Western House (Brighton, Michigan) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Western House
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| Location | 500 W. Main St., Brighton, Michigan |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1873 |
| Architectural style | Italianate |
| NRHP reference No. | 86000806 |
| Added to NRHP | April 17, 1986 |
The Western House, also known as the Brighton Hotel, is an old building in Brighton, Michigan. It used to be a hotel and a place where people could rent rooms. Today, it is home to the Brewery Becker. This historic building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1986. This means it is a special place recognized for its history.
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History of the Western House
Brighton was first settled in 1832. It quickly became an important stop for stagecoaches and a market center. People traveling by stagecoach would often stop here.
Railroad Brings Growth to Brighton
In 1871, a new train line, the Detroit, Lansing and Northern Railroad, came through Brighton. This brought a lot of new business and people to the town. Asa Rounsifer saw this opportunity. He built the Western House in 1873 as a hotel. It was located close to the train station.
Rounsifer was a farmer who had moved from the Netherlands. However, his family faced money problems soon after. In 1874, they sold the hotel to Johannah and A.W. Smith. The Smiths renamed it the Western House. They also added a stable for horses. A few years later, Joseph B. Skilbeck bought the hotel. He was a boot and shoe maker from England.
Changes Over the Years
Later, Sarah and LeRoy King bought the hotel. It became very successful as a hotel and restaurant. It was also a popular place for parties.
However, things changed in 1908. The town of Brighton decided to stop the sale of certain drinks. This affected the hotel's business. The Western House then mostly operated as a boarding house. It sometimes had a restaurant too.
Train passenger service stopped in 1948. This meant fewer travelers came through Brighton. The hotel had even fewer customers after that. In later years, it was used as a bar and a place for people to rent rooms.
Modern Use and Restoration
In 1985, the building was fixed up. The ground floor became office space. The upper floors were still used for renting rooms.
Then, in 2011, there were plans to turn the building into a microbrewery. A microbrewery is a small place that makes its own beer. The Brewery Becker finally opened its doors in 2014.
What the Western House Looks Like
The Western House is a three-story building. It is made of brick and has a mostly square shape. It stands on a corner lot. The building shows a style called Italianate architecture.
Architectural Details
The building has kept many of its original features. This includes a simple cornice, which is a decorative molding at the top. The doors and windows are also in their original places.
Tall, thin columns called pilasters run up the corners of the building. They also frame the middle section of the front. A decorative band, called a belt course, separates the first and second floors.
The windows are placed evenly across the building. The windows on the first floor have rounded tops. Those on the second floor have slightly arched tops. The windows on the third floor are rectangular. The doors have fanlights above them. A fanlight is a window shaped like a fan.
