The Thompson Building Historical

The Thompson Building Historical (HM1XLJ)

Location: Ypsilanti, MI 48198 Washtenaw County
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Country: United States of America
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N 42° 14.766', W 83° 36.595'

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Inscription

400 - 412 North River Street

This building's history is one of the most fascinating in Depot Town. It was built with bricks brought from Mark Norris' Western Hotel which was previously destroyed by fire. The Thompson Building opened in 1861 just as the first shots of the Civil War were being fired. It was initially used as a barracks for the enlisted soldiers who carved their names in the rafters. The grounds of the depot served as their parade field.

After the war, the Thompson Building housed many important enterprises of the era: agricultural implements, household items, carriages and wagons, bicycles, paint and a tailor shop. It became the City's first Fire Department in 1856. The Neptune, Number 1 was the first volunteer fire company gounded in East Ypsilanti. The station later became East Side Hose Company, No. 2 and had room to stable horses. The first foreman was Benjamin Follett. The building continues to house a variety of small businesses.

Also...
In Michigan: The first independent automobile dealership opened in 1898 by William E. Metzger in Detroit, Michigan.

American Events: Samuel Morse sent the first telegraphed message in 1844. The auto industry began when the Duryea Motor Car Company manufactured 13 cars from one set of plans in Springfield, Massachusetts in 1896. The first auto accident
occurred in New York in 1896 when a Duryea auto collided with a bicycle.

Donated by Acme Glass
Details
HM NumberHM1XLJ
Tags
, , ,
Year Placed1998
Placed ByDepot Town Association
Marker ConditionNo reports yet
Date Added Friday, March 31st, 2017 at 1:01pm PDT -07:00
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Locationbig map
UTM (WGS84 Datum)17T E 284680 N 4680399
Decimal Degrees42.24610000, -83.60991667
Degrees and Decimal MinutesN 42° 14.766', W 83° 36.595'
Degrees, Minutes and Seconds42° 14' 45.96" N, 83° 36' 35.7" W
Driving DirectionsGoogle Maps
Area Code(s)734
Which side of the road?Marker is on the right when traveling West
Closest Postal AddressAt or near 29 E Cross St, Ypsilanti MI 48198, US
Alternative Maps Google Maps, MapQuest, Bing Maps, Yahoo Maps, MSR Maps, OpenCycleMap, MyTopo Maps, OpenStreetMap

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