Cadillac House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Cadillac House
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Cadillac House, c. 1900
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 Location in Michigan
Location in the United States
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| Location | 5502 Main St., Lexington, Michigan |
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| Built | 1859 |
| Architectural style | Italianate |
| NRHP reference No. | 100003216 |
| Added to NRHP | December 4, 2018 |
The Cadillac House is a historic hotel and restaurant. You can find it at 5502 Main Street in Lexington, Michigan. This special building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2018. This means it's an important place in history!
Contents
History of the Cadillac House
How Lexington Grew
The village of Lexington started around 1835. By the 1850s, it was a very busy port town. Ships came and went, and many people visited. Because of all the visitors, the town needed bigger and better places to stay.
Building the Hotel
So, in 1859, work began on the Cadillac House. It opened its doors on July 4, 1860. The first owner was probably Jeremiah Jenks, who lived in Lexington.
A Popular Spot
The hotel stayed popular throughout the 1800s. At first, people involved in the lumber and shipping businesses stayed there. Later, it became a popular place for tourists to visit. People came to Lexington for vacations.
Changes Over Time
As the 1900s began, the big industries in Lexington slowed down. The town then mostly relied on tourists. By 1910, the Cadillac House was a seasonal hotel. This means it was only open during the warmer months. By 1940, PJ Rice owned the hotel. He changed its name to the "Rice-Cadillac Hotel."
Decline and Revival
In the late 1950s, fewer people came to Lexington for vacations. Cars made it easier for people to travel to many different places. Because of this, the Cadillac House stopped renting rooms in 1954. The owners decided to focus only on the bar and restaurant. This part of the business stayed popular. The Cadillac House was updated in the 1970s.
In 2001, Martin and Julia O’Brien bought the Cadillac House. They ran it until 2016. New owners then bought the building. They worked hard to make it look like it did when it was first built. In 2018, both the hotel and restaurant reopened!
What the Cadillac House Looks Like
Outside the Building
The Cadillac House is a three-story building. It is made of wood. It is built in a style called Italianate. This style often has fancy details. A two-story part sticks out from the back. There's also a smaller, one-story part next to it.
The building has clapboard siding. This is a type of wooden board used on the outside walls. The roof has a decorative edge called a cornice. A porch runs along the entire front of the building. It has square columns holding it up.
The main entrance is in the middle of the porch. It has glass panels on the sides and above the door. On either side of this door are French-style doors. These doors have glass panels too.
Upper Floors and Roof
The roof of the porch acts as a balcony for the second floor. You can get to this balcony through three doors. The third floor has five windows. Most of the windows on the upper floors are "six-over-six double-hung." This means they have two sashes, each with six glass panes. The roof is flat. It has four brick chimneys and a small tower with windows called a cupola.
Inside the Building
On the first floor, you'll find the public restaurant and bar. There's also the hotel lobby. A main staircase leads to the upper floors. The upper floors have a hallway in the middle. Hotel rooms are on each side of the hallway. There are twelve rooms on each floor.
