Ring Lardner House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Ring Lardner House
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 Location in Michigan
Location in the United States
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| Location | 519 Bond St., Niles, Michigan |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1850 |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 72000595 |
| Added to NRHP | March 16, 1972 |
The Ring Lardner House is a special old house located in Niles, Michigan. It's famous because a well-known American writer named Ring Lardner was born there in 1885.
This house is so important that it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972. This list helps protect places that are important to American history.
History of the House
This house was built around 1850. A local banker named R.C. Paine had it constructed. Mr. Paine was also the mayor of Niles for some time.
After Mr. Paine passed away in 1875, Ring Lardner's father, Henry Lardner, bought the house. This is how the Lardner family came to live there.
Ring Lardner's Early Life
Ring Lardner was born in this very house in 1885. He grew up there and lived in the house until he finished high school in 1901. After graduating, he moved away to Chicago.
However, Ring Lardner soon returned to Niles. He started his writing career by reporting on sports for the local newspaper, the Niles Sun. Later, he moved on to bigger writing jobs.
Ring's sister, Lena, lived in the house for many years. She was a music teacher. Eventually, she sold the house. In 1940, the house was changed into apartments for different families to live in.
What the House Looks Like
The Ring Lardner House is a 1-1/2 story building. This means it has one full floor and a smaller half-story upstairs. It is built in the Gothic Revival style.
This style was popular in the mid-1800s. It often includes pointed arches and decorative details. The house has a sloped roof with triangular ends, called a gabled roof.
It also has small windows that stick out from the roof, known as dormers. The outside of the house is covered with stucco. The dormers and roof edges have fancy, carved wooden decorations called vergeboards.
