Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984.
“James Omar Cole House, also known as the Cole House, is a historic home located at Peru, Indiana, United States. It was built about 1883, as a Second Empire style brick dwelling.”
Wikipedia article James Omar Cole House, CC BY-SA 4.0.
One of 18 National Register listings published here for Miami County · listed in 1984 · category: Building.
Sources: the Wikipedia article · the case file at the National Archives · the National Register database, National Park Service
The chapter on Peru Township in History of Miami County, Indiana : a Narrative Account of Its Historical Progress, Its People and Its Principal Interests, published 1914 names Peru. This is what it says, exactly as the scans read.
Peru, the county seat and only incorporated city of Jliami county, is situated on the north bank of the Wabash river, a little southwest of the geographical center of the county. Its history begins with the treaty negotiated with the Miami Indians at the mouth of the Mississinewa river on October 23, 1826, at which time John B. Richardville, the principal chief of the Miamis, was granted, among other tracts of land, a reservation of one section where the city now stands. The following February John McGregor built a small cabin on the western part of this reservation and he has the credit of being the first white man to establish a permanent domicile within the present limits of Miami county. On August 18, 1827, Richardville and his wife, Pem-e-se-(iuah, conveyed this .section to Joseph Holman for a consideration of $500, and it is said that part of the purcha.se price was "paid in trade," instead of all cash.
Passage source: History of Miami County, Indiana : a Narrative Account of Its Historical Progress, Its People and Its Principal Interests, published 1914.
It is to be regi'etted that not more is known of the early settlers of Miamisport. Joseph Holman, the proprietor of the town, was born in Kentucky in 1788 and in 1820 removed to Wayne county, Indiana. During the administration of President John Q. Adams he was land commissioner at Fort Wayne and just before Miami county was erected represented the district composed of Allen and Cass counties in the legislature. In 1839 he returned to Wayne county, where he died in 1872. He was an active politician during the greater part of his mature life and was a delegate to the convention that framed the present constitution of Indiana. His first residence in :\Iiami county was a small cabin on the bank of the Wabash river, a short distance below the town of Miamisport, where he lived for several years, when he built a stone house on Ilolman street between Main and Third streets, within the present limits of Peru. Subsequently he built a frame house on his farm and lived there until he went back to AYayne county.
Passage source: History of Miami County, Indiana : a Narrative Account of Its Historical Progress, Its People and Its Principal Interests, published 1914.
Machine-read from a century-old scan, so expect the errors a machine makes: misspelled names, dropped words, stray characters.
Read the whole chapter on Peru Township - 9,898 words on its settlement, mills, schools and churches.
Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 3 fires within 5 miles of James Omar Cole House between 2003 and 2005, burning about 2 acres in total. None started naturally. None was recorded as arson. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a fire counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.
| Reported cause | Fires |
|---|---|
| Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 2 |
| Debris and open burning | 1 |
The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.
| Date | Cause | Size | Reported by | Name on the report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 April 2003 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | under an acre | Indiana State Fire Marshal's Office | not named |
| 30 April 2003 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 1.0 acres | Indiana State Fire Marshal's Office | not named |
| 26 February 2005 | Debris and open burning | under an acre | Indiana State Fire Marshal's Office | not named |
Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 6 workings within 5 miles of James Omar Cole House: 4 producers, 1 unknown, 1 plant. 5 still produce. What was taken out: Sand and Gravel, Construction, Stone, Crushed/Broken, Stone, Fire Clay (Refractory). Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a quarry counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.
| Where | Site | Commodity | Status | Recorded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kickapoo Stone Quarry | Stone, Crushed/Broken | Producer | ||
| Miami Co. Hwy. Dept. | Stone | Producer | ||
| Precision Ceramics Plant | Fire Clay (Refractory) | Plant | ||
| Comersford Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Unknown | ||
| Kickapoo Sand & Gravel | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Producer | ||
| Kratzer Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Producer |
Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Peru, the town this property stands in, in 83 storm reports between 1995 and 2025: 50 thunderstorm wind, 26 hail, 5 flash flood, 1 flood. The reports record 1 injury. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.
| When | Event | Place named | Harm | What the report says |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 2004 | Tornado (F3) | Peru | 1 hurt, $6,000,000 | NWS storm survey found a tornado with a path length near four and one half miles and just less than one quarter mile wide at its greatest width. The storm touched down three and one half miles west southwest of downtown Peru as an F0 and moved northeast at 35 MPH across the northwest corner of the city of Peru. The storm then caused F1 and F2 damage to trees, buildings, and a trailer park where two homes were destroyed and one woman was injured. The storm then intensified to F3 strength as it moved across an industrial park on the north side of Peru, tearing off a roof and knocking down a large communications tower. The storm then quickly began to dissipate as it appeared the rear flank downdraft quickly choked off the circulation in a field near the intersection of Highways U.S. 24 and SR19. Damage estimates were from 5 to 6 million dollars to private property and more than one half million in public property. Miami county was declared a presidential disaster area on June 3rd. |
| July 1998 | Flash Flood | Peru | $1,000,000 | MAUGANS ROAD MOBILE HOME PARK SUSTAINED SEVERE FLOODING. SEVERAL MOBILE HOMES WERE INUNDATED WITH WATER UP TO 4 FEET DEEP. MANY OF THE RESIDENTS SUFFERED FLOODED VEHICLES INCLUDING ONE MAN WHO LOST A VAN, A TRUCK AND A HARLEY DAVIDSON MOTORCYCLE. MANY HOMES IN PERU WERE FLOODED WITH RAW SEWAGE AS STORM SEWERS FLOODED AND BACKED UP INTO HOMES. |
| June 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | Peru | $50,000 | Emergency management officials reported numerous trees and power lines down in Peru. |
| April 2001 | Thunderstorm Wind | Peru | $50,000 | Several homes sustained window and siding damage due to the hail and high winds. |
| August 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | Peru | $20,000 | Several large trees and power lines were blown down throughout the city of Peru. One of these trees fell onto a car. |
| December 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | Peru | $20,000 | WIND DESTROYED ONE MOBILE HOME AND DAMAGED ANOTHER. |
| July 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | Peru | $15,000 | Emergency manangement officials reported trees and power lines down in and around Peru. |
| June 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | Peru | $10,000 | Mobile Home sustained structural damage. Trees and power lines down. |
| June 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | Peru | $10,000 | Numerous trees and power lines down. |
| December 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | Peru | $10,000 | POWER OUTAGES CAUSED BY HIGH WINDS KNOCKING TREE BRANCHES ONTO WIRES. |
| July 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | Peru | $5,000 | Powerlines down in Peru. |
| June 2006 | Hail | Peru | $5,000 | Several homes in the Willow Creek subdivision sustained hail damage. |
| June 2001 | Thunderstorm Wind | Peru | $3,000 | Large tree and telephone poles down. |
| August 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | Peru | $2,000 | Tree limbs are down in the area. A trained spotter estimates wind gusts of 55 mph. |
| July 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | Peru | $2,000 | Several trees and power lines were blown down. |
| September 1997 | Thunderstorm Wind | Peru | $1,500 | Thunderstorm winds blew down several trees in the southern part of the county. |
| June 1997 | Thunderstorm Wind | Peru | $1,000 | Circus tent and tiger cage blown over at circus. |
| March 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Peru | - | Wind gust reported from a personal weather station. Tree limbs down. |
| March 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | Peru | - | A member of the public estimated a 60 mph wind gust. |
| July 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | Peru | - | Utility poles down at W. Main and Fremont Street. |
| August 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | Peru | - | The public reported large trees were blown down in Peru. |
| May 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | Peru | - | Emergency management officials reported several trees down around the Peru area. |
| August 2015 | Thunderstorm Wind | Peru | - | Emergency management officials reported several tree limbs down along with scattered power outages. |
| June 2015 | Thunderstorm Wind | Peru | - | Tree down over the road. |
| June 2015 | Flash Flood | Peru | - | Water flowing rapidly over Flora Dr. |
| June 2014 | Thunderstorm Wind | Peru | - | Emergency management officials reported a tree was blown down onto power lines. |
| November 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | Peru | - | Emergency management officials estimated wind gusts of at least 60 mph with multiple power outages in the area. |
| July 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | Peru | - | An off duty NWS employee estimated a wind gust to 60 mph in Peru. |
| June 2011 | Hail | Peru | - | The public reported quarter size hail as well as estimated wind gusts of 55 to 60 mph. |
| June 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | Peru | - | Law enforcement officials reported trees and power lines down in and around Peru, as well as southern portions of the county. |
| June 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | Peru | - | Emergency management officials reported numerous trees and power lines down in Peru. |
| July 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | Peru | - | Law enforcement officials reported a large tree down onto County Road 500 North. |
| June 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | Peru | - | Large tree down on State Road 19 south of Peru. |
| June 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | Peru | - | Trees down on power lines. |
| March 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | Peru | - | Emergency management officials reported a large tree fell onto a residence. |
| August 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | Peru | - | A 14 inch diameter tree down on 6th street and several 8 to 10 inch diameter trees along Daniels Street in Peru. |
| May 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | Peru | - | Local officials reported receiving scattered tree and power line damage across the central part of the county. |
| May 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | Peru | - | Numerous trees and power lines down. |
| June 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | Peru | - | Numerous trees were reported blown down. |
| June 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | Peru | - | Emergency management reported several trees down east of Peru. |
| June 2004 | Flash Flood | Peru | - | Law enforcement reported US 31 flooded and impassable in places east of Peru with water flowing across the highway. |
| July 2003 | Thunderstorm Wind | Peru | - | Law enforcement reported trees down north of Peru. |
| July 2003 | Flash Flood | Peru | - | Law enforcement reported several roads closed around Peru due to flash flooding. |
| July 2003 | Thunderstorm Wind | Peru | - | Law enforcement reported trees and power lines down in Peru. |
| July 2003 | Flash Flood | Peru | - | Law enforcement reported a trailer park was being evacuated along Highway 31 outside of Peru due to flash flooding. |
| July 2003 | Thunderstorm Wind | Peru | - | Law enforcement reported trees down in Peru. |
| May 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | Peru | - | A HAM reported numerous trees and power lines down southeast of Peru. |
| July 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | Peru | - | Sheriff reported trees down north of Peru. |
| May 2001 | Thunderstorm Wind | Peru | - | Power lines down in county. |
| May 2001 | Thunderstorm Wind | Peru | - | Power lines down in county. |
| April 2001 | Thunderstorm Wind | Peru | - | Several tree limbs blown down along Wabash road. |
| May 2000 | Thunderstorm Wind | Peru | - | Construction trailer overturned and 6 inch tree limbs down. |
| June 2000 | Thunderstorm Wind | Peru | - | Tree downed against a house. Minor damage. |
| September 2000 | Thunderstorm Wind | Peru | - | Tree blown down on Highway 24. |
| May 1995 | Hail | Peru | - | Trees and power lines were downed across the county. |
| June 1995 | Thunderstorm Wind | Peru | - | Trees were downed. |
| June 1995 | Thunderstorm Wind | Peru | - | One tree and several limbs blown down. |
| June 2018 | Hail | Peru | - | no account filed |
| June 2012 | Hail | Peru | - | no account filed |
| June 2011 | Hail | Peru | - | no account filed |
No historic map-sheet match is published for this property yet. That does not mean no map exists. This record needs a coordinate-quality review before it can be joined to a sheet boundary. Browse the county's mapped places while that work is pending.
Other National Register properties close enough to walk or drive between, ordered by distance from this one. Both positions come from the same geocoding pass that matched these properties to their map sheets.
| Photograph | Property | Distance | Listed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Peru Courthouse Square Historic District | 0.1 miles | 2018 | |
 | Miami County Courthouse | 0.1 miles | 2008 |
| Godfroy's Addition Historic District | 0.1 miles | 2023 | |
 | Brownell Block/Senger Dry Goods Company Building | 0.2 miles | 1983 |
| Peru Westside Historic District | 0.4 miles | 2023 | |
 | Peru High School Historic District | 0.4 miles | 2013 |
| National Archives record | The nomination case file for reference 84001198 in Record Group 79. |
| Wikipedia article | Community-written account of this property, licensed CC BY-SA. |
| Miami County | All 18 listed properties in this county. |
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