Old Village Historic District (Monroe, Michigan)
Encyclopedia
The Old Village Historic District is a commercial and residential historic district
consisting of the downtown area of the city of Monroe
in Monroe County
, Michigan
. The district was listed as a Michigan Historic Site
and added to the National Register of Historic Places
on May 6, 1982.
The area is commonly referred to as the downtown
area and is the oldest settled area in Monroe, dating back to 1817 when the area was first platted
. Some of the oldest surviving buildings in this district date back to 1830, and the district incorporates several different architectural styles. The stretch of the district that runs along M-125
is also designated as one of Michigan's Historic Heritage Routes
.
. The grid plan
, drawn up by Henry Disbrow, was modeled after the system used in New York City
, with streets named after numbers. Although small at first, the city grew rapidly along the River Raisin beginning around 1830. While much of the growing population began spreading throughout Monroe County, the majority lived within the Old Village where the center of government and industry resided. The current county courthouse was built in 1880, although the plot of land it is located on has housed the seat of the county government since 1817. Monroe opened its first post office in 1913. The main industry at the time was Monroe's numerous paper mills
along the River Raisin. The Dundee Historic District
in Dundee
was settled further up the river around the same time, and the two heavily relied on the river and built several dams along its course.
The Navarre-Anderson Trading Post
, built in 1789, was originally part of the Old Village along the River Raisin. However, development in the area threatened the historic structure, and it was moved in 1894 and again in 1971. Today, it is far removed from the rest of the Old Village. The Sawyer House
was built in 1873 and is located at 320 East Front Street within the Old Village Historic District.
On July 4, 1910, then-President
William Howard Taft
and Elizabeth Bacon Custer
unveiled a statue to commemorate George Armstrong Custer
, who spent much of his early life living in Monroe. The statue was located in the middle of the intersection of East First Street and Washington Street in the Old Village. This was during a time when automobile traffic in Monroe was very light. However, with the increase of automobile traffic, the statue's location in the middle of an intersection warranted protests as a traffic hazard. On June 20, 1923, the city moved the statue out of the Old Village to a less prominent location along the River Raisin
, where it remained until it was moved again in August 1955 to its current location on the other side of the river from the Old Village. Today, the statue is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the George Armstrong Custer Equestrian Monument
.
The district has seen little redevelopment or expansion since the 1930s. In the 1960s, several older buildings within the district were demolished to make way for new modern buildings and parking lots, as the district was seen as old fashioned and unable to keep with the demands of new industries and growing populations.
and M-50
, known locally as Monroe Street and Front Street respectively, and extends for several blocks east and south. The district is roughly bounded by the River Raisin
on the north, 7th Street on the south, and Wadsworth Street on the east.
Most of the major businesses and industries began moving to the more spacious outer core of Monroe. Today, the center of government and law enforcement within Monroe remains in the Old Village. The row buildings along Monroe Street consist of small businesses on the ground level and apartments and offices on the second and third floors. The outer areas of the Old Village include the city hall, post office, county courthouse and jail, Monroe Bank & Trust headquarters, various small businesses, Monroe Middle School
, and larger houses. No industries remain within the Old Village today. The Old Village remains an active part of Monroe's economy, although the majority of businesses have moved elsewhere in the city. The Old Village Historic District is located directly across the river from the East Elm-North Macomb Street Historic District
and the St. Mary's Church Complex Historic District
.
Historic district (United States)
In the United States, a historic district is a group of buildings, properties, or sites that have been designated by one of several entities on different levels as historically or architecturally significant. Buildings, structures, objects and sites within a historic district are normally divided...
consisting of the downtown area of the city of Monroe
Monroe, Michigan
Monroe is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 20,733 at the 2010 census. It is the largest city and county seat of Monroe County. The city is bordered on the south by Monroe Charter Township, but both are politically independent. The city is located approximately 14 miles ...
in Monroe County
Monroe County, Michigan
Monroe County is a county in the U.S. state of Michigan. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the 2010 population is 152,021. The largest city and county seat is Monroe. The U.S. Census Bureau defines all of Monroe County as conterminous with the Monroe Metropolitan Area...
, Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
. The district was listed as a Michigan Historic Site
Michigan State Historic Preservation Office
The Michigan State Historic Preservation Office is in charge of the listing of historic resources of local, state, and national interest in the U.S. state of Michigan, including buildings, lighthouses, bridges, historic districts, and many other properties deemed important to the history of Michigan...
and added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
on May 6, 1982.
The area is commonly referred to as the downtown
Downtown
Downtown is a term primarily used in North America by English speakers to refer to a city's core or central business district ....
area and is the oldest settled area in Monroe, dating back to 1817 when the area was first platted
Plat
A plat in the U.S. is a map, drawn to scale, showing the divisions of a piece of land. Other English-speaking countries generally call such documents a cadastral map or plan....
. Some of the oldest surviving buildings in this district date back to 1830, and the district incorporates several different architectural styles. The stretch of the district that runs along M-125
M-125 (Michigan highway)
M-125 Connector is a connector route running through Erie. It connects I-75 with M-125. It is a four lane divided highway for its entire length, named "Summit Street" in Erie. It is known internally to the Michigan Department of Transportation as "Connector 2"...
is also designated as one of Michigan's Historic Heritage Routes
Michigan Heritage Route
Michigan Heritage Route is a designation for roads in Michigan. The designation was created by the state legislature in 1993.The program emphasizes cooperation among local residents, government officials, landowners and interested groups to preserve unique scenic, historic or recreational...
.
History
The area dates back to 1817 when the first roads were drawn out on a piece of land given by local landowner Joseph Loranger for the establishment of the village for the newly organized Monroe CountyMonroe County, Michigan
Monroe County is a county in the U.S. state of Michigan. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the 2010 population is 152,021. The largest city and county seat is Monroe. The U.S. Census Bureau defines all of Monroe County as conterminous with the Monroe Metropolitan Area...
. The grid plan
Grid plan
The grid plan, grid street plan or gridiron plan is a type of city plan in which streets run at right angles to each other, forming a grid...
, drawn up by Henry Disbrow, was modeled after the system used in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, with streets named after numbers. Although small at first, the city grew rapidly along the River Raisin beginning around 1830. While much of the growing population began spreading throughout Monroe County, the majority lived within the Old Village where the center of government and industry resided. The current county courthouse was built in 1880, although the plot of land it is located on has housed the seat of the county government since 1817. Monroe opened its first post office in 1913. The main industry at the time was Monroe's numerous paper mills
Paper mill
A paper mill is a factory devoted to making paper from vegetable fibres such as wood pulp, old rags and other ingredients using a Fourdrinier machine or other type of paper machine.- History :...
along the River Raisin. The Dundee Historic District
Dundee Historic District
The Dundee Historic Village is a historic district located in Dundee, Michigan. The district was added to the National Register of Historic Places on August 20, 1990 and was also declared a Michigan Historic Site. This area is commonly referred to as the downtown area of Dundee and was settled...
in Dundee
Dundee, Michigan
Dundee is a village in Monroe County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 3,522 at the 2000 census. The village is located within Dundee Township. Through a series of annexations and land transfers, the village has greatly increased in size over the past several years...
was settled further up the river around the same time, and the two heavily relied on the river and built several dams along its course.
The Navarre-Anderson Trading Post
Navarre-Anderson Trading Post
The Navarre-Anderson Trading Post is a former trading post complex located at 3775 North Custer Road in Frenchtown Charter Township along the River Raisin in Monroe County, Michigan...
, built in 1789, was originally part of the Old Village along the River Raisin. However, development in the area threatened the historic structure, and it was moved in 1894 and again in 1971. Today, it is far removed from the rest of the Old Village. The Sawyer House
Sawyer House (Monroe, Michigan)
The Sawyer House, also known as the Sawyer Homestead and in its previous incarnation as the Navarre House, is a city-owned house located at 320 East Front Street in Monroe, Michigan. It was listed as a Michigan Historic Site on June 19, 1975...
was built in 1873 and is located at 320 East Front Street within the Old Village Historic District.
On July 4, 1910, then-President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
William Howard Taft
William Howard Taft
William Howard Taft was the 27th President of the United States and later the tenth Chief Justice of the United States...
and Elizabeth Bacon Custer
Elizabeth Bacon Custer
Elizabeth Bacon Custer was the wife of General George Armstrong Custer. After his death, she became an outspoken advocate for her husband's legacy through her popular books and lectures...
unveiled a statue to commemorate George Armstrong Custer
George Armstrong Custer
George Armstrong Custer was a United States Army officer and cavalry commander in the American Civil War and the Indian Wars. Raised in Michigan and Ohio, Custer was admitted to West Point in 1858, where he graduated last in his class...
, who spent much of his early life living in Monroe. The statue was located in the middle of the intersection of East First Street and Washington Street in the Old Village. This was during a time when automobile traffic in Monroe was very light. However, with the increase of automobile traffic, the statue's location in the middle of an intersection warranted protests as a traffic hazard. On June 20, 1923, the city moved the statue out of the Old Village to a less prominent location along the River Raisin
River Raisin
The River Raisin is a river in southeastern Michigan, United States that flows through glacial sediments into Lake Erie. The area today is an agricultural and industrial center of Michigan. The river flows for almost , draining an area of in the Michigan counties of Lenawee, Monroe, Washtenaw,...
, where it remained until it was moved again in August 1955 to its current location on the other side of the river from the Old Village. Today, the statue is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the George Armstrong Custer Equestrian Monument
George Armstrong Custer Equestrian Monument
The George Armstrong Custer Equestrian Monument, also known as Sighting the Enemy, is an equestrian statue of George Armstrong Custer by Edward Clark Potter, located in Monroe, Michigan. The statue was unveiled on June 4, 1910...
.
The district has seen little redevelopment or expansion since the 1930s. In the 1960s, several older buildings within the district were demolished to make way for new modern buildings and parking lots, as the district was seen as old fashioned and unable to keep with the demands of new industries and growing populations.
Present day
Today, the district itself centers around M-125M-125 (Michigan highway)
M-125 Connector is a connector route running through Erie. It connects I-75 with M-125. It is a four lane divided highway for its entire length, named "Summit Street" in Erie. It is known internally to the Michigan Department of Transportation as "Connector 2"...
and M-50
M-50 (Michigan highway)
M-50 is a state trunkline highway in the US state of Michigan. Although designated as an east–west highway, it is nearly a diagonal northwest-southeast route...
, known locally as Monroe Street and Front Street respectively, and extends for several blocks east and south. The district is roughly bounded by the River Raisin
River Raisin
The River Raisin is a river in southeastern Michigan, United States that flows through glacial sediments into Lake Erie. The area today is an agricultural and industrial center of Michigan. The river flows for almost , draining an area of in the Michigan counties of Lenawee, Monroe, Washtenaw,...
on the north, 7th Street on the south, and Wadsworth Street on the east.
Most of the major businesses and industries began moving to the more spacious outer core of Monroe. Today, the center of government and law enforcement within Monroe remains in the Old Village. The row buildings along Monroe Street consist of small businesses on the ground level and apartments and offices on the second and third floors. The outer areas of the Old Village include the city hall, post office, county courthouse and jail, Monroe Bank & Trust headquarters, various small businesses, Monroe Middle School
Monroe Public Schools (Michigan)
Monroe Public Schools is a public school district in Monroe, Michigan. It is the largest school district in Monroe County in terms of enrollment...
, and larger houses. No industries remain within the Old Village today. The Old Village remains an active part of Monroe's economy, although the majority of businesses have moved elsewhere in the city. The Old Village Historic District is located directly across the river from the East Elm-North Macomb Street Historic District
East Elm-North Macomb Street Historic District
The East Elm-North Macomb Street Historic District is a residential historic district located in the city of Monroe in Monroe County, Michigan. The district was listed as a Michigan Historic Site and added to the National Register of Historic Places on May 6, 1982.This district comprises...
and the St. Mary's Church Complex Historic District
St. Mary's Church Complex Historic District
The St. Mary's Church Complex Historic District is a historic district located at the junction of Elm Avenue and North Monroe Street in the city of Monroe, Michigan. It was listed as a Michigan Historic Site and added to the National Register of Historic Places on May 6, 1982.The complex itself...
.