Joseph D. Oliver House, Queen Anne style residence in South Bend, Indiana.
The Joseph D. Oliver House is a three-story mansion with 38 rooms built with Indiana fieldstone granite, Vermont stone pillars, and detailed wooden interiors throughout. The residence sits on 2.5 acres of land that includes gardens, a tennis court, and a fountain with water systems.
The mansion was constructed between 1895 and 1896 by New York architect Charles Alonzo Rich for the founders of Oliver Chilled Plow Works. This residence became a symbol of the family's success in Indiana's agricultural equipment industry during that era.
The residence preserves its original furnishings with antiques, porcelain collections, glassware, and silver pieces that reflect how a wealthy family lived at the end of the 1800s. These objects show the tastes and daily habits of the people who called this house home.
The residence features 14 fireplaces throughout its rooms and sits on spacious grounds with gardens and a tennis court to explore. Visitors should plan adequate time to walk through the large estate and see its many interior spaces and outdoor areas.
The property features two original wells that pump water to an attic holding tank, which then distributes it through gravity lines to different parts of the house. This system shows how families solved their water supply in an ingenious way before modern plumbing became standard.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
