The Historic Ambassador House is a Fishers Parks hidden gem. Located on 106th Street & Eller Road, you might miss it if you aren’t looking for it. Head up the path on Eller Road and you’ll come face-to-face with a beautiful home surrounded by stunning landscape and a white picket fence. This Greek Revival-style home has a rich history to match its charm.
While we see it as a beautiful home surrounded by stunning landscaping, it actually started as a log cabin built in 1826 by Thomas and Sarah West. The property originally resided at what is currently the northwest corner of 96th Street and Allisonville Road. In 1880, Addison and India Harris purchased the property at a sheriff’s auction. At that time, the property consisted of two homes, a stable, a well, two fruit bearing orchards, and farmland totaling 287 acres of land.
Addison Harris (left) was a well-known lawyer from Indianapolis and India Harris (right) was a prominent Indianapolis attorney. Addison also served as a U.S. Ambassador to Austria-Hungary from 1899 to 1901. The couple attended North Western Christian University, now known as Butler University, and were prominent figures in the Indianapolis area.
In 1916, Addison passed away from a stroke, but India inherited the property and continued to use it as her summer home. Over 30 years later, India passed away in 1948, barely missing her 100th birthday by just two months. She left the land and home to Indiana University.
Photo Credit: Stephanie Stewart Photography
In 1954, Indiana University sold part of the land to Oaklawn Memorial Gardens Cemetery, and in 1962 they sold the home and the other half of the land to John Becker, executor of India’s will, and his wife, Mayme. Shortly after in 1967, John passed away and his wife continued to live in and care for the home until she passed away in 1995.
The home was set to be demolished in 1996, but the home and land along with the White River were given to the then Town of Fishers. This formed the Fishers Historic Preservation Committee, which advised on the use of the home and oversaw its rehabilitation. In the fall of that year, the home was moved to its current location at Heritage Park.
Photo Credit: Taylor Good with Good Photography Co.
The house was restored in 2009 and landscaping around the house continued. The house also opened to the public and became available for events and rentals. The home and property are now managed by Fishers Parks.
While the grounds are free to explore and open to the public (as long as there is not an event happening). If you would like to explore the inside of the house, you can contact the Ambassador House staff at ambassadorhouse@fishers.in.us.
The Ambassador House hosts events all year long. From weddings to graduation parties and corporate events, it’s the perfect location for your next gathering. If you’re interested in renting out the space, contact them here and learn more at ambassadorhouse.org.
Christina Poetz grew up in Indianapolis but moved to Fishers in 2014 to attend Hamilton Southeastern High School. After she graduated high school in 2018, she interned for the City of Fishers’ Public Relations team. She came back again to intern the next summer and worked as the PR & Marketing Coordinator for the City. When Christina’s not working, she attends IUPUI to pursue her major in Public Relations and minor in Communications. In her free time, she loves to work on her photography skills and attend Pacers games with her friends. Her favorite place to hang out in Fishers is Flat Fork Creek Park because she loves to walk up the big sledding hill and see the amazing view. Follow her on Instagram and follow her photography account.