The Morris-Butler House is a historic home adapted for offices and a rental venue for Indiana Landmarks. Named for its first two residents, the Morris-Butler House is located at 1204 North Park Avenue. John D. Morris (1815-1895) moved to Indianapolis from Kentucky in 1821. In 1864, he purchased Lot 112 in Ovid Butler’s subdivision and erected an upper-middle-class home of brick. John Clements served as the builder and is attributed as the architect.
Morris’ family lived in the 16-room home until 1878 when an economic depression contributed to his default on a loan that ended in bankruptcy. (1844-1933) purchased the house in October 1881, living there with his family until 1933. A daughter, Florence, continued to live in the house until her death in 1958.
Park Avenue (art) Gallery operated in the home until the owners sold the property to Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana (now ) in 1962. The organization restored the house with financial assistance from under the direction of restoration architect .
The house opened in 1969 as office space for the organization and a house museum of Victorian decorative arts. The offices relocated as the museum collection grew. The property remained a house museum until 2013. It is now part of a campus that includes the adjacent housed in the former Central Avenue Methodist Church at 1201 Central Avenue. The Morris-Butler House is used for office space and small events.
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