Let me introduce myself. I am Dean Winkler, owner of the Purcell Place. My father, Dwight Purcell Winkler, bought the place from his cousin Noah Purcell, a long-time resident of Knox County Indiana.  My Great-Grandmother, Jane Purcell, used to play on the front porch when she was a child. I am connected to the Purcell Place through a long line of relatives, but the true lover of the house was my mother, Helen Winkler.

Mother was determined to restore the home after it had suffered many years of neglect. My dad had just built her a new home and was not as keen on the idea at first. Mother worked tirelessly on the home fixing the horsehair plaster and covering the walls with period wallpaper, painting, refinishing the stairway banister, and painting the ceiling. At long last my dad got into the project and since he was a woodworker he built cabinets, laid floors, and added on to the place. They then moved from their new modern home to the historical residence in 1982 and lived there until they passed away.

It has been many years now since my folks have passed away and the house was in need of repair. I bagan to take up my folks' banner and have made serious repairs in an effort to preserve and make use of the place.

I wish to share the beauty and charm of the old house with others by opening it up to the community and sharing the efforts of my parents. My mother would be so pleased to know the house and grounds are still bringing pleasure to others.