Wisner House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Wisner House
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| Location | 405 Cesar Chavez Ave., Pontiac, Michigan |
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| Area | 4 acres (1.6 ha) |
| Built | 1845 |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 70000284 |
| Added to NRHP | July 8, 1970 |
The Wisner House, also known as Pine Grove, is a historic home in Pontiac, Michigan. You can find it at 405 Cesar Chavez Avenue. This house was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1970 because of its importance.
Today, the Wisner House is a public museum. It's called the Governor Moses Wisner House. The Oakland County Pioneer and Historical Society runs it as part of the Pine Grove Historical Museum. It's a great place to learn about history!
Contents
History of the Wisner House
Moses Wisner's Early Life
Moses Wisner was born in New York State in 1815. He moved to Michigan in 1837. At first, he tried farming. However, he soon decided to study law instead. He learned about law in his brother's office in Pontiac.
By 1844, Wisner had made Pontiac his permanent home. In 1845, he arranged for this house to be built. He got married three years later.
Wisner's Political Career
As Moses Wisner started his law practice, he also became very involved in politics. He was part of the first meeting of the Republican Party in 1854. This was a new political group at the time.
In 1858, he ran for governor of Michigan. He won the election and served a two-year term. A governor is the leader of a state.
When the Civil War began, Moses Wisner helped gather a group of soldiers. The Civil War was a big conflict in the United States. Sadly, he became sick with typhoid fever and passed away in early 1863.
The House After Wisner
Moses Wisner's wife, Angeolina Wisner, continued to live in the house. She kept it just as it was when he was alive. She stayed there until she passed away in 1905.
After Angeolina, their daughter Jessie Wisner Clark owned the house. Then, her granddaughter Florence Clark Wallace took care of it. In 1945, Florence Clark Wallace sold the house. She sold it to the Oakland County Pioneer and Historical Society. They turned it into a museum so people could visit and learn.
What the Wisner House Looks Like
The Wisner House is a two-story building. It is made of red brick. It is built in the Greek Revival style. This style was popular in the 1800s and looks like ancient Greek temples.
The house has a part with a sloped roof on one side. This part has a row of tall, decorated pillars called Doric columns. The main front door has a flat roof covering it.
The windows have two panes of glass on top and two on the bottom. They slide up and down. They also have stone ledges at the bottom and stone tops. Inside the house, you can still see many items. These items belonged to Moses Wisner and his family.
