This old IU house

It’s hard to miss this house.

Located on the corner of Seventh Street and Indiana Avenue, it is known as the “IU house” by many because of the IU logo incorporated in the design of the shingles on the roof.

“I think it adds something special to IU’s campus,” IU freshman Elisa Barrack said.
Longtime resident Jason Wesson has been leasing the house since 2000. He heard about an opening to live in the house from a friend at one of the bars where he worked.
“I was pretty much here the next day,” Wesson said.

At that time, Wesson was living a couple blocks up the street, so he moved all of his belongings by hand.

“The bed was the hardest to move,” Wesson said. “I carried it over my head down the street.”    

Though he graduated from IU in 1999 with a degree in biology, Wesson decided to stay in Bloomington and continue bartending.

Wesson is a bartender at both Yogi’s Grill and Bar and The Bluebird Nightclub. He said he enjoys living so close to where he works.  

Wesson often walked by the house as an IU student, though he said he never went inside or inquired about living there.

“I had heard at the time that it was mostly grad students who lived there,” Wesson said. “I thought I would love to own this house. It looked like an awesome place to live.”

Though the house appears diminutive from the outside, the inside contains three bedrooms with one bath and a kitchen and living room area.

Some parts of the house are more than 130 years old, so while this may add to the charm of the structure, Wesson said it can run heating bills up to $400 a month.

“I’ve had people come to the door asking if I was renting,” Wesson said.   
 
But Wesson said it’s unlikely he’ll take a new roommate anytime soon.

Wesson was unsure how much longer he plans to live in the house.

He said he would prefer to keep the house within the bar community, the way it has been for several years.

“The location’s perfect to live in,” IU sophomore Hays Formella said. “It always catches my eye every time I walk by.”

Wesson said in the near future the roof may need to be redone because it’s getting old.

“Hopefully they’ll keep the IU sign,” Wesson said. “It’s great living in a house that is such a landmark for the school.”