National Register of Historic Places

Main Street Historic District

Milan, Washtenaw County, Michigan
Listed
April 13, 1999
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
99000434

About this property

The Main Street Historic District is a commercial historic district that includes structures located at 3-153 East Main Street, 1-41 West Main Street, and 8 Park Lane in Milan, Michigan. Although within Milan, the district spans the county line between Washtenaw County, Michigan and Monroe County, Michigan, containing structures within both counties. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1999. Milan was first settled in 1830, located at a point on the Saline River and on the Monroe-Saline plank road. A toll booth was placed on the plank road, collecting tolls that were used for road maintenance. As commerce flowed along the plank road, Milan quickly grew. A post office was established in 1833, a saw mill and flour mill (later incorporated into Henry Ford's village industries)) a few years later, and the first school opened in 1837. One of the first stores built in the downtown commercial district was the Ellis Building, constructed in 1845 by Elijah Ellis. Major fires in the commercial district destroyed buildings in 1891 and 1893. Stimpson Hotel/Danube Inn (24 W. Main): The Stimpson Hotel was built by Walter Stimpson in 1901. The hotel was destroyed by fire in 2011. Ellis Building (12 E. Main): The Ellis Building was constructed by Elijah Ellis in 1845, and is the oldest building in the district. (52 E. Main) This was built in 1906 by Dr. Emmet Pyle built for use as his home, medical office, and hospital. Post Office (123 E. Main) The post office was dedicated in 1959. Old Village Hall and Fire Station (153 East Main Street): The Old Village Hall And Fire Station was built in 1897, and was the first structure in the village built for municipal purposes. It is a two-story gross-gable brick building; it originally housed the fire department on the ground floor and village offices on the second. It is now the home of the Milan Area Historical Society. Marble Memorial United Methodist Church (8 Park Lane): The cornerstone of the Marble Memorial United Methodist Church (originally the Methodist Episcopal Church) was laid in 1888. A large addition was added to the church in 1955, an education wing was added in 1964−65, and a major renovation was undertaken in 1982.

Location

3-153 E. Main, 1-41 W. Main, and 8 Park Lane
Milan, Washtenaw County, Michigan
42.08482, -83.68343

Categories

ARCHITECTURECOMMERCE
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.

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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.
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Nearby Historic Sites

Friend-Hack House
Industrial
0.6 mi
Annin, Joseph, House
Industrial
7.4 mi
Van Duzer, Samuel D., House
Industrial
7.4 mi
Rentschler, Emanuel and Elizabeth, Farmstead
Listed
7.4 mi
Lutz, George R., House
Industrial
7.5 mi

Questions about this property

When was Main Street Historic District listed on the National Register?

Main Street Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 13, 1999.

What type of historic resource is Main Street Historic District?

Main Street Historic District is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Main Street Historic District?

The period of significance for Main Street Historic District is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Main Street Historic District?

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