William N. Thompson House

The William N. Thompson House is a mansion with buff-colored brick walls, a slate hipped roof, and one-story wings flanking a two-story central section. It follows classical Georgian proportions and sits on approximately 2 acres within the North Meridian Street Historic District.

The house was designed during the period when Georgian Revival style was popular in the United States and served as Indiana's Governor's Mansion from 1945 to 1970. This official use marks it as a significant location in the state's administrative history.

The house reflects what wealthy Indianapolis families valued in 1920s architecture and how they wanted to display their status through design. Georgian Revival elements with their symmetric lines and classical details represented prosperity and refined taste during that era.

The property sits in the North Meridian Street Historic District and is protected by the Meridian Street Preservation Commission, which oversees its original features. Visitors should note this is private property best viewed from the street to appreciate its exterior design.

Architect Frank B. Hunter designed the property with an elliptical portico and full-width front porch that define the main entrance in a distinctive way. These refined details give the house a formal quality that distinguishes it from other mansions of that period.

Location: Indianapolis

Inception: 1920

Architectural style: Georgian architecture, Georgian Revival architecture

Part of: North Meridian Street Historic District

Address: 4343 North Meridian Street

GPS coordinates: 39.83500,-86.15639

Latest update: December 14, 2025 11:04