stimulus to participants to maintain connections made at the event through asset-based activities concerning quality-of-life issues throughout the year.  The focus of SOTN 2009 is on the strengths of the neighborhood as a community of individuals and groups working in tandem, embracing change as it is respectful of the past, expanding on the best, and looking forward to the future.

Brought To You By…

The Mid-North Church Council consists of eight churches in and around MFC.  They are:  Bethlehem Lutheran, Broadway United Methodist, North United Methodist, Our Redeemer Lutheran, Phillips Temple CME, St. Joan of Arc Catholic, Tabernacle Presbyterian, and Trinity Episcopal.  A variety of non-church organizations also count themselves as members of the Council.

Mapleton-Fall Creek Development Corporation is a not-for-profit organization that works to fight blight, provide safe and affordable housing, create economic opportunities through commercial development, and support community efforts in the MFC neighborhood.  It will celebrate its 25-year anniversary in 2010.

Mapleton-Fall Creek Unity Group is a loose collection of individuals living in MFC who work together to unite neighbors through their collective strengths, passions, and common interests.  Members are dedicated to building relationships that contribute to the common good of the area.

Raphael Health Center is a full-service neighborhood-based health clinic pledged to meet the primary health care needs for patients of all ages and to carry on its mission with respect and dignity for all people including the underserved and uninsured within a faith-based setting.

Great Indy Neighborhoods is a set of initiatives established to support Indianapolis neighborhoods.  The goals of these initiatives are to encourage neighbors to work together across traditional boundaries to implement positive change in their neighborhood.  It awards IMAGINE grants to help fund these efforts.

Print the flyer as a reminder!

There were 17 households participating in the event while the Lomax, Rubin/Naremore, and Vavul children sold lemonade and other treats to thirsty customers.

Besides being an opportunity for residents to clean out their garages, basements, and attics— and make some money — it was also an ideal event to showcase the neighborhood to those outside of HMP. For many residents it was also a social opportunity as many neighbors visited and bought items from one another.

HMP extends it sincerest appreciation to everyone who helped to make the event a success and to those who donated proceeds to the association!