INDIANAPOLIS — Indianapolis is known for several things, like racing and basketball.
Historic homes don't always make the list.
One of the city's best kept secrets is a house in the heart of Irvington and its rich history is attracting a lot of attention. Neighbors call it the "Castle House."
Eudorus Johnson built the Victorian-Gothic-style home, nestled on East University Avenue, sometime between 1873 and 1876.
It sits right across the street from Irving Circle Park, which is one of the oldest parks in Indianapolis.
"It's actually my favorite house in Irvington," said historian Bill Gulde. "This is only my second time to be in the house, so for me this is a real privilege to be able to be here."
It caught the attention of Emily Digiusto.
"One day one of my friends, being the bored stay-at-home moms that we were, saw this house come on the market and said, 'Hey, let's go look at it,'" Digiusto said.
She wasn't in the market for a new home — until she peeked inside.
"Walked in. Fell in love. Had that overwhelming feeling of 'This is where I'm supposed to live,'" she said.
She and her husband put an offer in the very next day. The family has lived in the home for the last three years.
Her two favorite places in the home include a full bathroom on the main floor and a second floor turret.
"These windows actually act like French doors to go on to the flat roof above the porch," Digiusto said. "It's a magical place to sit and read a book and just sort of feel like you're in a little treetop oasis."
The Digiustos put the home on the market and interest exploded.
"We had 26 showings between Wednesday and Saturday," said Molly Hadley, realtor with the Molly Hadley Team, LLC.
Hadley said the family accepted an offer within about three days.
"We just love this house. The crown molding is probably our favorite detail," Hadley said. "I think what people have noticed over and over again is how low our windows are and how they have the view of the porch."
Hadley also said people love historical homes.
"They love a home that has a story, and they want to be part of that. They want to preserve that," Hadley said.
Gulde, the historian, said the home has, of course, had many owners over the decades.
One of the families who lived there from 1893 to 1913 was the Earl family.
"This house is also tied to the history of Butler (University). People who lived in this house went to Butler. It was rented out to a Butler sorority in the late 1920s," Gulde said.
Gulde said Butler was in Irvington between 1875 and 1929, before moving to its current location.
During World War II, Gulde said the Lamb family lived in the home.
"Dr. Lamb was a dentist. Once the GIs came home, they couldn't find anywhere to live," Gulde said.
Gulde said the Lambs opened up their home and turned the upstairs into apartments.
"This house is important because we've lost so many of those early houses. For instance, Sylvester Johnson's home — Dorus Johnson's dad — and Jacob Julian — the two founders of Irvington — their homes were about three blocks north of here," Gulde said. "They're both gone. So we only have a handful of the original houses still standing. Some of the old houses were torn down for parking lots or apartments."
Digiusto said it was a bittersweet moment when they decided to sell, but it was in the best interest for her and her family. She has now passed the torch on to the next family.
You can read more about the history of Irvington and the historic home here.