Houppert Winery Complex facts for kids
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Houppert Winery Complex
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Main winery building
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 Location in Michigan
Location in the United States
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| Location | 646 N Nursery, Lawton, Michigan |
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| Area | 3.8 acres (1.5 ha) |
| Built | 1940 |
| Built by | Ed Schallhorn |
| Architectural style | Winery |
| NRHP reference No. | 00000222 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | March 15, 2000 |
The Houppert Winery Complex, now known as the Lawton Heritage Community Center, is a group of buildings in Lawton, Michigan. It was once a busy winery! Today, it's a special place where the community gathers. This site was recognized as a Michigan State Historic Site in 1997. It was also added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2000, which means it's an important historical place in the United States.
Contents
A Look Back: The Winery's Story
Early Grape Growing in Lawton
Grape growing started in the Lawton area a long time ago. In 1868, a person named A. B. Jones planted the very first grape vines. Farmers in eastern Van Buren County soon realized grapes could be a big business. Many of them started planting grapes in the late 1800s.
In 1903, the Lawton Vineyard Company built a winery on this very spot. Over the next 30 years, the property changed owners many times. It was used to make both wine and grape juice.
A New Owner: William Houppert
In 1933, William C. Houppert from Indiana bought the property. His father was a wine expert from Alsace-Lorraine. He had moved to Indianapolis to start his own winery.
The Houppert Winery was very busy in 1939. It processed 200 to 400 tons of grapes every day! About 40 people worked there. Houppert built a new building for wine casks. These large casks came from a famous brewery.
Fire and Rebuilding
In 1940, a terrible fire destroyed the winery building. Luckily, much of the wine was saved. The winery was back in business quickly. Houppert started rebuilding that same year. He hired a stonemason named Ed Schallhorn to build a new stone building. The construction of the new winery took until 1943 to finish.
The fire caused a lot of financial problems. The Houppert Winery faced difficulties in 1943. John Turner, who was the president of First National Bank of Lawton, took over the property. He already owned another local company called Michigan Wineries. So, he bought Houppert's equipment and wine. He combined Houppert Winery's operations with his own. William Houppert moved to California, but he never made wine again.
Changes and New Beginnings
After John Turner passed away, Michigan Wineries eventually became Warner Vineyards. This company is still operating today! Warner Vineyards used the Houppert Winery property until the early 1970s.
However, the equipment got old, and dealing with wastewater became harder. So, Warner decided to close the facility. They mainly used it for storage after that. In 1989, the large wine vats and casks were moved to another Warner facility. In 1990, the Lawton Lions Club bought the winery. The Lions Club worked hard to turn the property into a community center and museum. They finished the renovations in 1993. The property is now known as the Lawton Heritage Community Center and the Lawton Heritage Museum.
Exploring the Buildings
The Houppert Winery Complex has four main buildings. These are the main winery building, the deep vat building, the steam plant, and the warehouse.
The Main Winery Building
The main winery building was built in 1940. It stands on the foundation of the first winery from 1903. It is a single-story building made of fieldstone. It has a very low-pitched roof. The building is about 90 feet wide and 180 feet long. It runs from north to south. Each of its long sides has 15 sections. This building now serves as the community center.
The Deep Vat Building
The deep vat building was built in 1939. It is made of concrete and has a low-pitched roof. There is a double doorway on its east side. This building once held huge wine vats. These vats sat in the basement and reached up to the first floor ceiling. The basement has since been filled in. The building is now used for storage.
The Steam Plant
The steam plant was also built in 1939. It is made of concrete blocks. It looks similar to the deep vat building. This building has a shed roof. It used to contain a boiler and a water tank. These were used to heat the other buildings in the complex.
The Warehouse
The warehouse is a building made of corrugated metal. It was built in the mid-1950s. It has a low-pitched metal roof. The warehouse is about 90 feet wide and 180 feet long. The front of the building has a double door in the middle. There are windows on either side of the door.
