81 South Main St.
West side of street
The original section of this house, that is, the section north of the south wing, was built circa 1855 in the Greek Revival style.
John Hertwig/Herwig, one of Clarkston's early settlers, owned this property in 1850 when the assessed value was high enough to suggest that there was a building of some kind on the site. The tax value quadrupled by 1855 indicating substantial improvement or expansion of any existing structure. The original one and 1/2 story Greek Revival style section of this house was probably built by 1855 for/by the owner, Elmer Bishop. The 1872 map of the Village has the footprint of the building then, owner, "Mrs. C., "Julia", Cochran. This was the home Mr. and Mrs. John Hammond beginning 1920. It remained in the Hammond family until recently. Typical of the Greek Revival style of the house is the impressive entablature with broken pediment over the one and 1/2 section of the house which faces the street. Ronk family oral history has it that Mr. John Hammond built a screened front porch for his wife, Mary, on the front of this house in the 1920s. The house remained much as it was built until the 1990s when a major renovation project included the construction of an addition to the west facade of the one and 1/2 story section, and replacement of windows, doors and the front porch. A garage was also constructed at that time.
Official Property Description:
- Lot 9 Block 26 of Nelson W. Clark's Original Plat of the Village in the Southwest 1/4 of Section 20 Independence Township.
- Lot 67 of the Assessor's Plat.
Significant Property History:
- Nelson W. and Phidelia Clark.
- 1848 Nelson W. Clark, Lot 9 Block 26, assessed value $25.
- 1849 Ebenezer Jones, Lot 9 Block 26, assessed value $84.
- 1850 John Hertwig/Herwig, assessed value $110.
- 1855 Elmer Bishop, assessed value $380.
- 1857 Elmer Bishop, assessed value $400.
- 1860 as above.
- 1861 Nicholas Goodyear, assessed value $400.
- 1870 Julia Cochran.
- 1872 Map of the Villagehas the footprint of a building on this site, owner, "Mrs.C."
- 1889 John Clark, assessed value $150.
- 1904 Mrs. Lucy Holcomb, assessed value $500.
- 1910 as above.
- 1914 Fred Atkins, Lot 9, assessed value $500.
- 1919 as above.
- 1920 John and Mary Hammond, Lot 9, assessed value $1000.
- 1926 John Hammond Estate.
Architecture Style:
Historic District Commission Documents:
