Castle Museum (Saginaw, Michigan)

Castle Station
The Castle Museum of Saginaw County History
Location: S. Jefferson at Federal St., Saginaw, Michigan
Built: 1897
Architect: Aiken,William M.; Macomber,Carl
Architectural style: Renaissance, Other
Governing body: Federal (General Services Administration)
NRHP Reference#: 72000652[1]
Added to NRHP: January 13, 1972

The Castle Museum, previously known as Castle Station or Saginaw Post Office, in Saginaw, Michigan, USA is a historic structure on the National Register of Historic Places. It is currently the home of the Historical Society of Saginaw County and officially known as the Castle Museum of Saginaw County History.

Contents

History

The Castle Museum was designed by William Martin Aiken, the Supervising Architect of the US Treasury , and built in 1898 as a United States Post Office.[2] In the 1930s, the post office was becoming too small and a movement was started to get the post office out and into another building. An uproar arose because no one wanted their beloved castle to be torn down. The building was remodeled by local architect Carl Macomber, who enlarged the building, tore down one of the three turrets, and added a large sorting room on the back of the building (by Hoyt Library). In the 1970s, a new post office was built and the building was almost demolished once again, but local citizens and the Saginaw County Board of Commissioners took steps to list the building on the National Register of Historic Places to ensure the preservation of the building and the local heritage it represents.[3]

The Castle Museum and Annex is located at 500 Federal Avenue, Saginaw, MI 48607. Phone: (989) 752-2861 Fax: (989) 752-1533.[4]

Exhibits

Some of the interesting items on permanent display include a 1914 Saginaw cyclecar, archaeology exhibit, and a lumbering exhibit. The museum changes displays on a regular basis and nearly all have a Saginaw connection.

References

  1. ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. 2008-04-15. http://nrhp.focus.nps.gov/natreg/docs/All_Data.html. 
  2. ^ [http://www.nr.nps.gov/Red%20Books/72000652.red.pdf "Saginaw. CASTLE STATION (SAGINAW POST OFFICE)"]. National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. http://www.nr.nps.gov/Red%20Books/72000652.red.pdf. Retrieved 2007-11-14. 
  3. ^ National Park Service. "Historical Society of Saginaw County :: Castle Building". Historical Society of Saginaw County. Archived from the original on 2007-11-02. http://web.archive.org/web/20071102080430/http://www.castlemuseum.org/castle_building.htm. Retrieved 2007-11-07. 
  4. ^ Historical Society of Saginaw County and the Castle Museum official site.

External links