The Lowell Area Historical Museum is taking us on a stroll along Main Street and sharing the history of buildings in Lowell’s historic downtown. To learn more about Lowell history, visit the museum website to explore its collection of local artifacts and records.
Address: 229 E. Main
Built: 1869
Owner/Builder: Robert Graham did masonry work; Reuben Quick did carpentry work
Building name: Graham Block
1st business: Devendorf & Blain, Dry goods & carpets
Robert Graham built this two-storefront building in 1869. It was originally three stories high; the top story was removed in 1910. In 1872, Devendorf and Blain opened a store selling dry goods, carpets and corsets in the eastern storefront. Blain purchased the interest of his partner in 1875 and occupied “the Corner Store” as Norman B. Blain, Dry Goods until 1901. A. W. Weekes clerked for Blain from 1872-1880 and Anna Childs clerked later. She married Neil Cameron and they bought Blain’s house which later became known as the “Highland Hill” house.
In 1901, Blain’s dry goods were assigned and sold because there was a shortfall in the books he kept for the Lowell Building and Loan Association. He was later found innocent of the charge of embezzlement. “The directors had given Blain (the long time Treasurer) permission to speculate to a certain extent with the money he was keeping, believing that the association was fully protected by his bondsmen. He took advantage of the offer, but the fates were against him and his speculations proved losses.” The bondsmen did cover $2,000 of the $3,000 shortfall but Blain could not cover the rest ($1,000) at that time.
Offices upstairs included: The Lowell Journal office in 1873 when James W. Hine published it; John Romig the barber; the Lowell Library when Robert Graham was Librarian, 1880s; Dr. Towsley, MD (eye, ear, nose and throat), 1894-1905; and A. E. Campbell, dentist, 1890s.
Grocery stores followed. It was Guy H. Troub, Grocery; C. F. Hosmer, Grocery; Wolcott Grocery and John O. Clark Grocery. In 1915, Clark’s Grocery advertised as the largest grocery in Western Michigan. In 1916, the building owner L. J. Post painted the storefront and put side windows in it. Perhaps, that is when “Clark” was etched into the cement in front of the store. In 1917, Clark sold to F. D. Vos who returned it within a week; Clark then sold it to J. W. Morse who sold it to Shaw who sold it to Frank MacFarlane.
R. D. Hahn purchased the building and operated the Grocery from 1923-1943. Robert Hahn (shown above) was born in Burlington, Kansas. He came to Michigan to work on the Bob-lo boats in Detroit during the summer as a teen. He attended the University of Michigan where he met Thelma Peckham on a blind date.
Thelma Peckham (above) was the daughter of Hattie and H. Algernon Peckham who owned the Lowell Cutter Company. She was the first woman in Lowell to receive a driver’s license. Robert and Thelma were the parents of Gurney Hahn of Hahn’s Hardware, Roberta Jones and Gretchen Hawley. Thelma was the Lowell School Librarian, 1948-1965, and town historian.
R. D. Hahn operated a Grocery from 1923-1943. At first it was called “People’s Grocery”. He added a meat department as soon as refrigeration made it possible. He provided delivery service to homes. Employee Carl Munroe (left) and Robert Hahn (right)
According to Anita Hahn Roth: “The story Grandpa Hahn told was he named it “The People’s Grocery” but folks would call and ask, “Is this Hahns?” so he changed the name.”
Carl Munroe owned the Grocery from 1944 to 1956. Earl Kropf of Stark Bros. Nurseries and Sam Kropf, Carpenter, were upstairs in the 1940s.
From 1956 into the 1980s, Carl and Louisa Smith operated the Western Auto home and auto supply store which was a chain of stores founded in 1909 just as automobiles were in their infancy. He cut an opening between 229 and 219 E. Main so he could utilize both storefronts of the Graham building. Western Auto was an authorized State License Bureau during the 1960s. Lowell Floor Coverings, Paint and Wallpaper was here, 1989-1996.
The North Country Trail Association established their headquarters here in 2002; they partner with the National Park Service to build, maintain, protect and promote the North Country National Scenic Trail. This trail is the longest in the National Trails System, stretching 4,800 miles across eight states from North Dakota to Vermont. Lowell, Michigan, is near the center of the trail system. In 2013, the mural
Painted by Lowell Arts! student artists was hung on the exterior east wall of the building along Monroe Street. It depicts what is seen along the trail and commemorates Lowell as an official Trail Town.
And here’s what 229 E. Main Street — located at the corner of Monroe Street — looks like today:
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