Plymouth Historical Museum
The Plymouth Historical Museum features a late 19th-century Victorian recreation of Main Street, tracing the growth of the small town from the railroad depot to the general store. The largest Lincoln collection in the state of Michigan is housed in a separate room off of Main Street. And a Timeline of Plymouth is the newest permanent exhibit, featuring displays on the Daisy Air Rifle, Ford Village Industries, the Alter Motor Car, World War II, communication history, and much more.The Plymouth Historical Museum155 S. Main Street Plymouth MI 48170 Hours: Wed, Fri, Sat, Sun 1-4pm www.plymouthhistory.org734.455.8940
Village of Plymouth Monument
In 1979, a group from Plymouth England stopped over to be part of Plymouth Michigan’s 4th of July celebration. This turned out to be quite delightful to all concerned. According to the Lord Mayor Frank Chapman of Plymouth, England they came to be part of, "The celebration of our victory over them in the Revolutionary War."The visitors brought a piece of the rock from the 1620 Mayflower dock in Plymouth England to set as a monument to commemorate the friendship between our cities. It is located between the City Hall and the Library. This is a Michigan Historic Marker Site.
Veteran's Memorial Park
In 1994, John Pappas, of American Legion Post 112, proposed the relocating of the “Our Lady” Civil War Memorial, donated by the Harry Bradner family in 1917, to a more prominent area: the city park in front of Central Middle School. This idea blossomed into the current Veterans Memorial Park. The various memorials and tributes in this park have been moved several times, finally to be collected in this central Plymouth resting place for all to experience. The park was dedicated in 1996. Memorial Day is a special time for remembrances which are held in the park every year.Brick pavers honor family members and friends with a lasting remembrance of name, rank, and branch of service. Donations from the bricks benefit the Veterans Memorial Park. Learn more.
Old Plymouth Hospital - 218 S. Main Street
Founded in 1932, Plymouth Hospital was located in a large home that was originally built by Thomas Patterson in 1890. The architectural style is Victorian Queen Anne, with bay windows, stained and leaded glass, interior wood molding with sliding wooden doors. In 1932 the home was rented by Lena and Alma Weist who had been looking for a large structure to house a hospital. Alma looked after the business and Lena was a trained nurse who cared for the patients.In the first year they treated 260 patients. The hospital served a great need in the community. In 21 years there had been only three deaths at the hospital. When Lena Weist passed away, in 1953, Alma could not continue without her. The building was kept clean and in order until Alma Weist died in 1977. A real estate company bought the property in 1979.
The Connor Building - 298 S. Main Street
The Connor Building, one of the more architecturally recognizable buildings in downtown Plymouth, was originally built in 1898 as a hardware store.
Penn Theatre
The Woodward Theatre Company purchased a parcel of land in downtown Plymouth in 1926 from George H. Wilcox with the intention of building a first class movie palace. It would be thirteen years before Harry Lush, employee at the Penniman & Allen Theatre, would purchase the property from the Woodward Theatre Company and begin plans on a theatre of his own. The name of the theatre, which was situated across from Kellogg Park, was changed twice before the building was complete and finally crowned in green neon with the name “PENN”.The Penn Theatre officially opened on December 4, 1941 with the showing of “Weekend in Havana” starring John Payne and Carmen Miranda. Due to Mr. Lush's dislike of popcorn, the movie house staple was not served at the Penn until 1950 after Mr. Lush moved to California and the theatre was being managed by Margaret Wilson, who became the Penn's second owner in 1964.In late 1966, plans were drawn to “modernize” the entrance (as it appears today) as well as create a proper concession area in the main lobby. The Penn has stood the test of time, surviving the advent of “a television in every living room” and the appearance of movies in VHS and DVD format. Over the next 58 years the theatre changed ownership several times but dedicated projectionist, Lloyd Oliver, “the voice of the Penn”, remained a constant at 760 Penniman Avenue until 2003.For more information about the Penn including showtimes visit www.penntheatre.com
Markham Wilcox House - 676 Penniman Ave
The Queen Ann style showplace facing Kellogg Park in Plymouth was built in 1901 by William F. Markham, President of the King Air Rifle Company. Markham built the 17 room residence, not for his wife and two children, but for a young Secretary named Phoebe.Originally, in the side yard, a continuously flowing fountain spilled over into a large reflection pool. A pergola, gazebo and statuary were focal points on the extensively landscaped grounds. The grounds also proudly displayed exotic plants, unusual trees and rare shrubs that Mr. Markham imported from around the world, including Amabilis Peonies, and Ginkgo, Black Magnolia and Copper Beech trees.Markham sold the house to George and Harriet Wilcox in 1911.On the first day in his new home, George Wilcox took a hammer to the wrought iron "M" (for Markham) in the grill work over the front gate, removed it, gave it a half twist and reinstalled it as a "W" (for Wilcox) where it identified many subsequent years of ownership by the Wilcox family. George and Harriet raised three children in the house, Julia, Katherine and Johnston (Jack).During World War II, the federal government asked to use the house as a residence for war workers. The government made it into apartments and removed most of the special millwork and extensive landscaping.This is a Michigan Historical Marker Site and a Motor Cities Tour site. Information courtest of the Wilcox Foundation.
Rose of Aberlone
The classic contracts case involving Hiram Walker & Sons, Rose the cow, and the principle of rescission based on mutual mistake. The original plaque, which was dedicated and placed outside in Kellogg Park in Plymouth in September 1993, was stolen. A replacement was unveiled at Kellogg Park on May 13, 2008.T.C. Sherwood, president of Plymouth National Bank, contracted in 1886 with Hiram Walker of Walkerville, Ontario for the purchase of a cow, Rose 2d of Aberlone. Both parties believed that Rose was barren and would not breed, and that mistake led to one of the most famous contract cases in U.S. history.Mr. Sherwood tried to pay Hiram Walker the agreed-upon price, $80, but Mr. Walker refused it after discovering that Rose was pregnant. Her value was now about 10 times greater than that agreed to by the parties. Mr. Sherwood sued to take possession of Rose at the original price.The Michigan Supreme Court in 1887 declared in Sherwood v. Walker that, because a mutual mistake affecting the substance of the transaction had been made, Hiram Walker had a right to rescind the contract and keep the cow. Law students ever since have studied the case as a classic example of the contracts law doctrine of rescission based on mutual mistake.Mr. Sherwood went on to distinction as Michigan's first banking commissioner; Hiram Walker & Sons is a worldwide leader in the production of alcohol beverages; and Rose achieved immortality in a poem by UCLA Professor Brainerd Currie, who concludes, "For students of law must still atone/For the shame of Rose of Aberlone."Placed by the State Bar of Michigan and the Suburban Bar Association of Western Wayne County, 1993.
Kellogg Park
Kellogg Park, the focal point and social heart of downtown Plymouth, was chartered in 1867 from land once owned by William Starkweather and later sold to John Kellogg. It was the site of the Barnum Circus, in 1856, when a whale oil lamp burst at the Root’s Hotel, across the street, and started a major fire. Trees were planted before the Civil War in 1858. For generations, Kellogg Park has been the most recognizable icon for the City of Plymouth. The park is the site of dozens of concerts each summer and hosts numerous special events including Art in the Park, the Ice Festival, the Plymouth Rotary Chicken BBQ as well as being a daily gather space for residents and visitors. Giving life the the phrase: "There's always something going on in Downtown Plymouth." For a schedule of events happening in Kellogg Park visit the Downtown Plymouth website.
Former Daisy Air Rifle Plant - Currently Fanning Condominiums
Daisy Air Rifle Company was located on Union Street where the Fanning condominiums are now located. The Plymouth Windmill Company was organized in 1882 to manufacture an iron windmill invented by Charles Hamilton of Plymouth. In 1888 he invented the Daisy Air Rifle which took over the factory. The name was changed to Daisy in 1895.There had been a rumor that Daisy was leaving town. The photo of Howard Schryer, of Plymouth, with his Daisy was taken in 1956, and headlined, “Say it isn’t so!” The company moved to Rogers, Arkansas, in 1958.The Daisy office’s large fireplace and mantle with the white oak paneling is now located in the Plymouth Historical Museum.The Daisy Air Rifle Red Ryder BB Gun was highlighted in the movie "A Christmas Story". This is a Motor Cities Tour site.
King Air Rifle Factory - The Plymouth Crossing 330 N. Main St.
The old Markham Air Rifle factory made all wood air rifles beginning in 1886. Due to the success of the “King” metal bb gun, the name was changed to King Air Rifle in 1928. Originally the Markham Manufacturing company made wooden tanks and cisterns.
Bode's Corn Beef House - 280 N. Main Street
To be near to the railroad, Gottleib Bode built this structure as a hotel in 1868.The EverReady Cookbook, by Melvina Hugar is located in the Plymouth Historical Museum.Richard Meacham has made the restaurant a landmark serving famous corned beef sandwiches and dinners. For more information visit Bode's Facebook Page.
Charles G Curtiss Sr. House - 168 S. Union
This house was built in approximately 1890 by Charles G. Curtiss Sr., a builder from Plymouth.[2] Curtiss died only a few years later in 1893, and his wife Caroline continued to live in the house until 1901. (Wikipedia)The home has a square bay window at the front, a tower with lucarne, multiple brackets along the roof frieze, and elaborate spindle work along the porch eaves.The gable roof shows octagonal shingles in two colors. The siding has hexagonal and staggered imbrication. The Victorian era cresting along the porch roof has been removed. This is a National Registry site and a Michigan Historic Site. It is a AAUW Plymouth Landmark.
