Portland Downtown Historic District facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Portland Downtown Historic District
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Kent Street, looking NE from Bridge
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 Location in Michigan
Location in the United States
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| Location | Kent, Bridge, Maple Sts., Grand River Ave., Portland, Michigan |
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| Area | 11 acres (4.5 ha) |
| Built | 1872 |
| Architect | Williamson & Crow; et al. |
| Architectural style | Italianate, Classical Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 05000153 |
| Added to NRHP | May 18, 2005 |
The Portland Downtown Historic District is a special area in Portland, Michigan. It's filled with old shops and buildings along Kent and Maple Streets, near the Looking Glass River. This district was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2005 because of its important history and unique buildings.
Contents
A Look Back in Time
Portland started as a small settlement in the 1830s. People began using the Looking Glass River for milling (grinding grain) in 1836. The first part of Portland village was planned out in 1837. The area where the downtown district is now was planned in 1838.
Around that time, the very first building in the district was built by William R. Churchill. It was at the corner of Kent and Bridge Streets. Soon, Joshua Boyer opened the Mansion House there, which was a tavern and hotel.
More buildings were built in the 1840s and 1850s as the village grew. A bridge was also built across the Grand River. By the late 1860s, Portland had a busy downtown area.
The Railroad Arrives
In 1869, the first railroad came through Portland. This brought a lot of new growth and money to the town. A large three-story building called the Knox & White block opened downtown. This started a big building boom!
The oldest buildings still standing today were built in 1872. These include the Bowser Brothers Building at 160 Kent Street and two wooden buildings at 143 and 147 Kent Street.
Fires and New Buildings
Big fires in 1872 and 1877 destroyed many of the older wooden buildings. After the 1877 fire, the village decided that all new buildings in the downtown area had to be made of brick. More fires in 1879 and 1885 also cleared space. These fires led to the construction of many new, beautiful Victorian-style buildings in the commercial district.
Growing and Changing
Portland's population growth slowed after 1880. However, the business district slowly kept growing. It stretched southwest down Kent Street by the early 1900s. Many older buildings got new fronts in the early 20th century.
In 1919 and 1920, Grand River Avenue became an important road for cars. It connected Grand Rapids and Lansing. The part of this road in Portland changed from places for horses to new businesses for cars.
Building in the village stopped during the Great Depression. After World War II, more commercial buildings were updated. Some new ones were built too, like the Sun Theatre in 1948-49. Even with these changes, most of the district still looks like it did in the late 1800s.
What the District Looks Like Today
The Portland Downtown Historic District includes most of Portland's main business area. It has 49 buildings and the old Bridge Street bridge from 1890. Many buildings are late Victorian commercial blocks built in the 1870s and 1880s.
The district is special because it has many different kinds of buildings. You can see wooden buildings with false fronts, brick Victorian blocks, a Neoclassical bank, and early 20th-century brick buildings. There's also a Moderne movie theater and an International Style bank.
Important Buildings to See
- Bridge Street Bridge: This bridge was built in 1890. It's a metal bridge with two sections and is 210 feet long. It was fixed up in 1990 and is still used by cars today.
- William R. Churchill House/Neller Funeral Home (210 Bridge): This two-story house was built in the 1860s for William R. Churchill, one of Portland's first businessmen. It became a funeral home in 1932.
- Opera House Block (136 Kent): This three-story building was built in 1880. It has red brick and five tall yellow-brick columns. The second floor used to be an opera house with a ticket booth and stairs to a balcony.
- Bowser Brothers Block (160 Kent): This two-story brick building was built in 1872. It's the oldest solid brick building in Portland's downtown.
- Doctors' Offices (226 Kent): This one-story wooden building with a false front was built in the late 1870s.
- Decker (Powers) Building (131 Kent): This two-story wooden building was built in the 1860s or 1870s. It might be the oldest commercial building downtown. Around 1900-1913, it may have been Portland's first movie theater!
- Maynard-Allen State Bank (175 Kent): This two-story building was built in 1950-51. It's an International Style building made by updating two older buildings.
- Sun Theater (227 Maple): This concrete movie theater was built in 1948-49. It's a great example of the simple Moderne movie theaters that used to be common in Michigan.
Gallery
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Kent Street, looking SW from Bridge
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Maple Street, looking SW from Bridge
