405 North Ann Arbor Street

Architectural Description: This is a rectangular shaped, one-story frame building that has a simple gable roof, with the gable end facing eastward. The entry door is on the south elevation and is flanked by two single windows to the east and two double casement windows to the west. Two large plate glass windows meet at the southwest corner, and are surrounded by additional double casement windows.

Everts & Stewart Combination Atlas Map (1874)
Close-up of Bennett’s Addition

History: In 1870, with the arrival of the Detroit, Hillsdale, and Indiana Railroad, major growth expansion pushed the northern border of Saline Township into Lodi Township. http://salinelibrary.org/sbfg/saline/growth.html One year later, Harvey Bennett platted land which encompassed the newly expanded region. This became the area known as Bennett’s Addition. The structure at 405 North Ann Arbor Street was located on lots 22-28 of Bennett’s Addition. This building has served as a business/commercial structure since brothers Charles Cool (303 North Ann Arbor Street) and Lewis Cool (314 North Ann Arbor Street) developed this parcel of land and built the Cool Brothers Grain Company Operations in 1910. In 1918, the brothers sold the business to the Saline Mercantile Company, which specialized in grain, feed grinding, lumber, coal and various chemicals for farmsteads. The business operated from this location until it closed in 1971. The following year, the Saline Mercantile sold lots 24,25,26,27 and 28 of Bennett’s Addition to Gary and Gene Girbach and brothers Dean and David Zahn (Akmon). David and Marilyn Zahn own the property and have rented the structure at 405 North Ann Arbor Street to various businesses, including "Sammi’s Hair Station", a salon that is currently located in this building.

Sources:
Akmon, Devon M. "A Profile of Saline’s Historic Properties: 405 North Ann Arbor Street." Graduate Student Report, Eastern Michigan University, 2003.

Everts and Stewart. Combination Atlas Map of Washtenaw County, Michigan. Chicago: Dural and Hunter, 1874.  http://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/micounty/3928074.0001.001/114?page=root;rgn=full+text;size=100;view=image

"Historic District Study Committee Report of North Ann Arbor Street Local Historic District." 2004. Kosky & Glynn Associates.

"Historical and Architectural Survey." Saline, Michigan. 1994.

Sanborn Fire Insurance Map of Saline, Washtenaw County, Michigan. New York: Sanborn Map Company, 1912. Sheet #1.
Sanborn Fire Insurance Map of Saline, Washtenaw County, Michigan. New York: Sanborn Map Company, 1921. Sheet #1.

* Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps of Saline, Michigan, Washtenaw County (1888,1893, 1899, 1912, 1921 and 1929) are owned by the City of Saline and located at the Saline City Hall.

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

 

Prepared by Lori Swick
April 17, 2013

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