LANSING, Mich. — Fishtown, former school buildings, and a Frank Lloyd Wright-designed neighborhood are a few of the 14 historic Michigan properties that have been listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
The Fishtown Historic District was recognized as a Traditional Cultural Property with the themes of maritime history and commerce at the state level of significance. It is one of the few remaining Great Lakes commercial fishing villages. The district reflects traditional occupational and social activities of commercial fishermen and fish processors. Fishtown is also significant for its associations with the Manitou ferry and mailboat, linking it to the nearby Manitou Islands. Its vernacular and modernistic buildings also bring many tourists to the district. “Fishtown is the heart and soul of the Leland community, it always has been,” said Fishtown Preservation Society Executive Director Amanda Holmes. “Over the decades its meaning and rarity have grown as commercial fishing has disappeared from other Great Lakes shore towns. Fishtown is more than a series of buildings, it’s a working waterfront that also helps preserve a way of life that has been an active part of this community for more than 170 years.”
Another location to be listed is The Luther Burbank Elementary School, which is located on East State Fair Avenue on the east side of Detroit. It is recognized as being significant in education and architecture. The building, which was constructed between 1931 and 1949, is considered an example of Art Deco architecture. This includes exterior sculptural work completed by sculptor Corrado Parducci. The school also reflects the educational policies and trends of Detroit in the 1930s and 1940s. The National Register designation was sought as the first step to incentivize the adaptive reuse of the shuttered building. The former Garfield School and Elmer R. Webster School were also listed in the National Register, with the goal of redevelopment. “School buildings anchor the neighborhoods they serve,” said Deputy State Historic Preservation Officer Martha MacFarlane-Faes. “When new school facilities are built, communities often struggle with how to best reuse these typically solid, well-constructed buildings. The adaptive reuse of former school properties positively contributes to neighborhood character, well-being, and investment. We’re pleased to see these three schools not only retain their special character but also remain viable community assets in the next chapter.”
Parkwyn Village, which was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1947, was also recognized as significant in architecture. It was also recognized for community planning and development. The subdivision also has a few Wright-designed “Usonian” houses, as well as a number of similar Wright-inspired houses. Several of the homes were designed by Norman F. Carver, who was an admirer of Wright, and went on to become a prominent local architect in southwest Michigan. The subdivision is considered an example of the cooperative housing movement of the postwar era. “The recognition of Parkwyn Village as a national historic resource is a tribute to all those who have seen its ideals as worthy of preservation since its founding 75 years ago,” said Parkwyn Village Homeowners Association President Les Tung. “They believed in not only its freeform layout with green spaces and distinctive individual design of homes, but also in ideals of fellowship with nature and non-discriminatory housing. Most importantly, they continue to work toward the American vision of a democracy of service and active participation, an ideal first associated with our neighborhood by its designer Frank Lloyd in 1947: ‘The Parkwyn Project is an example of true democracy in action because it represents a group of people working together to achieve individual freedom.”
Almost 2,000 properties in Michigan have been listed in the National Register of Historic Places since the program began in the 1960s. A list of the Michigan properties that were listed in the first half of 2022 can be found below:
- Walbri Hall (Bloomfield Hills)
- Elijah Bull House (Bloomfield Township)
- Luther Burbank Elementary School (Detroit)
- Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Michigan (Detroit)
- Sisters of the Order of Saint Dominic Motherhouse Complex (Grand Rapids)
- Iron Mountain Veterans Administration (VA) Hospital (Iron Mountain)
- Parkwyn Village (Kalamazoo)
- Gibson Inc. Factory and Office Building (Kalamazoo)
- Fishtown Historic District (Leland Township)
- Michigan Central Railroad Middleville Depot (Middleville)
- Nathan Esek and Sarah Emergene Sutton House (Northfield Township)
- Elmer R. Webster School (Pontiac)
- Garfield School (Sault Ste. Marie)
- Vicksburg Historic District (Vicksburg)
“From Detroit to the Soo and from individual properties to complexes and historic districts, these historic properties tell the stories of our communities, our state, and our nation,” said MacFarlane-Faes. “They illustrate our shared history, foster a sense of pride in our communities, provide recognition of our historic places, and generate investment and economic activity. [The State Historic Preservation Office] is honored to join with so many people and communities across the state in celebrating a diverse group of properties that have been listed in the National Register of Historic Places in Michigan in 2022.”
