PERU — The last use of the two-story wooden frame house in downtown Peru was a meth lab, but that all changed with Friday’s dedication of the birthplace of legendary composer Cole Porter.
Several hundred people gathered outside the restored house where Porter was born on June 9, 1891. It is where Porter learned to play the piano and violin and wrote his first song, to his mother, Kate.
The efforts of the volunteers to restore the house was recognized by Parade Magazine as one of 10 locations honored as a place where history happened.
Lee Kravitz, editor-in-chief for Parade, said a few years ago he was walking along 110th Street in Manhattan and noticed a plaque on a building that said George Gershwin composed “Rhapsody in Blue” in the building.
“Something great happened here, I told my children,” Kravitz said. “I realized there were places all over America that were unknown or neglected that had contributed to our culture.”
Parade Magazine asked people across the United States to nominate sites. Kravitz said 2,500 locations were nominated and Porter’s birthplace was among the top 10.
“Through a historic effort, this has come to be the place it is today,” Kravitz said in presenting a plaque to Joey Kubesch, a cousin of Porter’s.
“From meth lab to magic,” Peru Mayor Jim Walker said. “The last use of the house was a meth lab, it took the efforts of many people to restore Cole Porter’s birthplace.”
Kubesch said her father attempted to acquire the birthplace for 20 years and convert it into a museum.
“It is an honor to have this tribute to Cole and the city,” she said.
The birthplace contains three six-room suites that can be rented and has a museum in the front of the house. The suites are decorated with pictures from Porter’s career and recordings of his songs.
The museum was filled with the songs of Porter’s music when New York entertainer Mark Nadler sat at the piano to play a few of Porter’s better known works.
Among those attending the dedication was Patricia Morrison who played the role of Kate in the Broadway musical written by Porter “Kiss Me Kate.”
Peru resident Mary Shaffer said she grew up down the street from the Porter house, but didn’t know its significance at the time.
“I learned it after we moved to Main Street and when I was walking one day noticed the plague in the yard,” Shaffer said. “It was awful, it was not a good thing.”
Shaffer said she is really happy the house has been restored and said her favorite Porter song was “Night and Day.”
Chicago resident Richard Milczarek made five trips to Peru to help with the restoration effort.
“I did anything they needed me to do,” he said. “I did mostly exterior work. There were 70 years of paint on the house and I know every color.
“This was a labor of love,” Milczarek said of the restoration.
Peru resident Jerry Butler said he used to deliver newspapers to the house as a youngster.
“I knew the Porter family for quite a while,” Butler said. “Until you’ve heard his music, you don’t realize how great a composer he was.”
Local News
Related Photos
Discussion
Cole Porter birthplace dedicated
- Local News
-
-
Entire U.S. 31 corridor now under contract
Every segment of the 13.1-mile, U.S. 31 Kokomo Corridor is now officially under construction.
-
Northwestern to graduate 130 seniors
Peyton Hite ended her last day in high school by going home and washing sheep.
“It’s part of living on a farm,” she said, with a laugh.
-
Drugs, cash seized, four arrested
Police from four agencies seized heroin, pills, syringes and cash, and arrested four people this week after a raid on a house on East Street, according to police reports.
-
Lafayette job fair expects Kokomo hopefuls
Organizers of a Lafayette job fair next week are reaching out to Kokomo residents looking for work.
-
Deputy prosecutor facing two charges
A Howard County deputy prosecutor will face two drunken-driving charges in connection with a traffic stop in Cicero.
-
Governor honors student
A Northwestern High School senior achieved a milestone Thursday when he became the first Indiana student ever to win both of the state’s top science awards.
-
Taylor considering staff reductions
A decline in enrollment has forced Taylor School Corp. to consider staff reductions, but the board won’t vote on the issue until next week, officials said Thursday.
-
Schools among top 20 in Indiana
Three area schools were ranked among the top 20 in Indiana this year by U.S. News and World Report.
Tri-Central Middle/High School, Eastern Junior-Senior High School and Tipton High School all made the list, which was an evaluation of 379 high schools across the state.
-
Library starts iPad rental program
Apple can’t make enough iPads to satisfy demand, but the Kokomo-Howard County Public Library now owns 15 iPad2 units.
Thursday, social media-conscious library patrons scrambled to borrow the tablet computers, on the first official day of the library’s iPad lending program.
-
Gov. names NW student 'Mr. Science' for 2012
Tyler Barnes becomes first Indiana student to be named Indiana's Top Young Scientist and Mr. Science.
- More Local News Headlines
-
NJ Man Charged With Murder in Death of Patz
Support, Fun for Kids of Fallen Soldiers at Camp
Fugitive Penguin Caught, Returned to Aquarium
50 Years Later, Underground Fire Still Burning
Light Show Transforms Sydney Opera House
Raw Video: Unruly Passenger Restrained in Miami
Raw Video: Robber Uses Drive-thru Window
Raw Video: Dragon Arrives at Space Station
Calif.'s Coronado Named Nation's Best Beach
CEO Salaries Become Sore Issue in Labor Disputes
Raw Video: Fight Erupts in Ukrainian Parliament
Texan Ranchers Remain Wary of Drought
Raw Video: Soldiers Plant Flags at Arlington
Police: Man Arrested in Etan Patz Disappearance
NYC Protests: the Revolution Will Be Scripted
Chicago U.S. Attorney Fitzgerald Resigns
Neighbors of Etan Patz's Suspect: It's Shocking
Gulf Fishermen Reel From Seafood Troubles
Stuntman Makes Skydive Without Parachute in UK
Raw Video: Bride Who Faked Cancer Released
