The Case for Reed Case

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One of the interesting things, as well as a sure sign of the devotion to the preservation of historical buildings in Delphi, Indiana, in the village at Wabash and Erie Canal Park was the Reed Case House. The house is not in its original location, but was moved to the park to save it from demolition in the 1980s. Good for Delphi!! Reed Case was born in Nelson County, Kentucky in 1808. When he was two his family moved to Indiana, where he lived for the rest of his life (save for a quick trip back to Kentucky to avoid what was described as “Indian hostilities”). Although he lacked a formal education, he was quite intelligent in manners of building and business. When Case was 16 he started a construction business. At the age of 18, he built the original courthouse for Hendricks County, Indiana (described as “a log structure costing $147” on the Hendricks County website). His other business endeavors included banking and pork packing (somehow those two don’t seem to go together ). But it was that ability to construct that forever linked him to Delphi. In 1836 he designed and helped construct the section of the Wabash and Erie Canal in Miami County. Two years later, he moved to Delphi and worked on the Canal there. The house he bought in 1844 was quite impressive, as he was a successful businessman. It included two parlors and what was called a “domestic’s room” for what we’d call a maid today. The room included its own entry from the outside (which prompted me to ask if the maid was black, to which the narrator replied, “No, Irish”). Case, in addition to his business dealings, was an abolitionist. He was an active participant in the Underground Railroad, helping slaves escape to freedom. Reed Case died after a stroke in October 1871. His house was converted to a hotel, then a boarding house, before being rescued from the wrecking ball by the history-minded folks at the park. The most fascinating part for me was the rope beds. You’ve heard the expression “sleep tight”? It originated with rope beds. What we’d now have for a box spring or foundation was made from ropes and had to be tightened frequently to keep the mattress and the occupant from sagging. I think I’ll keep my modern, adjustable memory foam bed. I don’t know what happened to my photos of the inside of the house. But it was lovely, decorated with period pieces although none of the furniture was originally owned by Case himself. Some of his descendants did make contributions to the furnishings, however. The house was part of the “combo ticket” that included the boat ride and the museum. I loved the walk through the old house! PHOTOS: (Left) A sign for the house (Right) One of the products of a bygone era, the man’s top hat on the piano in the parlor.