Walking Tour-40 Buffalo Street-Walking Tour
(West Side of Street)

The original one & 1/2 story section of this house was probably built by/for Wilson Vliet in 1854. The 1860 tax rolls listed this as the location of Vliet's house and shop. (Vliet had a shop in at least one other location in the Village.) This house was a small Greek Revival style building. The wide entablature which forms the broken pediment of the low-pitched roof typical of the style may be seen on the two gables which are at right angles to Buffalo St.

The front porch with its double gable was a later (circa 1890) Victorian addition with detail reminiscent of the Queen Anne and Stick styles.The hand carved front door and 2 large plate glass windows and windowed bay on the south side were probably also added at that time.The garage was built of reclaimed barn timber.

This house was the home of Sherman and Fanny Lowery for about forty years. "Sherm" was a maintainance worker for the Clarkston School District. As a boy, he was a member of Clarkston's Pig Club in 1921 (see C.News Oct. 22). Leader Clifford J. Cheeseman. He was one of the boys to receive a pure bred Hampshire gilt. The program was financed by the Clarkston State Bank. "Sherm" & wife Fanny were members of the Clarkston Art Club which often met at their house.

Official Property Description:

• Lot 4 Block 8 of Nelson W. Clark's Original Plat of the Village in theSoutheast 1/4 of Section 20 in the Independence Township.
• Lot 38 of the Assessor's Plat.

Significant Property History:

[A Synopsis Of Property Transfers Derived From Abstracts
(when available) And Periodic Changes In Ownership Or
Assessed Value Derived From Township Tax Records]

• 1831 United States to Butler Holcomb.
• 1833 Butler Holcomb & wife, Mary To Roswell/Roosevelt Holcomb, the west 1/2 of the Southeast 1/4 of Section 20.
• 1833 Butler Holcomb & wife, Mary To Roswell/Roosevelt Holcomb, and wife, Elvine Holcomb, and Daniel B. Holcomb and wife, Alimira to Jeremiah Clark, the south part of the west 1/2 of the Southeast 1/4 of Section 20.
• 1839 Jeremiah Clark to Nelson Washington Clark, the undivided 1/2 of the west 1/2 of the Southeast 1/4 of Section 20 commencing.......
• 1842 Jeremiah Clark & wife, Polly to Nelson W. Clark, the south part of the west 1/2 of the Southeast 1/4 of Section 20. Also other land.
• 1842 Jeremiah Clark & Nelson W. Clark to Village of Clarkston (Original plat of the Village).
• 1844 Nelson W.Clark, Lot 4 Block 8, assessed value $5.
• 1846 Nelson W. Clark, Lots 4, 5 & 12 Block 8, assessed value $15.
• 1848 N. Abbey Lot 4 Block 8, assessed value $15.
• 1850 Nelson Abbey, Lots 4 & 9 Block 8, assessed value $30.
• 1852 Jacob Walter.
• 1858 Wilson Vliet, assessed value $300.
• 1857 as above, assessed value $400.
• 1859 as above, Lot 4 Block 8, assessed value $500, "house and shop".
• 1860 as above.
• 1880 W. R. Vliet, assessed value $400.
• 1886 as above, assessed value $150.
• 1888 as above.
• 1914 Mrs. Wilson Vliet ("Grandma Vliet"), assessed value $1000.
• 1920 Mrs. W. Vliet.
• 1925 Wilson Vliet, assessed value $1700.
• 1933 Wilson Vliet Estate, assessed value $1200.
• 1939 L. D. Hemingway, assessed value $1000.
• Until 1982 the residence of Sherman & Fanny Lowery.