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1 |
Adventist Church-South Farmer Street |
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The Adventist Church
building on South Farmer Street was completed
in 1867, and looks nearly the same as it did when first constructed.
Otsego became recognized as a center of Seventh-Day activity in the
early twentieth century. A complex of Adventist buildings erected
on the west part of Otsego included an Academy, boys and girls
dormitories, and a farm. In 1863 in Otsego, Adventist
Ellen White
received a vision from God on the importance of healthy eating and
maintaining physical fitness. Her vision and resulting message
later influenced the thinking of many, including John H. Kellogg, the
inventor of the first Kellogg cereals. |
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2 |
The David Morse House-117 W. Franklin Street
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| The
Congregational minister, Reverend David Morse built this Greek Revival
house in the late 1850's. Harry Johnson, a former city clerk,
lived in this house for several years. |
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3 |
The
Herman Jungnitch House-218 Kalamazoo Street |
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| Many of Otsego's
houses were moved from one site to another but this on may have set a
record for distance. It was moved from Pine Creek to Otsego in
1902. This house was built around 1900 for Herman Jungnitch
but a power dam was later built that would flood the area. Mr.
Jungnitch sold the house to John Engles, who then had it moved to its
present location. |
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4
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The
DeLano House-209 West Orleans Street |
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| This house does not
appear on the 1873 plat map of Otsego, but shows up on the 1880
Birds-Eye view of Otsego. Noah Bryant and his family lived here
for many years beginning in the 1890's. Mr. Bryant was an
associate of George Bardeen, owner of the Bardeen Paper Mill. The
George DeLano family lived here in the early to mid-1900's. |
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5
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The Lucy Travis House-265 West Allegan Street
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Wilson C. Edsell bought this lot in 1849 and had this house built the next
year. With pilaster moldings and an east wing with a columned
portico, this house is typical of the Greek Revival style of architecture
found prevalent in Michigan during that time. Lucy Travis bought the
house in 1886 and lived there for many years.
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6
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The French
House-451 West Allegan Street |
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| This house was
built in 1855, and is another example of Otsego Architecture influenced
by the national trend of portraying Greek symbolism into American
life. The symmetry of the upper windows, along with it's hipped
roof and side pilasters combine to give this house a solid presence
alongside West Allegan Street. At one time it had a cupola atop
the roof. For many years it was owned by Carrie and E.J. French. |
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7
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The C.D. Parkhurst House-506 West
Allegan Street |
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| City tax records
indicate this house existed as early as 1843. Its original owner,
C.D. Parkhurst, was a local merchant, and at one time the town clerk and
tax assessor. |
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8
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The Joseph Stratton House-444 West
Allegan Street |
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| In 1898 Mr.
Stratton, who had just completed two terms as Allegan County Sheriff,
bought this lot on West Allegan Street for $265.00 and had the house and
barn erected. Both Mr. and Mrs. Stratton were from pioneer
families. The barn is one of very few left in the city. |
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9
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Otsego's
Riverfront |
Historical Photos of North Farmer Street |
| Lumber mills,
grist mills, wagon shops, the Otsego Chair Factory, and even a hoe
factory lined both sides of the river. In the 1870's, folks came
from all over the Midwest to rejuvenate their ailing bodies in the
"medicinal" waters at the Otsego Mineral Springs Bath
House. The Mineral Springs had difficulty staying in business
after George Bardeen and a group of investors brought the first paper
mill to Otsego in 1887. The Bardeen Mill was located where Menasha
is today. Part of the Bardeen Building is still standing, and one
of the machines is still in use. The mill drastically lowered the
level of the spring water, rendering the Mineral Springs Bath House
useless. |
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10
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The
Sprague House-118 West River Street |
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| Mr. and Mrs.
Nelson Sprague built their new home in 1869 and they selected a lot in
The Highlands at 118 West River Street. By the time the Sprague's'
great-grand-daughter Marian Minnis died in 1973, the house had been
occupied continuously by the Sprague's or their descendants. |
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11
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The
J.M. Ballou House-106 Prospect Street |
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| In the early
years of Otsego's growth man people thought the best residential area
was north of the river, so when in 1869 James Ballou decided to build a
new home, he selected The Highlands for a site. This house,
located at 106 Prospect Street, looks nearly the same as it did when
originally built. Born in Ohio, Ballou came to Michigan and
graduated from the State Normal School in 1862. He arrived in
Otsego the same year to become principal of the high school. He
later became the county superintendent of schools and eventually was
president of the state board of education. |
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12
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Water
Works Building-North Farmer Street |
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| Built in 1907,
this structure was the first water plant building for the city.
The thin island in the river behind this building at one time held
"Island Park", a beautiful city park complete with trails,
benches and a gazebo. The park closed due to excessive flooding in
the 1920's. In 2004 this building was been completely renovated
and is the home of the Otsego Area Historical Society. |
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13
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The
Methodist Church-223 East Allegan Street |
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| Organized as a
congregation in Otsego in 1842, the Methodists moved into this church
building in December 1889. Charles Prentiss, a local businessman
and former mapmaker for General Sherman during the Civil War, designed
the plans for the church, which cost $7,500 to build. |
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14
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The
John King/Sam Simpson House-313 East Allegan Street |
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| Mr. King was one
of the men who came to Otsego with George Bardeen to establish a
paper-mill. Mr. King had this house built around 1887. In
1895, Mr. and Mrs. Sam Simpson bought the house and lived there for many
years. Mr. Simpson was the "Sim" of the Mac Sim Bar
paper mill. |
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15
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The
Thompson House-319 East Allegan Street |
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| Featured in
Oxford's Buildings of Michigan, this house reflects the cross-plan style
of Allegan architect Charles Caskey, who went on to design summer
cottages in Harbor Springs and Mackinac Island. |
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16
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The
Pierce-Dorgan House-320 East Allegan Street |
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| This Sears
catalog house arrived in two box cars in 1913, for Howard Pierce, a
local grocer. He sold the house to Tom and Jo Dorgan in the early
1960's. |
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17
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The
Cloud-Pierce House-217 East Orleans Street |
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| This fine
Italianate house was built in 1869 for John Cloud, a hardware
merchant. Marshall Pierce lived there for many years in the
1900's. |
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18
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The
Gorham Sherwood House-208 South Fair Street |
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| Mr. and Mrs.
Gorham Sherwood built this house in 1883. Gorham's career
paralleled that of his brother Eber. They were known locally as
"The Sherwood Brothers." |
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19
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The
Eber Sherwood House-124 East Orleans Street |
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| In 1883, this
Queen Anne style house was built for Mr. and Mrs. Eber Sherwood. Mr Sherwood was born in a log house south of Otsego, and rose to
prominence as a merchant and financier. In the 1880's and 1890's
many Queen Anne's or "Victorian" houses were built in
Otsego. They feature steep-pitched roofs, gables, towers and
turrets, and ornamental shingles, moldings and fanciful chimneys.
Notice the decorative trim around the windows and the turret on the northeast
side of this house. |
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