Architectural Oktoberfest

"About the year 1865, Charles T. Doxey and William Craycraft built a brewery on the lot now occupied by Matthias Colchen's saloon and residence on West Eighth street, long known by the old-timers of Anderson as the Craycraft property. They operated this establishment for about one year, when in the month of May, 1866, it took fire in the night and was destroyed and never rebuilt. This was Anderson's first brewery, and although small it was a pioneer in its line. It was soon followed by the now extensive place owned by T. M. Norton which was in its primitive stage a small affair as compared with its present capacity."

          -Historical Sketches and Reminiscences of Madison County, Indiana, 1897

 

The Norton Brewing Company brewery was located at 106-114 N. Central Avenue, Anderson, Indiana, and was originally built in 1882, with additions in 1897, and a modern facility built in 1910. These drawings date from 1934 to 1939, after the national experiment of Prohibition had been repealed and breweries were returning to production. As you can see from the plat drawing above, the property was conveniently located adjacent to the Pennsylvania Railroad tracks, White River, and City of Anderson offices. At the height of production, Norton produced 25,000 barrels per year and was well known throughout central Indiana for its quality beers, such as "Gold Band," "Old Pal," and "Special Brew."

To see the full set of Norton Brewing Company architectural drawings, visit our online collection.


Images: T. M. Norton Brewing Company, Anderson, Indiana, 1934-39, Arthur B. Henning Architectural Records, Drawings + Documents Archive, Archives and Special Collections, Ball State University Libraries.

Arthur B. Henning Architectural Records Available Online

The Drawings + Documents Archive's collection of Arthur B. Henning Architectural Records has recently been digitized for enhanced research and discovery, and is available online in the Ball State University Libraries' Digital Media Repository. This digital collection consists of photographs, sketches, reference material, and ephemera from the office of architect Arthur B. Henning, from Anderson, Indiana. The collection spans from 1922-1980 and includes architectural drawings by architect Erwin F. Miller. Henning worked for Miller and later bought the firm; he acquired the drawings at that time. Henning's drawings were sold to a subsequent firm. Drawing sets are for projects in Madison County and include schools, residences, brewery facilities, and a business.

The bulk of the collection consists of Henning's projects, which were primarily schools, churches, government buildings, libraries, hospital and businesses in Anderson, Indiana, and surrounding Madison County. Some of his largest projects were City Hall, Community Hospital, Fire Department Headquarters, and Anderson High School, all in Anderson, Indiana. Other projects include multiple buildings on the Anderson College campus, Central Christian Church, First Methodist Church, and numerous schools in the area. Items in the collection include photographs, building dedication booklets, newspaper clippings, articles, and reference books.

One of his most outstanding projects is the threatened Anderson High School gymnasium, the second-largest high school gymnasium in the country. After the community of Anderson consolidated its two remaining high schools in recent years, the former Anderson High School and gymnasium were left vacant. The Wigwam, as it is known, has been a vital part of the community since its construction and dedicated preservationists are currently looking for new uses for the building. Above is a two-page spread from the building's dedication booklet, when the future burned bright for this gymnasium.

Anderson High School's Wigwam Gymnasium

The New York Times' Sunday Sports section had an interesting article about high school basketball in Indiana. The story focused on the fate of Anderson High School Wigwam gymnasium, which is located in nearby Anderson, Indiana, and has recently been vacated due to the reduced student enrollment and dwindling population in the once-booming factory town. Many residents are fighting to save the gymnasium, but one of its greatest features--its massive size--does little to help those efforts.

The school and gymnasium were designed by Anderson-based architect Arthur B. Henning, whose collection is in the Drawings and Documents Archive. Above are images from the building's 1961 dedication booklet titled "With the Future in Mind," which promotes the 8,189-seat building as "one of the most versatile and beautiful athletic and educational plants in Indiana."

It was built when high school basketball games were a regular weekend event for many Indiana residents. The builders in 1960 had no reason to predict the factories would close and people would stop going to the games. "Basketball has been a way of life in Anderson almost from its beginning in 1904," according to the dedication booklet. Now we're left wondering what the future will hold for this iconic structure.

Images: Anderson High School gymnasium dedication booklet, 1961; Anderson High School gymnasium construction photograph, ca. 1960. Arthur B. Henning Architectural Records, Drawings + Documents Archive, Archives and Special Collection, Ball State University Libraries.