In 1896, Jonathon Stewart, a carpenter and a contractor, and his wife Alice, built this house as a two family home adjoining two houses together so that their families could live close to each other (John and Alice and their son's family). You will notice the two different designs of inlaid wood in the floor of the foyer. This is where the two homes were divided. There was no interconnect between the two houses. To get to the other family, you had to go to their front door. There are two staircases and both are carved differently. All the wood floors and woodwork, stairs, doors and fireplaces are original to the home. The square stained glass piece above the fireplace in the lobby and the stained glass panel in Room 1 are also original to the house.
The Stewarts lived in the home until 1910. The entire house was then rented to a long series of short-term tenants including Carl F. Millican, a machinist and aviator and Grant Keener, a cigar maker. By 1999 the house had been divided into 10 apartments and remained a boarding house until it was purchased in 2000. At that time, it was completely renovated and converted from two structures into one called Nestle Inn. From then until 1999, the house was a boarding house with ten apartments, each with a kitchenette.
In 2000 the house was purchased by the previous innkeepers (Barb and Steve Tegarden) renovated and built into a bed and breakfast. (pictures of the renovation are in the library)
In 2011, today's owners, Robert and Leesa Smith, purchased the Inn and have modernized the B&B experience for today's travelers. Leesa has over 30 years of experience in the hospitality, business and nonprofit world. She began her career with Hyatt Hotels Corp here in Indy and then was a manager at the Hyatt Regency Chicago for many years. Here in Indy, she worked at Fairbanks Drug and Alcohol Treatment Center for 16 years as a counselor and then as the Director of Communications and Business Development. Dr. Bob has a private practice as a psychotherapist here in Indy and retired in 2013 after 31 1/2 years as a career firefighter and paramedic with the Indianapolis Fire Dept. as the Lieutenant of Station 12. He also provides mental health services and manages Peer Support Teams for IFD as well as surrounding counties and cities. He also provides counseling services for those individuals outside public safety for generalized depression, anxiety, PTSD and is an EMDR practitioner.
