Wilbur F. Davidson House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Wilbur F. Davidson House
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 Location in Michigan
Location in the United States
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| Location | 1707 Military St., Port Huron, Michigan |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1890 |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne |
| NRHP reference No. | 72001306 |
| Added to NRHP | October 5, 1972 |
The Wilbur F. Davidson House is a special old house. It is located at 1707 Military Street in Port Huron, Michigan. This house was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972. This means it is an important building worth protecting.
History of the Davidson House
Wilbur F. Davidson was born in 1852. He finished Howell High School in 1870. In 1882, he opened a big store in Port Huron. It sold many different kinds of goods.
In 1883, Mr. Davidson put an electric light system in his store. This was the first one in St. Clair County! It worked so well that he soon started a new company. It was called the Port Huron Light and Power Company.
Mr. Davidson then focused on the electricity business. He created many power companies. He also started electric railways. He even got involved in other businesses in Port Huron.
Mr. Davidson built this house for his family in 1890. He lived there until he passed away in 1912. After that, his daughter Cornelia and her husband, Alfred West, moved in. They lived there until Alfred's death in 1950.
Don Hampton bought the house in 1951. In the 1970s, people who wanted to save old buildings worked to fix up the house. They continued to restore it for several years.
What the Davidson House Looks Like
The Wilbur F. Davidson House is a large, two-and-a-half-story home. It is built in the Queen Anne style. This style was popular for houses in the late 1800s.
The first floor of the house has flat wooden siding. Above that, you can see round, overlapping shingles. The gables, which are the pointed parts of the roof, have raised wood decorations. These decorations make them look like they have a half-timbered design.
The house has 23 rooms inside. This includes a special card room and a billiard room in the basement. There are also seven fireplaces throughout the house.
The original wooden decorations inside are still there. They are made from beautiful woods like walnut, butternut, oak, and cherry. All the floors in the house are made of hardwood. The entrance area, called the foyer, has wooden beams and panels. It also has a grand staircase with unique, curvy railings.
