Madame C. J. Walker Building
Built 1927 by Rubush & Hunter. Added to the National Register in 1980, and a National Historic Landmark.
What it is
The Madam C. J. Walker Building, which houses the Madam Walker Legacy Center, was built in 1927 in the city of Indianapolis, Indiana, and as Madam C. J. Walker Manufacturing Company, it was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1991. The four-story, multi-purpose Walker Building was named in honor of Madam C. J. Walker, the African American hair care and beauty products entrepreneur who founded the Madam C. J. Walker Manufacturing Company, and designed by the Indianapolis architectural firm of Rubush & Hunter. The building served as the world headquarters for Walker's company, as well as entertainment, business, and commercial hub along Indiana Avenue for the city's African American community from the 1920s to the 1950s. The historic gathering place and venue for community events and arts and cultural programs were saved from demolition in the 1970s. The restored building, which includes African, Egyptian, and Moorish designs, is one of the few remaining African-Art Deco buildings in the United States. The Walker Building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980.
Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
The record
| Register name | Walker, Madame C. J., Building |
| Property type | Building |
| Address | 617 Indiana Ave., Indianapolis, IN |
| County | Marion County |
| Listed | Jul 17, 1980 |
| Listed for | Architecture, Performing arts, Black heritage, Industry, Commerce, Entertainment and recreation, Invention, Education, Social history |
| Level of significance | National |
| Also known as | Walker Theatre; Walker, Madame C.J., Manufacturing Company |
| Reference number | 80000062 |
| Built | 1927 · more from the 1920s |
| Architect | Rubush & Hunter |
| Type of place | performing arts center, theatre building, movie theater |
| Designations | National Historic Landmark |
| Contributing resources | 1 building |
| Standing | Yes |
The nomination form, the document that argues why this place matters, is in the National Archives: Read the nomination ↗
Visiting
| Address | 617 Indiana Ave., Indianapolis, IN |
| Website | walkertheatre.com ↗ |
| Coordinates | 39.7762° N, 86.1672° W · Directions ↗ |
| Also in Indianapolis | 266 listed places in Indianapolis → · walking tours → |
| Nearest national park unit | William Howard Taft National Historic Site · 99 miles · on Park Atlas |
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Reference
Questions people ask
When was Madame C. J. Walker Building listed on the National Register?
Jul 17, 1980. It is also a National Historic Landmark, the higher of the two designations.
Source: National Park Service
When was Madame C. J. Walker Building built?
1927, designed by Rubush & Hunter.
Source: Wikidata
Can I visit Madame C. J. Walker Building?
Yes. Madame C. J. Walker Building is recorded as open to the public, and hours are on the official website.
Source: Official website
Where is Madame C. J. Walker Building?
617 Indiana Ave., Indianapolis, Marion County, Indiana. The nearest national park unit is William Howard Taft National Historic Site, 99 miles away.
Where is the nomination form for Madame C. J. Walker Building?
The National Archives holds the nomination form, the document that made the case for listing.
Source: National Archives
Is there cell service at Madame C. J. Walker Building?
FCC coverage maps show Verizon 5G, AT&T 5G, and T-Mobile 5G at the listed point. Coverage indoors and behind old masonry is another matter.
Source: FCC Broadband Map
Sources
Location, type and contributing counts come from the National Park Service's National Register spatial data. Listing dates come from the National Register office's spreadsheet where it carries the listing. Construction date, architect, style, photograph and encyclopedia link come from Wikidata and Wikimedia Commons, matched on reference number 80000062. Nothing here is transcribed by hand. The nomination form and photographs ↗ at NPGallery are the original nomination as filed with the National Park Service, and the form is often the best description of the place. The description under "What it is" is the opening of the Wikipedia article, CC BY-SA.