National Register of Historic Places

Superintendent's Cottage

Flint, Genesee County, Michigan
Listed
July 6, 1975
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
75000944

About this property

The Superintendent's Cottage at the Michigan School for the Deaf is a single-family home located on Beaver Drive, on the Michigan School for the Deaf campus, in Flint, Michigan, It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975. The state of Michigan created the "Michigan Asylum for the Deaf, Dumb, and Blind" in 1848, but it was not until five years later that funds were finally secured to begin the school. Land for the campus was donated by a private citizen in Flint, and the first classes were held in February 1854. Classes were held in temporary facilities until the first building was constructed in 1857. In 1881, blind students were transferred to a campus in Lansing, leaving the Flint campus to serve the deaf students; in 1887 the name of the school was changed to the "Michigan School for the Deaf," reflecting a change from the earlier institutional focus of the school. Construction on the Superintendent's Cottage began during the diphtheria epidemic of 1888, as housing space became tight. Except for the masonry, the cottage was constructed almost entirely by the students attending the school. Construction was completed in 1890, and beginning with Francis Clark in 1892, every superintendent of the school has lived in the house. The house was enlarged in 1910. The Superintendent's Cottage is a 2½ story red brick Queen Anne style house with a fieldstone foundation and a gable roof. The main facade is dominated by a massive fieldstone porch topped by a roof supported by pillars. A two-story addition is connected at the rear. The house includes Queen Anne detailing such as a projecting bay, roof bracketry, and a small balcony at the second story with an intricately carved balustrade. The interior features woodwork and cabinetry carved by the school students, including two massive oak entry doors, an oak fireplace surround, and a carved ceiling in the dining room.

Location

Flint, Genesee County, Michigan
43.00567, -83.70211

Categories

EDUCATIONARCHITECTURESOCIAL HISTORY
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

West Second Street-Swartz Creek Bridge
Industrial
0.4 mi
Swayze Apartments
Industrial
0.7 mi
Knight, Morris A., House
Industrial
0.8 mi
Elks Lodge Building
Industrial
0.8 mi
Genesee County Courthouse and Jail
Industrial
0.8 mi

Questions about this property

When was Superintendent's Cottage listed on the National Register?

Superintendent's Cottage was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on July 6, 1975.

What type of historic resource is Superintendent's Cottage?

Superintendent's Cottage is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Superintendent's Cottage?

The period of significance for Superintendent's Cottage is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Superintendent's Cottage?

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