Commandant's Quarters (Dearborn, Michigan) facts for kids
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Commandant's Quarters, Dearborn Arsenal
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 Location in Michigan
Location in the United States
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| Location | 21950 Michigan Ave., Dearborn, Michigan |
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| Area | 0.4 acres (0.16 ha) |
| Built | 1833 |
| Architect | Jeremiah Moors |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| NRHP reference No. | 70000286 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | October 15, 1970 |
The Commandant's Quarters at the Dearborn Arsenal is a very old military building in Dearborn, Michigan. It was built in 1834. This building is the oldest one in Dearborn that is still in its original spot! It's considered one of the seven most important buildings in all of Michigan.
In 1956, it was named a Michigan State Historic Site. Then, in 1970, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. Today, the Commandant's Quarters is part of the Dearborn Historical Museum. The museum also includes two other historic houses.
Contents
Why Was the Arsenal Built?
Long ago, in the early 1800s, the main army supply center for the United States was in Detroit. This center was called the Detroit Arsenal. Its job was to store, fix, and keep weapons and ammunition safe.
But as Detroit grew, more people lived near the arsenal. People worried about the stored explosives. So, the U.S. Congress decided to build a new arsenal. This new place would be safer, located west of Detroit in a village called Dearbornville.
Building the New Arsenal
In July 1832, a perfect spot was chosen for the new arsenal. It was near the Rouge River. This location was also on an important road, the "Chicago Road" (now Michigan Avenue). This road connected Detroit to Chicago.
About 1,600 acres of land were set aside for this military area. In July 1833, work began on eleven buildings. This new place was called the "Detroit Arsenal at Dearbornville." Building the brick arsenal took several years, from 1833 to 1837.
The first leader of the arsenal, Colonel Joshua Howard, suggested naming the area after a hero. He wanted to honor Major General Henry Dearborn. Bricks for the arsenal were made right in Dearbornville. The area had lots of clay, which was perfect for making bricks. Wood came from Detroit and was floated up the Rouge River. The roofs were made of slate imported from New York. These were the first slate roofs in Michigan!
The eleven buildings of the arsenal were built around a large square. This square was 360 feet on each side. A thick, ten-foot-high stone wall surrounded the entire square.
Here were the main buildings inside the wall:
- Armory: This was the biggest building. It stored weapons and was also a social gathering place.
- Sutler's Shop: Soldiers could buy things like tobacco and other personal items here.
- Guard House: Where soldiers stood guard.
- Enlisted Men's Barracks: Where the soldiers lived.
- Surgeon's Quarters: Where the army doctor lived.
- Carpenter Shop: Where wood repairs and building happened. Later, it became a chapel.
- Smith's Shop: Where metalwork was done.
- Saddler's Shop: Where horse equipment was made and fixed.
- Gun Carriage Shed: Stored parts for cannons.
- Arsenal Office: Where the paperwork was done.
- Commandant's Quarters: The home of the arsenal's leader.
The powder magazine, which stored gunpowder, was located outside the main walled area. It was about 300 yards to the east.
What Happened After 1877?
Eventually, the arsenal was no longer needed. In 1877, the U.S. government sold off all the buildings. The Commandant's Quarters is the only building from the original eleven that is still in its first location and looks mostly the same.
After 1877, many of the other buildings were changed or torn down:
- The armory became a community center called "Liberty Hall." People used it for dancing and roller skating. Later, it became a woolen mill, but it burned down in 1910. Its bricks were used to build new houses.
- The guard house, barracks, and surgeon's quarters were used as homes. They were torn down in 1893 to build a school.
- The sutler's shop was changed and used as a doctor's office.
- The carpenter shop and smith's shop were combined into one building. It was used as a lumber mill and later by car companies and a paint shop.
- The saddler's shop became a home, then the Dearborn Town Hall. It was later sold and destroyed in 1946.
- The gun carriage shed became a two-story building in 1906. It was used by a Masonic Temple and later a dry cleaner. Today, it's a bakery.
- The arsenal office was a home, then a store, and was torn down in the early 1900s.
- The powder magazine became a private home in 1883. In 1950, it was given to the city of Dearborn to be a museum. It's now called the McFadden-Ross House.
The Commandant's Quarters itself was a social center in Dearborn until 1875. Over the years, it was used for many things. It was a library, a meeting hall for veterans, a town hall, a police station, a school, and even a newspaper office! In 1949, the Dearborn Historical Commission bought it. They wanted to use it as a museum. The building was fixed up in 1959. In 1970, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. Today, it is home to the Dearborn Historical Museum.
What Does the Commandant's Quarters Look Like?
The Commandant's Quarters is a two-story building made of red brick. It sits on a slightly raised first floor. The outside of the building looks like the "Federal" style of architecture. The inside, however, was designed in the popular "Greek Revival" style. Originally, all the brick buildings at the arsenal were painted white.
The roof is low and covered with slate. It has small windows that stick out (called dormers) and a decorative railing around the top. A two-story porch, called a veranda, wraps around the back and sides of the building. This porch was rebuilt in the 1970s to look like the original. The fancy iron railing near the front door was made by hand and is original to the building.
Inside, the building has a typical layout. A hallway and staircase run from the front to the back. There are two rooms on each side of the hall. Upstairs, there are four bedrooms off the main hall. There's also a large attic that was used as living space for servants. The kitchens were in the basement. The house has ten fireplaces!
Much of the inside of the Commandant's Quarters has been restored. It now looks like it did when it was first built. For example, walls and sliding doors that were removed have been put back. The building is still being restored today. Workers are fixing plaster and repainting rooms in old colors. Some rooms are set up to show what they looked like in the 1840s. Other rooms are becoming a history museum about the city of Dearborn.
Images for kids
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An old map or drawing of the Dearbornville Arsenal.
