LeRoy Smith House

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LeRoy Smith House
LeRoy Smith House.jpg
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Location 9503 Frank St., Algonac, Michigan
Coordinates 42°38′31″N82°30′50″W / 42.64194°N 82.51389°W / 42.64194; -82.51389 Coordinates: 42°38′31″N82°30′50″W / 42.64194°N 82.51389°W / 42.64194; -82.51389
Area 1 acre (0.40 ha)
Built 1940 (1940)
Architect Alden B. Dow
Architectural style Modern Movement
NRHP reference # 96000365 [1]
Added to NRHP April 4, 1996

The LeRoy Smith House is a private house, designed by Alden B. Dow, and located at 9503 Frank Street in Algonac, Michigan. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1996. [1]

Alden B. Dow was an American architect based in Midland, Michigan, and known for his contributions to the style of Michigan Modern. During a career that spanned from the 1930s to the 1960s, he designed more than 70 residences and dozens of churches, schools, civic and art centers, and commercial buildings. His personal residence, the Midland Center for the Arts, and the 1950s Grace A. Dow Memorial Library are among numerous examples of his work located in his hometown of Midland, Michigan. The son of Herbert Henry Dow and philanthropist Grace A. Dow, Dow is known for his prolific architectural designs.

Algonac, Michigan City in Michigan, United States

Algonac is a city in St. Clair County of the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 4,110 at the 2010 census.

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

LeRoy Smith was a salesman for the Hobart Company, which manufactured paint sprayers, battery chargers, and welding equipment. After working for Hobart for a time, Smith founded his own company to distribute Hobart equipment. Smith and his family lived in Highland Park, Michigan, but owned this plot of land along the St. Clair River near Algonac for summer trips. In the late 1930s, the Smiths decided to build a summer house on the property to take advantage of the river view. Their daughter Maxine's parents-in-law had commissioned a house from Alden B. Dow in 1938, and although they had ultimately decided not to build, they highly recommended Dow to the Smiths. The Smiths contacted Dow in 1940, and construction began on this house in December of that year. However, the contractor had difficulties, and the house was not finished until early 1942. [2]

Highland Park, Michigan City in Michigan

Highland Park is a city in Wayne County in the State of Michigan, within Metro Detroit. The population was 11,776 at the 2010 census. The city is completely surrounded by Detroit except for a small portion that touches the city of Hamtramck, which is also surrounded by Detroit.

St. Clair River river in North America on the boundary of Michigan and Ontario

The St. Clair River is a 40.5-mile-long (65.2 km) river in central North America which drains Lake Huron into Lake St. Clair, forming part of the international boundary between the Canadian province of Ontario and the U.S. state of Michigan. The river is a significant component in the Great Lakes Waterway, with shipping channels permitting cargo vessels to travel between the upper and lower Great Lakes.

Description

The LeRoy Smith House is a two-story, flat-roofed house constructed of 12" x 12" cinder "unit blocks" designed and patented by Dow. A long, low three-car garage extends at a right angle from the corner of the house. The street side of the house has a plain, flat facade with a few small windows; the river side, in contrast, contains a large expanse of windows opening onto the water, underneath wide, projecting eaves. [2]

On the interior, the first floor has low ceilings and expansive windows overlooking the river. The first floor contains a playroom, dining room, kitchen, and a bedroom and bathroom. An open central stairway leads up to the living room, which has a higher ceiling than on the first floor. This floor also contains two bedrooms and another bathroom. Built-in shelving and storage units are located throughout the house. [2]

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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. 1 2 3 Elizabeth Panhorst; Elizabeth Emerson (September 15, 1995), National Register of Historic Places Registration Form: LeRoy Smith House
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