Charles E. Stuart House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Charles E. Stuart House
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| Location | 427 Stuart Ave., Kalamazoo, Michigan |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1858 |
| Architectural style | Italian Villa |
| NRHP reference No. | 72000625 |
| Added to NRHP | March 16, 1972 |
The Charles E. Stuart House is a historic home in Kalamazoo, Michigan. You can find it at 427 Stuart Avenue. This special house was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972. This means it's an important building worth protecting.
Contents
History of the Stuart House
Who Was Charles E. Stuart?
Charles E. Stuart was born in New York State. He became a lawyer there. In 1835, he moved to Kalamazoo and started a large law practice.
Stuart became a politician. He was elected to the United States House of Representatives in 1847. He served there for a few terms. Later, in 1853, he became a U.S. Senator. In 1858, he ran for governor of Michigan. He was the candidate for the Democratic Party, but he did not win the election.
Building the House
Around 1858, Charles Stuart built this house for his family. He lived here with his wife and grown children.
When the Civil War began, Stuart helped. He gathered and equipped the 13th Michigan Infantry soldiers. However, he had to leave his role because he became very sick.
Stuart continued to work as a lawyer for a few more years. But his health problems made him retire. He lived in this house until 1883. Then, he moved to a smaller home. Charles Stuart passed away in 1887.
Later Owners of the House
After the Stuarts moved out in 1883, the house was sold.
- Samuel Browne: He was a local horseman who bought the house.
- Charles Hayes: In 1904, a real estate investor named Charles Hayes purchased it.
- Harry C. Howard: A well-known lawyer, Harry C. Howard, bought the house in 1924. He lived there until he died in 1946.
Later, a fraternity from Western Michigan University called Tau Kappa Epsilon owned the house. Eventually, it was sold back to private owners.
What Does the Stuart House Look Like?
The Charles E. Stuart House is a unique building. It is a two-and-a-half-story house. It is built in the Italian villa style. The outside is covered in stucco, which is a type of plaster. This stucco is made to look like real stone.
The house has a small tower on top called a cupola. Inside, the house has some fancy features. There are fireplaces made of imported Italian marble. The walls are covered with beautiful mahogany wood panels. There is even a ballroom on the third floor! This house also had the very first indoor bathroom in Kalamazoo.
