John H. Barker Mansion

Barker, John H., Mansion
Location 631 Washington St., Michigan City, Indiana
Coordinates 41°42′54″N 86°54′9″W / 41.71500°N 86.90250°W / 41.71500; -86.90250Coordinates: 41°42′54″N 86°54′9″W / 41.71500°N 86.90250°W / 41.71500; -86.90250
Area less than one acre
Built 1855
Architect Perkins, Fredrick
Architectural style English Manor
NRHP Reference # 75000027[1]
Added to NRHP October 10, 1975

The John H. Barker Mansion is located in Michigan City, Indiana.

John H. Barker

In 1836, at the age of 22, John Barker Sr. arrived in Indiana from Andover, Massachusetts, looking for new business opportunities. He began as a general merchant, expanded into grain brokerage, before opening a commission house to receive and forward merchandise from ships on the lakes. During this time, he married and raised a family. Two children survived him, daughter, Anna, and son, John H. Barker.[2]

He saw the potential of the railroads, he bought an interest in the manufacture of freight cars. Shortly after his purchase in 1855; the company was renamed Haskell & Barker Car Co. The onset of the American Civil War helped the business prosper through government contracts. As the Car Company prospered, Michigan City prospered. When he retired in 1869, his son, left Chicago, to return as the general manager of the company. By 1910, the Car Company was propersing such that John H. was worth an estimated fifty to sixty million dollars. In 1922 "Haskell & Barker" merged with the Pullman Company, and is now known as Pullman-Standard, a division of Pullman, Inc.[2]

References

External links

Media related to John H. Barker Mansion at Wikimedia Commons


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