Lane Place
Lane Place was built for Henry Lane in 1845 in what is now called the Elston Grove Historic District. Lane represented Montgomery County as state representative, U.S. congressman, governor and U.S. senator. His stature as chairman of the National Republican Convention in 1856 helped secure the party’s nomination of Abraham Lincoln for president in 1860.
Lane lived continuously at Lane Place until he died in 1881. His wife, Joanna Elston Lane, lived there until her death in 1914. Joanna’s niece, Helen Elston Smith, continued to preserve the property for many years and gave it to the Montgomery County Historical Society. The home became a house museum in 1931. Members of the Elston family lived in close proximity to the Lanes. Joanna’s sister, Susan, married General Lew Wallace; the General Lew Wallace Study is located close to Lane Place.
Since 1931, the Lane mansion has been open to the public for tours, featuring most of its original furnishings; its architectural details, furniture, textiles, paintings, china and glassware distinguish the house as an antique lover's destination. The Speed Log Cabin, once part of Indiana's Underground Railroad, is located on the grounds.