201 E. Main
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Address: 201 E. Main
Date Built: 1905 Owners when built: John & Christopher Bergin 1st business: Edelmann & Nerreter Hardware J. C. Scott operated “Scott Hardware” on this location from the early 1870s-1893. After he retired, he leased the building as a hardware store to R. B. Boylan Hardware, 1893-1905. On April 11, 1905, fire broke out in Boylan’s Hardware. It started in Boylan’s wooden oil room which resulted in a terrific explosion of gasoline and dynamite that destroyed this building and the five adjoining ones. The museum was recently given a cement step with the name “Boylan” etched into it. It was found by the current owner of the home on Kent Street which had previously been the Boylan residence. . Was it retained as a memento of the store that burned? On May 25, 1905, John and Chris Bergin (father and son) purchased the Main Street lot from the elderly J. C. Scott. Chris Bergin was the Village President. He was campaigning to get the block rebuilt. He put his money where his mouth was and helped Lowell by rebuilding this building. The storefront has the name “Bergin” in the brick near the top. By October, the Bergins had leased to Edelmann & Nerreter Hardware. Edelmann soon died so it became Stowell & Ford Hardware in 1908. From 1909 -1919, it was home to R. T. Ford’s Hardware who advertised that he was in “the Old Hardware Corner.” There were offices on the second floor over the hardware store as follows: E. F. Doty, dentist, 1872-1877. J. Orton Edie, surgeon, physician, accoucheur (male midwife), 1873-1874, until he was appointed County physician and moved to Grand Rapids. A. B. Grant, Surgeon, 1878-1885. Rickert and Robertson, dental surgeons, 1881. Dr. White (not Frank E. White), dentist, 1886. A. Taft, dentist, 1888. A. E. Campbell, dentist, 1899. Dr. M. C. Greene, M.D., physician and surgeon, had an office upstairs at the time of the fire. Borgerson Grocery was here 1919 -1929. Borgersons lived in an upstairs apartment during the 1930s and leased the store to Frank’s 5 & 10 (1929) and to Atlantic & Pacific (A&P) Grocery (1930s). It was Lowell Automotive- NAPA from the late 40’s until 1971 and Man’s World Hair Styling from 1972 to 1991. In 2002, it was purchased by Gregory Gilmore and has since been the Flat River Grill. Top Image: John Borgerson purchased this building in 1919 and opened a grocery store. He is pictured in front of the counter wearing the white apron. The sign hanging from the ceiling reads “Welcome Home Heroes”. Bottom: Borgerson is behind the counter; his clerk, Clint Weeks, is in front. Wicker baby buggies like this one were made in Lowell in 1924 at the Ypsilanti Reed Co. The 1905 Fire |
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