Somerset Center in Hillsdale County, Michigan — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

W. H. L. McCourtie
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W. H. L. McCourtie Estate

W. H. L. McCourtie Marker (front side) image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Joel S., July 9, 2010

1. W. H. L. McCourtie Marker (front side)

Inscription. W. H. L. McCourtie Somerset Center native W. H. L. McCourtie (1872-1933) was introduced to the cement industry by W. F. Cowham of Jackson in 1897. McCourtie soon went to Dallas, Texas, where he made a fortune speculating in oil and established the Trinity Portland Cement Company. During the 1920s McCourtie returned to Somerset Center. In 1924 he acquired his family's home and turned it into a community showplace. McCourtie sought to create a model town, giving free white paint to any homeowner who needed it. He also hosted the community's annual homecoming celebrations. Thousands of people came to "Aiden Lair" to witness stunt flyers and enjoy baseball, local musicians, dancing and unlimited refreshments. At the height of the Great Depression, McCourtie offered his estate as a place "Where Friends Meet Friends and Part More Friendly."

W. H. L. McCourtie Estate The W. H. L. McCourtie Estate, may contain the country's largest collection of el trabeio rustico, the Mexican folk tradition of sculpting concrete to look like wood. Around 1930, most likely inspired by work he had seen in Texas, cement tycoon W. H. L. McCourtie hired itinerant Mexican artisans George Cardoso and Ralph Corona to construct seventeen bridges on his property. The artisans formed the bridges with steel rods and then hand sculpted wet concrete

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to resemble planed lumber, rough logs, thatch and rope. Different species of trees can be identified. Two concrete trees that stand on the property continue to serve as chimneys for the underground rathskeller and garage. The McCourtie estate is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

Erected 1994 by Bureau of Michigan History, Michigan Department of State. (Marker Number S0624.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Arts, Letters, Music • Bridges & Viaducts • Industry & Commerce. In addition, it is included in the Michigan Historical Commission series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1897.

Location. 42° 3.023′ N, 84° 24.578′ W. Marker is in Somerset Center, Michigan, in Hillsdale County. It is at the intersection of Chicago Road (U.S. 12) and South Jackson Road, on the right when traveling west on Chicago Road. McCourtie Park is approx. 2.7 miles west of U.S. Highway 127. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Somerset Center MI 49282, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the American Midwest.

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

W. H. L. McCourtie Estate Marker (back side) image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Joel S., July 9, 2010

2. W. H. L. McCourtie Estate Marker (back side)

least 8 other markers are within 9 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Somerset General Store (approx. 1.7 miles away); Woodstock Manual Labor Institute (approx. 4.6 miles away); First Universalist Church (approx. 5 miles away); Michigan and Ohio Railroad Depot (approx. 5.2 miles away); Clearwater Beach Entrance (approx. 7.3 miles away); Hitching Post (approx. 7.9 miles away); Hanover High School / Hanover-Horton Schools (approx. 7.9 miles away); Hanover-Horton Veterans Memorial (approx. 8.3 miles away).

More about this marker. The marker is very hard to see from the road. The park entrance is on South Jackson Road (on the left side when driving north).

Related marker. Click here for another marker that is related to this marker. Ralph Corona also worked on St. Joseph's Shrine in nearby Cambridge Township, Michigan.

Also see . . . Peek Through Time: Gangsters, ghosts, graceful art all part of mystique of McCourtie Park. MLive website entry (Submitted on July 25, 2010, by Bill Pfingsten of Bel Air, Maryland.)

W. H. L. McCourtie / W. H. L. McCourtie Estate image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Dave Wilcox, October 9, 2008

3. W. H. L. McCourtie / W. H. L. McCourtie Estate

Concrete Covered Bridge

Concrete Chimneys and Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Joel S., July 9, 2010

4. Concrete Chimneys and Marker

Pool and Concrete Bridges image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Joel S., July 9, 2010

5. Pool and Concrete Bridges

Concrete Bench image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Joel S., July 9, 2010

6. Concrete Bench

McCourtie Park Welcome Sign image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Joel S., July 9, 2010

7. McCourtie Park Welcome Sign

Credits. This page was last revised on April 10, 2022. It was originally submitted on July 22, 2010, by Joel Seewald of Madison Heights, Michigan. This page has been viewed 2,585 times since then and 56 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on July 22, 2010, by Joel Seewald of Madison Heights, Michigan. 3. submitted on March 14, 2012, by Dave Wilcox of Grass Lake, Michigan. 4, 5, 6, 7. submitted on July 22, 2010, by Joel Seewald of Madison Heights, Michigan. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.

W. H. L. McCourtie⎯⎯⎯W. H. L. McCourtie Estate

W. H. L. McCourtie
⎯⎯⎯
W. H. L. McCourtie Estate