Hot Property: A true Meridian-Kessler storybook house
Every home may have a story, but this Italianate home with stucco siding in the Meridian-Kessler neighborhood has its own storybook.
The house at 4605 N. Meridian St. stars in "Christmas After All: The Great Depression Diary of Minnie Swift" by Kathryn Lasky, published in 2001 by Scholastic Inc.
The 5,518-square-foot house is listed for $899,900. The book can be found on Amazon with like-new copies starting at $14.59 plus shipping.
The home has four bedrooms, three bathrooms, a pool and sits on about a third of an acre.
"I just thought it would fit the story," said author Kathryn Lasky, interviewed by telephone from her home in Cambridge, Mass. "It really is an incredible house."
Lasky's grandparents Sam and Belle Falendar built the home in 1920. Sam Falendar's initials are visible in stained glass windows of the home's breakfast nook.
Lasky said her fond childhood memories of the house brought realism to a fictional account of life in Indianapolis from Thanksgiving to Christmas in 1932.
"The family in the book is based on my mom's family," Lasky said. "The home has just a lot of texture and detail that was interesting."
The stucco siding isn't the only extraordinary detail. The home has palladium windows, Rockwood tile and French doors.
"It's a very Mediterranean house, which is unusual for Indianapolis," Lasky said.
There are several octagon-shaped rooms, including the den that features mahogany wood paneling, big windows and built-in bookcases.
One feature that made a lasting impression on Lasky: The foyer's dramatic grand stairwell.
"I was 3 years old," Lasky said. "In my memory it was this gigantic staircase."
The home has all the modern comforts you'd expect, including granite counter tops and stainless steel appliances.
This property is for a buyer who will respect the home's past, said listing agent Matt McLaughlin.
"It's going to have to be someone who appreciates history and appreciates quality construction materials you just don't get in today's homes," McLaughlin said.
The buyer should also appreciate a home with a good story.
Call Star reporter Vic Ryckaert at (317) 444-2701. Follow him on Twitter: @VicRyc.
About the home
• Location: 4605 N. Meridian St.
• Details: Four bedrooms, three bathrooms, recreation room, den, two-car garage, swimming pool, patio, 5,518 square feet, corner lot, circle driveway.
• Asking price: $899,900.
• MLS: 21349349.
• Contact: Matt McLaughlin F.C. Tucker Company, mmcl@talktotucker.com, (317) 580-7826.