History of The Mansion

In the year 1814, John Barker was born in Andover, Massachusetts, destined to leave an indelible mark on the landscape of Michigan City. Before John moved to Michigan City, the land that would become Michigan City was purchased by Major Isaac C. Elston in 1830. Six years later, the town was officially incorporated. At the age of 22, John arrived in Michigan City, ready to forge his path as a general merchant and later expand into grain brokerage.

Black and white portrait of an older man with thinning white hair, wearing a dark suit, patterned vest, white shirt, and bow tie, looking slightly to his right with a neutral expression at Barker Mansion in Michigan City.
Maj. Isaac C. Elston

In 1841, John Barker married Cordelia E. Collamer, a woman from Sandy Hill, New York. Their union blossomed at Trinity Church on Franklin Street, where they began a family that would grow to include their son, John Henry Barker, born in 1844.

A middle-aged man with light-colored eyes and short, neatly combed hair wears a dark suit, waistcoat, and bow tie. He poses for a formal portrait against a plain light background at Barker Mansion in Michigan City.
John Barker
Black-and-white portrait of a woman with short hair parted in the middle, wearing a dark dress with a white collar and a beaded necklace, set against a faded, textured background in Michigan City’s historic Barker Mansion.
Cordelia E. Collamer

In 1855, John made a significant investment in a small freight car manufacturing company, which soon transformed into the Haskell & Barker Car Company. This venture would play a crucial role in shaping the American railroad industry. As a result of his success, John Barker built The Barker Mansion in 1857.

As the Civil War raged from 1861 to 1865, Haskell & Barker Car Company thrived under government contracts, producing essential freight cars for Union troops. In 1869, John Barker retired, passing the reins to his son John H. Barker, who took over as general manager of the company. Under his leadership, the factory produced two train cars per day, marking a period of prosperity.

Four men in early 20th-century work clothes stand before a steam locomotive on the tracks in Michigan City. The locomotive emits smoke from its smokestack, and its headlamp glows faintly in this black and white scene.
A steam locomotive is stopped on railway tracks in Michigan City while soldiers, horses, and workers are near stacks of lumber. A covered wooden bridge burns in the background under a cloudy sky, not far from Barker Mansion.

In 1873, tragedy struck the Barker family. John H. and his wife Eugenia Brooks welcomed three children, all of whom sadly passed away in childhood. To commemorate their memory, Barker Hall was built in 1886.

The year 1878 marked the passing of John Barker, leaving behind a legacy that his family would continue to nurture. By 1883, John H. assumed the presidency of Haskell & Barker Car Company, overseeing its growth to an annual output of 1,000 freight cars.

A man with a mustache stands posed in formal 19th-century attire, including a dark suit with a vest and bow tie, one hand resting on his hip and the other on a surface, evoking the elegance of Michigan City’s historic Barker Mansion.
John H. Barker
A woman dressed in dark Victorian clothing sits beside a baby in a white gown, both looking at the camera. The soft, faded background gives the image a vintage charm reminiscent of historic Barker Mansion in Michigan City.
Eugenia Barker
Black-and-white illustration of a large 19th-century industrial factory complex in Michigan City, with multiple buildings, smokestacks emitting smoke, and trains in the foreground—near the historic Barker Mansion.

Circa 1890, the first renovation of The Barker Mansion began, completing in 1899 with significant expansions, including a larger dining room. However, personal loss continued to shadow the family; Eugenia passed away in 1891, leaving John H. to navigate life as a widower.

In 1893, John H. found love again with Katherine Fitzgerald, a teacher from Manchester, New Hampshire. They had a daughter named Catherine in 1896. The family continued to thrive; by 1905, they commissioned prominent architect Frederick Wainwright Perkins to further renovate the mansion. The project expanded the house to an impressive 35,000 square feet with numerous rooms and amenities.

A man and a woman walk arm in arm on a sidewalk in front of houses and leafless trees in Michigan City. The man holds a hat in his hand. The black and white image appears old, possibly near the historic Barker Mansion.
Katherine & John H. Barker
A large, two-story brick house reminiscent of Barker Mansion in Michigan City, with ivy-covered walls, arched windows, a small staircase to the front door, and bare trees surrounding the property on a foggy day.
A faded architectural drawing of Barker Mansion in Michigan City depicts a two-story brick building with a decorative gabled roof, arched central doorway, multiple windows, and detailed notes highlighting its historic character.
Frederick Wainwright Perkins Design

By 1907, Haskell & Barker Car Company had grown into one of Indiana’s largest factories and employers. However, this success was not without heartache; Katherine passed away in 1910 at just 43 years old. Later that year, John H. himself passed away at age 66, leaving their daughter Catherine an orphan and one of the wealthiest young heiresses in the world.

In 1915, Catherine married Howard Henry Spaulding Jr., but their marriage ended in divorce by 1928. She sold Haskell & Barker Car Company to a group of investors and later established the Barker Annuity Fund in 1924 to support workers affected by the company’s changes—an innovative move that created one of the first pension funds funded by a private individual in the United States.

A black-and-white photo of a large wedding party at Barker Mansion, Michigan City, shows women in gowns and hats holding bouquets, men in suits, and three young children in white outfits seated in front against lush greenery.
A brick building facade in Michigan City displays two signs: one engraved with "Haskell & Barker Car Co. 1852 1914," and another reading "PULLMAN STANDARD" in large, white letters above the windows, not far from the historic Barker Mansion.

Catherine married Charles V. Hickox in 1930 and together they had four children. Tragedy struck again with the loss of twin boys in infancy. Despite these hardships, Catherine’s philanthropic spirit thrived; she founded the Barker Welfare Foundation in 1934 to support non-profit organizations and uphold her family’s legacy.

A man in a suit and a woman in a dark dress and hat walk arm-in-arm outdoors near Barker Mansion in Michigan City. She holds a bouquet of flowers as they gaze at each other, with trees and the historic building in the background.
Charles V. Hickox & Catherine Barker

In 1949, Catherine Barker donated The Barker Mansion to Purdue University for their satellite campus until it returned to the Barker family in 1968. Catherine extended its use as a museum and civic center, and oversaw its restoration to reflect its early 20th-century grandeur.

Catherine passed away in 1970 at age 74 from emphysema. Her contributions and vision for The Barker Mansion ensured its place in history; it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975. In 2014, the surrounding area became known as the Haskell & Barker National Historic District.

Three elderly men in suits stand smiling in front of a historical marker sign for the Barker Civic Center, which shares the history of Michigan City’s former Barker Mansion. The black and white photo adds a timeless feel to the moment.
Four young women holding books and folders walk down a staircase in the ornate Barker Mansion in Michigan City, with others visible in the background. The black and white photo appears to be from a past decade.

Today, The Barker Mansion stands as a testament to the Barker family’s rich history and enduring legacy within Michigan City and beyond. With over 90% of its interior remaining original, it continues to tell the story of ambition, resilience, and community impact through generations.