Historic Traders Point
Normandy Farms has a unique and rich history. The site is part of the forested area known historically as Trader’s Point. In the 18thand 19th centuries, settlers and fur trappers would meet here and trade with the local Indians. Later, portions of the forest were cleared and developed into farmland.
Many of the roads that traverse the Trader’s Point area bear the names the pioneering families who settled here—Hollingsworth, Marsh, Noel, Conarroe, Wilson, Moore, and Fishback. Descendants of these families still live in Pike Township and have a strong attachment to the community.
Traders Point History and Blog
Pike Township Historical Society
The Original Normandy Farm
In the early 20th centry, Pike Township became the location of choice for some of Marion County’s wealthier residents, including William H. Block, L.S. Ayres, Eli Lilly, Harold Ransburg, and Herman Krannert. Industrialist and philanthropist Herman C. Krannert lived on the property which was eventually developed into the Normandy Farm subdivision.
Beginning operations in 1935, the original Normandy Farm consisted of 600 acres and included Mr. Krannert’s private residence and dairy farm. The farm was managed by agricultural experts and assisted by Purdue University. It was reputed to be one of the most advanced dairy farming operations in the nation.
Mrs. Krannert named the property Normandy Farm after the province in France called “Normandie” because it reminded her of the French countryside with its picturesque landscapes of rolling hills, farms, and forests.
An address delivered on January 5, 1960, on the occasion of Mr. & Mrs. Krannert receiving the Pike Township Lions Club’s Outstanding Community Service Award for 1959, was made into a 20-page brochure called History of Normandy Farm. The brochure, which details the history of the farm (1932 to 1960) and of the thriving Guernsey Cow business the Krannerts developed, includes photos of the farm’s prize-winning bulls and cows.
Our thanks to neighbor Steve Klingenberger for unearthing the brochure from his wife’s memorabilia.
The Subdivision Is Built
In 1975, approximately 395 acres of the farm were sold to developer John Kleinops, who had developed the nearby Trader’s Point North subdivision. Representatives of the Krannert estate expressed great satisfaction that Mr. Kleinops would be the indvidual to develop Normandy Farms. They wanted the property to be developed to a standard consistent with Mr. Krannert’s reputation for excellence and aesthetics.
After consulting experts in land planning and architecture, John Kleinops spent two years designing and planning the new subdivision. He aimed to preserve the environs that made this property unique, including the imported specimen trees as well as the topographical features of the property. This necessitated the implementation of conservation and erosion controls into the developent plan. As a result, Normany Farms subdivision was designated as the Urban Conservationist of the Year in 1980 by the Soil & Water Conservation Board.
Normandy Farms was the site of the 1980 Home-A-Rama and the 1983 Designer Showcase of Homes.
Moving the Barn—Twice!
In the late 1990s, the main barn of Normandy Farms was disassembled piece by piece and reassembled near the 38th Street entrance of the Indiana State Fairgrounds. The vintage barn was reconstructed using as many of the original building components as possible and served for a time as the year-round home of the Center For Agricultural Science and Heritage.
http://www.tlf-engineers.com/projects/norman.htm
Later the barn was moved again, this time into the Fairgrounds where it sits near the Farm Bureau Building. Now painted a cheerful green and white, it serves as a venue for meetings, weddings and special events.