Category: South Tour

283 West Saint Clair Street

c. 1874 – Second Empire

George White (18-?–1879) a builder by trade, constructed this cottage for his family in 1874 at the same time that his brother John, also a builder, was completing a similar residence farther up First Street. Second Empire in style, the White cottage has rich ornamentation incIuding intricately carved brackets and elaborate window hoods contrasted against a smooth stucco-like board Riding. The front porch and :side windows are later re­placements.

129 First Street

c. 1874 – Second Empire

John White (1843-1912) a talented builder and brick mason helped to construct most of the nineteenth century brick buildings in Romeo and Almont. His Second Empire cottage was fin­ished in 1874. The interior is a Victorian ex­travaganza with its curved staircase and pierced balustrade, parquet floors and elaborate plaster medallions and covings. The home was sold in 1901 to Henry J. McKay, a prominent young lawyer. McKay’s name still remains on the carriage step at the curb.

126 First Street

c. 1856 – Greek Revival (with Victorian Gothic Wing)

Galloway, a builder, purchased his lot in April 1856 and presumably constructed his Greek Revival residence soon after. The Victotorian Gothic wing added to the south during the 1870s offers a delightful contrast to the serene lines of the main house.

150 First Street

c. 1859 – Greek Revival

James Morland (1839-1916) a native of Berlin, Michigan and of Irish descent served as a “sharpshooter” during the Civil War seeing action during the Peninsular Campaign and again at Gettysburg, the Wilderness and Petersburg. Morland spent a short time in Oil City, Pennsyl­vania after the war and then entered the dry goods business in Romeo. In 1878, he took over F. Mallary’s hardware store and became very successful in this endeavor despite a severe fire in 1887. Morland’s residence, a late Greek Re­ vival, was enlarged in 1886 with Italianate pro­ portions and Greek Revival details.

168 First Street

c. 1860 – Italianate

This impressive Italianate residence was built c. 1860 by John W. Dyar (1814-1889), a native of Waterbury, Vermont, who arrived in Romeo in 1836 and “conducted one of the largest of the general stores of that day.” The Dyar family was a large one (7 children) and this home was the setting for many joyous occasions. On July 4, 1875, Dyar treated his family and most of the townspeople to a spectacular display of fireworks. “The display was certainly very liberal” noted The Romeo Observer, “and the selection of pieces was made so as to furnish a handsome sight to all. The boys gave three rousing cheers at the close of the exhibition.” In 1881 two daughters were married in the formal parlor of the mansion: Susie Dyar wed Mr. E. Allen in March among “exceptionally rich and tasteful . . . surroundings,” and May Dyar wed Dr. Robert P. Myers of Savannah, Georgia in November with “a bounteous dinner” following the ceremony. The following year Susie Dyar Allen gave birth to her first child in her parents’ home. Several of the older Dyar children had by this time become prominent Detroit residents including Mrs. Hugh McMillan wife of the millionaire railroad magnet and John B. Dyar a wealthy industrialist. In        October 1889, a “terrible affliction” be­ fell the happy family when both Mr. and ·Mrs. John W. Dyar unexpectedly died within a few hours of one another. The Romeo Observer noted that “The great house, so long the center of light and hope and pleasure, the “mecca” toward which the feet of all who had gone out from it turned at intervals, has disappeared, as it were in a single day.”

Architecturally, the Dyar home in its proportional and millwork so closely approximates the octagon house in Washington, Michigan, designed by David Stewart, that one can assume that the Dyar residence was designed by Stewart as well. The original bay windows that flanked the main entrance as well as the front porch were all replaced c. 1940 by local architect Jack Burns and a more formal Georgian appearance was created.

327 Benjamin Street

c. 1864 – Greek Revival

This Greek Revival residence was built c. 1864 for Amos 0. Crissman (1818-1908), a native of Warren County, New Jersey, and a successful farmer in Washington and Bruce town­ships. The acreage surrounding this home is still ample giving it an appropriate farm like setting.

117 Bradley Street

c. 1860 – Greek Revival

James Thorington (1804-1877) a native of Ira, Rutland County, Vermont, and a wealthy Washington Township landowner (700 acres), was one of the first Michigan farmers “to import the celebrated merino sheep of Vermont.” When Thorington retired to Romeo, he purchased this late Greek Revival residence (May 10, 1861) from real estate speculator John L. Benjamin who had probably had the home constructed the previous season. With its massive Greek Revival details and lofty Italianate proportions the residence makes a commanding appearance. Originally, the front yard extended down to West St. Clair Street allowing lhe passerby an impressive view of the home. On September 17, 1881 John Brewer purchased the Thorington residence for $3,000. Brewer, a prominent speculator in timber lands as far south as Georgia was enough of an authority to “estimate a tract of Pine for Governor Alger” in 1885.

298 West Saint Clair Street

c. 1845 – Greek Revival

Robert White (1814-1694) a native of Donegal, Ireland arrived in Romeo in 1841 and “four years later (c. 1845) bought twelve acres of wild land and cleared a space, wherein he built his house . . . ” White was a brick mason and trained his sons in the trade so that most of the masonry work in Romeo’s nineteenth century buildings was put up by this family. The White residence is Greek Revival in style with a U-shaped porch that may have been added later. If the above quote is to be accepted then this residence cannot be, as tradition has it, the oldest home in Romeo.

 

241 West Saint Clair Street

c. 1844 – Greek Revival

Horace Bogart, (1813-1886), owner of the “Old Reliable” carriage factory on W. St. Clair, purchased from Ashael Bailey on December 16, 1843, a sizable lot extending up to present Sisson Street for $100. Presumably, he built his Greek Revival cottage the following spring. Ira Pratt (1844-1893) a native of Romeo and a “dealer in imported crockery, glassware, stoneware and china, chandeliers, lamps, wooden­ ware and groceries” purchased the Bogart cottage in August 1875 for $2,000.

233 West Saint Clair Street

c. 1856 – Greek Revival

Andrew M. Grover (1810-1880), a native of Sussex County, New Jersey, arrived in Romeo in 1840 and through wise investments became a man of considerable wealth, serving as one of the directors of Romeo’s First National Bank. Grover’s house was built c. 1856 in the Greek Revival Style and “decided improvements” were made in September 1876 including “a new roof,” a library and a new porch of Italianate design.