Shortridge-Voss House
636 East 13th Street
1872-73
The Italianate character of this house can be glimpsed in the bracketed cornice, window surrounds, and three-sided west bay. It was built by [Abraham (Abram)] C. Shortridge. The porch to the west is a later addition.
Shortridge (1833-1919) came to Indianapolis in 1861 and worked for two years as principal of the Preparatory Department at North Western Christian University. He was elected the first Superintendent of the Indianapolis Public Schools, a post he held until 1874. At that time, he became active in organizing the new School of Agriculture in Lafayette (now Purdue University). His poor health forced an early retirement in 1876, and he returned to this home to take up farming, eventually going completely blind by 1889. Shortridge High School is named in his honor. Shortridge left this address in the mid-1890s.
Tarquina Voss took up residence here in 1896. She was the daughter of Gustavus H. Voss, a lawyer and businessman. Miss Voss was considered quite a flamboyant character in the neighborhood as she lived for a time in Paris, and dressed in colorful clothes. She stayed here until her death in 1930.
Old Northside Historic Area Preservation Plan, 1979
