Genesee Avenue-Walker Street Historic District
About this property
The Genesee Avenue–Walker Street Historic District is a primarily commercial- and railroad-oriented historic district, located along three blocks of Walker Street and one intersecting block of Genesee Avenue in Gaines, Michigan. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. Gaines, named for War of 1812 Veteran Edmund T. Gaines, was founded in 1859, soon after the Detroit, Grand Haven and Milwaukee Railway laid tracks through Genesee County and established a station at the location. A small village sprang up, with two hotels established in the 1860s, and a grain elevator and numerous stores and businesses constructed by 1875. However, the 1870s marked the peak of the growth in Gaines, and the downtown remained concentrated in a single block. It served as a transportation hub for the local economy, until the last passenger train run in 1958. The district includes a total of 16 properties, of which all but three contribute to the historical character of the district. Of the 16, seven are commercial, six are railroad-related, one is residential, one is a post office, and the remaining building is a city hall. The district encompasses a T-shaped area, including structures along both sides of Genesee Avenue between Lord and Walker streets, and six structures between Walker Street and the railroad tracks between Washington and Elm streets. The most visually distinctive structure in the district is the L-plan depot, constructed of uncommon yellow and red brick. Built in 1884 to replace the original depot, it is a single-story depot Victorian Eclectic building with decorative features such as circular openings, stepped corbeling in the gable ends, and large wooden brackets, terminating in stone, supporting the eaves. The remaining buildings include two frame warehouses, lumberyard, and a grain elevator located alongside the railroad tracks. These are functional in design. The buildings along Genesee Avenue are primarily one- and two-story commercial buildings constructed from brick, though a few frame structures are included. The storefronts have 19th-century Italianate and Victorian Eclectic features, including cast-iron columns, cornices, and recessed entrances.
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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.
Everything a full report reveals about Genesee Avenue-Walker Street Historic District
This page lists Genesee Avenue-Walker Street Historic District. 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:
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Questions about this property
When was Genesee Avenue-Walker Street Historic District listed on the National Register?
Genesee Avenue-Walker Street Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on June 19, 1983.
What type of historic resource is Genesee Avenue-Walker Street Historic District?
Genesee Avenue-Walker Street Historic District is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.
What is the period of significance for Genesee Avenue-Walker Street Historic District?
The period of significance for Genesee Avenue-Walker Street Historic District is recorded as the listed era.
Can I research the history near Genesee Avenue-Walker Street Historic District?
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 Genesee Avenue-Walker Street Historic District will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.
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An Aubrey US report for an address near Genesee Avenue-Walker Street Historic District will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.