A Search for The Oldest Buildings in Town

1. A Search for The Oldest Buildings in Town A presentation for the Charlevoix Historical Society April 7, 2009 Raechel Wright Georganna Monk Alcove Café Friar Tuck’s Gallery and Framing Shop

2. or … getting carried away • Monks purchased “101 Park” in 1991 • Georganna gradually researched its history • Raechel opened the Alcove Café in 2007 • November 2007 Holiday Dinner of CCHPS – “How old is this building?” • Enthusiastic support by CHS, City & County, many individuals • “What should we do with all of this information?” Park Ave. Prowl, brochure, website, and 2 displays in the building

3. Monks purchase 101 Park

4. The “oldest building in town”? • Patsy Ranger – “might be the oldest building in town” • Replaced furnace – names on concrete slab • Toys, school papers, other items found in crawl space • Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps from CHS

5. Talk to people: follow the stories • Dale Hutzler • Sharon Knutson, Kay Heise, Janis Glass • Jean Mort • Susan de Castro McCann • Mark Chidichimo • Suzanne Tyrrell & Barbara Adams

6. The building and its contents • Attics and Basements • Under mechanicals • In the walls • TAKE PICTURES!

7. 1890 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map

8. 1901 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map

9. Other Maps 1866 - U.S. General Land Office Map and plat map by John Dixon and Seth Mason.

10. Register of Deeds • Work backward from present to establish a chain of ownership – abstracts, deeds, and meets & bounds. • Records are in books, microfiche, online depending upon year • Some volumes destroyed in fire in Boyne City, deeds re-filed in later years, without the “chain” • Land broken apart, put back together, broken apart in a different way • Complex transactions, e.g., land contracts, esp. during depression; family members; half interests • Wrong county for early transactions

11. Timeline 1889 10/25/1889 Deed: Liber 30, p. 302. Louisa M. See to Charles Dale Smith of Charlevoix $750. 47 x 28 parcel (Monk property) Smith is probably the tailor referred to in the 8/28/1890 Sentinel news item. See below. Need to check Sentinel and Journal ads for references to the tailor and see how long he occupied the space. 1890 7/11/1890 Deed: Liber 30, p. 530. Charles Dale Smith and Jane (Jennie at bottom) Dale Smith of Charlevoix to G. C. Geiken of Charlevoix $750 47 x 28 parcel (Monk property). Was rented to Bellinger for his jewelry store -- see 8/28 Sentinel item.

12. Other Sources • Newspapers • Charlevoix Sentinel 1869 - 1934 • Charlevoix Journal / Democrat / Courier 1883 – present • City Directories • Land Patents & Abstracts • Dept of Equalization • Tax Records (Assessment rolls)

13. A History of Northern Michigan and Its People Published by Lewis Publishing Co., 1912 Old Settlers: A Historical and Chronological Record, Together with Personal Experiences and Reminiscences of Members of the Old Settlers of the Grand Traverse Region ...By William S. Anderson, 1918 A History of the Grand Traverse Region by Dr. M.L. Leach, 1883 The Grand Traverse Region By Alexander Winchell Published 1866 Biographical history of northern Michigan, containing biographies of prominent citizens ...[Indianapolis]: B.F. Bowen & company, 1905 The Book of Detroiters: A Biographical Dictionary of Leading Living Men of the City of Detroit. Edited by A.N. Marquis, Chicago, A.N.Marquis & Company 1908 Charlevoix by Bob Miles, 1976 and Charlevoix II by David Miles, 2002 Books

14. Side trips … .

15. Side trips … . According to the Journal, 7/19/1883: “Mr. Byron See's new house is now being veneered with brick procured in East Jordan. When completed, it will be one of the finest residences in the village.”

16. Who owned it before Louisa See? Sentinel, 5/6/1879, cover story: Beers Estate Sale “Satruday [sic] afternoon was the time fixed for the Administrator’s sale of the Beers estate … which for seven years has lain dormant, and the courthouse was filled with those desirous of purchasing.” The article went on to explain how all of block 2 was carved up and sold to various people, including Amos Fox, who purchased now Hoffman Park for $145, and built his beautiful home there; and the partnership Carpenter & Bartholomew, which purchased the lot to the east, including the entire Beers house, for $250. .

17. Closing in on a date … 1867? “The record is a gratifying one for Charlevoix, that this acre of ground which twelve years ago was bought by Mr. Beers for $100, has now brought at forced sale a sum of $1,052.” . Channel 1890 Bridge St 1879 Main St

19. Closing in on a date … 1866? In notes for his book on the history of Charlevoix (provided by Rose Nettleton as part of the Sentinel excerpts), David Nettleton states that upon his arrival in 1867, there were about half a dozen homes in Pine River, one of which was Philo Beers's small drug store and post office on block 2. . According to 11/5/1901 Sentinel, "Perhaps the oldest landmark is now hidden by a modern front. It is the building occupied by Mrs. Cohen's store. It was the wing of the old Philo Beers house, which was built as early as 1866. The main portion of the building now stands on Main street, in the rear of Burnett's store."

20. Closing in on a date … According to the 11/20/1880 Sentinel article profiling businesses in Charlevoix, "From 1867 until his death in the spring of 1872, Philo Beers conducted a limited Drug Business in what is now known as the old "Beers Homestead." In the 11/30/1870 issue of the Sentinel, in the article probably authored by J.S. Dixon, “During the summer and fall of '65 the Dock Company erected their boarding house and barn, and Hon. Philo Beers built the main part of his present residence.” .

21. Philo Beers built the house in 1865 Philo Beers, farmer, U.S. Marshall, State Legislator, lighthouse keeper, druggist, postmaster, and probate judge.

23. Displays inside the building Beers, HIP Shop, Adams family, Jane Stanley

24. Moving down “Main St.” 1885 1880

25. Moving down “Main St.” 1880 10/30/1880 Sentinel: “Levi Blanchard, father of Mrs. L. D. Bartholomew of this place, returned from Kansas last week, and immediately purchased the Kiser lot on Main street, paying $400, therefor. He already has stone on the ground for the foundation of a residence which he will build this fall, or in early spring.”

26. And across the street … 1868 1870 1869 1885

27. Park Avenue Prowl • We should do something with all of this information … • Sign ordinance • Tony Duerr researched his building • February, 2008 – began writing • April, 2008 www.charlevoixparkavenue.com • July, 2008 David Miles provided pictures & narrative & information • 2400+ “hits” -- 2500 brochures 1907 – 1912 ?

28. Lessons Learned • Start with one building, and go for build date • Talk to lots of people; connections are everywhere • Keep detailed records of your sources • Let yourself follow the trail wherever it leads • Make assumptions, and test them; make new assumptions • Build a timeline, and use Excel; build a contact list • Take pictures & note where/when you took them • Don’t worry about running around in circles • Don’t wait until you’re finished; just start writing • Take your scanner, a camera, a tape recorder, your computer, paper, pencil, post-it notes, paper clips, tape measure and your timeline wherever you go. Be prepared!

29. Genealogy of a House: Blueprint for Research By Mark Harvey of the Archives of Michigan Land Patents Register of Deeds Property inventory cards County History Newspapers Paper and People Trail (ancestry.com) Talk to neighbors Look where the sun doesn’t shine (basement, attic) Be observant during remodeling Don’t be shy – telephone better than web Start with build date as a research objective Assessor Tax records City council minutes Insurance records

30. Genealogy of a House, cont’d • City Directories • Business advertisements • Business listings • Street listings • Individual listings • Building / code compliance dept. • Photographs