Walking Tour-81 North Main Street-Walking Tour
(West Side of Street)

The lot of this house was originally a part of Nelson W. Clark's residential property. The original section of this house was built in 1883 for Nelson & Josie Ainsworth Walter. Nelson was the son of early Clarkston settlers, Jacob & Sarah Clark Walter. Nelson and son, Guy Ainsworth Walter, had a general store, Walter & Walter, on the site of 9 S. Main until 1915 according to tax records. Guy also owned Guy Walter & Co. across the street in the northern most section of the Maccabee/Clarkston Business Association Building, 4 S. Main.

Guy became the owner of the house in 1909 continuing to live here until his death. His second wife, Viola Alger Walter continued to live in the house until her death.

Architecturally the original portions of the house were Gothic Revival style with pierced barge boards under the steeply pitched gable and tall slender windows typical of the style. An old photo to the right shows the original house with a square sided bay window on the first floor of the east facing two story gable with an open porch to the north and south. Turned porch posts supported pierced wooden trim under the eaves here also. The Classical Revival style porch seen on the house today was constructed in 1905. An item in the 4/06/1905 Oakland County Post reported "Mrs. Nelson Walter is building a new porch on her home on Main street." The kitchen on the southwest corner was remodeled in 1980 & the front door was replaced in 1996.

Official Property Description:

• Lot 1 & part of Lot 2 Block 24 of Nelson W. Clark's Original Plat in the Southwest 1/4 of Section 20 in Independence Township.
• Lot 24 of the Supervisor's Replat of the Northwestern Addition & Part of the Original 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]

• Note: All the properties currently located in the Historic District were originally part of a tract registered by Butler Holcomb with the federal government on October 22, 1831. Thus, abstracts for these properties, when they exist, show the original transfer to be from the United States to Butler Holcomb and may also include references to then President Andrew Jackson.
• Before 1972 see the records for 71 N. Main.
• 1872 Map of the Village has no building footprint on this site, owner N. W. Clark.
• 1876 George H. Sibley, Block 24.
• 1880 Leman W. Allen, 4 rods off the north side of the land owned by Hiram Sibley.
• 1883 Nelson Walter, as above, assessed $300.
• 1884 Nelson Walter, 4 rods off the north side of the land owned by H. Sibley, assessed value $1700.
• 1896 Map of the Village, owner Nelson Walter.
• 1909 Guy Walter
• 1970 Vi Walter.