Union Block

This handsome Italianate brick block has long served as a pivotal structure in the four-corners of Saline. While commercial development in downtown Saline as a whole has vitiated its historic character, the size, location, and recent restoration of this building and the neighboring Wallace Block preserve some of the historic ambience of this nineteenth century crossroads. The lack of tax records and newspapers for the 1870s and 1880s make it impossible to provide exact documentation for this building. Architectural features and existing property abstracts suggest that the building was constructed by different owners at two different times. The 1872 Bird's Eye View shows wooden structures on this site. By 1882, the Village Council Minutes refer to the Union Block, thus indicating that one building (probably the east four bays) was completed sometime between the two dates. An 1880 abstract describes 'the Miller Brick Block' on the corner, or the west two bays. Accordingly, this portion of the existing block dates from the 1872-1880 period, probably ca. 1877-80. Henry J. Miller, land speculator and merchant, purchased the lot on which the west two bays are located in 1871. The abstracts for 105-113 S. Ann Arbor combined with the previously-mentioned 1880 abstract reference to 'the Miller Brick Block' on the corner suggest that Miller constructed two blocks, one on the corner of E. Michigan which still stands, and an earlier structure on the site of 105-113 S. Ann Arbor which was destroyed in the fire of 1881. In 1879 Miller and Sherman Hinckley had a store in the bay next to the corner site. The east four bays may in fact have been the original Union Block, although the whole building now is known by that name. This portion of the structure was purchased by Sherman Hinkley in 1877 and owned by him through 1891, at which time his will describes 'five stores on Michigan Avenue.' The Union Block was probably built in the late 1870s during Hinckley's ownership. Throughout the years the building has housed a variety of commercial enterprises, among them a harness shop, jewelry store, drug store, post office, general store, meat market, and Salvation Army. Commercial uses continue into the present with apartments and office space in the second story.

This two-story, six-bay, rectangular Italianate block occupies less than one acre of commercially-zoned property on the southeast corner of the intersection of E. Michigan Avenue and Ann Arbor Street in downtown Saline. The main facade of the predominantly red brick 132 x 60 foot building faces E. Michigan and fronts directly onto the sidewalk. Dentillated brickwork and an ornamental bracketed cornice, originally topped by cresting at the roof line, crown the structure. The second story recessed panels are divided by brick pilasters topped by decorative capitals. Differing fenestration and the differing levels of the secondary cornice line (the secondary cornice is now removed) distinguish the east four bays from the west two bays. Two rectangular windows topped by brick hoodmolds articulate each of the west four bays, while three rectangular windows, topped by brick hoodmolds with ornamental stone keystones, articulate each of the two west bays. A fire escape, windows, and entrances on both stories highlight the west facade. The rear of the building, which adjoins an alley, has two-story wooden porches extending along its length. Restoration activities in 1977 included repainting the cornice and woodwork and stripping paint from the bricks. Although the building's lower story has undergone less alteration than most Saline commercial buildings of the period, few original design features remain. The original cast iron columns remain intact only in the western-most bay, which was renovated in 1977 in a period style that retains the nineteenth century facade rhythm of display windows flanking a central entryway. The adjoining three bays also were renovated in 1977, two with stained glass transoms and one with wood accents. The easterly two bays still exhibit intrusive twentieth century remodelling. The interiors of both floors are being renovated and remodeled for commercial use by the current owner. Little original building fabric remains.