Liberty Hyde Bailey Birthplace
History
This farmhouse was built in 1853-1858 by Liberty Hyde Bailey Sr., and stood on his 80-acre farm. In 1858, Liberty Hyde Bailey was born in this house; the younger Bailey spent 19 years living here, learning about the local wild animals and plants. He entered Michigan Agricultural College (now Michigan State University) in 1878, and went on to become a well-known horticulturist, botanist and cofounder of the American Society for Horticultural Science.
In 1918, Frank E. Warner purchased the Bailey farm, and lived there until his death in 1926. In 1937, the property which the house stands on was presented to the city of South Haven for use as a memorial to Dr. Bailey.
Description
The Liberty Hyde Bailey Birthplace is a 1+1⁄2-story Greek Revival house clad in clapboard and sitting on a fieldstone foundation. A single-story rear section was added some time after the original construction. The interior has plaster walls and ceilings with plain board trim. The first floor contains sitting and dining rooms, a kitchen, a bedroom, and a storage room. The second floor contains three bedrooms and a small library.
References
- ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
- ^ "Bailey, Liberty Hyde, Birthplace". Michigan State Housing Development Authority: Historic Sites Online. Archived from the original on November 1, 2013. Retrieved October 31, 2013.
- ^ "Liberty Hyde Bailey Museum". Archived from the original on November 1, 2013. Retrieved October 29, 2013.