If you like old houses, you’ll love driving the Michigan Road through Fulton and Marshall Counties. The road is lined with lovely old houses in Rochester, Argos, and Plymouth. We stopped in Rochester and Plymouth on our recent trip. Here are some of the houses in Rochester. Click any of the photos to see them larger. (The flag was at half mast because of the death of President George H. W. Bush.)

Here are some of the lovely older homes in Plymouth.

That first photograph is of an especially notable house: that of Plymouth’s first mayor, Horace Corbin. Here’s an engraving of his house as it stood shortly after it was built.

I shared Horace Corbin’s story once before, here.

I’ve documented Indiana’s historic Michigan Road extensively. To read all about it, click here.

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Comments

13 responses to “The lovely old homes on the Michigan Road in Rochester and Plymouth”

  1. Heide Avatar
    Heide

    This does look like a lovely drive, Jim. And how cool to see Corbin’s house both as it first appeared, and in its modern incarnation — looks like the neighborhood may have gotten a bit more built-up over the years, eh?

    1. Jim Grey Avatar

      Yes! I couldn’t believe it when I found this engraving online while researching Corbin. Such a blast from the deep past!

  2. Andy Umbo Avatar
    Andy Umbo

    It’s always been of interest to me that when you drive through these smaller towns almost every where, in them there olden days, the wealthy wanted to be on the main drag near town, instead of stuck way out someplace where no one can see them…wanted to show how prosperous their town was…

    1. Jim Grey Avatar

      It was absolutely a way of signaling wealth. It still is, in Indianapolis — a N. Meridian St. address remains prestigious. But it also signals virtue, in that the resident is committed to the city and not some far-flung suburb.

  3. Ted Kappes Avatar
    Ted Kappes

    Some great old houses. Amazing to see that they have survived the years so well. I thought of you recently when I saw a story about the Wabash Cannonball Bridge near St Francisville Il. It is a former railroad bridge that has been converted for use by cars. I was surprised I had never heard of it before. Have you come across it in your travels? https://bridgehunter.com/il/lawrence/st-francisville/

    And if that isn’t enough there is another interesting bridge in the same town.https://bridgehunter.com/il/lawrence/bh39998/ Anyway I plan on taking a trip down there once the weather settles down.

    1. Jim Grey Avatar

      Good to see you here, Ted! I am aware of both of these bridges but haven’t been to see them. I’m actually not sure I’d drive the Wabash Cannonball bridge — I’m not that confident in my backing-up skills should they become necessary!

  4. susanJOY Hosken Avatar
    susanJOY Hosken

    Jim, loved all these house shots. Love the architecture which I don’t see here where I live

    1. Jim Grey Avatar

      Susan, these are all fairly typical Midwest US home styles from the late 1800s through about 1930!

      1. susanJOY Hosken Avatar
        susanJOY Hosken

        jim, for some reason I like to know the dates of the architecture so thank you for telling me. We only have architecture here from after 1788 when white man arrived here in Australia.

        1. Jim Grey Avatar

          I’m making educated guesses based on an amateur knowledge of residential architecture. Here in Indiana the oldest buildings – and they’re rare – date to the 1830s.

          1. susanJOY Hosken Avatar
            susanJOY Hosken

            Jim, Out of curiosity I googled “AMerica’s oldest buildings” and had a wonderful time looking through them. Thanks for starting this little bit of research

  5. M.B. Henry Avatar

    Wow!! Beautiful homes, and wonderful pictures of them!

    1. Jim Grey Avatar

      It’s always lovely to drive through these two towns!

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