Old Wooden Row

Old Wooden Row. Where The Rivers Meet. This block, once known as the Old Wooden Row, was the first business block in the village of Dansville (Lowell). Built between 1846 and 1870 it contained 11 wooden buildings. Mrs. Julia Hiler's Millinery, located in the westernmost building, (ll)was the longest running business in the block, 1865-1901. Her husband, Milo Hiler's photography studio was on the second floor. Building (9) has been the location of the Lowell Granite Company since 1884. , Other businesses in Old Wooden Row were City Bakery and Restaurant, The Lowell Laundry, Dr. Purple's Bazaar Store and a Cigar store. The "Checkered Front" building was used by Dr. Draper as a veterinary office and blacksmith shop. , ,br. Building (7) was originally built by the Odawa and moved here from their village near Oakwood Cemetery in 1846. It was first used by fur traders Daniel Marsac and J. S. Hooker for a trading store. Later it was a saloon, a shooting gallery and then first home of The Lowell Ledger (1893). , Building (8) The Lowell Laundry caught fire in 1907 burning five buildings (7, 8, 9, 10, 1l). The Peckham family, owners of the Cutter Company, then built the Lowell Auto Body factory. They made wooden auto bodies for Austin, Dort-Durant and Buick until metal replaced wooden autos. , Ypsilanti Reed Co. used the factory from 1920-1925. Their blue woven baby buggy was made exclusively in Lowell in 1924. The Superior Furniture Company moved here from Grand Rapids in 1925. A second Superior Furniture Co. formed in 1936 after the bankruptcy sale of the first one. They manufactured quality furniture especially from cherry, 1936-2009. , Timeline , 1846 , Building moved from Odawa village for trading store. , 1865 , Julia Hiler began millinery business. , 1867 , Milo Hiler began photography studio. , 1893 , The Lowell Ledger established. , 1907 , Old Wooden Row destroyed by fire. , 1908 , Lowell Auto Body Factory built. , 1920-25 , Ypsilanti Reed of Ionia purchased factory. , 1925-2009 , Superior Furniture made elite cherry wood furniture. , Today , Lowell Granite Company, established 1859, is the oldest monument company in West Michigan. , The east end of the Wooden Row looking toward Washington St. During the 1890’s, Dr. Martha Purple kept a Bazaar Store here. She was a leader of the spiritualism movement, temperance, suffrage, and Liberal League in Lowell. In the 1900’s, her storefront became a Cigar Store (6) as you can see by the metal signage featuring Abraham Lincoln’s likeness and “Exemplar Cigars.” From the east end was (3) Dr. Draper's Veterinary office in the “Checkered Front” building, (4) the Lowell Masonic Lodge, (5)the City Bakery and Restaurant and (7) The Lowell Ledger Office., The west end of the block, from the middle of the block west to Monroe Street, about 1896. Businesses here include; (4) the Masonic Lodge, (5) City Bakery and Restaurant, (6)Dr. Purples, (7) The Lowell Ledger office, (8) Lowell Laundry, (9) a marble works, (11a) Mrs. hiler’s Millinery, and (11b) Hiler’s Photography Studio, This lithograph detail shows the Old Wooden Row as a full street front of eleven buildings as it appeared in 1870., There was a little tire shop service station on the corner of Main (Bridge) and Monroe owned by Frank Stephens from 1921-1927. It then became Fairchilds. , 1908: The Auto Body Factory replaced the Old Wooden Row after 5 buildings burned in 1907. It was built by the owners of the Lowell Cutter Company to manufacture wooden auto bodies so they could compete in the new world of automobiles., Interior of the Lowell Granite Company workshop.