The house that Alois built makes state list, aiming for national registry

The Wollenmann House is now on one list, thanks to the Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR) board.

Now it is time to get the Swiss chalet-styled domicile on another list; the state and national registries of historic sites and places.

On January 23, DNR’s Indiana Historic Preservation Board listed the Wollenmann House on the Indiana Register of Historic Sites and Structures.

To be eligible, a property must be at least 50 years old, maintain a certain degree of architectural integrity and have local, state or national significance to historic events, persons or architecture/design or provide significant historic information to state history or prehistory.

To be considered for the national registry, the location must first obtain state approval and be listed on the state’s registry.

Being listed on the Indiana Register is one step for applying to the national registry, run by the National Parks Service through its National Historic Places Office.

The effort to get the house that Alois built on the state and national historic registries began in September, 2010, when the Indiana Landmarks Foundation awarded $2,000 to the Ferdinand Historical Society to fund the application for the listing process. The Westerly Group of Madison prepared and submitted the needed documentation leading to the January meeting and will be used to apply for the national designation.

The Wollenmann House was determined to have met Criterion C of the National Register Criteria for evaluation of sites.

This criteria states the building embodies “the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, or method of construction, or that represent the work of a master, or that possess high artistic values, or that represent a significant and distinguishable entity whose components may lack individual distinction.”

Now armed the with the Indiana Register of Historic Sites and Structures designation, the application now goes to the National Park Service, National Historic Places Office in Washington, DC.

The application will appear in the Federal Register for 30 days for public comment.

If the application is approved on the national level, the house that Alois built will then appear on the National Register of Historic Places.

In the meantime, according to the DNR web site, the Wollenmann House gains the following by being listed on the state register:

• The property gains prestige and publicity.

• The house and property receive protection from federally assisted projects.

• The listing allows the owners of income-producing properties to use investment tax credits for certified rehabilitation.

• Finally, it allows owners of certain publicly owned or publicly accessible, non-income-producing properties to apply for federal rehabilitation grants.

The listing does not prevent private owners from altering their property, restrict using or selling the property nor require certain times the property must be open to the public.

Final notice of action on the national application is expected by March 31.