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Old Homestead Yields To Lurie Terrace

Old Homestead Yields To Lurie Terrace image
Parent Issue
Day
9
Month
August
Year
1963
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Donated by the Ann Arbor News. © The Ann Arbor News.
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Old Homestead Yields To Lurie Terrace

An old homestead, which once was believed to be the oldest masonry house west of Detroit in Michigan, will be remembered in a lasting way when Lurie Terrace, an eight-story housing project of the Senior Citizens Guild, is completed.

Three thousand bricks from the old house at 600 W. Huron St. have been stored away for safe keeping until a patio is built at the housing development.

According to Mrs. Shata Ling, executive director of Lurie Terrace, the patio will be dedicated to Lorin Mills, one of Ann Arbor's pioneers.

Mills built the house and another one on the southwest corner of Main and Liberty Sts., which actually was the first brick house west of Detroit in Michigan.

The residence has already been demolished to make room for the $1,700,000 housing project, but not before Ross W. Campbell, an Ann Arbor attorney, discovered that this was one of the houses that Mills, his great-great-grandfather, built in Ann Arbor.

Campbell began his search four years ago when he came across a picture (see below) in a stack of old family records. Mills (who appears in the foreground of the old picture below) came to the Ann Arbor area from Enfield, Conn., with his family in 1826.

The house for more than 35 years was owned by the late Harry Atwell, prominent local engineering surveyor. Built of brick, it had many evidences of the construction methods used in pre-Civil War days. About 10 years ago yellow stucco was applied over the brick exterior, but the general shape of the dwelling still resembled the Mills home.

Miss Lela Duff, noted Ann Arbor historian, mentioned the Mills home in her book, "Ann Arbor Yesterdays." Her own investigation led Miss Duff to the conclusion that "Lorin Mills built two brick houses, the earlier one on Main at Liberty, perhaps a simpler structure, erected about the time of his marriage to his beloved Harriet Parsons, Ann Arbor's second school teacher."

Miss Duff said the Mills home was located on the crest of hill, which was dubbed "Piety Hill" by the townspeople because the families living there were all great church people.

"I am sure that 'Deacon Mills,' being the devout and energetic person that he was, would be delighted that this site, which he must have loved so well, is now dedicated to such a worthy purpose," Campbell said.

Named Lurie Terrace after the last name of Mrs. Ling's mother, the two eight-story buildings, with 142 units for persons age 62 and over, are expected to be completed by late 1964.

PATIO IN REMEMBRANCE: The Old Lorin Mills house at 600 W. Huron St., which has been demolished to make way for Lurie Terrace, will be remembered in the form of a patio constructed out of bricks from the house. Ross W. Campbell, great-great-grandson of Mills (center), and his two sons, Christopher (extreme left) and Charles examine the bricks on the site along with (from left) Avery Downer, president of the Senior Citizens Housing of Ann Arbor, Inc., Miss Lela Duff, local historian, and Mrs. Shata Ling, future director of Lurie Terrace.

LORIN MILLS HOUSE REMEMBERED: This is how the old Lorin Mills house at 600 W. Huron St. appeared at two periods. It was demolished recently to make room for Lurie Terrace. The old picture of the house, with Lorin Mills standing in the foreground, was discovered by Ross W. Campbell, great-great-grandson of Mills.