This unusual home, now owned by the Knights of Columbus, was built originally for William G. Scott and his third wife, Clara A. Robie McCoy Scott around 1885.  Estimated original cost was $18,000.  Mr. Scott was very important in the successful Garr, Scott & Co.  He later became the second president of the Second National Bank.  He was a cousin to Andrew F. Scott whose home just to the south of this is now owned by the Wayne County Historical Museum.

"The house is made of red brick, said to have been imported from England, arriving with each brick wrapped separately in paper to keep it from being marred in shipping. The bricks were laid with a thin "buttered" joint using red mortar.  This, along with the red or brown sandstone and red terra cotta and red slate roof produced a distinctive red house on a heavily rusticated gray limestone base."¹ 

It has been described as "Chateauesque" and also as an English variation of Queen Anne.  No matter how you describe it, it is unique in this area.

The house was passed to Helen and John Dougan, daughter and son-in-law of William and Clara Scott, after William Scott died in 1897.   After John Dougan died, the house was obtained by Daniel G. Reid.  After his death, it was owned by Daniel Reid's daughter, Rhea.  She sold the property to the Knights of Columbus in October 1921 for $25,000.

¹ p. 22, Gaar Houses, Richmond · Indiana by James P. Hartig and Gertrude L. Ward, Illustrated by Michael L. Cougill, © 1991 Neighborhood Preservation Services, Inc., Centerville, IN

To learn more about the many beautiful Gaar Mansions in the Richmond area, visit your area library to read:

Gaar Houses, Richmond · Indiana
by James P. Hartig and Gertrude L. Ward, Illustrated by Michael L. Cougill
© 1991 Neighborhood Preservation Services, Inc., Centerville, IN

View a historical photo of this building from Dalbey's 1906 "Pictorial History of Richmond, Indiana."