Historic McBane Home

William McBane travelled by flatboat loaded with brick and mortar from Pittsburgh to New Orleans. While floating down the river he stopped off at a location not far from where this historic home was later built. A man by the name of Wilcox had laid claim to an area where he intended to build a city. When McBane met Wilcox, they struck a deal to trade half the contents of McBane's flatboat for half interest in the new city that Wilcox intended to build. Together, their dream was to design one of the largest cities in the new world and call it Metropolis City. Later the name was changed to City of Metropolis.

McBane immediately proceeded to build a two story brick structure on the property adjacent to the river. In 1842 he finished his home and went back to Pittsburgh to bring his wife back to their new home. When they were travelling back to Metropolis City, they stopped in Terre Haute, Indiana where there first child was born. From there, they travelled down the Wabash River to the Ohio River and then to Metropolis City.

The McBane family lived in what is now the back section of this home until 1845 when they sold it to William Kimbal was a very wealthy man who later opened the largest sternwheeler manufacturing facility in the world. This facility was located in an area of land between the river and his home. In addition to paddlewheeler manufacturing, he had a brick yard and lumber yard in the same general area. Kimbal added on to the two story structure with a massive addition in 1865. In those days you showed your wealth by using as many different types of wood and architecture as was feasable. The home has federalist architecture as well as greek revival and queen ann.

In 1885 Kimbal sold the home to his son in law. Towell was a railroad man who was very instrumental in bringing the railroad to Metropolis and for getting the massive railroad bridge built across the Ohio River. This bridge has the longest spans of any railroad bridge in the world.

As time went by through the mid 1900's the home was converted to 11 small apartments. By the early 70's the home had been abandoned and was condemed. In fact, for several years during the 70's it was used as the city's haunted house during Halloween. The Jackson familiy came to it's rescue in the early 1980's after the home had been condemed and faced demolition. Annie and Joe Jackson spent years bringing the home back to it's present grandeur. For the past several years we have continued that restoration process.