Carter House

The President’s Residence

The Carter House, an English Cotswold-style home at the corner of Sunset Avenue and Blue Ridge Road, was built in 1932 for jeweler CB Dyer. It was bought several years later by Wilbur M. and Ruth N. Carter. Wilbur Carter was president of the Carter-Lee Lumber Company, and the Carter family lived in the home until Butler University took possession of it via a gift from the Carters in 1974.The first renovations under the University’s ownership began in the 1980s and the director of facilities, Ed Lyons, resided in the home during this time. Over the years, the Carter House was used by the University as office and meeting space and served as a residence for several administrators. It became the official presidential residence in 2001 with the arrival of President Bobby Fong. More renovations occurred during his tenure, which brought the home to its current size of 3,500 square feet, including two stories and a basement.Butler President James Danko and Bethanie Danko moved into the home in 2011. They made some cosmetic updates to the home, including new paint, flooring, cabinets, and lighting. They also modified the back patio to expand entertainment space during the warmer months. The Dankos entertain over 600 people per year in the home for University functions, and it is common practice for students to be invited to the home for snacks and casual conversation with the Dankos.