Garrett in DeKalb County, Indiana — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

The Mountz House

1893

Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, June 14, 2024

1. The Mountz House Marker

Inscription. Placed on the National Register of Historic Places September 11, 1979, by the United States Department of the Interior in cooperation with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Division of Historic Preservation.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Architecture. In addition, it is included in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1893.

Location. 41° 20.893′ N, 85° 7.816′ W. Marker is in Garrett, Indiana, in DeKalb County. It is on East Houston Street east of South Harrison Street, on the right when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 507 E Houston St, Garrett IN 46738, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Northern Indiana

and in Greater Fort Wayne.

It is also in the American Midwest

and in the Corn Belt.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture

and also the Northwest Territory.

Paid Advertisement

Click or scan to see
this page online

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 3 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Bogert-Teeters House (within shouting distance of this marker); Creek Chub Bait Company (approx. ¼ mile away); Garrett Keyser Butler Veterans Memorial (approx. 0.3 miles away); John Bowersox (Bowers) (approx. 0.4 miles away); Memorial To Jacob And Sarah Ober Brechbill (approx. 2 miles away); Fallen Warbirds Veterans Memorial (approx. 2.3 miles away); Rangers (approx. 2.3 miles away); Orin Clark House (approx. 2.4 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Garrett.

Regarding The Mountz House. Excerpts from the National Register nomination:

The house is significant as one of the best examples of the Queen Anne style of architecture in the Town of Garrett.

The structure is also notable for several local historical associations. The house was originally built from 1893 to 1896 for Herman N. Coffinberry, who was president of the Garrett Banking Company. Coffinberry, who was County Auditor from 1890 to 1894, was involved in a ring of county officials stealing from the DeKalb County treasury, and the house was constructed
Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, June 14, 2024

2. The Mountz House Marker
with embezzled funds. In April, 1906, the Sheriff came to 507 Houston to arrest Coffinberry, who fled to the master bath and shot himself in the head.

Henry Wesley Mountz was acting as the attorney for the bank, and when Coffinberry's widow filed bankruptcy, Mountz bought the property. … The property has remained in the Mountz family for all but a three-year period since 1906.

Also see . . . Mountz House (PDF). National Register nomination for the property. (Prepared by Mary Pifer Mountz; via National Archives) (Submitted on July 3, 2024, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)

Credits. This page was last revised on July 3, 2024. It was originally submitted on July 3, 2024, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 406 times since then and 31 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on July 3, 2024, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

Editor’s want-list for this marker. Unobstructed photograph of the house. • Can you help?