Francis Costigan

Who was Francis Costigan?

Francis Costigan was an early Indiana architect known primarily for his work in Madison, Indiana and Indianapolis.

Born in 1810 in Washington, D.C., Costigan worked as a carpenter in Baltimore before settling in Madison, Indiana in 1837. Two of his important Madison commissions are the Lanier Mansion and the Charles Shrewsbury House, both National Historic Landmarks. His own home in Madison is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. He left Madison for Indianapolis in 1851 where he designed residences and public buildings. In 1858, he designed, built and then operated a hotel called the Oriental on the site of what is now the Canterbury Hotel in downtown Indianapolis. According to historian Wilbur Peat, Costigan was Indiana's "outstanding architect" in the state's formative years. He died in Indianapolis in 1865 and is buried in Crown Hill Cemetery.