The Castle Museum, previously known as Castle Station or Saginaw Post Office, in

Saginaw, Michigan Saginaw () is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the seat of Saginaw County. The city of Saginaw and Saginaw County are both in the area known as Mid-Michigan. Saginaw is adjacent to Saginaw Charter Township and considered part of Greater ...

, United States is a historic structure on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...

. It is currently the home of the Historical Society of Saginaw County and officially known as the Castle Museum of Saginaw County History.

History

The Castle Museum was designed by

William Martin Aiken William Martin Aiken (April 1, 1855 – December 7, 1908) was an American architect who served as Supervising Architect of the United States Treasury and oversaw and participated in the design and construction of numerous federal buildings during ...

, the Supervising Architect of the

US Treasury The Department of the Treasury (USDT) is the national treasury and finance department of the federal government of the United States, where it serves as an executive department. The department oversees the Bureau of Engraving and Printing and ...

, and built in 1898 as a

United States Post Office The United States Postal Service (USPS), also known as the Post Office, U.S. Mail, or Postal Service, is an independent agency of the executive branch of the United States federal government responsible for providing postal service in the ...

under a federal building program to reflect the ethnic and cultural heritage of its community. Aiken used the influence of the European chateau to illustrate the Saginaw Valley's earliest white settlers—French fur traders and trappers—and combine it with decorations from the Italian Renaissance and Gothic periods. The Castle Building was on the verge of extinction in the 1930s. Unable to keep up with Saginaw's growing mail business, the Castle Post Office Station was too small and plans were made to replace it. A decision was made to tear it down and build a new post office on its site. A storm of protests and a petition signed by 1,000 residents was sent to Washington. The signers of the petition called the building “one of the best and most attractive buildings in Michigan” the replacement order was canceled in 1933. A final decision to demolish was made in February 1935 more protests followed and a compromise was made on February 17, 1935 the building would be extensively remodeled. The building was remodeled by local architect Carl Macomber, who enlarged the building by adding wings on both ends using limestone from the same quarry as the original building, tore down one of the three turrets, and added a large sorting room on the back of the building by Hoyt Library. Construction was completed in 1937 and Postmaster General James A. Farley labeled the building “memorial to President Roosevelt”. In the 1970s, a new post office was built and the building was almost demolished once again, but local citizens and the Saginaw County Board of Commissioners took steps to list the building on the National Register of Historic Places to ensure the preservation of the building and the local heritage it represents.

Exhibits

Some of the interesting items on permanent display include a 1914 Saginaw

cyclecar A cyclecar was a type of small, lightweight and inexpensive car manufactured in Europe and the United States between 1910 and the early 1920s. The purpose of cyclecars was to fill a gap in the market between the motorcycle and the car. A key ...

, archaeology exhibit, and a lumbering exhibit. The museum changes displays on a regular basis and nearly all have a Saginaw connection.

Gallery

Castle Museum 2 - Saginaw Michigan.jpg Castle Museum rear - Saginaw Michigan.jpg Former Castle Station post office- Saginaw Michigan.png

References

{{Reflist

External links

Historical Society of Saginaw County and the Castle Museum official site.
Government buildings completed in 1898 Buildings and structures in Saginaw, Michigan Post office buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in Michigan Museums in Saginaw County, Michigan History museums in Michigan National Register of Historic Places in Saginaw County, Michigan 1898 establishments in Michigan