Allendale is an

unincorporated community An unincorporated area is a region that is not governed by a local municipal corporation. Widespread unincorporated communities and areas are a distinguishing feature of the United States and Canada. Most other countries of the world either have ...

in south central

Vigo County, Indiana Vigo County ( ) is a county on the western border of the U.S. state of Indiana. According to the 2020 United States Census, it had a population of 105,994 . Its county seat is Terre Haute. Vigo County is included in the Terre Haute metropolita ...

, in Honey Creek Township. It is part of the

Terre Haute Terre Haute ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Vigo County, Indiana, United States, about 5 miles east of the state's western border with Illinois. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 60,785 and its metropolitan area had a ...

Metropolitan Statistical Area In the United States, a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) is a geographical region with a relatively high population density at its core and close economic ties throughout the area. Such regions are neither legally incorporated as a city or tow ...

History

Allendale, built into a bluff overlooking Honey Creek, is known for its winding roads, heavily wooded lots, deep ravines and large upper and upper-middle class houses. Most of the architect-designed homes date from the 1920s to 1960s and display a range of styles -- Prairie School, Arts & Crafts,

Jacobean Revival The Jacobethan or Jacobean Revival architectural style is the mixed national Renaissance revival style that was made popular in England from the late 1820s, which derived most of its inspiration and its repertory from the English Renaissance (15 ...

Colonial Revival The Colonial Revival architectural style seeks to revive elements of American colonial architecture. The beginnings of the Colonial Revival style are often attributed to the Centennial Exhibition of 1876, which reawakened Americans to the archit ...

, Cotswold Cottage,

Mission Revival The Mission Revival style was part of an architectural movement, beginning in the late 19th century, for the revival and reinterpretation of American colonial styles. Mission Revival drew inspiration from the late 18th and early 19th century ...

Cape Cod Cape Cod is a peninsula extending into the Atlantic Ocean from the southeastern corner of mainland Massachusetts, in the northeastern United States. Its historic, maritime character and ample beaches attract heavy tourism during the summer mont ...

, Split-Level and

Ranch A ranch (from es, rancho/Mexican Spanish) is an area of land, including various structures, given primarily to ranching, the practice of raising grazing livestock such as cattle and sheep. It is a subtype of a farm. These terms are most ofte ...

. Allendale adjoins the Country Club of Terre Haute; a private, non-profit, member-owned 18-hole golf course started in 1898. A Carmelite Monastery, ''The Carmel of St. Joseph'', was founded in Allendale in 1947. The modern chapel was completed in 1970. Allendale was once part of a farm owned by industrialist William P. Ijams and his wife, Sallie Warren Ijams. ''Warren Park Farm'' included a 100-horse stable. In 1889, a syndicate headed by Ijams bought Axtell, a world record setting harness racing stallion, for $105,000. It was the highest price ever paid for a horse at the time. The Ijams' son, Frank Burch Ijams, commissioned New York architect H.T. Lindeberg, a student of

Stanford White Stanford White (November 9, 1853 – June 25, 1906) was an American architect. He was also a partner in the architectural firm McKim, Mead & White, one of the most significant Beaux-Arts firms. He designed many houses for the rich, in addition ...

, to build a Jacobean Revival mansion in Allendale in 1929. Another former Allendale resident was Chapman J. Root, who owned the Root Glass Company of

. Root Glass designed and patented the famous

Coca-Cola Coca-Cola, or Coke, is a carbonated soft drink manufactured by the Coca-Cola Company. Originally marketed as a temperance drink and intended as a patent medicine, it was invented in the late 19th century by John Stith Pemberton in Atlant ...

contour bottle. Root's Allendale estate, ''Rocky Edge'', included a party house with an indoor swimming pool, greenhouse, bar and ballroom. Allendale was also the home of distiller, Fred B. Smith. After establishing a successful distillery in Nebraska, Smith relocated to Terre Haute in 1895 and organized the Indiana Distilling Co. and later managed the 6-story Majestic Distillery, one of the world’s largest, with a capacity of 60,000 gallons a day. In 1898 Smith founded the Merchants Distilling Co. The gardens of Fred B. Smith's Prairie School mansion in Allendale were designed by the Danish-born landscape architect,

Jens Jensen Jens Jensen may refer to: * Jens Jensen (footballer) (1890–1957), Danish football (soccer) player who played one game for the Denmark national football team * Jens Jensen (landscape architect) (1860–1951), Danish-born landscape architect in Chi ...

, and included a reflection pool and 'long view' meadow. After the 18th Amendment to the Constitution was ratified prohibiting the sale, manufacture, and transportation of alcohol, Smith closed the distillery and sold his Allendale estate, valued at $200,000, to the Indiana

Knights of Columbus The Knights of Columbus (K of C) is a global Catholic fraternal service order founded by Michael J. McGivney on March 29, 1882. Membership is limited to practicing Catholic men. It is led by Patrick E. Kelly, the order's 14th Supreme Knight. ...

for $75,000 in 1921. The Knights of Columbus established the Gibault School for Boys on the property. Allendale was also the location of the ''Allendale Lodge''—a rustic stone and wooden structure with a large fireplace and screened porch. The lodge was built by

Indiana State University Indiana State University (ISU) is a public university in Terre Haute, Indiana. It was founded in 1865 and offers over 100 undergraduate majors and more than 75 graduate and professional programs. Indiana State is classified among "D/PU: Doctor ...

with the help of the

National Youth Administration The National Youth Administration (NYA) was a New Deal agency sponsored by Franklin D. Roosevelt during his presidency. It focused on providing work and education for Americans between the ages of 16 and 25. It operated from June 26, 1935 to ...

in 1939. Indiana State University paid for the cost of the building materials and college students provided the labor. Indiana State University sold the Allendale Lodge and surrounding property to the Carmelites in 1999. Allendale was originally outside of

, but retail expansion south of the city has encroached on the area. The population is about 250.

References

* "''History of Indiana from Its Exploration to 1922''," by Logan Esarey and William F. Cronin, Dayton Historical Publishing Company, 1922. * McCormick, Mike, "''Wabash Valley Profiles''" {{authority control Unincorporated communities in Vigo County, Indiana Terre Haute metropolitan area Unincorporated communities in Indiana