Benedict Doll House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Benedict Doll House
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 Location in Michigan
Location in the United States
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| Location | 665 W. Chicago St., Coldwater, Michigan |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1899 |
| Architectural style | Stick/eastlake, Queen Anne |
| NRHP reference No. | 90001238 |
| Added to NRHP | August 20, 1990 |
The Benedict Doll House is a special old home found at 665 West Chicago Street in Coldwater, Michigan. It's a private house, meaning people live there. This house is so important that it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1990. This list helps protect amazing buildings across the United States.
Contents
A Look Back: The Doll Family Home
Who was Benedict Doll?
Benedict Doll moved to Coldwater, Michigan, in 1894. He came from Toledo, Ohio. Mr. Doll bought a business that made drinks. This business was located near where the house stands today.
Building a Family Home
At first, the Doll family lived in the building where the drinks were made. But by 1899, the family had grown quite a bit. Benedict and his wife had six children! Also, the business was doing very well. So, in 1899, Mr. Doll decided to build a new, bigger home for his family. They moved into this beautiful house in January 1900.
New Businesses and Family Life
In 1909, the town of Coldwater made a new rule. It became a "dry city," meaning businesses could no longer sell alcoholic drinks. This meant Benedict Doll's original business had to close. But Mr. Doll was smart and found new ways to make a living. He started selling ice and also ran a service to remove trash.
Later, more and more cars started driving on Chicago Road. Benedict Doll and his children saw an opportunity. They opened a gas station and then a restaurant nearby. Benedict Doll lived in this house until he passed away in 1941. His wife continued to live there until 1955. Some of their children lived in the house after that, until it was sold outside the family in 1985.
What Does the House Look Like?
Outside the House
The Benedict Doll House is a large, two-and-a-half-story home. It is made of wood and built in a style called Eastlake. This style is known for its fancy, decorative wood details. The roof has a mix of gables (pointed sections) and hips (sloping sections) and is covered with metal tiles.
The house sits on a strong foundation made of cut fieldstone. The lower part of the house has horizontal wooden boards called clapboards. The gables on the front and sides are covered with decorative wooden shingles.
The Front Porch
A long porch stretches across the front of the house. It has decorative turned posts and fancy wooden spindlework, which looks like delicate lace. Above the main entrance, there's a smaller porch on the second floor.
Inside the House
When you walk into the house, you enter a hall with a staircase. A room called a parlor is off this hall. A narrow hallway leads to the kitchen. There's also a living room on the first floor. Both the parlor and living room have beautiful dark wood trim. A large, modern kitchen and family room area has been added to the back of the house.
On the second floor, a hallway runs through the middle. The bedrooms open up on either side of this hallway.
