Theodore Clement Steele, American, 1847–1926
1916
Oil on canvas
76.2 cm x 101.6 cm | 30 in x 40 in
Signed and dated lower right, T.C. Steele 1916
By permission, Haan Museum of Indiana Art, Lafayette, Indiana
Acquired from Winthrop Art Gallery, September, 1996
This Indiana State Historic Site is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and remains today much the same as the time T.C. and Selma Steele lived here.
The view is looking north-northeast from roughly the vantage point of where the top of the Large Studio walkway is today. Of note, the painting is dated 1916, the same year the Large Studio was built.
Living in the House of the Singing Winds
An Essay by Andrea Smith deTarnowsky
T.C. Steele State Historic Site manager (retired)
Entire books have been written about the Steeles’ time in Brown County, living in the House of the Singing Winds. T.C. Steele painted the home many times, and Selma Steele wrote extensively about their efforts to make the house a home; it was clearly a favorite subject for both. However, most visitors don’t realize that the house was a home—for many people and many families beyond the Steeles—for around 100 years.
First after the Steeles was Edith Neubacher. She moved in before Mr. Steele’s death, remained with her widowed sister Selma Steele, and was reportedly miffed when the property was donated to the then-Department of Conservation instead of being willed to her. Mrs. Steele didn’t leave her sister homeless, though. The Deed of Gift specified Miss Neubacher retained life residency rights.
Next came a series of caretakers. Billy Helms, an early caretaker, recalled living in the nearby Parks house until Miss Neubacher’s death in 1954. Caretakers were politically appointed, though, so they and their families came and went every few years. At some point, I lost count of long-time county residents visiting the historic site, reminiscing about growing up in or visiting friends who lived in the House of the Singing Winds.
Fabius Gwinn, caretaker / property manager in the mid- to late-1960s, was another oral history interviewee. Part of the main section of the home was restored (and eventually opened to the public in 1972), during his tenure while he and his family resided there. The remainder of the home was modernized as an apartment. This was the version of the House of the Singing Winds that I experienced as a brand-new curator in 1990.
What was it like living in the House of the Singing Winds? Fun, but it took some getting used to. Many of the Steeles’ personal touches and original features were surprisingly intact, despite decades of changes and the large number of residents over the years. However, there was little personal privacy during the day. Visitors were curious about the part of the house not on the tour, and constantly peered through the windows (I swear my cat enjoyed shocking visitors when she jumped onto the windowsills). After hours, though? There was always a sense of “home” and “welcome” as I explored the buildings and grounds. It was easy to imagine those who came before me.
I was the last person to actually live in the House of the Singing Winds. The Indiana State Museum system began to eliminate living quarters within historic buildings in the late 1990s, in favor of remote monitoring.
The House of the Singing Winds apartment was one of the last to go years later, due to the historic site’s remote location and rapid response concerns. Reversing the 1960s modernization actually began while I still lived there. Historic kitchen restoration took over a year (I lived on microwaved meals and washed dishes in the bathroom sink). Now, only the west wing remains inaccessible to visitors. Yet, I still feel the same sense of “home” and “welcome” at its heart when I visit the House of the Singing Winds today.
Andrea Smith deTarnowsky was the longtime T.C. Steele Historic Site Curator/ Manager, from October 1990 through January 2020, now retired. She continues contributing to Brown County art, history and outdoors as a 30+ year member of the Brown & Monroe County Spring Wildflower Foray. Andera completed her Masters Degree in Early American History and Museum Studies at the College of William and Mary, and Colonial Williamsburg Foundation.
This painting is in the collection of the Haan Museum of Indiana Art. We have the following series from The Haan below on the T.C. Steele Virtual Gallery.
- Village Scene, 1885
- The Shades, 1888
- House of the Singing Winds, 1916
You can visit the Haan Museum of Indiana Art in Lafayette, Indiana.
This painting is featured on the T.C. Steele Historic Trail.