The Liberty Hyde Bailey Birthplace, now the Liberty Hyde Bailey Museum, is a farmhouse located at 903 Bailey Avenue in South Haven, Michigan, and is significant as the birthplace and childhood home of horticulturist

Liberty Hyde Bailey Liberty Hyde Bailey (March 15, 1858 – December 25, 1954) was an American horticulturist and reformer of rural life. He was cofounder of the American Society for Horticultural Science.Makers of American Botany, Harry Baker Humphrey, Ronald Press ...

. It was designated a Michigan State Historic Site in 1963 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.

History

This farmhouse was built in 1853-1858 by Liberty Hyde Bailey Sr., and stood on his 80-acre farm. In 1858,

was born in this house; the younger Bailey spent 19 years living here, learning about the local wild animals and plants. He entered Michigan Agricultural College (now

Michigan State University Michigan State University (Michigan State, MSU) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in East Lansing, Michigan. It was founded in 1855 as the Agricultural College of the State of Michigan, the fi ...

) in 1878, and went on to become a well-known horticulturist,

botanist Botany, also called , plant biology or phytology, is the science of plant life and a branch of biology. A botanist, plant scientist or phytologist is a scientist who specialises in this field. The term "botany" comes from the Ancient Greek wo ...

and cofounder of the American Society for Horticultural Science. In 1918, Frank E. Warner purchased the Bailey farm, and lived there until his death in 1926. In 1937, the property which the house stands on was presented to the city of South Haven for use as a memorial to Dr. Bailey.

Description

The Liberty Hyde Bailey Birthplace is a -story Greek Revival house clad in clapboard and sitting on a

fieldstone Fieldstone is a naturally occurring type of stone, which lies at or near the surface of the Earth. Fieldstone is a nuisance for farmers seeking to expand their land under cultivation, but at some point it began to be used as a construction mate ...

foundation. A single-story rear section was added some time after the original construction. The interior has plaster walls and ceilings with plain board trim. The first floor contains sitting and dining rooms, a kitchen, a bedroom, and a storage room. The second floor contains three bedrooms and a small library.

References

External links

Liberty Hyde Bailey Museum
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bailey, Liberty Hyde Houses on the National Register of Historic Places in Michigan Greek Revival houses in Michigan Houses completed in 1853 LIberty Hyde Bailey Museum Michigan State Historic Sites Historic house museums in Michigan Biographical museums in Michigan Houses in Van Buren County, Michigan 1853 establishments in Michigan Birthplaces of individual people National Register of Historic Places in Van Buren County, Michigan