The University Courts Historic District is a historic district and neighborhood in Bloomington, Indiana, United States.

Greek houses The Sigma Chi house at 601 E. Seventh Street, built in Free Classic style, was enlarged in 1925 by Granger, Lowe & Bollenbacher in a manner sympathetic to the original design.News of the Week, Indiana Construction Recorder, Vol. VI No. 47, 1925-02-21

The northeast corner of Indiana Avenue and Eighth Street was originally the site of a Tudor Revival house built by Maude Showers. Situated on three lots and designed by Carlisle Bollenbacher, the house was sold to Delta Tau Delta and used for a fraternity until destroyed by fire in February 1935. The fraternity rebuilt on the same site. The new house was designed by Burns & James and retained the same placement on the three lots as the original house. The general contractor was Charles A. Pike."Burns & James" Architecture and Design, 1938-06-01"Fire Razes Fraternity Home" p. 1 Bloomington Evening World, 1935-02-12

Delta Zeta at 809 East Seventh Street was designed by John Nichols in 1923 in the Classical Revival Style. The general contractor was Charles F. Johnson.News of the Week, Indiana Construction Recorder, Vol. V No. 1, 1923-04-07

Demolished houses Before the district was first nominated for the National Register, four houses on the east half of the block bounded by Indiana Avenue, Fess Avenue, Eighth Street and Ninth Street were demolished. Joseph Smith of the Showers Brothers furniture factory engaged John Nichols to build a two-story brick Colonial Revival house at 403 North Fess in 1914. J. Neill was the general contractor.American Contractor, Vol. XXXV No. 1, p. 79, 1914-01-03 Clarence Neill, general contractor, built a house for Charles F. Johnson at 421 North Fess in 1916. Edwin C. Doeppers and Company were the architects.American Contractor, Vol. XXXVII No. 23, page 97, 1916-06-03 Indiana University's Mathers Museum of World Cultures and the Glenn A. Black Laboratory of Archaeology now occupy those two lots, among others.Indiana Historic Sites and Structures Inventory. City of Bloomington Interim Report. Bloomington: City of Bloomington, 2004-04.

Table of contributing properties Appearing in the table below are the buildings included within the boundaries of the city-designated historic district. RatingImage Address YearStyleComments Contributing 1906 Georgian Revival Chapter house for Sigma Chi Notable 1932 Gothic Revival Designed by Alfred Grindle Notable 1915 Craftsman Notable 1911 Spanish Colonial Revival Dormer Front Bungalow Attorney Thomas J. Sare engaged architect John Nichols when he built this house."Bloomington, Ind." p. 74 American Contractor, 1911-10-07"Central Western States” Construction News, 1911-09-23 Notable 1925 Tudor Revival Craftsman Notable 1924 Spanish Mission Revival Attorney Thomas J. Sare engaged architect John Nichols when building this house."News of the Week" p. 7 Indiana Construction Recorder, 1924-05-10"News of the Week" p. 5 Indiana Construction Recorder, 1924-05-03 Contributing 1920 Tudor Revival Contributing 1935 Georgian Revival This building was designed by Indianapolis architects Burns & James and built by Charles A. Pike for Delta Tau Delta fraternity. Their previous house on this site was destroyed by fire. Contributing 1916 Tudor Revival Craftsman John T. Schuman built two duplexes at 8th and Fess (see 315-317 N. Fess Ave.). Edwin C. Doeppers was listed as architect."Bloomington, Ind." p. 97 American Contractor, 1916-06-03 Contributing 1914 Prairie Style Foursquare Built for Herman Grant by general contractor J. O. White. Edwin C. Doeppers was listed as architect in the construction press."Indianapolis, Ind." p. 98 American Contractor, 1914-05-02 Contributing 1922 Colonial Revival John Nichols designed this house for Ward Johnson of Johnson Creamery. Notable 1916 California Bungalow Architect John Nichols was engaged by Herman Bowman of the Bowman-King Stone Co. to build this house."Bloomington, Ind. - Contracts Awarded" p. 93 American Contractor, 1916-06-17 Contributing 1916 Colonial Revival Foursquare Dr. J. C. Vermilya engaged engineer Edwin C. Doeppers when building this house."Bloomington, Ind. – Contracts Awarded" p. 78 American Contractor, 1916-10-28 Contributing 1915 Arts and Crafts Originally built by Thomas J. Sare, who contracted with John Murphy for masonry and Alex Robinson for carpentry to build two duplexes at 8th & Park (see 405-407 N. Park Ave.). Nichols & Nichols were architects."T. J. Sare Lets $7,000 Building Contract" p. 1 Daily Telephone, 1915-03-21"Bloomington, Ind." p. 57 American Contractor, 1915-01-23"Bloomington, Ind." p. 66 American Contractor, 1915-03-13"Central Western States" p. 15 Construction News, 1914-12-26"Central Western States" p. 18 Construction News, 1915-04-10 Contributing 1924 Craftsman Foursquare John Nichols was architect for this house built by general contractor J. O. White for Herman Bowman of Bowman-King Stone Co."News of the Week" p. 14 Indiana Construction Recorder, 1924-05-03 Contributing 1930 Colonial Revival Contributing 1913 Prairie Style Colonial Revival Built by general contractor W. S. Delapp for Monroe County treasurer Joseph D. Hensley. Nichols & Nichols were the architects. Contributing 1930 Craftsman Front Gabled Bungalow Contributing 1930 Colonial Revival Contributing 1922 Carpenter Builder Cottage Contributing 1923 Colonial Revival Built by general contractor Joe Neill and Son for the jeweler Ray Wingert and his wife Leafy. John Nichols was architect."News of the Week" p. 9 Indiana Construction Recorder, 1923-04-07 Contributing 1925 Craftsman American Foursquare Notable 1921"News of the Week" p. 7 Indiana Construction Recorder, 1921-03-26 Prairie Style Alfred Grindle drew plans for Indiana University football coach Ewald O. Stiehm, who let contracts and supervised construction himself."Bloomington, Ind." p. 70 American Contractor, 1923-04-23. Contributing 1930 Colonial Revival Contributing 1930 Craftsman American Foursquare Contributing 1916 Craftsman American Foursquare Doeppers & Co. let contracts to Clarence Neill for masonry and George Torrence for carpentry when Willis Akins had this house built. Contributing 1930 Craftsman American Foursquare Contributing 1920 Craftsman Cross Gable Bungalow Contributing 1920 Craftsman Contributing 1930 Colonial Revival Contributing 1930 Dutch Colonial Revival Contributing 1916 Tudor Revival Craftsman John T. Schuman built two duplexes at 8th and Fess (see 622-624 E. Eighth St.). Edwin C. Doeppers was listed as architect. Contributing 1915"Central Western States" Construction News, 1915-07-17. Bungalow Foursquare Built by general contractor Val Hatfield as a rental property for Herman Grant (see 701 E. 8th). E. C. Doeppers and Company where the architects."Bloomington, Ind. – Contracts Awarded" p. 69 American Contractor, 1915-07-24 Contributing 1930 Colonial Revival Notable 1917 Colonial Revival Tudor Revival Indianapolis architect Merritt Harrison designed this house for Indiana University professor Wm. F. Book."Indianapolis, Ind." p. 69 American Contractor, 1917-09-01"Indianapolis, Ind." p. 53 American Contractor, 1917-07-14. Contributing 1920 Colonial Revival Foursquare Notable 1930 Colonial Revival Notable 1925 Spanish Colonial Revival Designed by Cecil and Inez Harlos Notable 1930 Colonial Revival Contributing 1930 Tudor Revival Notable 1925 Spanish Colonial Revival Designed by Cecil and Inez Harlos Contributing 1930 Colonial Revival Contributing 1925 Colonial Revival Designed by John Nichols Contributing 1915 Foursquare Contributing 1930 Colonial Revival Contributing 1920 Foursquare Contributing 1912 Dutch Colonial Revival The Chicago firm of Lowe & Bollenbacher drew plans for a residence for department store owner Wyatt W. Wicks, who originally intended to take bids himself."News of the Week" p. 25 The Construction News, 1911-10-07 But, later John Nichols took bids for Wicks."Bloomington, Ind." p. 57 American Contractor, 1912-01-20 Contributing 1915 Foursquare Contributing 1913 Craftsman Foursquare Built by general contractor J. O. White for Dr. A. M. Snyder. The firm of Nichols & Nichols was listed as the architect."Central Western States" p. 28 The Construction News, 1913-10-04 Contributing 1924 Colonial Revival This duplex was designed by Alfred Grindle for Allen Buskirk."News of the Week" Indiana Construction Recorder, 1924-07-12 Contributing 1924 Colonial Revival Edwin C. Doeppers drew plans for Almer Henry, who originally intended to take bids himself."News of the Week" p. 7 Indiana Construction Recorder, 1923-03-03 He later engaged John L. Nichols to take bids and supervise construction."News of the Week" p. 13 Indiana Construction Recorder, 1924-03-22 Contributing 1920 Georgian Revival Notable 1915 Craftsman Tudor Revival Originally built by Thomas J. Sare, who contracted with John Murphy for masonry and Alex Robinson for carpentry to build two duplexes at 8th & Park (see 715-717 E. Eighth St.). Nichols & Nichols were architects. Contributing 1928 Tudor Revival English Cottage Revival Contributing 1930 Colonial Revival Contributing 1930 Colonial Revival Contributing 1925 Craftsman Foursquare Contributing 1922 Craftsman Bungalow Contributing 1930 Colonial Revival American Foursquare Notable 1926 Tudor Revival Notable 1930 Colonial Revival Designed by John L. Nichols Contributing 1920 Colonial Revival Contributing 1925 American Foursquare Contributing 1930 Colonial Revival Contributing 1935 Colonial Revival Originally named the O'Harrow House, it is now the Indiana University School of Journalism Annex. Contributing 1935 Tudor Revival This building was designed by Indianapolis architects Burns & James and built by Charles A. Pike for Kappa Alpha Theta sorority.

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