Michigan Architecture

Excuses why I haven't updated this blog since November aside, I had a bit of an epiphany while driving through Traverse City this afternoon. Stephanie was driving, and we were approaching an old service station. I had to look twice, as I thought I was seeing things -- but I wasn't. It was an operational service station housed in a beautiful example of art deco architecture.

The first thing that caught my eye was the awesome, stylized type on the left side of the building.

The exterior looked to be in beautiful shape. So beautiful, in fact, that the gold detailing above the doorway was glistening in the sun.

This, of course, brings me back to the sad state of present-day architecture designed for buildings of utilitarian purposes, such as service stations. You aren't going to see a service station built this extravagantly -- ever again. Chances are these days, you won't see a new furniture store, car dealership, or even a bank designed so intricately. It's very telling, and we can all draw our own conclusions as to why, as a culture, we've turned into what we are today -- homogenous.

While we're on the subject of service stations, it's always important to mention these places.

Labels: art deco, service station, traverse city

A huge part of the art school here at Northern Michigan University is AD 303 -- Individual Art Review -- a pass-or-fail class that determines whether or not you can continue being an art major. It's serious, scary business and you are required not only to build a portfolio, but develop a statement of intent that clearly explains the social purpose behind your artwork. Leading up to the final review, you develop this statement of intent (presenting it to your advisor several times), create a resume, and make digital documentation of your portfolio. For the final review, you hand out your statement of intent and present your portfolio to a panel of six art professors, one of which is your advisor. You are then questioned for twenty-five minutes, and you have no prior knowledge of the crazy things these professors might ask you. And then -- you pass, or you fail.


I went through this process yesterday, and I'm pleased to report that I passed with a satisfactory grade. It's a whole lot of stress off my shoulders, and now I can focus more on other classes that I've been neglecting. The scariest part of yesterday's review was when I was asked if I considered myself to be of the modern or post-modern thought process. I froze up and admitted I really didn't know what these two schools of thought were -- oops. Yeah, pretty embarrassing, and it didn't help that the review had just started and I was still really freaking out at this point.


Anyway, besides the photography aspect, how does this relate to this Michigan Architecture Blog? My portfolio consists of twelve photographs, all fragments of buildings from the northern portion of the state of Michigan. I don't want to get into my whole statement of intent (I'm incredibly sick of reading and retyping it at this point, believe me) -- but part of it was focusing on the gradual transformation that these buildings are going through, and how their current use and appearance is often far different than how they were originally imagined, five, seven, ten decades ago.

Labels: chassell, college, cross village, facades, germfask, hancock, houghton, negaunee, republic, upper peninsula

A year's gone by since I've last updated this blog, and after some (fortunate) persuasion by several people, I've finally convinced myself that it's high time to continue posting here. I don't want to include too much personal stuff on this blog, but life's been a little crazy for the past eleven months, and certainly quite busy. College, friends, and internet culture kind of takes over, and all of a sudden, you find you aren't updating things like you used to! Anyway, hopefully that's over, and I can continue to post photographs and information here, celebrating Michigan's architecture.

Labels: ann arbor, cheboygan, chelsea, eagle harbor, eyesores, houghton, lighthouse, marquette, photography, theater

A few weekends ago, I visited Ironwood with my roommate and suitemates. It was the first time I've been to that part of the state, and I can assure you, it's absolutely beautiful. On the way there, the fall colors were at their peak (though they have not gotten there yet here in Marquette) and the trees were simply gorgeous. The main reason I wanted to go to Ironwood was to photograph the historic Ironwood Theatre -- the very last Michigan theater left for me to see! There were other architectural treats to be seen, as well.



The Luther L. Wright High School, built in 1924.



The high school has some fantastic exterior details surrounding its front door and windows! Of course, my friends thought I was an über-geek, photographing the building, but... Really, if my high school had looked this awesome, it would have made the experience that much better.



A detail on the terra cotta embellishments that surround the school's main entrance.

Now, moving on to Ironwood's beautiful main-street cinema:



Here's the Ironwood Theatre, the last on my list of historic movie theaters to photograph! It was well worth the wait, the 3.5-hour drive, and the pouring rain along the way. I couldn't get inside the theater, unfortunately, but I hear it carries a classical theme with murals that depict gryphons and other mythical creatures.

According to WaterWinterWonderland.com, the Ironwood Theatre was built in 1928, designed as a silent movie and vaudeville palace. The architect was Albert Nelson, and the cost of the building was $160,000.



Gryphons atop a side door on the Ironwood Theatre.



Gryphons adorn the theater's marquee, as well.



Lastly, the Ironwood Theatre's marquee, lit up for a night performance! It was wonderful to see the neon and the light bulbs flashing.

Labels: ironwood, school, theater, upper peninsula

The Huron Mountain Club, northwest of Big Bay in the Upper Peninsula's Marquette County, has been the subject of much local lore and speculation for the last century. It's a place that only a select amount of people get to see, let alone visit; the lucky few are either the long-time residents whose families have been club members for generations, or scientists who receive grants to study the local fauna. The area is rich in history and wildlife, and while the Club can be quite secretive, it always welcomes researchers. I've been lucky enough to have the opportunity to visit and stay at the club many times over the years, as my father, at the time, was studying the native insect species. Whenever we stayed, my family would be hosted at the Stone House on Ives Lake, perhaps the most beautiful area on the Huron Mountain Club's property.



The Stone House sits right at the edge of Ives Lake, a glacial lake that is very deep and cold, carved out of the granite bedrock tens of thousands of years ago. The water laps at the stone walls of the cabin, and a porch encircles three of the structure's four sides. It is constructed from large logs hewn from the nearby hillsides, and granite taken from the area. The downstairs portion of the Stone House consists of a large kitchen and small dining area -- all quite rustic -- as well as a spacious area for researchers to work, a bathroom that once functioned as a darkroom, and a large living room. The fireplace in the living room, which is no longer used, has an inscription on the mantle that reads There is no defeat in truth, save from within; unless you're beaten there, you're bound to win. Bedrooms and bathrooms fill the second floor of the Stone House. Some rooms overlook Ives Lake; those are the very best to be in. I remember some mornings, where I'd wake up at dawn, and the gray of the sky matched the gray of the lake; the only sound would be the singing of the loons. The Stone House also has a basement and an attic.



The Red House sits next to the Stone House. Both were built in the early 1900s (the exact date escapes me at this time), although at this time, the Red House is not being used. Club members are, however, working to get the Red House restored so that researchers can use it (the Stone House, believe it or not, does get very crowded in the summer months). The building is structurally sound and looks relatively untouched since its last use -- a time that I'd venture to be the 1970s. Unlike the Stone House, the Red House features a more Shingle Style -type of appearance. Next to the Red House is the caretaker's house, and beyond that is the Barn, which, after being threatened for some time, is very much safe and is in the very best interest of the Huron Mountain Club.



When we visited the Club in late August of this year, there were several changes to be seen. The structure adjoining the two silos had been demolished and the Oldsmobile inside was gone; the new caretaker had also cleaned up around the Stone House, improving the garden and moving two very curious architectural elements to decorate the pathway. He explained that he'd been in the field across from the barn when he'd found the two chunks of limestone (a stone not native to the area), decorated in the floral motifs of the Richardsonian Romanesque style. They had both most likely stood at the doorway of the barn that was once located where the field is today -- but where did they come from? Had Longyear purchased these elements in his travels and decided to bring them north? It's an interesting mystery.

One of these days, I would like to return to the Huron Mountain Club and continue a photographic survey of the area; the beautiful and rustic architecture is something that is very uncommon these days. The lack of paved roads and the banning of motor boats has kept the property peaceful and clean, and there seems to be a resurgence in interest among the younger generations of club members.

Labels: upper peninsula

Last month, Preservation Wayne held their annual Detroit Theater Tour, which I attended for the first time. It was a very fun and informative day in downtown Detroit; our group, which was made up of about two dozen people, was led through the heart of the city, walking down Woodward Avenue to tour the Fox Theatre and State Theatre. We were taken inside the former Michigan Theatre, which now serves as a parking structure, as well as the Detroit Opera House (formerly the Capitol Theatre) and the Gem Theatre. An additional treat was getting the opportunity to see what was left of the Oriental Theatre which, until that afternoon, had not been visible to the general public.

I was so overloaded with information that when I got back home, I crashed and slept for a very, very long time!

Because this blog has generally always featured the exteriors of our state's architecture, I thought it might be good to break the mold and include some interior photographs from the tour. I took many pictures, some I was more happy with than others (next time, I am so bringing a tripod because, yes, there is time to use it during the tour). Most of my favorite photographs, however, were the lobbies of these various theaters.



The State Theatre (now called The Fillmore)



The Detroit Opera House, C. Howard Crane's first movie palace. The lobby was too small and it caused problems when the crowds were huge!



The lobby of the magnificent Fox Theatre.

It is amazing just how many theaters C. Howard Crane designed in the state of Michigan. What's even more impressive is the fact that each and every one is quite different from the next.

Watch for more frequent updates! I've started college at Northern Michigan University again, I've got more downtime, and I'm realizing that a lot of people read this blog.

Labels: detroit, preservation wayne, theater

As some of my readers may know, for the past few years, I have been working on a project to photograph each and every one of Michigan's main street movie theaters. For the sake of being realistic, I've limited what I photograph down to only open venues and closed venues that are still recognizable as theaters. In other words, that empty lot on Woodward that used to be a theater but closed in 1925 and was demolished in 1980? No. Or that drug store that occupies a theater building, but the marquee is long-gone and the architectural details are covered up with synthetic stucco? No, not that, either. I'm sticking to photographing cinemas that anyone can still see along the main street of their hometown.
Just yesterday, I photographed the Harpos Concert Theatre in Detroit, a streamline moderne gem that was once called the Harper. Having visited this theater, I have about seven left in the state to photograph. They're scattered all over Michigan, as seen on this map:

A few of the locations will be easy to visit, but others -- such as Grand Rapids and Oscoda -- will be a little more tricky. I'm lucky that Marquette's Northern Michigan University is where I go to college, or else Ironwood would be virtually impossible for me to see!

So, what exactly am I doing with all these theater photographs that I've taken? Well, a book, at least, that's what I'd like to do. I'm starting off small, publishing maybe two copies first to see what looks good and what can be improved upon. Once I've gotten the word out about what I'm doing, I'd like to be able to publish a book in larger numbers. After all, there is a book out there about Michigan's theaters that's been authored by a Michigan State University professor, but, in my humble opinion, it's horrible. I'd like an improvement out there that's actually easy to read, with quality photographs.

Without further ado, Detroit's Harpos Concert Theatre, its exterior hardly changed since its heyday:

I'll keep you up-to-date as this project moves along. Since I won't be seeing the Ironwood Theatre until at least this fall, there's a chance I might put out one of those preliminary books, before this summer is over, without it. It's a bit of a sacrifice, but I'd like to have a hard copy of something that I can show to people and get their input on.

Labels: theater, theaters project

You've probably seen a multitude of photographs that show Marquette's county courthouse, ore docks, clocktower, and cathedral -- but what about the architecture we never see? The buildings we overlook are often quite beautiful, or used to be in their heyday. They've got rich, gritty textures and surprising colors that just aren't seen on the structures of today.

Labels: marquette

I don't want to overrun this blog with imagery of Michigan's beautiful movie theaters, but I do feel that they are an important aspect of our state's architecture. Often overlooked are the theaters in the Upper Peninsula. Though they are much smaller and less ornate than the theaters in our state's south, those found here are quite beautiful.


The very historic Calumet Theatre was built in 1885 and is one of the oldest theaters in Michigan. Its architect was C. K. Shand. Constructed far before the invention of moving pictures, its original purpose was to show live productions. Its architecture has a classical flavor to it, showcasing Romanesque arches, a pediment, and even a clocktower.

Labels: calumet, crystal falls, escanaba, negaunee, theater, upper peninsula

Well, the Ann Arbor Area Krappy Kamera Club is currently having a show at Gallery 4 in Ann Arbor's beautiful Nickels Arcade. To keep with the spirit of toy camera photography, I'll feature several architecturally-themed cheap shots, courtesy of the Holga and Diana.



Ann Arbor's doomed Anberay Apartments. I was lucky to catch this complex earlier this month -- I don't know how much longer they'll be lasting. A high-rise condominium will be replacing the apartments in the near future. In related news, demolition has begun on the Frieze Building.



The side entrance to the Marquette County Courthouse. This is the entrance in which you see the characters enter and exit the building in the film Anatomy of a Murder. This small portico, with its graceful ionic columns, carved from red sandstone, is quite different than the front entrance of the courthouse, which is guarded by gargantuan granite doric columns.



The Old Marquette City Hall -- still one of my favorite buildings in Marquette. It's amazing how the well the detailed carving in the sandstone came out, even though the photograph was taken through the plastic lens of a Holga.



A small architectural detail on what I think was a bank, in Kalamazoo.



How could I exclude Northern Michigan University's iconic Superior Dome (more commonly referred to as simply "The Dome")? This structure holds the title as the largest wooden dome in the world, just narrowly beating out a similar building in Japan.

A benefit of using toy cameras to photograph familiar architecture is that everything is seen through an entirely different lens. When I think of how many shots I've taken of the Old City Hall, the courthouse, and the Dome with the run-of-the-mill camera, I think I prefer the non-conventional ones taken with the toy cameras.

Labels: ann arbor, kalamazoo, marquette, photography