James B. Dutton House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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James B. Dutton House
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| Location | 605 Calhoun St., Lapeer, Michigan |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1863 |
| Architectural style | Italianate |
| MPS | Lapeer MRA |
| NRHP reference No. | 85001626 |
| Added to NRHP | July 26, 1985 |
The James B. Dutton House is an old home located at 605 Calhoun Street in Lapeer, Michigan. It was built as a single-family house. Today, it's known as the Calhoun Apartments. This historic building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1985, which means it's an important part of American history.
The Story of the Dutton House
This interesting house was built around 1863 or 1864. It was originally for James B. Dutton, who was a lawyer and insurance agent in Lapeer. This was a time when the town was growing very quickly and becoming successful.
In 1869, the house was bought by Oliver and Mary P. Nichols. They owned a local hardware store in Lapeer. The Nichols family lived in the house until 1892.
After that, the Presbyterian Church bought the house. Their church building is just two blocks away. The church used the house as a home for their minister, which is sometimes called a "manse." They used it this way until 1955. After that, the house was changed into apartments, which is what it is today.
What the House Looks Like
The James B. Dutton House is a wooden building shaped like the letter "T". It sits on a strong stone foundation. You can find this house right on a street corner.
The main part of the "T" shape has a cool five-sided window on the first floor. This window has fancy decorations like small blocks (called dentils) and pairs of supports (called brackets). The windows also have curved tops.
Above this, on the second floor, are two more windows with rounded tops. Look up near the roof, and you'll see more carved supports (brackets) under the eaves. Other windows on the front of the house have similar gentle curves and decorated frames. The pointed parts of the roof (called gables) have round, eye-shaped windows.
When the house was changed into apartments, a new entrance was added. This entrance faces the corner at an angle.
