“The Independent Turnverein is important both for its association with Indianapolis’ German heritage, and as one of few public or quasi-public buildings in the city displaying the influence of the Prairie and Craftsman styles. The organization, a reflection of the predominance of Germans in the population of Indianapolis beginning in the 1850’s, was a social and political club associated with reform, education and physical training. By 1872 two city groups, the Indianapolis Turnverein and the Social Turnverein, had joined into one group, the Indianapolis Socialer Turnverein. The organization was associated with the National Turnerbund, which was represented by the Indianapolis weekly newspaper, “Zukunft,”edited by Adolph Seidensticker. By advocating the election of Tilden and Hendricks in the presidential campaign of 1876, the newspaper created a rift in this organization, and on January 1, 1879, a minority of 33 members resigned and immediately organized another society called the Unabhaengiger, or Independent Turnverein. The Independent Turnverein continued to maintain an emphasis on physical fitness. The first gymnastic director, Richard Pertuch, followed precisely the organization’s constitutional requirement for the teaching of the German style of gymnastics. Under his leadership, the membership increased to 800 members. In 1884, the Independent Turnverein developed the old Third Presbyterian Church, at Ohio and Illinois Streets, as their center. The present facility was begun in 1913 and completed in 1914, and was the last of four large German clubhouses to be built in the city. (Three are still standing.) A new building provided the most modern facilities, providing a social atmosphere based on the well-being of a physically fit body.” (National Register of Historic Places Inventory—Nomination Form)
The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. It still exists today, and has been converted to an apartment building called “The Turnverein.”
https://npgallery.nps.gov/GetAsset/d225c249-a7a3-4278-9595-fe59422dfd96
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