Preserving a piece of South Bend History

SOUTH BEND, Ind. - Someone will soon be able to call a piece of history home, after it's revitalized and preserved to combat the City’s great need for more affordable housing.

One home, originally built in the 1800s, once belonged to one of South Bend’s first Black doctors, Dr. Milton A. Butts.

He practiced medicine in the home for years, and now it will serve the neighborhood in a new way with the help of the not-for-profit, South Bend Heritage.

They aim to preserve the city’s history, stabilize neighborhoods and provide much needed affordable housing.

The South Bend Heritage Foundation, Mayor James Mueller and members of the Butts family, gathered to take a look at the new renovations on Wednesday morning.

Dr. Butts’ daughter Myra shared memories in the home, she's now eager for new families to make their own.

"I hope they can preserve more homes that have some history to them. All homes have a story, so if they can continue to renovate houses, a lot of them have a good structure. It’s a good thing,” she said.

The upstairs was transformed into an affordable apartment while the lower level will serve as a community center and leasing office.

"This kind of development in this location is very important from a neighbor stabilization project. It also provides a great location a convenient location for families,” said Marco Mariani the Executive Director of South Bend Heritage Foundation.

The space offers a doorway into its history, leaving some of the original architecture including the wrap around porch and doors, while making it a more functional space for it’s future residents, updating the appliances and cooling system, and putting in a new ramp.

For more information on the South Bend Heritage Foundation’s upcoming and past projects, see their website.