315 MOUNTAIN STREET

HISTORIC SIGNIFICANCE

315 Mountain Street was constructed around 1870 presumably to house horses, carriages and servants such as a groom and a coach driver for 52 N. Crystal. However, although it has always been owned by the same owner as 52 N. Crystal, it is first listed in City Directories as a separate address, 315 Mountain, in 1907.

From 1907-13 occupants included blacksmith W. A. Kendall who was the proprietor of Elgin Carriage and Spring Wagon Works, and his wife, Carrie; Arthur Polmetier, who was employed at Reid and Heine and his wife, Katherine; and William Beery, a clerk at Brethern Publishing Bookstore and his wife, Adeline. From 1915-17, Charles Demien and his wife lived there.

Occupants from 1920-1938 were Nettie Reeves Bultman, her husband, Henry Bultman and Nettie’s sons from her previous marriage, A. Charles and James Reeves.

Nettie Benjamin Snow was born in 1868, and married Charles Henry Reeves in 1899. Charles, born in 1863 died in 1906 at Elgin Insane Hospital. The 1910 census lists Nettie, divorced, and her children Myrtle, Maud, Alice, James and Frank as living at 217 Michigan in Elgin. Nettie worked as a pie maker at a bakery. Nettie then married Henry F. Bultman on October 10, 1916. In 1920, they moved to 315 Mountain Street with Nettie’s children. Henry and Nettie Bultman lived there until 1938. From 1938-40 occupants were Arthur and Edith Fredericks, Mrs. Martha Peters, and William J. and Margaret Edwards. During these years it appears to have been used as a single-family home.

The 1941-42 City Directory lists multiple occupants for the first time; these were William Waller, Jr., Charles Parrish, and Thomas Waller. Thereafter, there is a fairly rapid turnover of tenants. It appears that Lyla Biggar and Owen Wing created the apartments before they sold the property in 1944.

ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE

The structure is of two stories under a front-gabled roof, with a walk-out basement on the south elevation. Built in the Italianate Style, it has wide eaves and tall narrow windows, but fewer decorative elements than the house at 52 N. Crystal. The door facing north has a narrow panel with sidelights on the east side of the door. The window hoods on the coach house are of a simpler design, with rectangular hoods of a contrasting color of brick.

In 1946, the coach house was divided into three apartments, which still exist today.

Sources: 2018 Heritage Plaque Application; Audio: TextAloud