Lake Linden Village Hall and Fire Station

Lake Linden Village Hall and Fire Station
Location: 401 Calumet Ave., Lake Linden, Michigan
Built: 1901
Architect: Charles K. Shand
Architectural style: Classical Revival, Romanesque
Governing body: Local
Part of: Lake Linden Historic District (#09000522)
NRHP Reference#: 81000308[1]
Significant dates
Added to NRHP: October 26, 1981
Designated MSHS: December 15, 1994[2]

The Lake Linden Village Hall and Fire Station is a public building located at 401 Calumet Avenue in the Lake Linden Historic District in Lake Linden, Michigan. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1981[1] and designated a Michigan State Historic Site in 1994.[2]

Description

The Hall is a two-story Richardsonian Romanesque structure on a rough sandstone base[3] The first story is constructed of red brick, with lighter brick above; belt courses run between floors and above the windows; additional trim is made from sandstone.[2] A square tower dominates the center of the front facade; the front entrance is through the tower.[2] Pavilions on each side of the tower terminate in gables projecting from the hipped roof,[4] originally covered with slate.[2] Each of the pavilions has a group of three arched windows on each story; the tower has two arched sindows on each story and a single arched entrance on the ground level.[4] The third story of the tower is pierced with arched openings,[4] and an octagonal cupola sits atop the tower.[3] A small, flat-roofed, one-story addition projects toward the rear.[2]

The interior of the building is finished with plaster and wainscoating, and contains Art Deco light fixtures.[4] The first floor contains a village office, police and fire station, and a loung area.[4] The second floor contains a council hall, large meeting room, and kitchen, bathroom, and storage facilities.[4]

History

The village of Lake Linden suffered a devastating fire in May 1887, which affected 75% of the structures.[3] Although the frame village hall survived, city fathers believed that a new fireproof structure with space for a fire station would be in the best interests of the community.[2] In 1901, the village asked architects for designs, and chose one submitted by Charles K. Shand[3] of Calumet.[2] The Hall was built by a local contractor, L. F. Ursin, and opened in 1902, serving as village offices, fire station, polling place, and public meeting hall.[2]

A propeller from the Lady Be Good, an American B-24 Liberator lost in the Libyan Desert in April 1943, is on display in front of the village hall. Crewmember T/Sgt. Robert E. LaMotte of Lake Linden was a radio operator aboard the aircraft. His remains were found in the desert in 1960.[5]

References

  1. ^ a b "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. 2009-03-13. http://nrhp.focus.nps.gov/natreg/docs/All_Data.html. 
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Lake Linden Village Hall and Fire Station from the state of Michigan, retrieved 8/18/09
  3. ^ a b c d Stephanie K. Atwood (August 17, 2008). "National Register of Historic Places Registration: Lake Linden Historic District" (PDF). National Park Service. http://www.nps.gov/history/nr/feature/weekly_features/LakeLindenHD.pdf. Retrieved August 12, 2009.  (47 pages, with map and 12 photos)
  4. ^ a b c d e f Copper Country Architacts: Charles K. Shand, retrieved 8/19/09
  5. ^ Charles Eshbach. "The Mystery Bomber’s Crew". KTOnline. http://www.kewtrav.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=41:giant-of-the-keweenaw&catid=1:stories&Itemid=3. Retrieved July 24, 2011. , gleaned from Mario Martinez (April 1999), Lady's Men: The Story of World War II's Mystery Bomber and Her Crew, US Naval Institute Press, ISBN 1557505535