Bellaire in Antrim County, Michigan — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

Hardware Corner

Photographed by Michael Fischer, September 21, 2025

1. Hardware Corner Marker

Inscription.

This block of buildings that now houses Short's Brewery is on the site of the former Bellaire House Hotel. The hotel was enlarged to meet the needs of the new county seat and sold in 1901 to Ira Adams. Adams already had a small general store south of the hotel. He added a second story and installed electricity, plumbing, and central heat. He built a print store on the SW corner of Broad and Bridge Streets as an annex to his hotel. In the 1920s, the hotel buildings became a saloon, a pool room, and then a series of hardware stores. Successful hardware store owners here and across Broad Street included Baileys, Cudworths, Flyes, Holtz, Molbys, Mosiers and Polzins. The annex building transitioned from an exhibition room to the Masonic Temple. Between the hardware stores and the Masonic Temple, Bedell's Dairy was built in 1945. That building would later house the Bellaire Post Office and, then, The Antrim County News and Fischer Realty.

For more history of Bellaire, visit the Bellaire Area Historical Museum: 202 N. Bridge Street.

Erected by Bellaire Area Historical Society.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Industry & Commerce.

Location. 44° 58.578′ N, 85° 12.61′

Paid Advertisement

Click or scan to see
this page online

W. Marker is in Bellaire, Michigan, in Antrim County. It is on Bridge Street south of Broad Street, on the right when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 121 North Bridge Street, Bellaire MI 49615, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Northern Michigan Lower Peninsula

and in the Grand Traverse Bay Region.

It is also in the American Midwest

and on the Great Lakes.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Northwest Territory.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: World War II Memorial (within shouting distance of this marker); Bellaire Community Center (within shouting distance of this marker); Aunt Jane Building (within shouting distance of this marker); The Jail and Sheriff's Residence (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Maltby Livery (about 400 feet away); Bellaire – The Antrim County Seat (about 600 feet away); Pump House No. 1 (approx. ¼ mile away); Nixon House (approx. ¼ mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Bellaire.

Photographed by Michael Fischer, September 21, 2025

2. Hardware Corner Marker

On wall

Credits. This page was last revised on September 23, 2025. It was originally submitted on September 23, 2025, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio. This page has been viewed 58 times since then and 18 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on September 23, 2025, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio.