106 West Henry Street

106 West Henry Street
Date of Construction: ca. 1870

Photo by Lori Swick
February 2013

Architectural Description: This two-story, gabled ell house is built of wood framed construction. The enclosed porch has a flat roof that extends the full width of the wing section, with the main entry door being on the east side of this porch. The exterior has brown wood shingles on the second story and brick veneer on the first story. A modern addition was added to the house sometime after 1994. The addition is frame, clad with wood shingles and can be seen from the street front to the back west side of the house. Appraisal Records from 1947 to 1964 show the original structure had a kitchen, living room, dining room and three bedrooms. The interior walls were listed as having plaster with pine trim, and the floors were a combination of pine hard wood, carpeting and tile (Nault). There is a garage to the rear east side of the property that has a chimney on its west elevation. The date of construction for the garage is unknown.

History: According to extensive deed research conducted in 2004 by Eastern Michigan University graduate student Tricia Nault, this house had several owners after it was built in 1870. Early owners of this house included Daniel Weinett (1876-1880), Caleb King (1880-1900), Jacob and Anna Clough (1901-1918), Judson Wheelock (1918-1926), Cora Dickson (1926-1934) and Ella Teshka (1934-1945). Kosky & Glynn's Survey of this property reported that it was the site of the first hospital in Saline, from 1928-1932, while under the ownership of Ms. Dickson. A Saline Observer article (dated October 14, 1954) stated that after Mrs. Dickson discontinued the hospital at 106 West Henry, nurse Helen Wacker (then Helen McHenry) operated another small hospital at 203 West Henry for a short time.

Sources:
"Historic District Study Committee Report of West Henry/South Lewis Local Historic District." 2001.

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

Nault, Tricia. "A Profile of Saline’s Historic Properties: 106 West Henry Street." Graduate Student Report, Eastern Michigan University, 2003.

Saline Observer, October 14, 1954. Clark Historical Library Newspaper Collection. http://condor.cmich.edu/cdm/landingpage/collection/p15076coll5.

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

Prepared by Lori Swick
April 17, 2013