When driving down Interstate 69, you’ve probably taken notice of the 19th-century brick farmhouse sticking out amongst the modern landscape of office buildings and bustling retail centers. Though it may appear out of place, this house embodies the rich history of Fishers.
Generally referred to as the Flanagan-Kincaid House, this building has been a central location in the area since 1861. As stated by Gail Kincaid, whose husband is a relative of the former owners of the house, the building “represents what is actual, factual history for the area.”
The house was originally built by the Peter Flanagan family from clay bricks, likely made and sun-dried on-site. After a bit of family drama, as Peter had not left a will, the property was given to John B. and Sarah C. Flanagan. When Sarah died, the house was passed to her son Ingram and his wife Cora (pictured below), who owned it until the property was purchased by the Kincaid family.
From 1937 until 2014, the house and the property were managed by the Kincaids. If this name sounds familiar, it’s because relatives of this family founded LE Kincaid & Sons Meat Market.
While the house hasn’t been inhabited for some time, Gail and her husband, Randy Kincaid, continue to farm the property. They live on the original farm property (the Flanagan-Kincaid house was moved to its current location in 2014), and their home is in the spot where the cows would pasture. They fondly remember the stories of the house passed down through the family.
When the Kincaid’s first purchased the home and were completing renovations, they discovered a massive bee colony between the upper and lower floors. To get all the honeycombs out, most of the floor had to be torn out and rebuilt. Gail also remembers Randy’s father, Don, telling her about the adventures of Dewey the Wonder dog, a German Shepherd mix who worked on the farm.
The importance of this house doesn’t come from the actual structure, but from the rich history found within its walls. Gail remembers telling her daughters as they grew up that if they misbehaved, they would have to go live in the house. With the 13-inch-thick walls and collapsing floor, it’s understandable why staying in the house wouldn’t exactly be enjoyable. However, the home isn’t just family history, it’s representative of the history of the entire area.
Aside from physical similarities between the Flanagan-Kincaid House and the Eller house, the families may have shared a social connection as well. According to the Indianapolis Journal on October 30, 1903, Essa Eller of the famous Eller House was married in the Flanagan-Kincaid House. The intertwined history of many of these foundational families continues to live on in their original historical homes as well as the relatives who carry their stories.
As of now, there is no plan for the Flanagan-Kincaid house to move from its current location, so you can continue to take notice of this deep history when driving down the interstate.
