Captain Charles L. Shrewsbury House, 301 West First Street (High & Poplar Streets), Madison, Jefferson County, IN

Significance: The Shrewsbury house was designed by Madison architect Francis Costigan (1810-1865) and erected 1846-49. It is a stunning work of nineteenth century classical architecture. The structure's rectilinear outlines are refined by a one-story portico framing the garden entry, supported by a pair of fluted columns with corn stalk capitals and a boldly proportioned entablature. Articulating the low-pitched hip roof is a wide denticulated cornice and a frieze pierced by evenly spaced attic windows. The interior double parlors possess an atmosphere of delicate elegance, created by elaborate ceiling trim and Corinthian columns defining the division between the parlors, molded in an ancanthus leaf design. Captain Shrewsbury was a wealthy shipping merchant, principally involved with the Ohio River packing industry.
Unprocessed Field note material exists for this structure: FN-8
Survey number: HABS IN-8
Building/structure dates: 1846-1849 Initial Construction
Building/structure dates: after. 1920- before. 1929 Subsequent Work
Building/structure dates: ca. 1971 Subsequent Work
Building/structure dates: ca. 1948- ca. 1949 Subsequent Work
Building/structure dates: 2011 Subsequent Work
National Register of Historic Places NRIS Number: 94001190