1886 Spencer House Issues

The Corbett vs. Spencer case, involving the title of the land where the Spencer House now stands, has been occupying the attention of the circuit court at Howell during the past few days. A large number of witnesses were sworn upon both sides and the case went to the jury on Wednesday afternoon, they returning a verdict in favor of the defendant, Mrs. W.H. Spencer. This is the second time the case been tried with the same result.The above short article was published in The Fowlerville Review indicating some legal issues regarding the land where the Spencer House resided. The picture shown here was taken sometime around 1912, when the Spencer House still stood at the northeast corner of North Second Street and East Grand River (white building shown at just about center of picture). Within a few years, it would be taken down and a house built in its place.
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There are numerous other photographs of the Spencer House at various ages in The Fowlerville Chronicles. As a bit of unknown trivia -- originally, it was called the Spencer Exchange.
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As a side note, as you check out the photograph, notice the light that hung over the intersection of Grand River and Grand avenues. A few years later, a pole with four lights stood at the very center of the intersection -- a quick read of The Fowlerville Chronicles and you can discover its nickname!