From where you now stand you are sampling some of the building styles found in Switzerland County. On Main Street to your left are three two-story homes. The farthest from you is a dwelling built in the Italianate style. This design style was popular around the time of the Civil War. The second large house is even older, built around 1830. It was the birthplace of Edward Eggleston, the famous Indiana author of "The Hoosier Schoolmaster." His house is in the Federal style, a simple design which evolved during the early part of the nineteenth century. The house on the corner is the oldest of all, built in 1816 by the cabinetmaker named George Knox. It is also in the Federal style, but is built of wood instead of brick. The earliest Methodist meetings in Vevay were held here in the Knox House.
The Gothic Revival style Church to the west on Main Cross Street is the Switzerland Baptist Church, built in 1873. If you look toward the hill at the end of Main Cross Street you'll get a glimpse of the stately Benjamin Schenick Home, which was built in 1870 at a cost of $67,000 and has over 40 rooms. The Switzerland County Courthouse was built in 1864 and showcases the Classic Revival style. It has an underground dungeon. The hexagonal building once located behind the courthouse was a six-seater outhouse. It has been moved to accommodate a new courthouse addition.
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