The original farmhouse was built in 1917. The entrance faced south and was designed as a French Tudor-style house by Mary Christian.
Editor's Note: The late Ann Daugherty, founder of Tara Treatment Center, published "One Dream - A Thousand Miracles," which shared the story of her vision and the remarkable start of the addiction recovery center. We are pleased to present the chapters of the book as part of our 40th Anniversary of helping people survive and thrive. We invite you to read Ann's words and draw inspiration from them.
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In 1917, the original estate comprised 400 acres of flat ground surrounded by beautiful trees. The estate was a wedding gift to Paul and Julie Christian from his father, Ira Christian, a judge who lived in Hamilton County, Indiana. Ira’s wife, Mary, designed the house in a French-Tudor style facing south. In this beautiful home, Paul and Julie raised five children. Education was greatly valued within the Christian household, as bookshelves lined both sides of one of three fireplaces within the house.
One of the daughters, Portia, a local historian-librarian, loaned a picture of the original house to copy. She stated that she was disappointed when the house was reconstructed, saying that her “mother would not like the change.” Other pieces of history were donated by Susan Christian, a great-great-granddaughter of Ira and Mary.
Also built in 1917, the huge barn that serves as the backdrop to Tara has been well-maintained throughout the years. While most wood-structured buildings of that era had fallen to ruin, our red barn continues to be an important part of the scenery of Tara. A house was also built approximately 100 feet to the north of the main house, at the time serving as a residence for the family that helped to maintain the farm. This home would later be used as a vital part of the treatment center.
In approximately 1970, the 1917 farmhouse was converted into a funeral home. Great columns were added facing west, which created a beautiful expansive look, which I found myself drawn to. The stately columns and front drive were complemented by an expanded parking area. Although the funeral home provided a community service for the next ten years, time would reveal that the rural area would not sustain the funeral business. Local residents were not choosing the services offered and over time, the business proved less than successful.
Even though the funeral home was not on the market at the time, one day I decided to stop and inquire if the present owner would consider selling it. The timing could not have been more perfect. He not only considered my offer, but he was actually eager to sell, as he was the owner of another funeral home in a nearby town. Shortly after that, my husband and I met with him and his wife over dinner one evening. We worked out the arrangements, purchase price, and the method of payment.
I will always remember how gracious he was, as he allowed me to set my own payment schedule and terms. Even when the agreed-upon terms became difficult to meet, for whatever reason, he was willing to alter our contract. There were many challenging times when I had to scrape up money for a payment as deadlines came due. I quickly learned that I needed monthly payments instead of one large yearly payment. He was so kind, stating, “Anything you can do is okay, we’ll make it work.” Both he and his wife always made it clear that money was not their main interest in life. He died some years ago and I will always be grateful for his generosity.
This picture was taken in 1979. It had been remodeled and used as a funeral home before I purchased it.
Purchasing Tara was an amazing blessing for my husband and I. Since I was 14 years old, this beautiful home had stayed in my mind and heart. I felt strangely drawn to this house. I usually do not value a building or material things, but I must admit that I loved that house. The house faced west when the sun would set, and a wondrous glow cascaded off the bricks in the front porch. I would touch the bricks and feel their radiant warmth. It was like nothing that I had ever owned. Tara warmed and released something deep inside of me. I had always enjoyed inviting friends into my home, and I yearned to share a home of this magnitude with others.
At the time that we moved into Tara, my husband and I were caring for foster children. In addition to our foster children, we also had our own 8-year-old daughter and my nephew living with us. The home provided the space that we needed to raise a merged family. This would remain our private residence from 1979 through July of 1985.
To help remove the stigma and quietness of the former funeral home atmosphere, we hosted picnics and parties, and on occasions, a local band called Rock & Rye. Our goal was to make Tara come to life. The quick change from a funeral home to a private residence left our neighbors confused. The Hilltop Motel, just down the road from Tara, heard the loud rocking music and called the police, stating that there was something strange going on at the funeral home! Our strategy worked, as Tara came to life, so did the challenges of managing and maintaining its magnificence.
Ann worked for several years as a master’s level psychiatric nurse and therapist, specializing in the field of addiction for most of her career. Through her prior employment, she became aware of a grant available for the treatment of women with addictions.
She researched and wrote a grant proposal to open the original eight-bed Residential Program. A location for the facility was not an obstacle for her, as she had a history of opening her home to those in need. Her efforts were rewarded in July 1985, with funding for Tara.
Throughout the years, Ann recognized the multiple needs of individuals served, which resulted in program and facility expansion. In July, 1996 Tara became a Managed Care Provider offering a full continuum of services for men and women.
Although diagnosed with Stage IV Colon Cancer in 2003, she remained the Chief Executive Officer until July 2006. At that time she presented her eldest daughter, Theresa Matthews, to the Board of Directors as her successor, noting that she had worked closely with her since Tara’s inception. Ann's fight ended August 25, 2008. Her mission and vision have been embraced by many and still continue today.