National Register of Historic Places

Michigan Bell Building

Saginaw, Saginaw County, Michigan
Listed
July 8, 1982
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
82002870

About this property

The Michigan Bell Building is an industrial and office building located at 309 South Washington in Saginaw, Michigan. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. In the late 1920s, Michigan Bell needed a new facility to house dial telephone equipment. They engaged the Detroit firm of Smith, Hinchman & Grylls to design this building. Construction on the building began in 1930. An addition was constructed in 1974. The flexibility of the building allowed Michigan Bell, and later AT&T, to continue using the building through the 2010s. The Michigan Bell Building is a seven-story limestone Art Deco structure with stepped-back upper floors. The first two floors are unified behind tall window openings. Wide stone bandcourses separate the third through the sixth floors. Floors seven and eight are set back and decorated with low relief chevrons. To accommodate the heavy equipment, the building was designed to hold over double the floor weight per square foot of a standard office building.

Location

309 S. Washington
Saginaw, Saginaw County, Michigan
43.43073, -83.94014

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 Michigan Bell Building

This page lists Michigan Bell Building. 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 Michigan Bell Building report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

Saginaw Armory
Industrial
0 mi
Saginaw News Building
Industrial
0.1 mi
East Saginaw Historic Business District
Listed
0.3 mi
Castle Station
Industrial
0.3 mi
Saginaw Central City Historic Residential District
Listed
0.3 mi

Questions about this property

When was Michigan Bell Building listed on the National Register?

Michigan Bell Building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on July 8, 1982.

What type of historic resource is Michigan Bell Building?

Michigan Bell Building is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Michigan Bell Building?

The period of significance for Michigan Bell Building is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Michigan Bell Building?

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 Michigan Bell Building will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Saginaw County

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

Explore SaginawCounty ›

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 Michigan Bell Building will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report