West Saint Clair Street Historic District facts for kids
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West Saint Clair Street Historic District
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 Location in Michigan
Location in the United States
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| Location | 124–328 W. Saint Clair Street Almont, Michigan |
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| Area | 16 buildings |
| Architectural style | Mix of Colonial Revival, Gothic Revival, Greek Revival, Italianate, Late Victorian, and Queen Anne |
| NRHP reference No. | 86000998 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | May 8, 1986 |
The West Saint Clair Street Historic District is a special area in Almont, Michigan. It's a neighborhood with many old and important homes. This historic district is found along West Saint Clair Street. It was officially recognized as a Michigan State Historic Site. It was also added to the National Register of Historic Places on May 8, 1986. This means the buildings here are protected because of their history.
History of Almont and the District
The town of Almont first started in 1834. A man named Daniel Black built a log tavern here. By 1838, the small settlement was growing. It had a school, a store, and places for blacksmiths and shoemakers. There was also a grist mill, which grinds grain.
In 1843, the logging business became very important. A company built a sawmill in Imlay City. They also built a special "plank road" to Mt. Clemens. This road went right through Almont. Having this easy way to transport goods helped the town's economy.
Soon, new factories opened in Almont. These included a factory for "pearlash," which was used to make soap. There was also a fulling mill and a foundry. More sawmills and other factories followed.
As industries grew, Almont became a busy and successful town. Many new commercial buildings were built. Wealthy citizens built beautiful new homes. Many of these homes were in the West Saint Clair Street area. These houses often featured Greek Revival and Italianate styles.
By 1865, Almont had over 800 people living there. A local bank was started in 1866. Many factories used the local lumber, which was still plentiful. By 1882, the lumber industry was slowing down. But a new train line, the Port Huron and Northwestern Railway, came through Almont. This made it easy to transport farm goods cheaply. Later, when cars became popular, local factories started making car parts.
What You'll See in the District
The West Saint Clair Street Historic District is just west of Almont's main business area. It's located along M-53. The district includes 15 homes and one library. These buildings are all on West Saint Clair Street. The street crosses Church, Cherry, and Day Streets, but the historic district only includes buildings on West Saint Clair Street itself.
The buildings in the district show many different architectural styles. You can see Colonial Revival, Gothic Revival, and Greek Revival styles. There are also Italianate, Late Victorian, and Queen Anne homes.
One important building is the Henry Stephens Memorial Library. It's located at 213 West Saint Clair Street. This library is also a "contributing property." This means it adds to the historical importance of the district. The library itself was listed as a Michigan State Historic Site in 1991. It was built in 1918. Albert Stephens paid for it to honor his father, Henry Stephens. Henry was one of the first settlers and lumber pioneers in Lapeer County.
