Botsford Inn facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
Botsford Inn
|
|
 |
|
| Location | 28000 Grand River Ave., Farmington, Michigan |
|---|---|
| Area | 9.4 acres (3.8 ha) |
| Built | 1836 |
| Architectural style | Federal, Late Federal vernacular |
| NRHP reference No. | 79003173 |
| Added to NRHP | September 19, 1979 |
The Botsford Inn is a very old building in Farmington, Michigan. It was built in the 1800s and used to be a popular inn and tavern. Today, it is a special historic place listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Contents
History of the Botsford Inn
How the Inn Began
The Botsford Inn started as a home in 1836. A farmer named Orrin Weston built the first part of the house. In 1841, Stephen Jennings bought the house. He turned it into a tavern, which is like a restaurant and a place to stay.
The inn became a busy stop for stagecoaches. These were like old-time buses that traveled along the Grand River Plank Road. This road connected big cities like Detroit, Lansing, and Grand Rapids. Stephen Jennings likely made the building bigger around this time.
The Botsford Family Takes Over
In 1860, Milton C. Botsford bought the inn. He changed its name to the Botsford Tavern. It became a favorite meeting spot for many people. Farmers, travelers, and local residents all gathered there.
The Botsford family owned the inn for many years, until the 1920s. At that time, a big road project was happening. Grand River Avenue was being made wider for a new highway, U.S. Route 16. The inn was in danger of being torn down.
Henry Ford Saves the Inn
Luckily, in 1924, Henry Ford stepped in. He was the famous car maker. Henry Ford bought the inn from the Botsford family. He had fond memories of the place. He had visited the inn when he was younger and even courted his wife, Clara, there.
To save the inn, Henry Ford had it moved back from the road. This kept it safe from the widening project. He also fixed up the building. He made it bigger and added beautiful old-style wood details inside.
Later Years and Restoration
The Ford family ran the Botsford Inn as a restaurant until 1951. Then, a man named John Anhut bought it. He kept the inside of the inn looking just as the Fords had left it. Because the inn was so popular, he added new parts to the building after 1960.
In the mid-1960s, a medical group bought some of the land around the inn. They built Botsford Hospital nearby. By the 1990s, it became hard to keep the inn open. The Anhut family sold it in 1993. By 2000, the inn had closed its doors.
In 2007, Botsford Hospital tore down the newer parts of the inn that were built in the 1960s. This made space for a new cancer center. The hospital then carefully restored the oldest, historic parts of the building. Today, the Botsford Inn is part of the Botsford Hospital complex.
What the Botsford Inn Looks Like
The Botsford Inn is a two-story building. It has a roof that slopes down on two sides. The outside is covered with clapboard, which are long, thin wooden boards. There is a two-story porch across the front.
The oldest part of the building was built in 1836. It has five sections on the left side, between the chimneys. The two sections on the far right were probably added around 1841. This was also when the front porch was built.
The main entrance on the first floor is very fancy. It has a special Federal style doorway with windows on the sides. There is a simpler doorway directly above it on the second floor.
Inside, much of the original simple design is still there. This includes wooden panels on the lower part of the walls. The window and door frames are plain wood. There are also several old fireplaces with Federal style designs. Some floors still have wide wooden boards. When Henry Ford fixed up the inn in 1924, he added some excellent new woodwork that looked just like the old style.
