49 South Main St.

There was certainly a building on this site by 1855.. (The assessed value jumped from $65 in 1850 to $210 in 1855 indicating the construction of a building). Horatio Foster, a carpenter and one of Clarkston's early settlers was then the owner. Upon his death in 1861 this property passed to his wife, Elizabeth. (See excerpt from his will in the abstract for 8 East Washington). She held the property until 1875 (1859 records listed a "house" in "poor" condition on this site). The footprint of this house probably matched that seen on an 1872 map of the Village. The tax assessed value remained much the same from 1855 until 1910 when the assessed value doubled. The owner then was listed as Matilda ("Tillie") Demerest. A corner of the house may be seen in a photo reportedly taken about that time. Apparently there was a single story screened, cottage-style porch with stone supports on the east facade. These stone pillars may be those still visible on the property. The original building on this site was probably a simple wooden house like others built in the Village at the time. The exterior has seen successive changes. William Gassick improved the house considerably after he and wife Katie bought the building from the Linaburys who lived in the house to the north, 39 S. Main. (The building was vacant and in a poor condition at the time of purchase. Gassick came to Clarkston in 1934 to purchase the Fisher Shoe Repair. Fisher, who ran his business in a " large white wooden structure next door to the beer garden" on the east side of Main St. (according to info received in 2002 from Mary Gassick Cormia, William Gassick's daughter), wanted to retire. William opened his business in the south section of 49 S. Main. The north section became the family home. (William had a pet cockatiel, named Jo-Jo, which often kept him company in the shoe shop.) Mary remembers the house having many small rooms, as it still does. Gassick installed a large furnace, repaired the roof, and employed George Elliot, local carpenter, to build kitchen cabinets and install a sink. The Gassicks terraced the back yard, a steep hill slopping down to Village propery,planting many flowers, and built a fish pond which is still on the property today. In 1959, Ivan Rouse, a Clarkston native, opened the Clarkston Conservatory of Music in this building where it still operates today. Rouse held recitals and concerts in the house which also served as his residence, and in the garden, as well as in many other venues in Clarkston and Independence Township. After Mr. Rouse's death, the building was purchased by one of his students and is presently being maintained as the Clarkston Conservatory of Music.