Historic Photo from NRHP Filing

RAILROAD ARCH BRIDGE OVER THE HURON RIVER MILFORD OAKLAND COUNTY, MICHIGAN BILL MURRAY - PHOTOGRAPHER MARCH, 1999 ORIGINAL NEGATIVE @ MILFORD HISTORICAL SOC, 124 E. COMMERCE MILFORD MI 48381 RAILROAD ARCH BRIDGE LOOKING EAST 583-4 SKETCH MAP ITEM C

National Register of Historic Places Filing

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Local SignificanceArchitectureCommerceIndustryTransportation1860-1950

The North Milford Village Historic District is significant for its association with the development of Milford as a commercial and residential center in Oakland County, Michigan, during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The district's architecture reflects the prosperity of the village during these periods, with a variety of styles represented, including Greek Revival, Italianate, Victorian Gothic, Late Victorian, Second Empire, Queen Anne, Stick, Chateauesque, Vernacular, Tudor Revival, Dutch Colonial Revival, Bungalow/Craftsman, English style, and Cape Cod houses. The commercial area developed in the early nineteenth century, but the early wood frame structures have been replaced with late nineteenth and early twentieth century brick and concrete block two and three-story Italianate, "Commercial brick," Tudor, and Art Deco structures.

Milford's development was closely tied to its location on the Huron River and Pettibone Creek, which provided water power for early mills. The arrival of the railroad in 1872 further spurred the village's growth, leading to a second era of prosperity. The district's commercial buildings, primarily two-story brick Italianate, "Commercial brick," Colonial, Art Deco, and Tudor commercial structures, reflect this period of growth. The residential areas, with their diverse architectural styles, illustrate the village's continued prosperity into the early twentieth century.

The district's significance is also enhanced by its association with prominent local figures, such as merchants, mill owners, and retired farmers, who contributed to the village's development. The presence of historic churches and other community buildings further underscores the district's role as a center of community life in Milford.

Overall, the North Milford Village Historic District is a well-preserved example of a nineteenth and early twentieth-century village in Michigan, with a high degree of architectural integrity and a rich history that reflects the broader patterns of development in the region.

Physical Description

The North Milford Village Historic District consists of approximately 140 acres and includes the historic commercial area along three blocks of North Main Street, residential areas along five east-west streets and six north-south streets, and the two historic mill ponds along Pettibone Creek which flows south into the Huron River. The district is comprised of 255 contributing buildings (82 percent of the total of 312 buildings in the proposed district), four structures, and seven mill sites which have been identified with metal historical markers. The commercial area developed in the early nineteenth century, but the early wood frame structures have been replaced with late nineteenth and early twentieth century brick and concrete block two and three-story Italianate, 'Commercial brick,' Tudor and Art Deco structures. The residential district is made up of wood frame, stone, concrete block and brick Greek Revival, Italianate, Victorian Gothic, Late Victorian, Second Empire, Queen Anne, Stick, Chateauesque, Vernacular, Tudor Revival, Dutch Colonial Revival, Bungalow/Craftsman, English style and Cape Cod houses. The district also has four historic churches.

Architect/Builder

Harry J. Rill, Adolphus Kuehnle, Donaldson & Meier

NRHP Ref# 00000391 • Data from National Park Service • Content available under CC BY-SA 4.0

Historical Photos

(16)

Public Domain (Michigan Filing)

From Wikipedia

The North Milford Village Historic District is a historic district located in Milford, Michigan, including the commercial area along Main Street from the Huron River to Summit, industrial areas around the mill ponds west of Main, and residential areas east of Main. The district was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2000.

History

Milford was first settled in 1832, when Elizur and Stanley Ruggles established a sawmill here. The Ruggles sold to Stephen and John Armstrong in 1836, and the Armstrongs added a gristmill in 1839. North Milford Village was platted in 1838 by Aaron Phelps, who also dammed Pettibone Creek to create the still extant millponds. However, by the early 1840s Phelps ran into financial difficulties and sold out to the Hebbard brothers, who established an industrial park in North Milford. Soon a number of mills were located along Pettibone Creek, along with other industrial operations.

As industry grew, so did the commercial ventures along Main Street, and the residential section of town grew to house the new residents of Milford. The railroad came through Milford in 1871, causing a building boom both in the industrial and commercial enterprises now provided with an easy mode of transport. The majority of the commercial structures in Milford were built between 1872 and 1898. New stores included taverns, lumber yards, grocers and dry goods stores, drug stores, tailors, restaurants, and more. The residential section of town also expanded greatly, with Victorian houses joining the previous Greek Revival structures. New larger church buildings were also constructed.

In the twentieth century, the rise of the automobile brought new auto-related businesses. These included service stations, but also a new Ford Motor Company plant on the mill pond, and General Motors' Milford proving grounds outside of town. Newer houses were constructed to meet the needs of the influx of workers. In the period after World War II, Milford has avoided the urban renewal process, leaving a healthy cross-section of historical structures within the district intact.

Description

The North Milford Village Historic District consists of a three-block section of commercial buildings along Milford's North Main Street, along with adjacent residential areas along five east-west streets and six north-south streets, and the two historic mill ponds along Pettibone Creek. The district contains 312 structures, 255 of which contribute to the historical character of the district. The commercial district includes two- and three-story buildings primarily of brick and concrete block, in Italianate, Commercial brick, Tudor Revival, and Art Deco styles. The residential portion of the district contains wood frame, stone, concrete block and brick houses in a range of architectural styles, including Greek Revival, Italianate, Victorian Gothic, Late Victorian, Second Empire, Queen Anne, Stick, Chateauesque, Vernacular, Tudor Revival, Dutch Colonial Revival, Bungalow, Craftsman, English style and Cape Cod. The district also contains four historic churches.

References

External links

Media related to North Milford Village Historic District at Wikimedia Commons

Content available under CC BY-SA 4.0

North Milford Village Historic District