Shrewsbury-Windle House

301 West First Street, Madison

 

Indiana architect Francis Costigan designed and built Madison’s Shrewsbury-Windle House in 1848 for riverboat captain and merchant Charles Shrewsbury. The house is a magnificent example of Greek Revival architecture, with 12 rooms, 13 fireplaces, and soaring 13-foot floor-to-ceiling windows. But the centerpiece of the house is the exquisite 53-step spiral staircase ascending through the center of the home. Built out of cherry and pine, it supports its own weight and helps cool the house by allowing hot air to flow up and out through attic windows. The house is now a museum owned by Historic Madison, Inc.

 

Francis Costigan designed many more residences and buildings around Madison before moving to Indianapolis to work there. All of his Indianapolis work has since been razed, and his only other remaining Madison works include the Costigan House and St. Michael’s Catholic Church.

 

For more information, visit www.historicmadisoninc.com/index.html

 

 

Photo by Marsh Davis

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