Walking Tour-71 North Main Street-Walking Tour
(West Side of Street)
Walking Tour-71 North Main Street-Walking Tour
(West Side of Street)
This house was built as the residence of Nelson W. Clark who platted the Village in 1842. In 1939 Nelson & brother, Jeremiah, made many improvements to the Village after purchasing much of the property of Butler Holcomb who built the first saw mill to the south of the Mill Pond.
The Oakland Co. Atlas of 1976 cited 1839 as the construction date of this imposing Greek Revival house. While it is probable that Clark built a home here in that year, since it coincides with the year the Clark brothers purchased the Clarkston mill property, it isn't certain that the house was finished by then. Nine years later, in 1848, the tax assessment value of Block 24, the house site, was $485. This is a value high enough to indicate some structure or structures on the Block by then, but doesn't seem high enough for such a grand building. Note that the property included all of Block 24 or property to the north of this house as far as the property of what is now 91 North Main and to the south to the south side of the stream from the Mill Pond to Park Lake. The house stands on Lots 3 & 4 of Block 24 of Clark's original plat. The original plat included a road, Brandon St., running along the millpond's edge, west of the property; Lake St. bordering Block 24 on the south; & Jefferson St. to the north. Eventually all of these public ways became pieces of privately owned properties. By 1855 the assessed value more than doubled indicating major construction in the intervening five years. The 1872 Map of the Village shows a barn footprint on the south section of Block 24 & the house footprint on its original site.
Architecturally, the two story section of the house is the one in the Village which most closely resembles a Greek temple and is the section which has changed the least since constructed. 
Photos taken circa 1900 show the original front steps which stretched the entire length of the two story entrance facade. 
The fluted Ionic columns which supported the pediment ended at the top step. The single story wing had an entrance to the north of the first two windows with a porch with Ionic columns covering that door. The northern section of the porch had by that time been enclosed to provide more interior space. Compare this section with the building footprint on the 1872 map.
After Washington Irish, the son of a plasterer/mason, purchased the house he built a stone porch across the front to replace the deteriorated column bases. Otherwise the buildings original Greek Revival elements have been preserved. Note: The heavily molded entablature of the pediment of the two story temple-like facade; the Ionic columns which support the pediment mimicked by engaged pilasters on the wall; 
the front door with post & lintel surround, Ionic columns on either side of the sidelights; and the butted siding of the wall under the pediment which simulates the smooth marble of a temple.
The house is still painted in the original scheme which was typical of the style, white with black shutters. (It was believed in the nineteenth century that Greek temples were white. The black, or black/green shutters, and window muntins were meant to simulate the blank temple openings). The wrought iron railing was added at the turn of the century. (Note: N. W. Clark descendant, Edwin Clark & son, Lee, owned a metal works then. First in Detroit, the business was moved in 1915 to a stone building, 66 S. Main, Clarkston which was constructed for the purpose.)
Nelson Clark lived here until 1873 when he moved to Northville to pursue his fish hatchery business. (In Clarkston his hatchery was at the bottom of the hill behind the mill). In 1883 Edwin G. Clark, Nelson's nephew purchased the house & moved from his farm north of the Village to retire here. He died in 1908.
Washington & Lottie Irish were the next residents. A Community News item in 1932 described the Irish backyard in the spring full of "bright yellow daffodils & jonquils".
In the 1950s the house was the residence of the Barry sisters, Mae & Nell, who first ran the Deer Lake Inn & then the Caribou Inn in Clarkston.
There are two separate basements under this house with a passageway between the two which has led to the theory that this house was built as a two family residence and the house was used in the 1930s, 1940s & 1950s as a two family residence. However, there are many buildings in the Village with two basements. The two under 42 N. Main served different purposes, one held a cistern, the other was for food storage. Some second basements are the result of additions to the original building. It seems that is the explanation for the two here. The change in the building footprint indicates additions to the original & would explain the second basement. "Mrs. Lavina Harris and daughter Sopia have moved from their farm to the village and are occupying a part of E. G. Clark's residence." (Pontiac Post newspaper item in the 1/08/1902 issue.)
Owners in the 1960s converted the house to single family use.
Official Property Description:
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]