714 Court Street

Architecture:

Style: Italianate

Description: This is a symmetrical, two-story brick building with a cut stone foundation and low pitch hipped roof. Decorative elements include paired brackets in the eaves, segmental hood molding around front windows, and a one story half hexagonal bay on the east side. The full width front porch has square Doric columns, wood railing, and paired brackets in the eaves. A two-story porch is on the east side of the rear addition. This dwelling was briefly shown on Bob Villa’s “Restore America” television show in 1999.

Significant Period:

Construction Date: circa 1870

Architect/Builder: Unknown

Context: Louis Kritzman paid the property taxes from 1873 to 1887. Peter B. and wife Mary S. (Willeger) Sanborn were the first residents, from 1877 until at least 1893-94. Peter born March 17, 1838, left Falmouth, Maine for Detroit in 1852, and came to Port Huron in 1862. During the Civil War he enlisted and served in the First Regiment of Berdan’s sharpshooters and was commissioned as First Lieutenant, Company K. Peter was the owner of Port Huron Elevator Company at the foot of Fourth Street on the St. Clair River. He was also a corporator of and stockholder of the Port Huron & Northwestern Railroad Co. They had two children, Alvah and Clare. Helen O’Leary was a domestic in 1881 and Lizzie Garllie in 1888. Frank and Francis Wolcott lived there by 1900 until 1910. Frank was an attorney for Atkinson, Wolcott, and Moore and served one term as Probate Judge in 1896. He was President of the Maccabee Protective Association, supervisor counselor of the United Home Protectors Fraternity, and secretary of the Ruledge Playing Card Company. His office was at 4-6-8 White Block. Dr. Herman J. Hill and his wife Edna P. lived there from 1910 to 1919. He was a dentist at first 9-10 Bricker Block, then 413 Grand River Avenue. Agnes M. Hoppe, widow of James O. Hoppe, lived there from 1920 to the mid-1920’s. She was a music teacher. Daughter Helen L. Hoppe was first a clerk for the Health Department then a stenographer for C.H. Wills & Co. The Sullivan family lived there from 1930 to 1939. Dennis P. Sullivan was an attorney for Sullivan & Sullivan at 5 Stevens Block. His wife Evelyn E. Sullivan carried on as head of household as of 1936-37.