L. B. King and Company Building facts for kids
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L. B. King and Co. Building
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| Location | 1274 Library Street Detroit, Michigan |
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| Built | 1911 |
| Architect | Rogers and MacFarlane; Walter MacFarlane |
| Architectural style | Chicago School, Renaissance Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 87000927 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | June 12, 1987 |
The L. B. King and Company Building is an important commercial building in Detroit, Michigan. You can find it at 1274 Library Street. It's also known as the Annis Furs Building. This building is special because it was home to two well-known Detroit businesses. It was recognized as a historic place in 1987, both on the National Register of Historic Places and as a Michigan State Historic Site.
History of the Building
L. B. King was born in Detroit in 1851. He went to school in the city and earned a degree from the University of Michigan in 1874. After graduating, King joined his father's business. This company, started in 1849, sold dishes and glassware.
L. B. King worked hard and became the company's president in 1907. By then, his company focused mainly on selling china to other businesses. In 1910, King hired architects Rogers and MacFarlane to design a new building for his company's offices. The building was finished in 1911.
L. B. King and Company used this building as their main office from 1911 to 1932. Then, another famous Detroit business moved in: Annis Furs. Newton Annis started this fur company in 1887. Annis Furs used the building until 1983. They were one of the last fur businesses in Detroit, a city where the fur trade was important almost 300 years ago. In 1988, Frank Z. Martin updated and fixed up the building.
Both L. B. King and Company and Annis Furs were very important businesses in Detroit's history. Because of its connection to these firms, the building was added to the National Register of Historic Places and the state of Michigan's historic register in 1987.
What the Building Looks Like
The L. B. King and Company Building is a six-story commercial building. It has a strong steel frame. The outside of the building is covered with white terra cotta, which is a type of baked clay.
The bottom two floors of the building are mostly made of glass. The top four floors are split into four tall sections. Each section has "Chicago-style windows," which are large windows designed to let in lots of light. On top of the building, there's a fancy Italian Renaissance cornice. This decorative top part was added in 1926. The building is a great example of the "Commercial style" of architecture. This style was very popular for business buildings in the early 1900s.
See also
In Spanish: L. B. King and Company Building para niños
