Abel Brockway House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Abel Brockway House
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 Location in Michigan
Location in the United States
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| Location | 1631 Brockway, Saginaw, Michigan |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1864 |
| Architect | Harker Jackson |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival, Greek Revival |
| MPS | Center Saginaw MRA |
| NRHP reference No. | 82002862 |
| Added to NRHP | July 9, 1982 |
The Abel Brockway House is a historic family home located at 1631 Brockway Street in Saginaw, Michigan. It was officially added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. This means it's an important building recognized for its history and special design. Some people also believe the house might be haunted!
History of the Brockway House
Abel Brockway was born in 1818. He moved to Saginaw in 1856. He was a smart businessman. He invested in many early businesses in Saginaw. These included lumber, railroads, and banking.
In 1859, Abel Brockway bought a piece of farmland. This land is now near Wells, Thurman, Gratiot, and Brockway Streets. In 1864, he built a house on this land. This house is the main part of what we now call the Brockway House.
Brockway lived in the house until he passed away in 1886. After his death, the house went to his daughter, Mary. Mary had a wealthy husband. She did not need the house or the land. So, she gave some of the land to the city. She also divided the rest of the land into smaller pieces. Then, she sold those pieces.
Around 1920, a person named Harker Jackson bought the house. He also bought the land around it. Jackson was an architect. He designed and built new parts onto the house.
What Does the House Look Like?
The Abel Brockway House is a mix of different styles. The original part of the house is two stories tall. It is built in the Greek Revival style. This style often features tall columns and a grand entrance.
Later, 1-1/2 story wings were added. These wings are in the Colonial Revival style. This style often looks back to early American homes. The house also has a front porch with columns. These columns came from an old hospital in Saginaw. It was called Dr. Florentine's Hospital for Women.
The house looks balanced and even on both sides. It has a pointed roof and wooden siding. The windows are placed in a very organized way.
Is the Brockway House Haunted?
The Abel Brockway House is also known for something else. It is a focus of a local movie series. This series explores supposedly haunted places in Saginaw County, Michigan.
The tenth movie in the series is called Haunted Saginaw: A Haunting on Brockway Street. It was made by Steven T. Shippy and his team. The movie shows their investigation of the house. They spent several weeks looking into strange activities. The current owners and the film crew have reported seeing paranormal things happen there.
