Third Street

It is quite common for two houses to be built on the same lot. Often the second home was for the grown children. It was still common in my childhood for three generations of the same family to live together.

815 Third Street

1936

1936 1968

815 is the front house estimated to be built in 1870. It has four rooms, one bedroom and one bath. So probably a living room, dining room and kitchen. Kitchens were HOT and dirty - coal, chicken feathers - everything was made from scratch. And the icebox was usually kept apart from the kitchen even if just in an alcove.

1930 US Census: Russell Brown 27 head rents $25 b. Mi fa. Eng m b. MI station man auto co.
                                 Katherine wife 27 B. mi Parents born Holland
                                 Ruth dau 2 6/12 b. MI

817 Third Street

1936  1968

817 Third is behind 815 and was obviously built as a two-family and built later. Assessors estimates it as built in 1880. Not that much later. Perhaps the family either needed a larger  home for themselves or became so prosperous then could afford to own rental property.

1930 US Census: page 28 B Line 60
                                 Alias Orlowski head owns $7000 52 b. Poland immi 1909 alien, laborer foundry
                                 Marian wife 47 b. Poland immi 1909 alien
                                  Marian dau 22 b. Poland immi 1909 alien bookkeeper auto supply co
                                  John son 18 b. Michigan

869 Third St NW

I love this house. I got a change to inspect it about 1978 when a friend of mine and I were looking at a two-family we could buy together as tenants in common. We couldn't afford this house but we took advantage of an open house. It was beautiful but the rooms seemed small and the lot was small.

1936 1968   2000+

 Five rooms on the first floor, 3 rooms on the second, five bedrooms, two baths, built in 1895, 875 sq ft on each floor, plus the one-story extension, brick veneer on wood frame, one-stall garage built 1948, Originally a single family now a 2-family

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Last modified: 08/05/11