About The Mansion

John Barker moved to Michigan City in 1836, where he became a significant figure in the local economy by investing in Sherman, Haskell, & Aldridge, which later transformed into the Haskell & Barker Car Company. In 1857, he constructed The Barker Mansion, a symbol of his success. During the Civil War, the company produced vital freight cars that supplied Union troops.

After John’s passing in 1878, his son John H. Barker took over as president of Haskell & Barker Car Company in 1883. Under his leadership, the company grew to become one of Indiana’s largest factories and employers, with 3,500 employees producing 15,000 freight cars per year. Beginning in the 1890s and continuing through 1905, John H. renovated and expanded The Barker Mansion to the 38 rooms it has today.

Following John H. Barker’s death, his daughter Catherine Barker sold Haskell & Barker Car Company in 1915. She would go on to cement the Barker family’s legacy of philanthropy. In 1924, Catherine established the Barker Annuity Fund — the first pension fund in the United States funded by a private individual — to support workers affected by the sale of the company.

In 1934, Catherine Barker founded the Barker Welfare Foundation, providing assistance to nonprofit organizations. The Foundation continues to serve the Michigan City community today, and the Barker Mansion stands as monument to industry, philanthropy, and Michigan City.