75 South Holcomb St.
West side of street
The center section of this house is the oldest built sometime before 1872, although the house has seen many changes since then.
The center two story section of this house was certainly built by 1872 since a rectangular footprint may be seen on a map of the Village from that year. However the proportion of the windows and the absence of entablature returns typical of the Greek Revival style would seem to indicate a later construction date than the circa 1850 one cited in earlier research. Tax records seem inconclusive regarding a construction date. The assessement value, $250 in 1856, is high for this property without a building but the size of the property was larger then. There may have been a building on the property by 1850 but, if so, it was certainly substantially remodeled later. As cited above, the windows are taller and the ceilings, on the interior in the front rooms, are higher than is typical for early Greek Revival style houses. Several changes have been made since 1872. Single story wings to the north and south and west are most likely additions to the original structure. A second story summer porch over the first story porch on the south was added by 1940. A second story was enclosed over the north wing at some time. The front porch with roof balustrade seen in a photo taken about 1940, right, from the Henry Ford Museum archives has been altered. A new three car garage was constructed in the 1980s. In 1990 major remodeling of the house was undertaken. Part of the west/back section was removed and a new 2 story and single story section (to the west and the south respectively) was constructed. Most of the existing windows were also replaced.
Official Property Description:
- Part of Clinton Street on N. W. Clark's Original Plat of the Village in the Southwest 1/4 of Section 20 in Independence Township.
- 1896 Map of the Village, owner F.C. Netting.
- Lot 005 of the Assessor's Plat.
Significant Property History:
- Note: All the properties currently located in the Historic District were originally part of a tract registered by Butler Holcomb with the federal government on October 22, 1831. Thus, abstracts for these properties, when they exist, show the original transfer to be from the United States to Butler Holcomb and may also include references to then President Andrew Jackson.
- 1842 Nelson W.Clark, Original Plat of the Village.
- 1844 Nelson W. Clark, Block 10, assessed value $5.
- 1856 W. C. Dwinell, commencing north of the southwest corner of Lot 4 Block 4 then east 252', then on Madison St. (now Holcomb St. ) to Plank Rd., then along said road to Blake's, & then north to the point of beginning, assessed value $250. William Blake, the southwest 1/4 of the southwest 1/4, 30 acres, assessed value $550. Lots 3 & 4 and 1 & 2 Block 4 of Cobb's Addition, assessed value $100. "occupied as one parcel."
- 1859 Daniel Ballard, north by W.S. Blake, east & south by Plank Road, assessed value $50.
- 1860 M. H. Clark, commencing at the southeast corner of Lot 8 Block 5, then south to the Plank Road, west to Cobb, then to the northwast corner of Block 5, then east except the piece commencing at the southwest corner of Block 5 running thence west 49 1/2', assessed value $120.
- 1864 M. H. Clark, Lots 3 & 4 Block 4, & a piece commencing at the southeast corner of Lot 8 Block 5 running from thence in a southerly direction to Plank Road, then southwest to lands deeded to M. G. Cobb & wife to C. Burns, then north to the northwast corner of Block 5, then east to the beginning except as above, assessed value $150. Note: from the abstract for 46 S. Holcomb which lists Emeline Smith for the south 1/2 of the southeast 1/4 of the Southwest 1/4, or all of the south part of Lot 4 & 5, Block'5.
- 1866 M. H. Clark, as above, assessed value. $120.
- 1867 Richard Fisher, assessed value $120.
- 1868 Richard Fisher, assessed value $150.
- 1869 Richard Fisher, north by O. Bump, east & south by the Plank Road & the Section line, on the west by W. S. Blake, assessed value $150.
- 1870 William H. Shurts, as above, assessed $80.
- 1871 William H. Shurts, assessed value $250.
- 1872 Map of the Village has a building footprint on this site then, assessed value $250. Tax records: Henry Morriston, commencing at the corner of Lot 8 Block 5 running thence in a southerly direction to the Plank Road, then south & west to land deeded by W. D. Cole to C. Burns, then north to the "s.e." or Block 5, then east to the place to beginning, except a piece commencing at the southwest corner of Block 5, then south 49 1/2' & then to the place of begining, assessed value $250.
- 1874 Rans Ballard.
- 1875 Henry Morriston, a piece bound west by W. S. Blake, south & east by the Plank Road, assessed value $40. Angeline Fisher, north by William "Shirts" , east & south by the Plank Road & the Section line, west by Wiliam S. Blake, assessed value $200.
- 1877 Henry Morriston, east by the Street, north by John Petty (who then had Lot 8 Block 5 ), south by the Highway & the land of J. D. Benjamin, west by J. D. Benjamin & Mrs. Blake & Rans Ballard, assessed value $250.
- 1881 Elizabeth Osterich, north by Henry Brown (Lot 8 Block 5), west by H. Lewis, J. D. Benjamin, south by the Highway, east by the Street.
- 1883 John "Erwin", north by H. Brown, west by Follett & Benjamin, south & east by the Highway, assessed value $500.
- 1884 John Irwin, as above, assessed value $400.
- 1885 Fred Netting, north by Lewis, west by J. D. Benjamin, south & east by the Highway, assessed value $300.
- 1886 as above, assessed value $250.
- 1888 Fred Netting, north by Lewis, west by Della Tucker, south & east by the Highway, assessed value $250.
- 1896 Map of the Village, owner F.C. Netting.
- 1900 Fred Netting, north by Lewis, west by George E. Caleb, east by the Highway, assessed value $300.
- 1902 Mrs. Flora Netting, north by Lewis, west by Frank, south & east by the Highway.
- 1903 Mrs. Flora Wood.
- 1906 John Vincent, estate, west by Frank Allen & the Street, east & south by the Street, north by Lewis, assessed value $700.
- 1907 Earl/Earle Vincent.
- 1908 Earl Vincent, assessed value $800.
- 1911 Grace Gardner, assessed value &800.
- 1915 Grace Gardner, north by Green (lot 8 Block 5), east by Holcomb Street, south by Depot, west by Allen, assessed value $1000.
- 1923 Thomas Hubbard, north by Green, south & east by Depot Road, west by Hunter, assessed value $2400.
- 1924 Thomas Hubbard, as above, assessed value $3000.
- 1925 Thomas Hubbard, north by Barnett, south & east by the road, west by Hunter, assessed value $400. Ed. G. & Janette Barnet, a piece commencing at the southwest corner to Lot 8 Block 5, then southerly 61', then east to a point on the west line of Holcomb Street 75' south from the southeast corner of Lot 8 Block 5, then north along the west line of Holcomb Street 75' to the southeast corner of Lot 8 Block 5, then west to the place of beginning, assessed value $2000.
- 1926 E. G. Barnett, as above. Thomas Hubbard, a piece to the south of the above parcel.
- 1932 E. G. Barnett, as per 1925 description, assessed value $2300.
- 1934 E. G. Barnett, as above, assessed value $1200. F. E. Davies owned a piece to the south & west of Barnett (south of Block 4)
- 1950 Farmer E. Davies, Lot 91.
Architecture Style:
Historic District Commission Documents:
