Tour Feature
   The Atwood house is believed to be the oldest residence in Mount Clemens and one of the oldest in Macomb County. Situated on the corner of Moross Avenue and Church Street, the stately modified Greek Revival house reflects the excellent preservation that has enabled it to withstand the ravages of time for 164 years.

   The house was erected in 1835 by Captain Sylvester F. Atwood who operated the "Lady of the Lake" which carried cargo by river from Detroit to Mount Clemens. Originally the house was located on the east side of Gratiot Avenue just a few lots south of Shelby Road (now Cass Avenue).

   During the nineteenth century the house had a number of owners including August Kimritz, a cigar manufacturer who operated his business in the adjoining building, and Edgar Weeks, a United States Congressman, who, according to various accounts, purchased the house in the late nineteenth century as a sentimental gesture for his wife. Congressman Weeks moved the house to its present location on Moross, then a part of the Ignace Moross farm.

   In the twentieth century the house underwent several remodeling and redecorating projects. When Mark and Mabel Alpern purchased it in 1939, they made structural changes which joined the past and present as authentically as possible. The C. Bernard McGhees purchased the home in 1954 following the death of Mark Alpern. Several years later the McGhees redecorated the interior and installed an 1885 wrought iron fence manufactured in Canada.

   One of the outstanding features of the house is its large front porch with two story Doric columns characteristic of the Greek Revival style. The dark green shutters and blue ceilings of the porches are also typical ornamental touches. The basement has supporting beams of hand-hewn black walnut. Quarter-sawn oak makes up the flooring downstairs while the original twenty inch wide planks remain upstairs. The garage was once a two story barn located at the rear of the property. The current owners are Mike and Julie Laforge who purchased the property from C. Bernard McGhee in 1998.

Mount Clemens Happenings in 1880
   Although there were several weekly publications in the city in 1880, only two survived for more than a few months. They were the Mount Clemens Monitor and Mount Clemens Press. The former, a weekly, has been microfilmed and is available at the library.   Early in the spring John and Frank Nellis formed a company to publish the 21 year old Monitor from its new office over the Babcock Drug on Court street.

   Newspaper editors of the 19th century were usually the owners and gave themselves liberties that their present day counterparts dare not take.. Some of the following excerpts from 1880 are examples.

   The Monitor editor made a sneering comment on the spelling in the Romeo Observer whereupon the latter printed a notice calling him a Jackass.

   In May, the constable was ordered to send a man on his way who had proposed to six widows and two old maids. No names were mentioned. Another man committed suicide when his "insane" idea of digging a canal from the river to the lake was hooted down.

   The Romeo-Mount Clemens feud continued when the Observer editor wrote: "since we joined the Democratic Party we feel like going to church twice a day." Editor Nellis replied in print: "And you need to."

   At the end of the spring semester the city school board printed its annual report. The principal had been paid $1100.00 for the year, the preceptress(?) $400.00 and each of the seven teachers $280.00. The Board officially noted that there had been a lack of zeal shown by the teaching staff. [Ingratitude no doubt?]

   Crime, then as now, was a problem. One Herman Choskey was robbed of a herd of sheep as they crossed the [South Gratiot] White Bridge. It was noted that a minister of a Richmond church was arrested for embezzling $6.35 from the collection receipts.

   The Alderman okayed payment of $3.25 to Charles Lamb for repairing the Market Street bridge but only on condition that Clinton Twp. pay half.

   In the fall a notice was printed: "The Monitor will not run an [Armada] Fair daily edition this year. There is plenty of glory in running a daily paper but little fun and less money."

   In February the county Board of Supervisors passed a resolution suggesting that Romeo become the county seat. In an angry editorial the Monitor pointed out that Mount Clemens had 4,000 residents and was obviously the leading town in the county. City officials quickly offered to build a $25,000 courthouse and in March passed an ordinance approving a $20,000 loan to start the project. By October 22 the cornerstone was laid by proud city fathers.

   Transportation was costly and travelers to Detroit by boat paid 25 cents round trip daily or $1.00 on Sunday. One could rent a rig from the Lodewyck livery for 75 cents a day. The Grand Trunk RR improved its local station with a new bay window.

   Inflation is nothing new. Prices at the city market went up to $6.75 for a barrel of flour, wheat to $1.30 a bushel and for your horse it was $16.00 a bale.

   A warning was issued against ladies wearing cosmetics while taking mineral baths.

   Progress of another sort was illustrated by the purchase of a five acre addition to Clinton Grove Cemetery from the William Campbell farm.

   This article excerpted from a past "Historically Speaking" by Mark McKee)

    You may also include your home on the Mount Clemens Historical Commission Home Tour! Click the link for the application below.