Canton Township MPS facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Canton Township MPS
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Location in Michigan Show map of Michigan Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Location	Canton Township, Michigan
Area	2.3 acres (0.93 ha)
Built	1825 - 1904
Architect	Charles W. Curtiss, John Patterson, unknown
Architectural style	Greek Revival, Stick-Eastlake, Queen Anne, Greenhouse, Upright and wing, Gabled-ell house, New England large house
MPS	Canton Township MPS
NRHP reference No.	00000614 - 00000619, 00000647 - 00000649, 03000174 - 03000175
Added to NRHP	April 02, 2003

The Canton Township MPS is a special group of historic places. MPS stands for "multiple property submission." This means it's a collection of related buildings that share a common theme. This group was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2003.

The Canton Township MPS includes eleven old houses. Some of these houses also have other buildings or land that go with them. These homes were built between 1825 and 1904. They are all located in Canton Township, Michigan.

Exploring Canton Township's Early Days

Even though areas around Detroit were settled early, it took longer for people to move into the middle parts of Michigan. After the American Revolution, the United States wanted to expand into what was called the Northwest Territory. But the British still had some trading posts there. Also, Native American tribes still owned most of Michigan's land.

The War of 1812 helped remove the British from the area. Then, a series of agreements with the tribes cleared the way for new settlers.

Why Michigan Was Settled Later

Many people thought the middle of Michigan was not good for living. In the 1810s, a surveyor named Edward Tiffin said the area was mostly swamps, lakes, and poor sandy soil. Because of this, most early settlers went to lands further south, closer to the Ohio River. Surveying in Michigan didn't even start until 1815.

First Settlers Arrive in Canton Township

Eventually, people from New York and New England started to arrive. The very first people to buy land in Canton Township were Philander and Samuel Burd. They bought their land on May 30, 1825. Just a week later, Timothy Sheldon and Lucretia Downer bought property. Timothy Sheldon later built the famous Sheldon Inn. By the end of 1825, thirteen people had settled in the township.

The opening of the Erie Canal in October 1825 made the trip to Michigan much easier. This really encouraged more people to move there. Land purchases in Canton Township were highest in 1833. By 1836, almost all the land parcels had been sold. By 1840, Canton Township had a population of 1081 people.

Families Who Built These Historic Homes

Many of the families whose houses are part of this MPS were among the first settlers in Canton. Timothy Sheldon built his Sheldon Inn in 1825, soon after he arrived. Moses Bradford also came in 1825, and John Patterson arrived in 1826. Elisha Kinyon bought land in 1831. His son, Orrin Kinyon, and Benjamin Bradford bought their own farms in 1835. Most of these early settlers came from New York and New England.

Canton Township's Later History

A second group of settlers arrived in the late 1800s. Unlike the first settlers, these new families mainly came from Central Europe. Two houses in this collection, the Phillip and Maria Hasselbach Dingledey House and the John and Edna Truesdell Fischer Farmstead, were built by German immigrants or their children.

For the rest of the 1800s, the number of people in the area stayed about the same. Farmland was often passed down from parents to children. The first settlers farmed just enough to feed their families. But their children and grandchildren turned farming into a business. Many of them started dairy farms. In the 1900s, farmers began growing produce and other goods to sell in cities like Detroit.

Understanding Canton Township's Architecture

Many early settlers in Canton Township came from New York and New England. They brought the Greek Revival style with them. They used this style when building their own homes. All the houses in this collection built before 1865 were originally in the Greek Revival style. One house, the Thomas and Maria Blackman Bartlett House, was later updated with Victorian features.

As the 1800s went on, local family farms did very well. The farmers became wealthier. This success showed in the houses they built. These homes became bigger and more modern. Older houses were also updated or made larger as families could afford more space. At the same time, architectural styles changed. Later houses were built in an upright and wing or gabled-ell design. Near the end of the century, popular Victorian styles like Stick-Eastlake and Queen Anne were also used.

Historic Homes in the Canton Township MPS

Resource Name	Image	Address	Architecture Style	Built Year	Description
Thomas and Maria Blackman Bartlett House		500 N. Ridge Rd.	New England large house	1840	This house was first built around 1840 in the Greek Revival style. Later, it was updated with Victorian elements. In 1989, the house was moved to its current spot. Restoration work started in 1994 and finished in 2002.
David and Elizabeth Bell Boldman House		3339 Canton Center Road	Greek Revival	1835	The David and Elizabeth Bell Boldman House was a Greek Revival home. It had a two-story middle section with one-story wings on each side. The place where the house used to be is now empty.
Benjamin and Mary Ann Bradford House		48145 Warren Rd.	Greek Revival	1860	In 1825, Moses Bradford moved to Canton Township. He was one of the first settlers. The next year, his parents, Aruna and Mary Bradford, followed him. They bought the land where this house now stands. In 1835, they sold it to their other son, Benjamin. Benjamin built this house in 1860. It stayed in the Bradford family until 1911.
Thomas and Isabella Moore Clyde House		50325 Cherry Hill Rd.	Greek Revival	1845	The Thomas Clyde House is a one-and-a-half-story Greek Revival house. It has an unusual front design. It was built around 1845. In 1924, it was moved from its original spot across the street to where it is now.
Phillip and Maria Hasselbach Dingledey House		1638 Haggerty Road	Upright and Wing house	1881	The Phillip and Maria Hasselbach Dingledey House was a farmhouse with an upright and wing style. It is no longer at its listed location. A small group of shops now stands on the site.
John and Edna Truesdell Fischer Farmstead		4896-5228 Sheldon Road	Queen Anne, Greenhouse	1897	This farm includes an 1897 Queen Anne house. It was built by the children of German immigrants. It also has a 1945 ranch house, 18 greenhouses, a boiler house, a modern garage, and parts of an old barn and silo.
Orrin and Roxanne Fairman Kinyon House		7675 N. Ridge Rd.	Greek Revival	1850	This is a Greek Revival farmhouse. It was built in 1850 by Orrin Kinyon. His father was one of the first settlers in Canton Township.
John and Eliza Barr Patterson House		6205 N. Ridge Rd.	Greek Revival	1844	In 1844, John Patterson married Eliza Barr. They bought more land and built this Greek Revival house. The farm stayed in their family until 1999. The yard still has rose, daylily, and peony plants from the late 1800s and early 1900s.
Sheldon Inn		44134 Michigan Avenue	Greek Revival	1825	The Sheldon Inn is a two-story Greek Revival building. It was once a home and a place for travelers to stay. Timothy and Rachel Sheldon, one of the first families in Canton Township, built it in 1825.
George and Mary Pine Smith House		3704 Sheldon Road	Gabled-ell house	1904	William Smith, from England, first farmed this land. He bought 80 acres in 1830. William and his wife Mary Collins Smith raised seven children on this farm. This started a long line of Smiths farming in Canton Township. William's grandson, George Smith Jr., married Mary Pine. In 1904, George Jr. and Mary Smith spent $2,058.76 to build this house. Even though the land is small now, the other buildings make it feel like an old farm. The trees around it also help keep it separate from newer buildings.
Ephraim and Emma Woodworth Truesdell House		1224 Haggerty Road	Stick-Eastlake	1888	This house is important because it is one of the most beautifully made homes in the township. It is also connected to one of the most important families in the area.