National Register of Historic Places

Stimpson, Forrest J., House

Mackinaw City, Cheboygan County, Michigan
Listed
May 11, 1980
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
80001849

About this property

The Forrest J. Stimpson House, also known as the Mackinaw City Marine Recording Station, is a private house that was located at 516 N. Huron Boulevard in Mackinaw City, Michigan; it has been moved from its listed location on Trails End Road. It was designated a Michigan State Historic Site in 1978 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. Forrest J. Stimpson was the Mackinaw City postmaster and American Express agent. He constructed this house in 1882 at 516 N. Huron Boulevard in Mackinaw City. He also operated a marine recording station from his house along the lakeshore, recording the passage of vessels through the straits and contacting the appropriate shipping companies via Western Union to inform them of the ship's current location. Stimpson drowned in 1888 while delivering mail to a ship. His widow, Luella, remarried John Overton; in 1895 the couple constructed additions onto the front of the original house. An attached kitchen was constructed in 1912. The Stimpson House remained in private hands. At some point it was moved to it present location. The Forrest J. Stimpson House is a two-story wood-frame house sided with clapboard. The original section, used as Stimpson's marine recording station, is a square, two-story building with a gable and a recessed entryway at one corner. The 1895 additions fronting the original building are single-story Italianate gable roofed sections, with brackets under the eaves, a bay window, and carved window framing. A cobblestone chimney is located near the bay window and a simple shed roofed porch shelters the entryway.

Location

516 N. Huron Blvd.
Mackinaw City, Cheboygan County, Michigan
45.78686, -84.72708

Categories

COMMERCETRANSPORTATIONARCHITECTURECOMMUNICATIONS
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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Nearby Historic Sites

Mackinac Point Lighthouse
Industrial
0.1 mi
Fort Michilimackinac
Colonial
0.3 mi
Chambers, John, House
Industrial
5.6 mi
St. Ignace Mission
Colonial
5.9 mi
Round Island Lighthouse
Industrial
6.4 mi

Questions about this property

When was Stimpson, Forrest J., House listed on the National Register?

Stimpson, Forrest J., House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on May 11, 1980.

What type of historic resource is Stimpson, Forrest J., House?

Stimpson, Forrest J., House is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Stimpson, Forrest J., House?

The period of significance for Stimpson, Forrest J., House is recorded as the industrial era.

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