Tour The Henry S. Lane Historic Home

In 1845, Henry and Joanna Maria Lane built Lane Place near the residence of Joanna’s parents, Major Isaac and Maria Elston. The area is now known as Elston Grove Historic District. Lane represented Montgomery County and Indiana as a state representative, U.S. Representative, governor and U.S. Senator. He was a prominent figure in the Republican Party and served as chairman of the first National Republican Convention in 1856. In 1860, Lane worked hard behind the scenes at the Republican Convention to secure Abraham Lincoln’s nomination for president.

Lane lived continuously at Lane Place until his death in 1881. The exception was during Lane’s term as U.S. Senator during the Civil War when the Lanes lived at the National Hotel in Washington D.C. His wife, Joanna, lived at Lane Place until her death in 1914. Joanna’s niece, Helen Elston Smith, continued to preserve the property for many years until it became a house museum in 1931.

The mansion is open to the public for tours, featuring most of its original furnishings. The architectural details, furniture, textiles, paintings, china and glassware distinguish the house as an antique lover’s destination. The U.S. Department of the Interior placed Lane Place on the National Register of Historic Places in 1981.