A little mid-century modern design for Architectural Nerds….

Columbus, IN, had been on the list of places to visit for a while. An article in an RV travel magazine brought this mid-sized town, about 50 miles south of Indianapolis, to our attention. It is known for its world-class mid-century modern architecture. After my trip to the Adirondacks last fall, Sherrie and I wanted one more outing for the year before other obligations tied us to the home front, and Columbus seemed right.

The driving force behind all of the mid-century modern design is the Cummings Foundation Architecture Program, initiated in 1954 by the president of Cummins Engine Company, Irwin Miller. The Architecture Program paid the design fees for any public building provided that an architect was selected from a pre-approved list of modernist masters. The original idea was to create a beautiful, functioning environment that would attract more people to live in Columbus and to work at Cummins. The result was over 90 public projects, including schools, churches, libraries, and municipal buildings.

In the center of town is the Columbus Area Visitors Center, which is actually an attraction in itself.  The building started out as a farmhouse in 1864. Now it has been restored and expanded. On display are a Chihuly glass installation and a collection of unique portraits of architects who have designed buildings in town.

These portraits by Paul Rand are in the 506 Gallery on the second floor of the Visitor’s Center

This Chiluly glass, the Yellow Neon Chandelier, and the Parsians are just outside the entrance to the 506 Gallery.

The Miller House

There are several guided tours available through the visitor center. For us, the highlight was the 90-minute tour of the Miller House, completed in 1957. The home was commissioned by J. Irwin Miller and designed by Eero Saarinen, with a 13-acre garden designed by Dan Kelly. Parts of the home seem timeless, and other parts are deeply rooted in the 50’s.  An example of this is the conversation pit designed by Alexander Girard. This feature of the house was extensively featured in interior design magazines at the time.

Many of the furnishings for the Miller House were specifically designed for the home. An example is the rug in the photo above. It was created for this location in the house. Notice the conversation pit; the numerous throw pillows were made from fabric woven specifically for the fall. There are other sets of pillows with spring or summer colors.

This was a short trip, only a week, but we were so immersed in the city’s tours that it filled our need to be on the road one last time in 2025. There are a few places to park your RV if that is how you travel. Cummins actually built a large RV park next to the CERA sports complex on the edge of town. We chose to stay at Brown County State Park, about 20 minutes outside of town. When planning your visit to the area, extend the trip a little to camp at Turkey Run SP and check out the many covered bridges just north of Terre Haute.

Dennis