James A. Quick House (also known as Charles Saunders House)

This historic Queen Anne-style home was completed in 1901 and home to the influential business and political leader James Quick from 1901 until his death in 1909. The house has had several owners after James Quick, including Lottie Quick, Harry Knapp, William Housen, and Charles Saunders, who also owned businesses in Gaylord. The property was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2016.

LOCATION

The James Quick House (also known as the Charles Saunders House) at 120 North Center Avenue is located on the southeast corner of Center Avenue and Huron Street in Gaylord, Michigan. It is located in a split residential and commercial community. In the first block from Main Street, it is mixed residential.  

OWNERS OF THE HOUSE

• 1901 - James Quick built the house and lived there with his wife, Lottie Quick
• 1909 - James Quick died and Lottie Quick continued to live there
• 1912 - Lottie Quick sold the house to move to Detroit, MI, and the house was vacant for one year
• 1913 - Dr. Harry Knapp bought the house to use for his medical practice
• 1919 - Dr. Knapp sold the house to Dr. William Housen, who used it as his dentist office
• 1921 - Dr. Housen sold the house to Dr. Charles Saunders, who used it as his dentist office
• 1970 - Dr. Charles Saunders died and his wife continued to live there
• 1999 - Dr. Charles Saunders' wife died and the house was bought by Tamara Reeme but the house remained vacant
• 2010 - Tamara Reeme sold the house to JGLA Investments
• 2013 - Applegate Builders bought the house

ARCHITECTURE

This home is a pristine example of a free class Queen Anne architecture. Queen Anne is a Victorian style architecture that was popular around 1880 - 1910. The wraparound porch was supported with classical Tuscan columns. Although the classical Tuscan columns have been removed and replaced with brick supports, this home still has a very high value of historical integrity, and could easily be restored to perfection. The roof-shaped material is hipped with lower crossed gables/octagonal asphalt shingle, like fish scales. The rooftop was even decorated with ornate finials. The house has two-story wooden frames. The first story is about 1,790 sq ft and the second story is about 1,226 sq ft. It was determined to be constructed in 1901 by James Quick (that was learned from tax records). The first floor work is mostly maple wood and was never painted. The wood flooring is in the entire house, but mostly for the kitchen and bathrooms. The dining room, entry, and parlor have wood floors, alternating with maple wood and oak wood. The second story trim is pine. The house also has a cast iron floor and plaster on wood walls.

Sometime between 1907 and 1916, the garage was added. In 1913, Dr. Knapp added a door on the south side of the house for his patients to enter. In 1950, according to tax records, Dr. Saunders added the southeast corner of the house.

NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES

The James Quick and Lottie J. (Congdon) Quick house at 120 North Center Avenue in Gaylord, Michigan, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2016 as it was significant from 1901 to 1909 when James A. Quick lived there with his wife, Lottie J. (Congdon) Quick.

INFORMATION ON JAMES QUICK

James Quick was a successful businessman from late 19th to early 20th century in Gaylord, Michigan. He owned multiple businesses, including a livery stable business, general stores, a bank, real estate, a hotel, and a carriage store.

• The livery stable business was located at 117 North Center Avenue in Gaylord, Michigan. The business operated from 1883-1891 and he kept ownership of the barn after disposed of business. It was a partnership with his brother, Charles Quick.
• The general stores were called The Quick Brothers and there were three of them. All three stores were in partnership with his brother, Charles Quick. One was located in Gould City, Michigan, from 1891 to 1895. James Quick had moved there from Gaylord in 1891 and then returned back to Gaylord in 1895. Then, the second general store was started in downtown Gaylord in 1896 and James Quick owned it until his death in 1909. The third general store was in New Toledo, Michigan, which was located seven miles east and one mile south of Gaylord, was started in 1896 and owned by James Quick until his death in 1909.
• The bank was called Otsego County Bank and it was the first major bank in Gaylord. It was a partnership with his brother, Charles Quick, and Almon Comstock since 1892. Although the bank was sound financially, it was sold to Gaylord State Savings Bank in 1919.
• One group of real estate he owned was called the Comstock & Quick addition to Gaylord, which consisted of sixteen lots that was bounded by Petoskey Avenue, Chestnut Street (no longer exists), Sheldon Street, and Center Avenue. These were added to Gaylord in 1905 and he owned them in partnership with his brother, Charles Quick, and Almon Comstock. James Quick purchased and sold over 1,300 acres of land along with numerous city lots in Gaylord, Vanderbilt, Wolverine, and the Wah Wah Soo Pleasure Resort (all in Michigan).
• The hotel he owned in Gaylord was called the Delmont Hotel. It is unknown when it was built, but he made improvements to the hotel in 1906 and 1907 after a fire destroyed part of the hotel. James Quick owned the building, but he hired others to do the daily operations. The hotel was in operation until the 1920s.
• The carriage store he owned in Gaylord was started in 1906. He purchased the stock of the Brodie and Qua Company. In 1907, he moved the business from the Cook Brothers building on Main Street to the old location of the livery barn on Center Avenue that he owned that was across from his residence.

James Quick was involved in the local government and held different positions, including postmaster, township treasurer, and being on the village council.

• In 1899, the federal government brought a post office to New Toledo, and it was located in The Quick Brothers store. The name of the town had to be changed as there was already a New Toledo, Michigan, with a post office. So, the name of the town was changed to Quick after the Quick brothers. James Quick was named the Postmaster, a position which he held until his death in 1909.
• It is unknown what date he became the Livingston Township Treasurer, but it was before 1903, when he was elected to a three-year term on the Village Council of Gaylord. In 1906, he was re-elected to a two-year term. He served on both the Water & Light Committee and the License Committee all five years that he was on the council. While he was on the council, he also served on the Fire Department, Rules, and Street Committees. His time on the council was noted for its upgrading of the village’s infrastructure. In 1903, there was construction of a gas pipe to each lot in the village. In 1905, a resolution was passed that all new sidewalks have to be constructed of cement. In 1906, the council discontinued the village directly constructions sidewalks. Instead, they gave rebates to the village citizens who chose to replace or make a new cement sidewalk. In 1906 to 1907, there was a major upgrade of the village’s water system. There was a replacement of the water storage tank. The original tank was on the lot immediately east of James Quick’s residence. After it was removed, he bought the lot it had been on. The new tank was at Gaylord Water Works & Electric Light Plant that was located where South Center Avenue ended at Fourth Street. New water pumps were connected in January 1907 and the new engine was working in November 1907. On the 1916 Sanborn Map, the same engine was still in operation. On the 1927 Sanborn Map, the engine was still located in the plant, but not in use. James Quick was influential in writing the first village ordinance restricting the sale of alcohol within the village limits. This ordinance raised the fee necessary to obtain a liquor license in the village by $500. The State of Michigan already required a $500 fee, so there was a total fee of $1,000 in the village. In order to raise the fee, permission was required from the state legislation, which was easily granted. There were a limited number of liquor licenses issued to businesses within the village, which was six.

Throughout his life, James Quick was involved with farming. 

• He was born October 7, 1857, in Oakland County, Michigan, and his family owned a farm. In 1881, he moved to Gaylord, Michigan. In 1882, he bought an 80-acre farm just outside of Gaylord. He was not always actively involved with the day-to-day activities, but he was involved with the overall operation. By the time of his death in 1909, the farm had expanded to 160 acres. From 1906 to 1907, he was President of the Otsego County Agricultural Society. The purpose of the society was to plan the Otsego County Fair. His success with the fair resulted in him being named to head the committee which prepared the Otsego County exhibit for the State Fair, which is a position he held from 1907 to 1908.

This entry was added by Girl Scout Troop 4226 (Noelle, Corinne, Inara, Madeline).

Lingaur, Kenneth. “National Register of Historic Places Registration Form: Quick, James A. and Lottie J. (Congdon), House.” State of Michigan, Michigan State Housing Development Authority, 20 November 2015, https://www.michigan.gov/documents/mshda/mshda_shpo_20160426_nr_quick_house_522918_7.pdf.

Otsego County Historical Society. "Historical Homes - Gaylord, Center Avenue - North." Otsego County Historical Museum, Otsego County Historical Society, http://www.otsego.org/ochs/photogallery/Historical%20Homes/historic%20homes%20of%20gaylord/Center%20Avenue%20NORTH/Center%20North%20JUMP%20PAGE.htm.

Wikipedia. "James A. and Lottie J. (Congdon) Quick House." Wikipedia, 16 December 2016, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_A._and_Lottie_J._%28Congdon%29_Quick_House.

Wagley, Judy. "Quick fix: Gaylord native gives new life to historic home." Gaylord Herald Times, 6 September 2016, https://www.petoskeynews.com/gaylord/featured-ght/top-gallery/quick-fix-gaylord-native-gives-new-life-to-historic-home/article_8d18e0d5-670b-5c41-9d49-7f7527b89a1d.html.