The Griswold Civic Center Historic District is a small historic district containing eight civic and religious buildings, roughly bounded by Hubbard, Walnut, and Trowbridge Streets, in

Allegan, Michigan Allegan ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. Its population was 5,222 at the 2020 census. It is the county seat of Allegan County. It lies within Allegan Township but is administratively autonomous. History The men after whom Allegan's ...

. It was added to 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 v ...

in 1987.

History

The original 1837 Allegan Company platting of the community provided a large plat of land as a public square. In 1839–41, the county constructed a jail and associated residence on the square, and added a brick county office building in 1847. A larger jail was built in 1861, and larger office building in 1871. In 1889, the county built a large courthouse in the center of the square. The jail was replaced one more time in 1905–06 with the present structure. In the meantime, three church congregations constructed their churches surrounding the square. The United Methodist Church was founded in 1836, and in 1905 constructed the present building, the third on the same site. The First Baptist Church was established in 1841 and built the current structure in 1892–93. The Church of the Good Shepherd was founded in 1859 and still uses their original church building, constructed in 1867–69. In the early twentieth century, Allegan's population increased, growing 20% between 1911 and 1917. IN 1913, community leaders obtained a $10,000 grant from the Carnegie Foundation to construct a new library. Plans were prepared by Grant Miller, a Chicago architect, and the library was constructed in 1914. Later, in 1981, local philanthropist Marilla Griswold left $100,000 to the city to build an auditorium and general meeting place. Despite delays, the Griswold Memorial Auditorium was completed until 1929. The county replaced the courthouse with a modern structure in 1960–61. In 1962, a new jail was built, and the old jail used for other things.

Description

The small Griswold Civic Center Historic District contains eight structures situated around the courthouse square. These include:

Old School

This building, constructed in 1836, is located at 325-27 Hubbard Street. It is a two-story structure with flank gables. The school was originally located a block from the square but was moved to its present location in the late 19th century. It served later as a boarding house, and has been converted to offices.

Carnegie Library

This building, constructed in 1914, is located at 331 Hubbard Street. It was designed by

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

architect Grant Miller. It is a single-story brick Craftsman building with a tile-covered hipped roof and fieldstone foundation. A larger 1975 addition is located to the rear.

Griswold Memorial Auditorium

This building, constructed in 1929, is located at 401 Hubbard Street. It is a two-story asymmetrical brick building with limestone trim.

Church of the Good Shepherd

This building, constructed in 1867–69, is located at 101 Walnut Street. The building was designed by

Gordon W. Lloyd Gordon W. Lloyd was an architect of English origin, whose work was primarily in the American Midwest. After being taught by his uncle, Ewan Christian, at the Royal Academy, Lloyd moved to Detroit in 1858. There he established himself as a popul ...

. It is a frame,

Gothic Revival Gothic Revival (also referred to as Victorian Gothic, neo-Gothic, or Gothick) is an architectural movement that began in the late 1740s in England. The movement gained momentum and expanded in the first half of the 19th century, as increasingly ...

church with a steeply pitched gable roof and a tall, pyramid-roof belfry. It is clad with vertical, board-and-batten siding and narrow lancet windows. A 1902 brick parish house is located next door.

Old Allegan County Sheriff's Residence and Jail

This building, constructed in 1905–1906, is located at 113 Walnut Street. It is a large red brick, Queen Anne/

Colonial Revival The Colonial Revival architectural style seeks to revive elements of American colonial architecture. The beginnings of the Colonial Revival style are often attributed to the Centennial Exhibition of 1876, which reawakened Americans to the archi ...

structure with an octagonal corner tower and a Tuscan-column front porch. The building now serves as the county historical museum.

United Methodist Church

This building, constructed in 1905, is located at 401 Trowbridge Street. It is a

Romanesque Revival Romanesque Revival (or Neo-Romanesque) is a style of building employed beginning in the mid-19th century inspired by the 11th- and 12th-century Romanesque architecture. Unlike the historic Romanesque style, Romanesque Revival buildings tended to ...

building faced with random ashlar with a square corner tower.

First Baptist Church

This building, constructed in 1892, is located at 330 Trowbridge Street. It was designed by Bay City architect Dillon P. Clark. It is square orange brick

structure with a tower at the street corner. A modern parish house addition is connected to one side.

Gallery

File:Griswold 02 Allegan Public Library.jpg, Carnegie Library File:Griswold 01 Griswold Memorial Civic Center.jpg, Griswold Memorial Auditorium File:Church of the Good Shepherd-Allegan.jpg, Church of the Good Shepherd File:Griswold 05 United Methodist.jpg, United Methodist Church File:Griswold 03 First Baptist.jpg, First Baptist Church

References

{{National Register of Historic Places National Register of Historic Places in Allegan County, Michigan Victorian architecture in Michigan Late 19th and Early 20th Century American Movements architecture Historic districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Michigan