Dr. Nathan M. Thomas House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Dr. Nathan M. Thomas House
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| Location | 613 E. Cass St., Schoolcraft, Michigan |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1835 |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival, Federal |
| NRHP reference No. | 82002843 |
| Added to NRHP | April 22, 1982 |
The Dr. Nathan M. Thomas House is a special old house in Schoolcraft, Michigan. It's famous because it was a secret stop on the Underground Railroad. This was a network that helped people escape slavery to find freedom. The house is also known as the Underground Railway House. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.
The Story of the Thomas House
Dr. Nathan M. Thomas was born in 1803 in Mount Pleasant, Ohio. His parents were Quakers. He studied medicine and became a doctor in 1828. In 1830, he moved to Kalamazoo County, Michigan, becoming the first doctor there.
Around 1833, Dr. Thomas settled in the new village of Schoolcraft. In 1835, he built the first part of this house. It had his doctor's office in the front and a living room in the back. In 1840, Dr. Thomas married Pamela S. Brown. To make space for their new family, they moved the house back from the street. They also added new sections on each side.
The Thomases lived in the house until about 1867. Then, they built a new house. The original 1835 house was moved to its current spot on Cass Street. This made room for their new, larger home. Dr. Nathan M. Thomas passed away in 1887. Pamela S. Thomas died in 1909.
Later, one of the sections added in 1840 was removed. In 1975, a local committee bought the house. The Schoolcraft Historical Society was formed to fix it up. They raised money to make the house look like it did in the 1840s. This included rebuilding the missing section.
A Stop on the Underground Railroad
Nathan Thomas was a strong abolitionist. This means he was against slavery. He was well-known in his community for these beliefs. Many Quakers like him in southwest Michigan also shared these views. Even before he built his house, people escaping slavery would ask him for help.
After the Thomas house was made bigger in 1840, Nathan and Pamela Thomas gave shelter to small groups of people. These were people escaping slavery on their way to Detroit. In 1843, the Underground Railroad became more organized. The Thomas house then became an official "station" on the route.
Escaped slaves would travel from Cass County, Michigan to the Thomas House. From there, they would continue to Battle Creek, Michigan. Between 1840 and 1860, the Thomases helped over a thousand people find freedom.
What the House Looks Like
The Thomas house is a single-story rectangular building. It has a style called Greek Revival with some Federal elements. It is made of three parts. The middle part was built in 1835. There are two sections with sloped roofs on each side.
The house has a thin decorative border under the roof. It also has windows with 12 small glass panes. The outside walls are covered with horizontal wooden boards called clapboard. The middle part of the house is about 28 feet deep and 20 feet wide. The sections on the sides are about 12.5 feet wide and 42 feet deep.
