John C. Blanchard House

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John C. Blanchard House
JohnCBlanchardHouseIoniaMi.jpg
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Location253 E. Main St., Ionia, Michigan
Coordinates 42°58′58″N85°3′28″W / 42.98278°N 85.05778°W / 42.98278; -85.05778 Coordinates: 42°58′58″N85°3′28″W / 42.98278°N 85.05778°W / 42.98278; -85.05778
Arealess than one acre
Built1879 (1879)
Architectural style Italianate
NRHP reference # 74002346 [1]
Added to NRHPJuly 24, 1974

The John C. Blanchard House was built as a private house located at 253 East Main Street in Ionia, Michigan. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. [1] As of 2018, it serves as the museum for the Ionia County Historical Society. [2]

Ionia, Michigan City in Michigan, United States

Ionia is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Ionia County, Michigan, United States. The population was 11,394 at the 2010 census. Every July it hosts what is said to be the world's largest free-admission fair. The city is mostly within Ionia Township, with small portion extending into Easton Township and Berlin Township, but is politically autonomous of the townships.

National Register of Historic Places federal list of historic sites in the United States

The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance. A property listed in the National Register, or located within a National Register Historic District, may qualify for tax incentives derived from the total value of expenses incurred preserving the property.

Contents

History

John C. Blanchard was born in New York in 1822. He began working in a mill at age 14, saved enough money to move west, and in 1836 transported himself to Michigan. He worked on farms near Detroit and in Shiawassee County, bought a farm, then moved on to work as a farm laborer and clerk in Lyons, Michigan. In 1840 he began studying law, and in 1842 was admitted to practice. In 1850, he was elected prosecuting attorney, and moved to Ionia. He eventually served in multiple political offices, including Registrar of the Ionia land office and President of Ionia Township. [3]

New York (state) State of the United States of America

New York is a state in the Northeastern United States. New York was one of the original thirteen colonies that formed the United States. With an estimated 19.54 million residents in 2018, it is the fourth most populous state. To distinguish the state from the city with the same name, it is sometimes called New York State.

Detroit Largest city in Michigan

Detroit is the largest and most populous city in the U.S. state of Michigan, the largest United States city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of Wayne County. The municipality of Detroit had a 2017 estimated population of 673,104, making it the 23rd-most populous city in the United States. The metropolitan area, known as Metro Detroit, is home to 4.3 million people, making it the second-largest in the Midwest after the Chicago metropolitan area. Regarded as a major cultural center, Detroit is known for its contributions to music and as a repository for art, architecture and design.

Shiawassee County, Michigan County in the United States

Shiawassee is a county located in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 United States Census, the population was 70,648. The county seat is Corunna., and the largest city in the county is Owosso.

In 1879, Blanchard began construction of this sandstone Italianate residence. The house was finished in 1881, and Blanchard lived there until his death in 1905. [3] The Ionia County Historical Society eventually purchased the house in 1974, and it serves as their museum. [4]

Description

The Blanchard House is a massive Italianate mansion faced with pink and brown sandstone and with a slate hipped roof. The house measures 47 feet by 52 feet. It sits on a heavy foundation of smooth, squared sandstone about four feet high, topped with a protruding water table. Above this, quoins outline the corners of the house. The windows are tall, set on sandstone sills and topped with elaborate, semicircular sandstone window hoods. The entry is through a pair of heavy front doors on the porch, surrounded by baroque twisting wooden trim. [3]

Italianate architecture 19th-century phase in the history of Classical architecture

The Italianate style of architecture was a distinct 19th-century phase in the history of Classical architecture.

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References

  1. 1 2 National Park Service (2010-07-09). "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places . National Park Service.
  2. ↑ "THE JOHN C. BLANCHARD HOUSE". Ionia County Historical Society. Retrieved January 31, 2018.
  3. 1 2 3 Joseph M Minton Jr (March 22, 1973), NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES INVENTORY- NOMINATION FORM: John C. Blanchard House
  4. ↑ Katrease Stafford (October 12, 2014), "You haven't lived here until... you visit Blanchard House", Detroit Free Press
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