In June 1921, Indianapolis celebrated its 100th anniversary. The Hoosier capital had grown to more than 300,000 residents. As the city grew, new bridges and the increasing affordability of automobiles enabled residents to move further from downtown. Among them were Emory Russell Baxter (1901-1990) and Ruth Katherine (Fromm) Baxter (1903-1995), whose family gifted them two vacant lots in 1925. 2025 marks the 100th anniversary of the gift.
The Baxter’s commissioned the architectural firm of McGuire & Shook to design their home at 5676 North Pennsylvania Street. William McGuire lived across the street from the lot. The firm, now Odle McGuire & Shook, continues its legacy today. The home is located within the Meridian-Kessler Neighborhood Association and is protected by multiple historic commissions.
The 115-foot by 298-foot lot holds a French Norman-style stone house with a terra cotta tile roof. The foundation was dug by horse and shovel in just 6 months. Above the front door, a carved greeting, “Above the door the builder placed my seasoned stone firm braced, the Master charged me to bestow a blessing on all who pass below,” resembles a traditional Hindu blessing. Originally 4,400 square feet, the home now spans approximately 7,000 square feet, maintaining many original features including light fixtures, custom woodwork, iron railings, inlaid glass artwork, and hand-carved fireplace sculptures.
The home’s layout includes a sunken living room with a second-floor balcony featuring “V-joint” arched doors and leaded glass windows. The fireplace at the south end of the living room has the shields of both Emory Baxter’s fraternity, Beta Theta Pi, and Ruth Baxter’s sorority, Kappa Alpha Theta on the mantel. French doors lead to a circular room and the original sun porch. The sun porch was eventually covered and leads to an outdoor entertainment area replete with a pool house, swimming pool, and patio.
The main floor also features a dining room, pantry, kitchen, home office, and an attached two-car garage, originally built to accommodate the Baxter’s luxury cars—an unusual feature at the time. The second floor has four bedrooms and three full baths, while the third floor, once an attic, now has an ensuite. The lower level includes a recreation room, workshop, bedroom, full bath, and kitchen.
The Baxter’s moved into the home in 1931. Originally contracted at $18,452, the final cost rose to $33,786.52 (about $700,000 today) due to custom features. Fun fact: their telephone number was Humboldt 5676, using the two-letter prefix common at the time.
Mark and Jan (Berry) Schroeder purchased the home in June 1995, completing the first remodel of the kitchen. They also rebuilt the vintage bathroom fixtures. In June 1998, Christopher and Ann (MacAkanja) Hilger became the third owners, adding an addition onto the kitchen, complete with a full basement, and an outdoor grill and patio. They also replaced the original tile roof with new tiles sourced from Ludowici, the original tile manufacturer.
The current and fourth owners, purchased the home in July 2010, remodeled the kitchen, created a large pantry where the original kitchen was located, and added a third-floor bedroom and bath. They installed a second-floor laundry room, remodeled the basement pool room, and expanded a half-bath into a full bath. In 2017, they built a swimming pool and pool house, landscaped the property, and added a regulation volleyball net.
The owners are honored to share their home as the 2025 Decorators’ Show House and Gardens. Since 1962, this event has been the primary fundraiser for St. Margaret’s Hospital Guild, with proceeds currently supporting the John & Kathy Ackerman Mental Health Professional Development Center at the Sandra Eskenazi Mental Health Center.