Historic Home & Event Venue

Fowler House Mansion Self-Guided Tour

New Owners

By 1941 Cecil and Louise were empty nesters and having grown older, no longer wished to live in such a large home. After almost 90 years in the Fowler family the house was sold to the Tippecanoe County Historical Association. The house became the home for the Associations offices, collections and served as the County Museum. Following an extended period of marked decline in visitation, the Association closed the museum in 2005, although it was still partially used for offices, storage and rented out for weddings and other events.

By 2014, the Association had determined that operating a special events venue was well outside of its mission and staff capabilities and that TCHA needed a modern facility in order to provide for the proper curation environment and preservation standards required to care for and exhibit its collections. Thus the difficult decision was made to place the property for sale.

In 2015 Matt Jonkman founded The 1852 Foundation to purchase, restore, preserve and operate this landmark and allow it to once again be enjoyed by our community. The 1852 Foundation made significant contributions and renovations to the benefit of the historic home. They held numerous community outreach events and operated the venue as both a restaurant and special events space. But, after ten years of operation, it was was time to search for a new owner.

In 2026, The Fowler House was purchased by the Ward family. They are thrilled with the unique opportunity to continue the preservation of this one-of-a-kind home. They continue to offer special events at the property while also being the first family to occupy the home since the 1940s!