Independent Turnverein - Indianapolis, IN
Posted by: Groundspeak Premium Member GwynEvie
N 39° 46.720 W 086° 09.463
16S E 572129 N 4403531
Independent Turnverein building, former gymnasium and meeting hall of German-American gymnastic society in Indianapolis.
Waymark Code: WM5NEX
Location: Indiana, United States
Date Posted: 01/25/2009
Published By:Groundspeak Premium Member silverquill
Views: 10

This was the second home of the Unabhängiger Turnverein (Independent Turner Society), one of three active Turner societies during the golden age of German-American life in Indianapolis. This hall was designed by the prominent Swiss-born architect Adolf Scherer and built in 1914. Scherer's design combined elements of German Renaissance Revival and Craftsman styles. The front windows still bear Latin inscriptions with the Turnverein mottos: "Mens sana in corpore sano" (healthy mind in a healthy body) and "Dum vivimus vivamus" (while we live, let us live).

In 1921 the Unabhängiger Turnverein changed its name to the Independent Athletic Club, and later to the Hoosier Athletic Club. The club experienced hard times financially, and in 1943 the building was sold at auction and donated to Purdue University. It housed classrooms and offices of Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis for many years. In the 1980s an investment group bought and renovated the building into high-end apartments. It is now owned by Van Rooy Properties and marketed as "Turnverein Apartments."

In spite of the renovations, enough of the character of the building was retained for it to be added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.

The Independent Turnverein is located at 902 North Meridian Street. It is listed in the "Wegweiser: A Self-Guided Tour of German-American Heritage Sites in Indianapolis," compiled by William L. Selm and published by the Indiana German Heritage Society and the Max Kade Center of IUPUI.
Street address:
902 North Merdian Street
Indianapolis, IN USA


County / Borough / Parish: Marion

Year listed: 1983

Historic (Areas of) Significance: Architecture/Engineering

Periods of significance: 1900-1924

Historic function: Education, Social

Current function: Domestic

Privately owned?: yes

Primary Web Site: [Web Link]

Secondary Website 1: [Web Link]

Season start / Season finish: Not listed

Hours of operation: Not listed

Secondary Website 2: Not listed

National Historic Landmark Link: Not listed

Visit Instructions:
Please give the date and brief account of your visit. Include any additional observations or information that you may have, particularly about the current condition of the site. Additional photos are highly encouraged, but not mandatory.
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TheCatHerder visited Independent Turnverein  -  Indianapolis, IN 12/31/2013 TheCatHerder visited it
urpickle visited Independent Turnverein  -  Indianapolis, IN 05/05/2011 urpickle visited it

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