819 Court Street

Architecture:

Style: Queen Anne Style

Description: This is a two-story structure with cement shingle siding and a concrete coated brick foundation. The roofline is cross-gabled. The front gable is dominant, while the side gable extends over a wing with a two story squared bay. A square tower at the edge of the front gable faces diagonally. The original wraparound porch with detailed spindlework was removed years ago. A side porch with original spindlework lies on the east side. Photographs show the original character.

Significant Period:

Construction Date: 1883 to 1885

Architect/Builder: Unknown

Context: John and Martha Cole owned lots 13 through 16 in 1883. The house was built between 1883 and 1885, when the lots were split up. Mary E. Foster paid the taxes and the valuation suggests a house sat on the site although she lived on Wall St. In 1887 Frederick J. Wright moved from the northeast corner of Michigan and Bard Streets to this house on Court Street. Until 1890 it was known as 821 Court; in 1893 it became 819 Court. In 1895 Frederick J. Wright paid property taxes on a valuation of $1600. Frederick was a travelling salesman for Barrett & Goulding. The Wrights lived there until about 1906, when Dr. Frederick Edmister and his wife Consuella moved in. He was a member of the Knights of the Maccabees. Gustav and Jeanette (McElroy) Hill lived there from 1909 to 1912. His parents were John P. and Barbara (Gable) Hill, who came to the United States from Germany in the mid 1800’s. Gustav and Jeanette’s children were Eleanor, Bain, Gordon, Carleton, and Mary Elizabeth. Gustav was cashier for the First National Exchange Bank and secretary/director of the Port Huron Building and Loan Association, director of Port Huron Creamery Company, member of the Odd Fellows, Elks, Knights of Pythias, Shriners, Knights Templars and finance keeper of the Maccabees. Their second home was at Keewahdin beach. George and Josephine Evans lived there 1915 to the mid 1920s. He was a dealer in groceries at 930 Military Street, then went into real estate and insurance at 920 ½ Military. Robert and Jessie Millne lived there in 1930. He was proprietor of Millne the Tailor and Furrier at 1115 Military. In 1931 the home was divided into two apartments, by l936 it was three.