The architectural focal point of Cottage Home, the Ruskaup-Ratcliffe House and Store were both built by Frederick Ruskaup.
Ruskaup was a German immigrant who came to the United States in 1869 at the age of 25.
By 1875, he purchased two lots on Dorman Street in present-day Cottage Home.
At 713 Dorman Street, he opened a grocery store and the Ruskaup family lived upstairs.
He added as L-shaped addition to the north and east of the store in 1885.
The success of his grocery store and many rental properties allowed Ruskaup in 1892 to hire the prominent Indianapolis architecture firm Vonnegut & Bohn to design a house for his family next door at 711 Dorman Street.
Descendants of Frederick Ruskaup lived at the house and operated the store until 1957, when it was sold to the Ratcliffe sisters.
The properties were sold again in the 1980s to their current owner.
The house has been restored and the store has had extensive facade improvements.

The Ruskaup grocery store was built in the Italianate style, common to Midwestern buildings in the 1870s.
Attic windows and decorative brackets in the cornice line give the store detail accentuating the first-floor stone pilasters and second-story window hoods.

The architects combined Romanesque Revival details with Queen Anne architecture to create a unique style for the Ruskaup-Ratcliffe House.
As Romanesque Revival drew inspiration from traditional German architecture, it was popular among German immigrants such as Frederick Ruskaup.
Vonnegut & Bohn, ethnic German Americans, drew from German influences, as evidenced by their later masterpiece, the Athenæum (Das Deutsche Haus).
In contrast to the neighboring store, and reflective of the houses being constructed on Dorman Street, the architects drew on the mainstream Queen Anne style for the basic massing of the house.
This is shown in the asymmetrical facade, with a wrap-around porch and tower.
The Romanesque Revival is expressed in the varied window sizes, stone detailing in the cornice and window hoods, and a stepped front gable.
The interior is equally impressive, featuring inlaid floors and a cartouche above the entryways to the stairwell and dining room, all trademarks of Vonnegut & Bohn designs.
The original imported stained glass windows were removed from the house in the early 1980s.
The architectural focal point of Cottage Home, the Ruskaup-Ratcliffe House and Store were both built by Frederick Ruskaup. Ruskaup was a German immigrant who came to the United States in 1869 at the age of 25. By 1875, he purchased two lots on Dorman Street in present-day Cottage Home. At 713 Dorman Street, he opened a grocery store and the Ruskaup family lived upstairs. He added as L-shaped addition to the north and east of the store in 1885. The success of his grocery store and many rental properties allowed Ruskaup in 1892 to hire the prominent Indianapolis architecture firm Vonnegut & Bohn to design a house for his family next door at 711 Dorman Street. Descendants of Frederick Ruskaup lived at the house and operated the store until 1957, when it was sold to the Ratcliffe sisters. The properties were sold again in the 1980s to their current owner. The house has been restored and the store has had extensive facade improvements.
The Ruskaup grocery store was built in the Italianate style, common to Midwestern buildings in the 1870s. Attic windows and decorative brackets in the cornice line give the store detail accentuating the first-floor stone pilasters and second-story window hoods.
The architects combined Romanesque Revival details with Queen Anne architecture to create a unique style for the Ruskaup-Ratcliffe House. As Romanesque Revival drew inspiration from traditional German architecture, it was popular among German immigrants such as Frederick Ruskaup. Vonnegut & Bohn, ethnic German Americans, drew from German influences, as evidenced by their later masterpiece, the Athenæum (Das Deutsche Haus). In contrast to the neighboring store, and reflective of the houses being constructed on Dorman Street, the architects drew on the mainstream Queen Anne style for the basic massing of the house. This is shown in the asymmetrical facade, with a wrap-around porch and tower. The Romanesque Revival is expressed in the varied window sizes, stone detailing in the cornice and window hoods, and a stepped front gable. The interior is equally impressive, featuring inlaid floors and a cartouche above the entryways to the stairwell and dining room, all trademarks of Vonnegut & Bohn designs. The original imported stained glass windows were removed from the house in the early 1980s.
Cottage Home Historic District