National Register of Historic Places

Cavanagh, Joseph A., House

Midland, Midland County, Michigan
Listed
December 4, 1989
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
89001434

About this property

The Joseph A. Cavanagh House is a single-family home located at 415 West Main Street in Midland, Michigan. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1989. The house is architecturally significant because it demonstrates the beginnings of architect Alden B. Dow's interpretation of the Prairie Style. Joseph A. Cavanagh was a former mayor of Midland (serving in 1917-1920) who worked as an accountant for the Dow Chemical Company. In 1933, he asked Alden B. Dow, then working with Frank Lloyd Wright at Taliesin, to design this house. It was Dow's first independent commission. Construction began in 1934, with the work done by Spence Brothers of Saginaw, and was substantially completed in the summer of that year. Minor alterations were completed in the 1940s, and in about 1960 an additional carport was added to the house. The Joseph A. Cavanagh House is a modest single-story wood-frame brick structure laid out in an L-shaped plan. A narrow element with a prominent brick chimney faces the street, while an integral carport is attached to the front corner of the house. The blankness of the front brick wall and chimney is balanced by a belt of four windows. The front section contains the living room and kitchen, while the rear wing contains the bedrooms and an enclosed porch. The rear elevation extends two stories.

Location

415 W. Main
Midland, Midland County, Michigan
43.61534, -84.24892

Categories

ARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Cavanagh, Joseph A., House

This page lists Cavanagh, Joseph A., House. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Cavanagh, Joseph A., House report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

Dow, Herbert H., House
Industrial
0.1 mi
Midland County Courthouse
Industrial
0.1 mi
Stein, Earl, House
Industrial
0.2 mi
Pardee, James T., House
Industrial
0.3 mi
Diehl, Oscar C., House
Industrial
0.3 mi

Questions about this property

When was Cavanagh, Joseph A., House listed on the National Register?

Cavanagh, Joseph A., House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on December 4, 1989.

What type of historic resource is Cavanagh, Joseph A., House?

Cavanagh, Joseph A., House is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Cavanagh, Joseph A., House?

The period of significance for Cavanagh, Joseph A., House is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Cavanagh, Joseph A., House?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Cavanagh, Joseph A., House will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Midland County

Historic places, battles, and census history across Midland County.

Explore MidlandCounty ›

More historic places in Michigan

Browse all historic places in Michigan.

View Michiganhistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

Michigan history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

Michiganhistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near Cavanagh, Joseph A., House will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report