The Inn at Irwin Gardens is a stunning 13,000-square-foot home and Italianate garden located in Columbus, Indiana. Originally built in 1864 by Joseph I. Irwin, a local banker and businessman, the home has been expanded and remodeled over the years to accommodate four generations of the Irwin family. In 1910, the current mansion was built by Massachusetts architect Henry A. Phillips. The exterior features tapestry brick with stone trim, several new chimneys, and a slate roof. The interior boasts extensive fine woodwork and moldings that resemble a European estate.
The star of the property is the two-acre garden, which is based on the Casa degli Innamorati in Pompeii. The garden features several fountains, a long pool, and a lowered sunken garden. The center arch of the garden house holds a statue that was designed from a lakeside structure at the Villa of Hadrian in Tivoli, Italy. Pompeian murals adorn the garden house, and a tall brick wall is rounded in imitation of 16th-century gardens in Mantua, Italy. Wisteria vines on the terrace’s pergolas were planted in 1911 and continue to bloom in the spring. The garden also features an English sundial and a Japanese bronze elephant sculpture that is a replica of one at the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair pavilion.
The Irwin family had many influential connections. Clessie Cummins, founder of Cummins Engine Co., served as the family’s chauffeur and began ‘tinkering’ in the garage on the property. With the backing of William Glanton Irwin, Clessie developed the technology for a high-speed diesel engine, which became the cornerstone product of Cummins, Inc. J. Irwin Miller, W.G. Irwin’s great-nephew and former resident of the mansion, was President and Chairman of Cummins and his wife Xenia formed the Cummins Foundation, which led to the development of modern architecture in Columbus, Indiana.
Visitors to The Inn at Irwin Gardens can expect to be transported back in time to a bygone era of opulence and elegance. The home’s rich history and stunning architecture, as well as the meticulously maintained gardens, make for a truly unforgettable experience.
Posted by dockerdee64 on 2016-09-06 22:06:26