The Woodburn Guild

Contact: Joan Curts
Phone: (812) 855-0075

Herman B Wells. 1979.

Herman B Wells strolling through the campus on a sunny day in 1978.

On June 11, 1981, the Executive Council of the Indiana University Alumni Association voted to establish the Woodburn Guild as an affiliate group of the Alumni Association. Its purpose is to provide support for the Alumni Association's missions in service to the university beyond the programs now maintained by regular members. The Guild also acts as a clearing house for information regarding the history of Indiana University.

A minimum annual fee of $50.00 per Guild member shall constitute a special fund directed by the Woodburn Guild Board of Governors. Board Members are appointed annually by the association's president.

The initial project of the Woodburn Guild shall be the continued refurbishing and improvement of the historic Woodburn House at 519 North College Avenue in Bloomington. With its origins dating back to 1829, the home's history has been closely linked to Indiana University since Professor James Woodburn purchased the house in 1855. The rich Woodburn "open house" tradition was well established during the 86 years of Woodburn family occupancy and assumed a new dimension when Dr. Herman B Wells leased the home from the Woodburn family in 1932. The Woodburn House remained Dr. Wells' official home through most years of his presidency at Indiana University, until 1957

When responsibility for the Woodburn House was assigned to the Alumni Association in the early 1970's, a program of improvements was implemented which has included the addition of a beautiful garden and patio.

Co-chaired by Dr. Gail Eldridge and Frank B. Jones, a committee was approved to direct the refurbishment and acquisition of additional furnishings.

Through the Woodburn Guild, Indiana's alumni may now accomplish this project and keep alive a significant IU tradition while providing an additional university and alumni hospitality center.

With completion of the Woodburn House renovation, Guild membership, a tax exempt donation, will furnish a continuing source of alumni support for projects of significance to the association and university not otherwise possible. During the decade of the 1980's, such an unrestricted resource was invaluable to respond to opportunities in a way never possible before.