Download Appendix A Michigan Historical Marker Application Synopses

Appendix A
Michigan Historical Marker Application Synopses
Michigan Historical Commission Meeting
January 21, 2016
Eastern Liggett School/Detroit Waldorf School
Applicant: Detroit Waldorf School
Marker Location: Burns Avenue, near the school’s main entrance
Requested Marker Type: Small, one-post; different text on each side
Detroit’s Eastern Liggett School was designed by Albert Kahn. It was constructed in 1913 in an
area that later became designated as the Indian Village Historic District (listed on the National
Register of Historic Places in 1972). Most of the early students were the children of wealthy
industry executives who lived in the surrounding neighborhood. Kahn designed and supervised
the construction of an addition in 1923 and the installation of the school’s gate in 1928. The
Liggett School moved to a new location in 1964, and the Waldorf School Association of
Michigan purchased the property in 1966. The school reopened as the Detroit Waldorf School in
the fall of 1966; this was Michigan’s first Waldorf School. The school became a founding
member of the Association of Waldorf Schools in North America in 1968. It was also one of the
first fully racially integrated private schools in Detroit.
Recommend Approval. Sponsor provided excellent documentation.
Bellevue Gothic Mill
Applicant: William Stockhausen & the Michiana Hydroelectric Company
Marker Location: Tanners Alley, on the edge of the mill’s property line.
Requested Marker Type: Large, two-post; different text on each side
Horatio Hall built this gothic style flour mill for Manlius Mann in 1854. Located near a dam on
Battle Creek, the mill originally used water powered millstones to grind wheat to make flour.
The millstones were replaced with steel rollers and turbines in the late 19th century. The mill
produced a variety of grain products and flour brands, including the Blue Bird Brand flour. The
mill closed around 1958. In 1977, the current owner purchased the property, restored the mill’s
exterior to its original appearance, and rehabilitated the interior to be adaptively used as a private
residence. The current owner installed a hydroelectric generator in the building’s basement in
1982; this currently supplies power to surrounding homes. The mill was listed on the National
Register of Historic Places in 1975.
Recommend Approval. Sponsor provided excellent documentation.
Wayside Memorial Park
Applicant: Litchfield Township
Marker Location: In the Park, at the beginning of the walking path to the World War II
Memorial. Park is located on M-99 (Homer Road) in Litchfield Township
Requested Marker Type: Small, one-post; different text on each side
This historical marker would commemorate the Litchfield Garden Club’s creation of the
Wayside Memorial Park, the associated Memorial Mile, and the installation of a World War II
memorial in 1945/6. The Memorial mile is a section of M-99, stretching from the Litchfield
village limits to the south boundary of the nearby Mt. Hope Cemetery. The park is located along
the Memorial Mile and features green space, landscaping, and the World War II Memorial.
Yunker Memorials, Inc. in Lansing manufactured the memorial out of crab orchard stone. The
town dedicated the memorial marker on September 8, 1946. That same year, the National
Council of the Federated Garden Clubs of North America gave the Litchfield Garden Club an
Award for Outstanding Achievement for the park project.
Recommend Approval. Sponsor provided excellent documentation.
Saugatuck Pump House
Applicant: Saugatuck Douglas Historical Society
Marker Location: Park Street, near the entrance to the property
Requested Marker Type: Small, one-post. Sponsor did not mark a preference for same text or
different text on each side.
The city of Saugatuck constructed this small, brick pump house in 1904 at a cost of $720. The
pumps utilized a system designed by John W. Alvord from the engineering firm of Alvord,
Burdick, and Howson in Chicago. In 1912, the building was expanded to house the village’s first
electric power generating station. By the 1930s, the city moved the pumping facilities to larger
facilities elsewhere, and the building began to deteriorate. In 1972, the building was converted
into a cottage, which necessitated a roof replacement; repairs to the windows, doors, and brick
walls; and the installation of a new fireplace and pine floor. The Shorey family leased the cottage
until 1992. That year, the city leased the building to the Saugatuck Douglas Historical Society,
which converted the structure into a museum. The pump house was listed on the National
Register of Historic Places on December 29, 2015.
Recommend Approval. Good Documentation in SHPO files.
Francis Metallic Surfboat
Applicant: Saugatuck Douglas Historical Society
Marker Location: Center Street, adjacent to public sidewalk in front of boathouse
Requested Marker Type: Unknown – sponsor did not mark a preference
The Francis Metallic Surfboat was constructed about 1854 by Novelty Ironworks in Brooklyn,
New York. It was delivered to the Saugatuck-Douglas area soon after. It is 26 feet long, features
an iron hull, and was used for lifesaving services on Lake Michigan from about 1854 to 1863,
and possibly as late as the early 1900s. This boat type was designed by Joseph Francis, who
received the Congressional Medal of Honor in 1890 for his work with lifeboats and lifesaving
services. From 1849 to 1857, 137 surfboats of this type were constructed; this surfboat is one of
only two known surviving boats. For most of the 20th century, the surfboat was not used. In
1995, the Saugatuck Douglas Historical Society acquired the vessel and began restoration work,
which was completed in 2006. Since 2011, the society has used the vessel as part of a historical
exhibit. The surfboat was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2015.
Recommend Approval. Sponsor provided excellent documentation.
Norwalk Lutheran Church & Cemetery/Scandinavian Evangelical Lutheran Church
Society of Brown Town
Applicant: Norwalk Lutheran Church Congregation
Marker Location: Front lawn of church and cemetery, located on 5614 Chippewa Highway (US31)
Requested Marker Type, Small, one-post; different text on each side
The Scandinavian Evangelical Lutheran Church Society of Brown Town was formed
about 1864 by Norwegian and Swedish immigrants. These immigrants included such Brown
Township pioneers as Henry and Ellen Johnson. To accommodate both immigrant groups, the
language of services and meetings alternated between Swedish, Norwegian, and English. They
first met in a schoolhouse and did not build their own church until about 1884. Beginning about
1893, deceased congregation members were interred in the adjacent cemetery. The majority of
burials occurred during the 20th century. Many of the deceased are descendants of the original
immigrants.
The current church was constructed in 1916 after the 1884 structure was destroyed by fire. The
church has been renovated multiple times and therefore has a loss of architectural integrity. For
example, in the 1980s and 1990s, the building was covered with vinyl siding (according to the
sponsor, the original wooden siding is extant underneath the vinyl) and many window panes
were replaced with stained glass (though in the original wooden frames). The church retains its
original altar, baptismal font, pulpit, lectern, and pews. The history of the church, cemetery, and
congregation is extremely well documented. The sponsor has a proposed dedication date for
August 2016, which would coincide with the 100th anniversary of the church’s construction.
Recommend Approval. Sponsor provided excellent documentation.
Additional Synopses of New Marker Application Files
Saline Salt Springs
Applicant: Saline Historical Society and City of Saline
Marker Location: 104 S. Ann Arbor Street, in the commercial district in mid-town Saline
Requested Marker Type: Small, one-post; same text on each side
This marker would explain the connection between the naming of the city of Saline and the salt
springs in the surrounding area. The city derived its name from the nearby Saline River, so
named because of the surrounding salt springs. The sponsors wish to include explanations of
how the salt springs formed and details of the different types of animals and people that
inhabited the area prior to the city’s establishment. Animals include mastodons, while the people
include various Native American groups and later French explorers.
In their initial application, the sponsors wanted to focus on a particular salt springs in the vicinity
of Saline. However, because that site has yielded archaeological artifacts and retains potential for
future excavations, we recommended that they broaden the focus to include a more general
history of salt springs in the surrounding area, as well as more historical information on the
history of the town. They have agreed to both requests.
We previously requested additional documentation and information from them, primarily
because many of their statements lacked credible sources. We have received two packets of
additional information. Some of the new sources are unreliable, and we foresee possibly having
difficulties with the sponsors concerning some of their preferred statements. However, we
believe that we have enough verified documentation to proceed with a small marker.
Therefore, we recommend approval.
Friendship Baptist Church
Applicant: Friendship Baptist Church (100 Year Anniversary/Historical Committees)
Marker Location: Front lawn of church, 3900 Beaubien Ave. in Detroit
Requested Marker Type: Large, two-post; different text on each side
The predominantly African American congregation of Friendship Baptist Church was established
in 1916. The church moved frequently during its first two decades, primarily because their
spaces became too small to accommodate their growing membership. In 1935, they moved to
623 Mack Avenue. In 1937, the church was incorporated in the State of Michigan. In the early
1960s, urban renewal programs in Detroit forced the church to relocate so that a medical center
could be built on the land. The church fought back against the programs. They were not able to
save the church building, but they were able to negotiate for a new church building on the
medical center’s land. Wallace K. Kagawa designed the new church building in a modern
architectural style. Kagawa also worked on the designs for the World Trade Center ‘Twin
Towers’ in New York City. The new church opened in 1964.
We have requested more information describing how the congregation has been involved in the
community. We believe this information is necessary to proceed with the marker text. Our
contact person is currently compiling this information.
We are putting forth this application now because the church would like to dedicate its marker in
June 2016. This date would coincide with the congregation’s 100th anniversary celebration. In
order to meet this deadline, we are requesting conditional approval of their application,
contingent upon receipt of the additional requested documentation.