|
It is unknown when exactly
the house at 946 California was built. The 1887 Sanborn map shows a
building of some sort, numbered 516, on the lot. The 1880
census does not include a listing for 516 California Street; the first
listing for the house comes in 1900. In 1900, the house was numbered 930
and was rented by 30 year old plumber James L. Kinney and his wife
Marguerite. Their daughter, Elizabeth, was 4. Both James and Marguerite were born in Indiana but had Irish
parents, evidence of the sizeable Irish-American community living in the
near-Westside of Indianapolis at this time. In fact, Irish
immigrants played a large role in the initial platting of the Ransom Place
Neighborhood in the 1860s.
946 N. California circa 1950
When the 1910 census was
taken, the Kinneys still lived at the 946 house. This was somewhat unusual
at the time--many African-American residents were moving into the area and
many White residents were moving out. Frequent moving to different houses
within the neighborhood was also not uncommon. In any case, the Kinneys
chose to remain at 946 and since the last census had given birth to a son
named Frank. In 1920, the Kinneys no longer lived at 946. Instead, the family of Oliver Ealey occupied the house which by now was assigned its current street address of 946. Oliver was a 56 year old African-American who worked in a coal yard. His wife, Cordelia, was 60. The Ealeys also lived with their daughter Della Potter, who worked as a private housekeeper, and their son-in-law Lewis Potter who was a laborer at a broom manufacturing company. The Ealeys continued to live in the house until about 1932, when it was occupied by Rowan W. Compton who had moved from the 950 house next door. By 1955, a Mrs. Lucille
Alexander resided in the house; she lived there until 1980. The last
recorded resident of the house before its abandonment was recorded as
Geraldine McQueen in 1981. The house was abandoned by 1985 and slated
for
|
demolition. The
Historic Landmarks Foundation responded by nominating Ransom Place Historic
District to the National Register of Historic Places and buying up
unoccupied houses, including the 946 house, under the agreement that they
would be rehabilitated. The house's exterior was rebuilt and repainted
and the interior was completely restored; the house was then sold to a new
owner. In 199