The street before this house is choked with cars today. But when this house was built, the street was choked with…hogs.
Yes, hogs. And they stopped here for the night. Well, the crew that drove them did; the hogs presumably stayed in a nearby pen.
Meet the Aston Inn, built in 1852 by George Aston (1811-1886) to be a stagecoach stop and inn for travelers on the road. This was a perfect stopping point for people headed to the stockyards in downtown Indianapolis some ten miles down the road. Walking livestock ten miles took all day!
Today, of course, a car can get you Downtown from here in 20 minutes. And now when you’re here, you’re already well within the Indianapolis city limits. The city has grown much larger since the 1850s.
Even though the Aston Inn is on the National Register of Historic Places, it’s easy to miss as you drive by. The trees hide it pretty well. Next time you’re on the the Michigan Road, know that it’s just north of 66th St. on the west side of the road.
I’ve documented Indiana’s historic Michigan Road extensively. To read all about it, click here.
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