58 North Main St.

While the original research for this house done in 1973 and 1975 listed the construction date as 1852 with Nicholas Bonaparte Smith the owner, the tax records indicate otherwise. The property was part of Nelson W. Clark's Original Plat of the Village & Clark was the owner in 1850. By 1855 Washington Clark Scranton and his wife, Charlotte, owned the property, from the north line of the lot just north of the stream to Park Lake to the south line of Milton H. Clark's lot (the property of the house at 62 N. Main). The tax entry for M. H. Clark referred to the property of Scranton's as that of his residence. In the same year the name N. B. Smith appeared for the first time only for a personal tax and property in Section 23 of Independence Township. Smith was not listed for this property until 1865. Therefore it seems clear that the original building or buildings, (since 1859 tax records listed a "house & shop") were constructed by/for W. C. Scranton. [We have found little history in regard to the Scrantons, only clues. In 1880 Charlotte Scranton died. 1881 tax records listed W. C. Scranton for property on the northwest corner of W. Washington & N. Holcomb Sts. and indicated that he built the house there by 1883. The assumption is that he built the smaller house at 3 North Holcomb for himself after Charlotte's death. (There is a copy of a bill of sale for a small wood building, "Scranton's store", which also stood on that site. The store building was purchased by Daniel Addis in 1895 for $75.00 and moved to the southeast corner of E. Washington & S. Main Sts.) Scranton's house at 58 North Main Street became the home of Nicholas B. Smith. W. C. Scranton died in 1893. Both Washington and Charlotte Scanton were buried in the Smith plot in Lakeview cemetery. It appears the Scrantons were related to the Smiths, but there are no facts to support this or explain any connection.] N. B. Smith was a merchant/druggist in Clarkston. His first wife, Mary was the daughter of Bildad Phillips, one of the area's first settlers. His second wife, Emmaline/Emeline was the daughter of Jacob Walter, also one of the area's first settlers. Tax records indicate the construction of a substantial building or buildings on this N. Main Street site by 1855. This seems a likely date for a Greek Revival house, however it isn't clear whether Scranton built the original sections of this house in that style or N. B. Smith remodeled the building. The original section has been dubbed one of the best examples of the Midwestern adaptation of the Greek Revival style. The house was surveyed and included in the first Historic American Buildings Survey in 1936. It was also used as an example in Talbot Hamlin's tome, Greek Revival Architecture in America. The most important elements of the Greek Revival style, the low pitched gable roof with a triangular pediment imitating a temple, has been given a local interpretation. There is a dentil molding included in the entablature of the pediment and below the frieze under the pediment. The front pediment is supported with square pilasters instead of columns, as seen on the more temple-like front of the house across the street, 71 N. Main. There is also a dentil mold on the pilasters below the simple interpretation of capitals. The trim around the windows under the pediment has a distinctive Greek key design.  The front door treatment, post & lintel with sidelights, is common to the style, but the work here is superior. While most of the house is clad in overlapping clapboard, the boards under the front pediment are butted. This treatment was seen in better (more pure) examples of the style. The butted boards were often given a coat of plaster so that the smooth surface simulated the marble of Greek temples. The "temple" form is joined on the south with a single story wing. At one time, when this house served as a two family residence, there was a door on the front facade of this wing. According to a 9/04/1902 Pontiac Post article "Mrs. Emeline Smith is having her house remodelled suitable for two families." A 1930s addition accomodated a library. In 1967 the south wing was expanded to the rear to include a family room with fireplace. A fire in 1974 damaged the wooden domed ceiling in the living room. The ceiling was subsequently replaced with a stippled plaster ceiling.