Mathias J. Alten House and Studio facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Mathias J. Alten House and Studio
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| Location | 1593 E. Fulton St., Grand Rapids, Michigan |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1907 |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 08001102 |
| Added to NRHP | June 23, 2009 |
The Mathias J. Alten House and Studio is a historic house in Grand Rapids, Michigan. It is located at 1593 East Fulton Street. A famous artist named Mathias Alten lived and worked here. He was a German-American impressionist painter. He owned the house from 1914 until he passed away in 1938. This house was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2009. This means it is an important historical site.
The Artist: Mathias Alten
Mathias J. Alten was born in 1871 in Germany. When he was young, he learned to paint murals. Murals are large paintings on walls. In 1888, he moved to Grand Rapids with his family. He continued to paint to earn a living. He painted signs, decorated furniture, and created large wall paintings.
In 1895, he married Bertha Schwind. He also kept painting his own art. People really liked his paintings. In 1898, some kind people helped him. They paid for him to study art in Paris, France, for a year. When he came back to Grand Rapids, he became a full-time painter. He used different studios downtown for his work.
By 1905, his art was very popular. He was asked to show his paintings in big art shows across the United States. In 1906, the Altens moved into a new house. But by 1914, they wanted a new home.
The House's Story
The land where the Alten House stands was once a farm. It was started way back in 1835. Over the years, different people owned the land. In 1904, Albert and Emily Stacey bought the property. They built the house that stands there today in 1907. It was a style called "foursquare."
The Staceys sold the house in 1914. Later that year, Mathias Alten bought it. Mathias, Bertha, and their three daughters moved in. Bertha's mother also came to live with them. After they moved in, the Altens took down the old farmhouse. They also built a garage. Later, they built a small cottage for their daughters when they got married.
In 1927, the Altens finished paying for the land. They then divided the farm into smaller pieces. They slowly started selling these pieces of land. When the Great Depression started, times were tough. Mathias Alten stopped renting his studio downtown. Instead, he changed part of his house into his painting studio. He lived and painted in this house until he died in 1938.
After Mathias Alten passed away, the last pieces of land were sold. Bertha Alten kept three pieces, including the one with their house. In the early 1940s, she went to live with her daughter. She rented out the foursquare house. Later, she sold it. The house had a few different owners. Then, in 2002, Alten's granddaughter bought it back.
What the House Looks Like
The Mathias J. Alten House and Studio is a two-story house. It has a low, sloped roof with three wide windows sticking out. The house sits on a strong foundation made of granite stone. At the back, there is a smaller kitchen area with a pointed roof.
The front of the house has a very big porch. It also sits on a granite foundation. The porch has wooden railings and decorative spindles. Strong granite pillars hold up the porch roof. Steps made of concrete lead up to the front door. The front door has windows on each side. Most of the windows in the house are made of wood. They can be opened by sliding them up and down.
