Miles Family’s Gift of Hendricks County History

            After owning the property for over one hundred years, the Miles family no longer owns land in Danville, Indiana. With the sale of the majority of the 400 +/- acre farm in 2022 to one of the nation’s largest homebuilders, the homestead and approximately 2.5 acres remained in the Miles family.

            Last year the original log barn on the property, built by the Christie family in 1872, was taken apart and carefully moved and reassembled at a location on Waste Management property south of Danville. The house remained in the Miles family and was maintained by Larry Miles. Larry and his wife live in Ohio but made a point to visit the Danville home at least once a month.

            The Miles family gifted the remaining acres and improvements to the Hendricks County Commissioners with an Indiana Gift Deed on May 12, 2026, at the regularly scheduled Commissioner’s meeting. Van Miles accompanied realtor Jack Lawson at the commissioner’s meeting.

            The Gift Deed includes restrictions on the sale of the property. The gift is made solely “as a gift and donation for public property and public and charitable purposes.” The county may sell the property “only for fair market value, determined at or about the time of transfer by an independent, qualified appraiser.”

            If the county decides to sell the property within the first 21 years, they must first offer it to any then-living lineal descendants of Thomas Kreigh Miles. The proceeds of the sale of the property, whether to a descendent of the Miles family or a third party, are to be split evenly three ways.

            The Friends of the Hendricks County Museum Inc. would receive one-third of the proceeds, the Parks Foundation of Hendricks County Inc. would receive one-third of the proceeds, and the Indiana FFA Foundation Inc. would receive one-third of the proceeds. All three entities are non-profit organizations in Indiana.

            After attending the Hendricks County Commissioners’ meeting, Van Miles took time to visit the old homestead and then drove out to the site of the reassembled log barn. “I have a lot of fond memories playing in this old barn,” Van reminisced as he walked around the barn at its new home. “I will miss coming out and staying at the property, but this is the best outcome for the property.”