322 North Ann Arbor Street

322 North Ann Arbor Street
Date of Construction: 1879
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Edwin D. Ford House
Photo courtesy of Saline Area Historical Society
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Photos by Lori Swick
February 2013

This house is listed in the National Register of Historic Places as part of the North Ann Arbor Street District.

Architectural Description: This is a two-and-one-half story, crossed gabled Queen Anne style house. The two-story cut-a-way bays on the west-facing facade and south elevation are decorated with diagonal brackets. The wrap around front porch was added sometime after 1929. The porch contains a plain wood balustrade and round column supports, resting on brick piers. An additional entry porch on the north elevation to the rear is decorated in the "Eastlake" style, with spindlework supports, balustrade, railing and frieze. There is a two-story, mansard roof addition on the rear of the house. The windows are one light over one with molded wood lintels and sills. A small round window is in the upper half of the front gable.

History: Edwin Ford, who was a builder and carpenter by trade, built this house in ca. 1879. Mr. Ford built many homes in the Saline area. In 1880, Edwin and his son Flavius started a lumberyard business on North Ann Arbor Street. The business expanded over the years and eventually included the sale of building supplies, agricultural machinery and carriages. Flavius continued the business after Edwin died in 1904. Christian and Mary Lambarth owned the house from 1926-1947.

Sources:
"Historic District Study Committee Report of North Ann Arbor Street Local Historic District." 2004.

Kosky & Glynn Associates. "Historical and Architectural Survey." Saline, Michigan. 1994.

National Register of Historic Places, North Ann Arbor Street Historic District, Saline, Washtenaw County, Michigan, National Register #85002958

Sommers, Laurie. "National Register of Historic Places Inventory - Nomination Form: Historic Resources of Saline, Michigan--Partial Inventory: Historic and Architectural Properties." National Park Service.

Suggested Reading:
McAlester, Virginia, and Lee McAlester. A Field Guide to American Houses. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1984.

 

Prepared by Lori Swick
April 17, 2013