Herbert H. Dow House facts for kids
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Herbert H. Dow House
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 Location in Michigan
Location in the United States
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| Location | 1038 W. Main St., Midland, Michigan |
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| Built | 1899 |
| NRHP reference No. | 76001033 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | May 11, 1976 |
| Designated NHL | May 11, 1976 |
The Herbert H. Dow House is a special old house located in the beautiful Dow Gardens in Midland, Michigan. It was built in 1899. This house was the home of Herbert H. Dow, who was born in 1866. He was the person who started the famous Dow Chemical Company. He lived in this house from when it was built until he passed away in 1930. Because of its importance, the house was named a National Historic Landmark in 1976. Today, you can take a guided tour of the house, but there is a small fee to enter.
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The Dow House and Its Story
The Herbert H. Dow House is found inside Dow Gardens, which is now a public park for everyone to enjoy. The house itself is a 2-and-a-half story building made of wood. It has a unique design with different parts sticking out, various roof styles, and windows of all shapes and sizes. It's not famous for its architecture, but for the person who lived there. The house was built in 1899 for Herbert H. Dow. It is now owned by the Herbert and Grace Dow Foundation.
Who Was Herbert Dow?
Herbert Dow was born in Canada and grew up in Connecticut. He loved science, especially chemistry. In 1888, he earned a science degree from the Case School of Applied Science. Right after college, he started researching how to get bromine from salty water called brine. Bromine was a very important chemical back then. It was used in photography and medicine.
Why Midland Was Important
Herbert Dow moved to Midland in 1890. He chose Midland because the salty water there had a lot of bromine. He worked hard to improve the ways of separating bromine. His new methods were very successful. This led him to officially start the Dow Chemical Company in 1897. Dow's inventions and patents in this area helped create what we know today as the modern chemical industry.
Dow's Love for Gardens
Besides chemistry, Herbert Dow also loved gardening. He created large, beautiful gardens near his home. This land is now the amazing Dow Gardens public park. It's a wonderful place for people to visit and enjoy nature.
