Area less than one acre NRHP Reference # 82000056 Architectural style Romanesque architecture Added to NRHP 2 June 1982 | Built 1902 Opened 1902 Architecture firm Wing & Mahurin | |
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Location 2701 Spring StreetFort Wayne, Indiana Similar Fort Wayne Old City Hall Build, Fort Wayne Firefighters Museum, Lakeside Park & Rose Gar, Lincoln Bank Tower, Cathedral of the Immacula | ||
The Bass Mansion, also known as Brookside, is an administrative building and historic structure at the University of Saint Francis located in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The hand-carved, sandstone mansion was the private residence of industrialist John Henry Bass from 1902-1944. The Sisters of Saint Francis of Perpetual Adoration bought the home and more than 65 acres of surrounding landscape from the Bass family in 1944 and relocated their college. Since 1944, the mansion served as library and residence to the college.
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History
Brookside, also known as the Bass Mansion, was added, in 1982, to the National Register of Historic Places. In 1889, John Henry Bass (1835–1922), hired local architects Wing and Mahurin to build a Romanesque summer home named Brookside. He improved the landscape's aesthetic value with a man-made lake outlining the north, east and south exposures of the home. In 1902, a gas explosion ignited a basement fire destroying all but a portion of the exterior masonry. By 1903, the resurrected home incorporated a combination of stone, concrete and steel which endure to this day.
Preserving History
Restoration efforts began in 2009 and by the end of 2010 the mansion has been completely restored after many years of constant use. Along with the restoration, the university restored the name of the mansion to Brookside, as John Henry Bass originally planned. The restoration of this 1903 Richarsonian Romanesque masterpiece involved historic investigation of the original decorative work. Each diversely themed room presented a unique challenge in terms of existing condition, decorative style and the lack of clues left behind to guide an accurate conservation and restoration of the original decoration. The comprehensive restoration and aggressive homecoming of original and elegant new decoration celebrates and revives the Bass Mansion's unique decorative and cultural legacy. Conrad Schmitt Studios' restoration of the historic Bass Mansion includes, period conservation and replication of the ornate decorative painting and stencil work. Today, mural conservation, stenciling, tromp l'oeil, glazing and gilding adorn the hallowed halls of the restored Bass Mansion.
