George P. MacNichol House facts for kids
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George P. MacNichol House
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 Location in Michigan
Location in the United States
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| Location | 2610 Biddle Ave., Wyandotte, Michigan |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1896 |
| Architect | Malcomson & Higginbotham |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne |
| NRHP reference No. | 84001859 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | May 24, 1984 |
The George P. MacNichol House, also known as the Ford-MacNichol House, is a beautiful old home located at 2610 Biddle Avenue in Wyandotte, Michigan. This house is very important to Michigan's history. It was named a Michigan State Historic Site in 1973. Later, in 1984, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places.
Today, the MacNichol House is the main historic house museum for the Wyandotte Museums. It helps people learn about the past. The Marx House is another building owned by the Museums. It is used for art shows and community events.
The House's Story
The George P. MacNichol House has a rich history. It was built in 1896 by Edward Ford. Edward Ford was the son of a famous glass maker, John Baptiste Ford. He also started the Michigan Alkali Company in Wyandotte. He founded the Ford Plate Glass Company in Toledo, Ohio, too. This company later became Libbey-Owens-Ford.
Edward Ford had this house built as a special wedding gift. It was for his daughter, Laura, when she married George P. MacNichol. George MacNichol was a medical doctor. He also worked on new ideas for both of Ford's companies. The couple lived in the house for seven years. Then, they moved to Toledo to be closer to their family.
After the MacNichols left, a local lawyer named Jeremiah Drennen bought the house. The Drennen family owned it for many years, until the 1970s. Then, Yvonne Latta bought the house. She worked hard to fix it up and make it look new again. In 1977, the city of Wyandotte bought the house. They turned it into the museum we see today.
What Does the House Look Like?
The George P. MacNichol House is a large, two-and-a-half-story home. It is built from wood and has a rectangular shape. The house is designed in the Queen Anne style. This style is known for its unique and fancy details.
The house is quite big inside! It has 32 rooms and 6,600 square feet of space. You can find 6 fireplaces, 65 windows, and 53 doors throughout the house. The roof and gables are very steep.
On the front of the house, there is a porch that wraps around. It has round columns and pretty latticework under the roof. There is also a cool corner tower with a pointed roof. Most of the house is covered with wooden boards called clapboards. The ends of the gables and the top part of the tower are covered with wooden shingles.
This house is important because it shows the beautiful work of the architects Malcomson & Higginbotham. It is also special because it was home to some very important people in the community.
