Pendleton tour offers five historic sites

By Scott L. Miley

May 14, 2008 07:44 pm

— PENDLETON - Walk into the home of Robert and Brenda Fullen and visitors will first see modern appliances and granite counters in the kitchen.
But be sure to look up.
Visitors taking in the Fullen house as part of the Historic Pendleton Tour of Homes will see a tin ceiling, painted in a warm silver. Robert Fullen found the ceiling in an antique sale.
The house was originally a three-room cottage in 1898. The couple purchased the home five yars ago and literally gutted the place and expanded it into a roomy two-story home. The planned to retire in Pendleton.
But now, the couple is deciding to move back to Brenda Fullen’s hometown, New Orleans.
On Sunday, they’ll have hundreds of potential homebuyers walking through.
The Fullens’ home is one of five structures on the tour which runs from 1 to 5 p.m.
Each location has a historical value to the area, said Ann Crow, one of the tour organizers. All have sound, structural integrity.
One of the goals for the tour is to encourage visitors to “see what they can do to save history,” Crow said.
Sometimes, efforts to preserve the past just fall into place.
Before former oil distributor Charles Owens died in 2005, he wanted to ensure that a piece of Pendleton history would not be lost.
He willed memorabilia from his office and delivery service to the South Madison Communtiy Foundation which assists in charitable causes and community projects.
Owens also left the foundation his home.
“It was gifted to us in an estate...with the provision we would use it as the foundation’s office and exhibit some of his memorabilia,” she said.
After remodeling the private home, the foundation now uses the building as a headquarters, said Lisa Floyd, executive director.
Visitors will see a display case with historical items as well as Owens’ desk and business books. But they should take an extra moment to look for a photo of the former Falls Park Swimming Hole, Floyd said.
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Visitors to the Historic Pendleton Tour of Homes can walk through five sites from 1 to 5 p.m. on Sunday. Tickets are $10 for adults and $3 for students and will be available at the tour locations. The sites are:
• Home of Robert and Brenda Fullen, 206 Adams St., Pendleton
• Carl and Debi Bruggemeier’s Heaven Sent Farm, 115 W. Indiana 38, Pendleton
• South Madison Community Foundation Headquarters, 233 S. Main St., Pendleton
• Historic Odd Fellows Building, 106 W. State St., Pendleton
• Ivy House Bed and Breakfast, 304 N. Merrill St., Fortville

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