Smith–Dengler House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Smith–Dengler House
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 Location in Michigan
Location in the United States
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| Nearest city | Wolverine, Wolverine, Michigan |
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| Built | 1900 |
| Architect | Charlton, Gilbert & Demar |
| Architectural style | Shingle Style, Tudor Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 08000221 |
| Added to NRHP | March 27, 2008 |
The Smith–Dengler House is a special old home located in Wolverine, Calumet Charter Township, Michigan. It sits on US 41. This house was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2008. This means it's an important building with a lot of history!
Contents
The Story of the Smith–Dengler House
Who Lived in This House?
The Smith–Dengler House was built a long time ago, around 1900. It was built for Fred Smith and his family. Fred Smith was an important person in the mining world. He was born in Germany in 1835 and came to the United States when he was 20. He settled in the Keweenaw Peninsula in Michigan.
Fred Smith worked for different mining companies. In 1876, he joined the Allouez Mining Company. He started as a clerk and then became a mining captain. He worked there until 1892. After that, he became the superintendent for the Wolverine Copper Mining Company. A superintendent is like a manager who oversees everything.
Important Mining Leaders
In 1898, another important person named John Stanton started the Mohawk Mining Company. This new mine was about five miles north of the Wolverine mine. John Stanton also took control of the Wolverine Mine. He asked Fred Smith to manage both the Wolverine and Mohawk mines.
John Stanton was born in England in 1830. His family moved to the United States in 1835. His father worked in and later owned coal and iron mines. John Stanton became an engineer in his father's mines. He then worked in other mines before starting the Mohawk company. By the early 1900s, the Wolverine Mine had 350 workers, and the Mohawk Mine had 450 workers!
Building a Home for the Superintendent
The Wolverine Copper Mining Company built this large house for Fred Smith in 1899-1900. It cost nearly $12,000, which was a lot of money back then! Fred Smith lived in the house until he retired in 1913.
After Fred Smith retired, a new superintendent moved in. His name was Theodore Dengler. He took over managing the Wolverine and Mohawk Mines. Theodore Dengler had worked for John Stanton since 1893. He was an engineer at other mines before becoming a superintendent.
The mines eventually closed in 1932. After they closed, Theodore Dengler bought the house. He reportedly bought it for only $22.50!
What Does the House Look Like?
The Smith–Dengler House is a very big house. It is built in a style called Queen Anne. The first floor has flat wooden boards called clapboard. The upper parts of the house have wooden shingles.
The house has an "L" shape and sits on a strong sandstone foundation. It has many porches where people could sit outside. It also has bay windows, which stick out from the house. The roof is not flat; it has an interesting, uneven shape with several dormers. Dormers are windows that stick out from the sloped roof.
Why Is This House Special?
This house is important because it shows how wealthy mine managers lived during the copper mining boom. This was a time in the 1890s and early 1900s when copper mining was very successful. The house looks almost exactly as it did when it was built.
The Smith–Dengler House is also a great example of the work of a famous architecture firm. The firm was called Charlton, Gilbert & Demar. They designed many buildings in the area.
