The Franklin Boulevard Historic District is a primarily residential historic district located in Pontiac, Michigan along Franklin Boulevard between West Huron Street and Orchard Lake Avenue. It also contains structures along Mary Day and Henry Clay Avenues between Franklin and Miller, and some structure along West Huron between Franklin and Williams, and along West Lawrence between Williams and the railroad. The district was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.
History.
Pontiac was founded in 1818, with the earliest development occurring downtown.The Sibley-Hoyt House, at 146 W. Lawrence St., part of the original downtown plat, started as a company farm and frame cabin in 1819 or 1820. It is the oldest structure in the district and a cornerstone of city, county, and state historical growth and development (Sibley-Hoyt House Wikipedia). Residential development soon spread west, first to Lawrence and Williams Streets in 1835, when George M Williams platted lots in the area. In 1886, Henry Clay Ward platted Franklin Boulevard (named after his son) and Mary Day and Henry Clay Avenues (named after his wife and himself). Lots in this area were sold and developed at different times, leading to a mix of architectural styles through the district.
Description.
The heart of the district, along Franklin Boulevard, contains relatively large lots with large, detached, single-family houses of two-and-a-half to three stories. There is a mix of architectural styles and materials, but the streetscape is unified by a consistent 60 foot setback from the street. The houses on the adjacent Mary Day and Henry Clay Avenues are smaller in scale and on smaller lots, but are also unified by their consistent setback and similar massing.
The eastern portion of district was developed earlier, and the houses are generally older. The houses along West Huron Street and Williams Street are placed on very large lots, with substantial open space between them. The structures on West Lawrence Street are generally smaller, from one and one-half to two and one-half stories high, and on smaller lots.
Significant structures in the district include:
References.
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