Judge Robert S. Wilson House

Judge Robert S. Wilson House
Location 126 N. Division St., Ann Arbor, Michigan
Coordinates 42°16′55″N 83°44′37″W / 42.28194°N 83.74361°W / 42.28194; -83.74361Coordinates: 42°16′55″N 83°44′37″W / 42.28194°N 83.74361°W / 42.28194; -83.74361
Area less than one acre
Built 1839 (1839)
Architectural style Greek Revival
NRHP Reference # 72000663[1]
Added to NRHP March 16, 1972

The Judge Robert S. Wilson House, also known as the Wilson-Wahr House,[2] is a private house located at 126 North Division Street in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972.[1]

History

Robert S. Wilson was an attorney who moved from Allegheny County, New York, to Ann Arbor in 1835.[3] He was Judge of the Washtenaw County Probate court for a year, and served in the Michigan House of Representatives. In approximately 1839, Wilson had this house built on a lot in Ann Arbor. He lived there until 1850, when he moved to Chicago[3] and sold the house to John H. Welles.[4]

Welles is thought to have constructed the rear addition to the house, and made other extensive alterations.[4] In 1855, his son Henry moved into the house with his four daughters.[2] Henry Welles died in 1860, and the house passed to successive owners.[2] In 1893, the house was sold to in a tax sale to George Wahr. The Wahr family constructed another house next door as their residence, and rented the house to sororities and fraternities.[5] After 20 years, they moved back into the main Wilson-Wahr House.[6] The house passed on to the Wahr's daughter, Natalie Wahr Sallade, and the Sallades occupied the house until recently.

Greek Revival style facade with Ionic columns.

Architecture

The Robert S. Wilson House is a two-story Greek Revival structure constructed of brick with a stucco finish on a stone foundation.[3] Nearly every survey of Michigan architecture has singled out the Wilson House as an outstanding specimen of Neoclassical architecture design.[3]

The front facade boasts a full-width portico with Ionic fluted shaft columns, and an entryway framed by matching pilasters. Windows have external shutters. A two-story addition on the rear was likely constructed more recently than the main portion of the house.[3]

Interior

Inside, the main section of the house is two parlors deep with a hall containing a stairwell to the side. The rear addition has a side entrance into another stair hall. All the major rooms in the house have fireplaces.[3]

See also

References

Notes

  1. 1 2 National Park Service (2010-07-09). "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service.
  2. 1 2 3 Maldonado, Yvo. "Wilson-Wahr House". Retrieved June 16, 2013.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Judge Wilson House". Michigan State Housing Development Authority: Historic Sites Online. Retrieved March 13, 2013.
  4. 1 2 Wenzell, Herbert G. (1936). "Judge R. S. Wilson House" (PDF). Historic American Building Survey. Washington, D.C.: Library of Congress. Retrieved February 25, 2014.
  5. ↑ "126 North Division Street". Ann Arbor District Library. Retrieved June 16, 2013.
  6. ↑ Arlinghaus, Sandra Lach. "Division Street Historic District". Retrieved June 16, 2013.
Wilson House and gardens in c.1934 (HABS).
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