City Hall Block

City Hall Block. Where The Rivers Meet. This block has been an important block on Main Street from the earliest days of town. Daniel Marsac, local fur trader and early landowner, built a log cabin tavern around 1840. The tavern served stagecoach passengers on their way through town. In 1864, the Tavern, then called Lowell House, burned. The first brick building in Lowell was built in its place. The two storefront building came to be known as the Pullen Block. William Pullen's tailor shop for men was located here from 1866 until he retired in 1900. VFW Post 8303 met here from 1946 to 2002. , There was a livery stable on the western corner that opened up on the second floor into the brick Pullen building next door. When the livery burned in 1909, the City Hall was built in its place., The gap in buildings where the parking lot is now was once a three-story building. It was called the Music Hall or the Masonic Hall because the Masonic Lodge was located on the third floor of the building from 1900 to 1950. A corset factory and the Michigan Motor Garment Factory No. 3 operated here briefly. The building was torn down in 1974. , The east end of this block had a blacksmith shop and cooper shop. The building at 317 E. Main was erected in 1910 by Dr. J.P Draper for a veterinary hospital in connection with his livery and blacksmith shop. In 1915, he added the building to the east for auto sales and service in order to adapt to the change from horses to the automobile. The auto garage became Gould's Garage (1925-1956), Lowell Engineering(1959-1980), and Lowell Auto Body( 1985-2004). , Timeline , c. 1840 , Daniel Marsac built log cabin tavern. , 1848 , Timothy and Roxinda White purchased the tavern- 1st township meeting held here; Twp named "Lowell". , 1851 , Arza King bought tavern, named it Lowell House, added on by building around the log tavern. , 1866 , After tavern burned in 1864, Pullen Block built; it was the 1st brick building in Lowell. Pullen Livery stable built. , 1905 , 309 E. Main built as a bakery. Next, it became Charlie Cook Plumbing (1925-1945), then Dave Clark Sr. and Jr. Plumbing and Heating (1945-l987). , 1910 , City Hall built on site of burned Livery. , 1915 , Dr. Draper's automobile shop built. , c. 1920 , Building at 311 E. Main built. , City Hall , City Hall was built to house fire apparatus, police, public officials, the library and be a hall for public meetings. The tower was used as a space to hang the old linen fire hoses up to dry., Palms and ferns were rented to decorate the City Hall for the Dedication and Grand Opening Day, June 2, 1910. “It belongs to the people of Lowell as a long as grass grows and water runs and the building stands.” Words from City Hall dedication speaker., The new City Hall was envisioned to be the social center of the village for entertainments, concerts, meetings, clubs, socials and games. Musicals were produced on the 2nd floor stage and auditorium., This photo, taken during the flood of 1948 and looking west, shows Gould’s Garage and the three story Music Hall in the foreground. City Hall is the building by the flag pole., Little Racine Restaurant (311 E. Main) was operated by Louis “Root” Racine, his wife Ellsie, and daughter Alice Lou shown here about 1927. The building was used as a dentist office by Dr. Oatley and then as doctor’s offices (Dr. Myers, Dr. McKay and Dr. Gerard) from 1953-1969). Dr. McKay installed a brick front and glass block windows for privacy., Reproduction of a handbill advertising Lowell’s stagecoach line in 1854, the only transportation route serving Lowell.