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Photo: Nyttend, Public domain via Wikimedia Commons
The highlight of Mansion Row, this opulent French Second Empire mansion was erected between 1867 and 1869 by William S. Culbertson, one of Indiana’s richest merchants and philanthropists. Designed by local architect James T. Banes, the three-story brick structure cost about $120,000 and contains approximately 16,00 square feet of living space. The 20-room interior includes fabric-quality wallpapers, marble fireplaces, frescoed ceilings, and a spectacular cantilevered staircase. The woodwork was crafted by local boat builders, and the tin roof was shipped from Scotland.
Culbertson Mansion State Historic Site is located in New Albany, Indiana by the Ohio River. It was the home of William Culbertson, who was once the richest man in Indiana. Built in 1867 at a cost of $120,000, this Second Empire-style mansion has 25-rooms within 20,000 square feet (1,900 m2), and was completed in November 1869. It was designed by James T. Banes, a local architect. Features within the three-story edifice include hand-painted ceilings and walls, frescoed ceilings, carved rosewood-grained staircase, hand painted floors, wall-to-wall carpeting, marble fireplaces, wallpaper of fabric-quality, and crystal chandeliers. The original tin roof was imported from Scotland. The displays within the mansion feature the Culbertson family and the restoration of the building. The rooms on the tour are the formal parlors, dining rooms, bedrooms, kitchen, and laundry room.
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Restored 1852 Greek Revival church, originally housed the Second Presbyterian Church and a 160-foot clock tower which signaled New Albany’s location to the Ohio River boatmen. The original tower has since been shortened, but it remains distinctive. Owned since 1889 by the Second Baptist Church, an African-American congregation, the structure is said to have been a way station on the antebellum Underground Railroad.
This building housed the New Albany Public Library from its completion in 1904 until 1969. It was erected with financial support from Andrew Carnegie and designed in the popular Beaux-Arts style. In 1971 the building reopened as an art and history museum and in 1998 it underwent major renovations. The Center hosts a succession of traveling exhibits, often in conjunction with special programs on local history and culture.
State & Main Sts. Built in 1814 by Joel and Mary Scribner, this simple wood-frame, Federal-style structure is the oldest building in New Albany. The two-and-one-half story house has a basement, two parlors, and a hall on the first floor, three bedrooms and a hall on the second floor. A two-level rear porch provides a spectacular view of the Ohio River.