National House (Marshall, Michigan) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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National House
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U.S. National Historic Landmark District
Contributing Property |
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| Location | 102 S. Parkview, Marshall, Michigan |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1834 |
| Built by | George Bentley, Nathan Benedict |
| Part of | Marshall Michigan Historic Landmark District (ID91002053) |
| NRHP reference No. | 78001493 |
| Added to NRHP | January 3, 1978 |
The National House is a historic building in Marshall, Michigan. It's located at 102 South Parkview. This special building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. Many people believe it was the very first brick building ever built in Calhoun County! Today, it's a cozy bed and breakfast where people can stay.
Contents
A Look at the National House History
Imagine going back in time to 1834! That's when a local businessman named Andrew Mann decided to build a hotel. He hired George Bentley and Nathan Benedict to construct it. The building was finished in 1835.
Opening the Inn: A Grand Ball
Andrew Mann opened his new inn with a big party. He hosted a formal ball on January 1, 1836. Soon after, in 1837, Mann leased the inn to someone else. But the hotel kept doing well! It was a popular stop on the Territorial Road to Detroit.
Changes Over the Years
By 1837, the National House was one of three taverns in Marshall. By 1877, it was one of eight hotels in the area. An addition was built onto the hotel around this time. In 1879, the building was sold by Mrs. R. A. Facey. It stopped being a hotel then.
For a while, it was a factory that made wagons and windmills. Around 1900, Dr. Andrew Dean bought the building. He changed it into an apartment building. It stayed as apartments until 1976.
Becoming a Bed and Breakfast
In 1976, the Minick and Kinney families bought the National House. They worked hard to fix up the old building. In 1977, they reopened it as the National House Inn. It was a bed and breakfast once again! As of 2019, the National House is still a welcoming bed and breakfast.
What Does the National House Look Like?
The National House is a two-story building made of brick. It sits on a strong sandstone foundation. The roof has a pointed shape, called a gable roof. The building is shaped like the letter "L."
Main Entrance and Windows
The front of the building faces Parkview and the old Courthouse Square. It has a main door in the middle. This door has a window above it (a transom) and glass panels on the sides. There are two windows next to the entrance. They are not placed evenly.
The second floor has five windows across the front. All the windows have simple stone ledges above and below them.
Side Views of the Building
On the side, the main part of the building has three windows and a door on the first floor. There are four windows on the second floor. A smaller window is located high up, under the roof's edge.
A four-window extension continues the building's shape. This part makes up the shorter side of the "L." It has windows and openings similar to the main front. A brick addition from the late 1870s is also attached. It's a two-story section with six windows.
