National Register of Historic Places listings in Cass County, Michigan facts for kids
This article is about some really old and special places in Cass County, Michigan. These places are so important that they are on a list called the National Register of Historic Places. This list helps to protect buildings, bridges, and other spots that have a lot of history. There are 10 of these amazing places in Cass County!
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Historic Places in Cass County
Criffield-Whiteley House
The Criffield-Whiteley House is a beautiful old home in Dowagiac, Michigan. It was built in 1897 and has a fancy style called Queen Anne. Imagine a house with lots of towers, turrets, and decorative details – that's Queen Anne! This house sits on a strong foundation made of large, carefully placed stones.
First Methodist Episcopal Church of Pokagon
This building in Pokagon Township has a really interesting story. It started as a barn in 1876, then it was changed into a church. What makes it super special is that in 1903, a famous song called "The Old Rugged Cross" was first performed here! Later, in 1914, it became a storage building again. But don't worry, people started fixing it up in 1998 to bring back its church look.
Carroll and Bessie E. Jones House
Located in Marcellus, Michigan, this two-story house was built between 1898 and 1900. It has a mix of cool styles, including Dutch Colonial Revival and Romanesque Revival. It was designed by a famous architectural firm from Detroit. This house belonged to Carroll Sherman Jones, whose father, George Washington Jones, actually founded the town of Marcellus!
G. W. Jones House
Right next to the Carroll and Bessie E. Jones House in Marcellus, Michigan is the G. W. Jones House. This house was built in 1888 for George Washington Jones, the person who founded Marcellus. He lived here until he passed away in 1896. It's neat to see the homes of important historical figures!
M-86–Prairie River Bridge
This bridge has traveled quite a distance! It was originally built over the Prairie River near Nottawa in St. Joseph County. But in 2016, it was carefully moved about 50 miles to Crystal Springs Street in Sumnerville, Cass County. Now it crosses the Dowagiac River. It's pretty amazing that a whole bridge can be moved!
Mason District Number 5 Schoolhouse
The Mason District Number 5 Schoolhouse in Edwardsburg, Michigan is a former two-room schoolhouse. It was built in 1874 and was big enough for up to 110 students! Imagine all those kids learning here. The school was open until 1959. After that, in 1964, the building was changed into the Mason Township Hall, which is where local government meetings happen.
Michigan Central Railroad Dowagiac Depot
The Dowagiac Depot in Dowagiac, Michigan is a historic train station. It was built in 1903 by the Michigan Central Railroad. If you visit today, you'll see it looks great because it had a big restoration project in 1995. This station is still used by Amtrak, so you can still catch a train here!
George Newton House
The George Newton House in Marcellus, Michigan was the home of George Newton, an important leader in the community. His father, Col. James Newton, was one of the first settlers in Cass County. This house is special because it shows us how important families lived long ago. Today, it's open as a museum where you can learn about its history.
Smith's Chapel
Smith's Chapel in Milton Township is a very old church. It was built way back in 1840 by a local church group. It's named after Cannon Smith, who gave the land and a lot of money to help build it. This chapel is the oldest known church building in all of Cass County, Michigan, and maybe even the oldest in southwest Michigan! It was used regularly until 1967, and then the township bought it in 1972 to preserve it.
Thomson Road–Air Line Railroad Bridge
This bridge in Howard Township, Michigan was built in 1919. It's a special type of bridge called a concrete T-beam bridge, and it's one of the oldest examples of its kind in Michigan. What's even more unique is that it has multiple sections and a rare brick deck (the part you drive on). It crosses over an old, unused railroad track.
