Vine Area Historic District facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Vine Area Historic District
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| Location | Roughly bounded by S. Rose, S. Westnedge, W. Walnut, and Ranney Sts., Kalamazoo, Michigan |
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| Area | 33.3 acres (13.5 ha) |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian, Greek Revival, Italianate |
| MPS | Kalamazoo MRA |
| NRHP reference No. | 83000875 |
| Added to NRHP | August 16, 1983 |
The Vine Area Historic District is a special neighborhood in Kalamazoo, Michigan. It's mostly a place where people live. You can find it roughly between South Rose, South Westnedge, West Walnut, and Ranney Streets. This area was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. This means it's an important historical place in the United States.
Contents
A Look Back: The Vine Area's Story
From Farm to Neighborhood
Back in the 1840s, the land where the Vine Area now stands was a big farm. It belonged to Epaphroditus Ransom, who was once the governor of Michigan. In the early 1850s, Governor Ransom sold this land. He sold it to Paulus DenBleyker, a Dutch immigrant who had just arrived.
DenBleyker was smart. He divided the land into streets and building lots. He sold many of these lots to other Dutch immigrants, helping them find new homes.
Growing Pains and New Homes
In the 1860s and 1870s, the Vine Area started to grow. It became a home for people like merchants and professionals. These were often middle-class families. The neighborhood was still not very crowded back then.
Things really changed in the 1880s. A new street railway line was built into the area. This made it much easier for people to get around. Because of this, many more homes were built in the late 1880s, 1890s, and early 1900s. By 1920, almost all the houses in the neighborhood were built.
Some important early residents lived here. They included James P. Clapham, a pioneer druggist. Edwin A. Carder was a furniture dealer. R. Dexter Walker made bricks. William M. Stearns was a lawyer and politician. Later on, some of the large houses in the area were turned into rental units or split into apartments.
What Makes the Vine Area Special?
The Vine Area Historic District has 175 buildings. It covers about six or seven city blocks with streets lined by trees. Most of these buildings are single-family homes. There are only five buildings that are not homes. These include the Grace Christian Reformed Church. There is also the large Old Central High School, which looks like an old castle.
Cool Architecture Styles
The district is famous for its many different house styles. You can see homes built in the Greek Revival style. There are also Italianate houses, which often have tall windows and decorative eaves. Many homes are in the Queen Anne style, known for their towers and fancy details. You can also find Colonial Revival houses, which look like older American colonial homes.
