Tag Archives: Michigan 48170

184 Caster Ave

8 Jul

184Caster

184 Caster Ave. Built circa 1890; this was once the home of William “Phil” Markham. William F. Markham was born in Plymouth in 1851 and was the Son of A.B Markham one of Plymouth’s first pioneers that settled in this community. Markham became a Plymouth business owner that made tanks and cisterns. In 1887 William Markham was granted the first patent for an Air Rifle. Phil was instrumental in starting the industry that put Plymouth on the “map” Internationally… The Air Rifle Industry. Phil’s company became the Markham Air Rifle Company which later changed its name to the King Air Rifle Company. Markham started manufacturing Air Rifles prior to the formation of the Daisy Air Rifle Company which was literally within walking distance of the Markham Company. This statement about ‘who was first” is only made because of a popular misconception that Daisy Air Rifle Co. was the first to invent and manufacture Air Rifles.

As for this grand home and why it was built. Well, this home was built for Phil to reside at while he was estranged from his Wife Carrie who refused to grant him a divorce. In 1907 the home was sold to Elisha Caster. Markham owned a number of homes in S.E. Michigan. Interestingly enough he also owned and built the home located at 676 Penniman Ave which he built for his mistress Blanche. After his wife Carrie passed away in 1910, he married Blanche and moved into the home located on Penniman across the street from Kellogg Park.

This home that elegantly stands at the corner Caster and Holbrook in the Historic “Lower Town” also known as Plymouth’s “Old Village” has a history that is unrivaled when compared to other historic homes in the area considering that Markham not only invented the modern-day BB Gun but also started an industry that changed the landscape of Plymouth and helped put this community on the map as the “BB Gun capital of the world”. Today the Markham Air Rifle Company building still stands at 304 N. Main Street and is the largest commercial brick building in Plymouth. In 1911 Markham and his family moved to California and became successful in Real Estate. At one time Markham was the owner of a large parcel of property that today is now known as Hollywood. Phil Markham passed away in 1930.

Below is a photo of William Markham taken in 1900:

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At the time of this post this home is currently on the real estate market for sale. You can view the listing for this home by clicking here: 184 Caster

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252 E Ann Arbor Trail

15 Apr

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252 E Ann Arbor Trail was built in 1926. This was the home of very well respected teacher here in Plymouth that had a school name after her. This was once the home of Helen L. Farrand. Helen was born here in Plymouth on November 20, 1892 to William and Anna (Rocker) Farrand. Her father William ordered this “Kit Home” from Montgomery Ward. This Wardway home was built by William Farrand, he built this and other adjacent homes on E Ann Arbor Trail.

Helen was a graduate of Plymouth High School in 1911 and received her teaching certification from the Ypsilanti Normal School (now Eastern Michigan University).  Helen was a teacher in local communities. During WWI she actually worked in the Detroit Post office and returned to teaching in 1923. In 1927 Farrand came to work for Plymouth Canton Community Schools (PCCS). She taught at Central Grade School, Starweather, & Edna Allen School. Helen retired from teaching in 1958, that same year the PCCS School Board voted to name a “new elementary school” after her. 1958 the new school built at 41400 Greenbriar Lane in Plymouth was dedicated and named after Helen L. Farrard. Go Farrand Foxes!

Helen Farrand passed away in April of 1977 and was laid to rest in Plymouth’s Riverside cemetery. Helen was well respected by the community and loved by many students. Her legacy continues to live on today as hundreds of students are educated each year in the Elementary school named in her honor.

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Helen Farrand

 

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9275 McClumpha Rd

28 Apr

9275 MClumpha Rd was built circa 1869. This was once the home of Elizabeth McClumpha, the daughter of Thomas McClumpha who once owned and farmed much of the land along McClumpha Rd South of Ann Arbor Rd. Elizabeth was the eldest of her siblings, was well-known in the community and was remembered for her extreme kindness and love of children although she was unmarried and had no children of her own. She passed away in 1899 and is buried in the Riverside Cemetery.

Most recently this home has become known for being the childhood home of the leading Star of an Oscar-Winning movie, Amadeus. Thomas Edward Hulce was born in Detroit, and grew up here in Plymouth, where he was raised with his two sisters and older brother. He is the son of Joanne (Winkleman), who had sung professionally, and Raymond Albert Hulce, who worked for Ford. He has English, German, and Irish ancestry. Wanting to be a singer, Tom had to make a switch in plans when his voice began changing. Knowing that if he wanted to be in show business he needed to become an actor, Tom began taking the necessary steps almost immediately. Today Tom is known for being an Oscar-nominated multi award winning Actor, Producer and entertainer with a number of accolades. Simply “google” Tom Hulce and you can read his entire filmography, awards and more.

Here in Plymouth we are also proud of Tom’s mother, Joanne (Winkleman) Hulce, known as Jo Hulce. Jo was a member of the Winkleman family that was known for their department stores that started in 1928. In her twenties Jo who was a singer, became a featured soloist, “The Golden Voice of Joanne” on the nationally syndicated and popular radio show “The Hour of Charm”. The show was broadcast from New York every Sunday and toured the United States.

Jo and her husband Ray purchased this home in 1953. While raising her four children, she sang as a soloist with the Presbyterian Church choir and the Plymouth Symphony, and joined the League Board. The home of the Plymouth Community Arts Council at 774 N Sheldon is named in her honor… The Joanne Winkleman Hulce Center for the Arts.

Today the current owners of this home take great pride in the history of this house and also shared the fact that the addition on the back side of this home was built with some repurposed wood from the old Daisy Air Rifle factory. Many of us in the community are pleased to see how this historic home adds to the charm of Plymouth.

Tom Hulce as Amadeus in the Oscar-Winning movie “Amadeus”

 

9275 McClumpha Rd in 1977

 

 

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689 N. Mill Street

4 Mar

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689 N. Mill Street at the South West corner of Mill & Liberty was built by Carl Heide in 1911. Carl Heide was born in 1868 and immigrated from Germany in 1883. Carl quickly became a significant thread of Plymouth’s History as a Floral entrepreneur.  Carl became personal friends with the well-known and prominent George Starkweather. The South East corner of Liberty and N Mill have been most known for being Heide’s Greenhouses but they were originally built and owned by George Starkweather  and were leased by Carl Heide. Having a successful floral business, Mr. Heide decided to build his home directly across the street from the greenhouses which he later purchased from Starkweather. At one time Heide’s Flowers was known for being Plymouth’s oldest continuously running business.  Carl Heide passed away in 1941 and was laid to rest in Plymouth’s Riverside Cemetery. In 1944 this home, the Greenhouses and Floral business were purchased by Reinhold Ruehr who continued running Heide’s Flowers.

Below is a photo of the Heide (Starkweather) Greenhouse built circa 1889. This Greenhouse was located across the street from where the house stands today. Carl Heide and George Starkweather are featured in the photo. Photo courtesy of Dan Sabo:

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Photo of Carl Heide courtesy of the Plymouth Historical Museum:

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1395 Park Place

8 Jan

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1395 Park Place. Built by Cass Sheffield Hough in 1927. This was the first home built in the Hough Park neighborhood and was the home of Cass and his first wife Margaret. Cass was born in 1904 here in Plymouth and was the Grandson of Lewis Cass Hough (an original founder of Daisy Air Rifle Co).  At an early age Cass was very interested in aircrafts and became one of the earliest licensed pilots in Michigan in the 1920s. He graduated from the Culver Military Academy in 1921 and then graduated from the University of Michigan in 1925. Cass went to work as the Sales Manager of Daisy Air Rifles. In 1939 Cass joined the US Army Air Corps. During World War II he flew regular missions escorting bombers over Europe and was assigned by Gen. Jimmy Doolittle to head a unit to solve operational problems. The group of talented pilots developed lightweight external fuel tanks, the P-38 Droop Snoot, bomb sight, 2,000-pound bombs and rocket-propelled bombs to penetrate German submarine pens. Chuck Yeager is better-known for being the first man to break the sound barrier in level flight in 1947, but Hough and perhaps some others broke it much earlier during dives.

After WWII, Hough rose to chairman of Daisy Manufacturing and served as member, acting director, and chairman of Michigan Aeronautics Commission. Today Col. Cass Hough is also enshrined in the Aviation Hall of Fame. In 1976 Cass authored the book “It’s a Daisy” telling the detailed story of the Daisy Air Rifle Company. Mr. Hough passed away in 1990 at his Florida home but is forever resting in peace here in Plymouth at the Riverside Cemetery. We are proud to have his well preserved home as a part of our great community of Plymouth.

Below is a photo of Cass Hough as a pilot during World War II and a photo of Cass in 1950 at his desk serving as President of the Daisy Air Rifle Company here in Plymouth.

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710 N. Mill St

17 Mar

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710 N. Mill Street. Built circa 1843 by William Bradner.  Standing at the corner of Mill and Liberty Streets in Old Village, this historic 2-Story Greek revival home sits on a Field stone foundation and retains much of its original dimensions and appears much like it did over 170 years ago. This home has seen a number of owners through the years including once being owned (in 1856)by Peter Gayde who was responsible for establishing the German Lutheran Church on Spring Street and also was a long time business owner whose original store structure still stands on Liberty. Peter went on to build a larger home at 761 Starkweather Street in 1875 which also still stands today. This home was recently remodeled and is being used for commercial purposes. Prior to being an attorney’s office it actually served as an Italian bistro. This is another great piece of Plymouth history that has survived for many years and will hopefully contribute to Plymouth’s historic ambience for several more years to come.

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311 Hamilton Street

11 Apr

Hamilton

311 Hamilton Street. Built in 1878. Originally the home of Clarence Hamilton. Hamilton is known for building the first all metal air rifle and was one of the people who greatly influenced the history of Plymouth. Mr. Hamilton was an Inventor, an Engineer and businessman. Hamilton was the co-founder of the Plymouth Iron Windmill Company which became the Daisy Air Rifle Company by his urging and convinced the leadership to get into making BB Guns and the rest was history! Hamilton was the co-founder of Daisy, the Plymouth Air Rifle Company and the Hamilton Rifle Company. This street was once called Depot Street and was later renamed Hamilton Street in his honor.

Historic photo of Clarence Hamilton: ClarenceHamilton

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