The Arbaugh facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Arbaugh's Department Store Building
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| Location | 401 S. Washington, Lansing, Michigan |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1905 |
| Architect | Edwyn A. Bowd |
| Architectural style | Early Commercial |
| NRHP reference No. | 07000748 |
| Added to NRHP | July 20, 2007 |
The Arbaugh is a special building in Lansing, Michigan. It used to be a big department store. Now, it has 48 modern apartments inside. You can find it at 401 South Washington. This building is so important that it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2007. This means it's a historic landmark!
Contents
History of the Arbaugh Building
How the Store Started
Arbaugh's Department Store began in 1891. It was started by J. M. Cameron. Soon, his nephew, Basil C. Cameron, joined him to help run the store.
In 1896, Frank N. Arbaugh moved to Lansing. He was Basil's college roommate. Frank started working as a clerk at the store.
The very next year, J. M. Cameron sold his part of the business to Frank Arbaugh. The store's name then changed to Cameron & Arbaugh.
Building a New Store
The store became very popular and grew quickly. In 1902, Cameron & Arbaugh bought the land where the building stands today.
They started planning a new, bigger store in 1904. An old house on the property was moved to make space. A local architect named Edwyn A. Bowd likely designed the new building.
Construction began in early 1905. The brand new store opened its doors in October of that same year.
Changes Over the Years
In 1909, Frank Arbaugh bought Basil Cameron's share of the store. The business was then called the F. N. Arbaugh Company, or just Arbaugh's.
The store got even bigger in 1915. A new section was added that matched the original building. This made the store twice as large!
Arbaugh's store managed to stay open even during the Great Depression. This was a very tough time when many businesses closed.
In 1953, Arbaugh sold his company to Sperry & Hutchinson. This company also owned Wurzburg Department Stores. Frank Arbaugh left the company later that year. He passed away in 1955.
The store kept the Arbaugh's name until 1969. Then, it changed its name to Wurzburg's. The store finally closed its doors in 1972.
What Happened Next
The Arbaugh family still owned the building even after selling the store. In 1974, they sold it to Karl Story. He was a car dealer in Lansing. Karl Story changed the building into offices.
The building became empty in 2002. But in 2004, it was fixed up and given a new life. It was turned into apartments and office spaces.
What the Building Looks Like
The Arbaugh building is five stories tall. It is made of red bricks with sandstone decorations. It stands on a corner, so it has two main sides that look the same.
Each main side is divided into six sections by brick columns. On the first floor, each section has large windows, like a storefront. On the upper floors, each section has three double-hung windows side-by-side. The windows on the fifth floor have a rounded top, like an arch. A fancy, classic-style border sits at the very top of the building.
