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Owner trying to bring new life to historic Brick Chapel home
BRICK CHAPEL — A 2019 lightning strike nearly destroyed a Monroe Township landmark.
Now the 1879 O’Hair House is on the road to restoration.
For current owner Charles Schmidtke, the restoration of the house mirrors that of his life following an unexpected divorce.
“I feel more connected to this now because putting this place together is pulling me back together,” Schmidtke said.
The James and Louisa O’Hair House along the west side of U.S. 231 was struck by lightning in August 2019, destroying the roof and heavily damaging the second floor in particular.
Contractor Charles Schmidtke purchased the home from Indiana Landmarks and is in the process of restoring the house with his father Axel, who taught him restoration skills.
The house is one of several featured in the article “Real Estate as a Tool for Transformation” in the January/February issue of Indiana Preservation, the bi-monthly magazine of Indiana Landmarks.
“I had driven by that house 100 times and loved it,” Charles Schmidtke told the magazine. “I like the Italianate style without all the gingerbread to paint. It’s so sound and I’m very excited to bring it back to life.”
The soundness of the house in spite of the disastrous fire has been a blessing as the Schmidtkes restore the house, a trait that Indiana Preservation called “a testament to its sturdy masonry construction” in a 2020 feature on the structure.
Schmidtke concurs.
“What saved the house was that all the walls inside and out are foot-thick brick,” Schmidtke said, before adding that a “cocoon of plaster and drywall” soaked up a lot of moisture.
The magazine also noted, “character-defining features on the home’s first floor and exterior remain intact. Cranberry glass accents the front doors, and carved woodwork sets off the main staircase — just two of the features relatively untouched by the fire.”
The new owner is especially taken with the staircase, originally designed and built by Thomas S. Crapp Sash, Blinds, Doors and Moulding of Lafayette. Constructed of alternating walnut and oak, the staircase features rabbits and storks on its details, and Schmidtke marvels at the craftsmanship.
“I’m no slouch as a contractor, but I don’t think I could build this stairway,” Schmidtke said.
For Schmidtke, however, the work actually encompasses the entire 6.5-acre property, with the barn south of the house first on his list for restoration.
The plan is to turn the barn, and eventually the entire property, into a destination spot for weddings.
Windows have been installed in the barn, with plans for further renovations, including a raised, wooden floor, though the exterior should look largely the same. Schmidtke marvels at the scenery looking west from the barn.
“The sunset here is incredible,” Schmidtke said.
He’s on a timetable for getting the barn done, too, as he and fiancée Julie plan a late spring wedding in the barn.
After that, though, he plans to host more weddings and, in the process, fund further improvements to the property, most notably the house, which he plans to restore and turn into four different suites that can be used for members of bridal parties staying on the property.
Additionally, Schmidtke’s dad plans to retire early and come help with restoration of the house.
Following the 2019 fire, Brian Garrard, the owner at the time, turned to Indiana Landmarks for help. Although the insurance considered the home a total loss, Garrard saw the historic value of the structure. Landmarks provided assistance in locating contractors to clean out the fire debris and construct a temporary roof to get the house safely through the winter of 2019-20.
Garrard ultimately decided to donate the property to Indiana Landmarks, along with funds to offset the cost of the new roof that was constructed in 2020.
Additionally, Schmidtke told the magazine he has made connections with descendants of the original builders, who plan a family reunion at the location.
Not to be confused with DePauw University-owned O’Hair House at the corner of Spring and Seminary streets in Greencastle, the brick Italianate structure is one of several homes in the area constructed by members of the prominent O’Hair family.
It remained in the family for three generations before selling to Jerry and Sara Malayer (now Sara Bridges) in 1980. Jerry ran a veterinary clinic from a shed on the property, while the couple raised a large, blended family.
“I absolutely loved being in that home. We raised 11 kids in that home,” Bridges recalled. “It was an ideal place to raise kids and I’m glad I had that opportunity.”
Notably, Bridges and Gail Smith ran a holiday boutique from the house for four years before they opened Almost Home Tea Room together, bringing 5,000 people through the house over the course of four three-day weekends.
“They came to see the house as much as they came to buy something from the boutique,” Bridges said.
Since Jerry Malayer left, the house went through other owners before Garrard bought it. Bridges said she liked what Garrard was doing prior to the fire.
“I walked in and it was just like I had left it so many years before,” she said.
Now it’s up to Schmidtke to bring back that character while also finding a modern use for the house, barn and various outbuildings.
“I have the skillset to do this,” Schmidtke said. “I’ve always wanted to restore a Victorian house, and this was a way to do that.”
It can also provide a path to a career that’s not as hard on the body as construction.
“Being a contractor is a hard way of life,” Schmidtke said. “I want to be able to walk when I’m 60. I like people and I have the gift of gab, so this could be a good career move.”
The house was featured by Indiana Landmarks as part of a story highlighting its real estate program, which invests in repairs to stabilize buildings and improve their marketability before turning them over to buyers to finish the rehab. The article also featured properties in Vernon, Wabash, Crothersville, Dillsboro and Clarksville.
It’s that element of rebirth that Schmidtke likes.
“I love the fact that people are going to experience this place and it could be the starting point of a new life,” he said. “The whole thing has a spirit of renewal.”
