Robert Stuart House facts for kids
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Robert Stuart House
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 Location in Michigan
Location in the United States
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| Location | Market St., Mackinac Island, Michigan |
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| Area | 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| Built | 1817 |
| Architectural style | Federal style |
| NRHP reference No. | 71000411 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | April 16, 1971 |
The Robert Stuart House is a historic building on Mackinac Island, Michigan. People also called it the Agent's House or Agency House. It is located at 34 Market Street. This special house was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1971. It was also named a Michigan State Historic Site in 1965.
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History of the Robert Stuart House
The Robert Stuart House was built in 1817. It was known as the "Agent's House." This house was for the main agent of the American Fur Company. At that time, the agent was Ramsay Crooks. Other agents and clerks also lived here.
The Agency House was part of a group of four buildings. These buildings were the offices for the American Fur Company. The other buildings included a clerk's quarters, a warehouse, and a trading post. The clerk's quarters are gone now. The warehouse is now the Community Hall.
Robert Stuart's Time on Mackinac Island
In 1817, Robert Stuart came to Mackinac Island. He was Ramsay Crooks's helper. Stuart stayed as a guest in the Agent's House. In 1820, Crooks left the island. Robert Stuart took his place as the main agent. He held this job for 14 years.
Because Robert Stuart was famous and lived in the house for so long, it became known as the Robert Stuart House.
The 1820s and 1830s were very busy years for the American Fur Company. In 1822, over three million dollars worth of furs were traded through Mackinac Island. Robert Stuart's house was a very important place on the island. It was the center for social events during this time.
However, the fur trade started to slow down in the 1830s. In 1835, Stuart moved to Detroit.
From Fur Trade to Hotel
As the fur trade ended, Mackinac Island became a popular place for vacations. The Robert Stuart House was used as a boardinghouse. This was before and during the Civil War.
In 1871, James F. Cable bought all the American Fur Company buildings. He connected the Agent's House, the warehouse, and the clerk's quarters. He turned them into a big hotel. It was called the John Jacob Astor House. This hotel was the most important social spot on the island. That was until the Grand Hotel was built.
Stuart House City Museum
In 1900, the city of Mackinac Island bought the complex. It kept running as a hotel until 1929. In 1941, the buildings were separated again. The Robert Stuart House became a museum. Today, it is known as the Stuart House City Museum.
Many items in the museum were collected by Dale Verne Gensman (Rounds). These items are on loan to the museum. Dale was the son of Frank Rounds. Frank built the Round Island lighthouse. He was also a carpenter on Mackinac Island. Dale's children and grandchildren now take care of the items he donated.
Design and Look of the House
The Robert Stuart House is a two-story building. It is built in the Federal style. It has a roof with two sloping sides, called side gables. The house sits on a brick foundation.
The house is made with strong, hand-cut timber. The outside is covered with overlapping wooden boards called clapboards. The roof is made of shingles. It also has small windows that stick out from the roof, called gabled dormers.
The front of the house has a special staircase. It has two sides that lead up to a small porch at the entrance. The front door has narrow windows on each side, called sidelights. It also has flat, decorative columns next to the door, called pilasters. The many windows on the house have small glass panes.
