50 South Main St.

This early Greek Revival Style house was long known as the parsonage for the Baptist Church, to the south. However, the earliest use of the building was as a private residence, the home of John G. Owen, one of Clarkston's early residents. Owen is shown in tax records for this site in 1855 with a assessed value of $500. The assessed value suggests a substantial structure on the site then. The crude early one & 1/2 story section of this Greek Revival style house supports a circa 1855 construction date. Historically as early as 1847 according to tax records there was a "storehouse" on the part of the property north of where the house stands. The owner was Albert G. Robinson. In 1848 he is listed as "Elbert G. Robenson". The value by that time had risen to $90. There are no further details about this building. By 1870 Richard Broomfield, wagon maker, made this his home. Oral history has it that he moved here from a farm and lived here until he built a new house to the north. Mrs. J. D. (Lucinda) Benjamin resided here from 1883 until her death at the turn of the century. The house later became the parsonage. When the Baptist Church moved to a new building in 1964, south of the Village, the church and the parsonage were sold to another congregation. The buildings were both covered with aluminum siding. See photo below showing the house as it was being covered with aluminum siding. In early 1990s both buildings, then in a much deteriorated condition, were purchased and renovation began. The parsonage was largely rebuilt from the foundation up. A recessed porch on the side was included. (Old construction and seams in the siding seemed to indicate the original presence of a porch typical of the Greek Revival Midwest farm house style. This is consistent with the original building - i. e., a 1 &1/2 story section with a single story wing with porch. The 1872 map footprint shows the typical L-shaped configuration.) A second story was added to the single story wing. Additions to the east facade were done subsequently. The 1990s renovation saw the replacement of windows and doors; construction of a stone chimney; and replication of a front door treatment typical of the original style. Note: Oral history has it that the house was purchased for a parsonage in 1895, however, tax records conflict with this information.