“The Earl C. Heap House”
I went to the Romeo Historical Society (RHS) last night after I went to get my hair cut at Main Street Salon.
I spoke to the president, Sue Kane and also to Richard Beringer. I showed them what I have uncovered so far. They were pretty confident that the scrapping on the brick on the outside chimney would be the date that the house was built. That would be proof enough to request a plaque. Nonetheless, by their request, I am still going to check with the Village of Romeo and possibly Bruce Township offices to check the tax records. According to Sue and Richard, there will be a jump in taxes owed from when there was only vacant land to when there was a house built on the land. Makes sense.
Actually, it was a bit embarrassing to go to the “HISTORICAL” society in a village that was founded in 1838 (the year after Michigan joined the union) with a house that was built in the late 1940’s. Richard even mentioned that it shouldn’t be all that hard to find out everything about the house since it’s so “young”.
While there I was asked for help on a number of things, of which I can only help with a couple. They need some legal software to keep an accurate inventory, they need a newer computer or an upgrade in memory and they need someone to enter data into a database. I can help with the software and the data entry. I mentioned that when Del DeRees used to be involved in the Historical Society, I was his secretary and I would do a lot of the typing for the meetings, etc. That and the Home & Heart Craft Show and the Concours d’Elegance at Meadowbrook. Del was involved in all those things, and so, through him, so was I.
Wanna know my hypothesis? Here it is:
Earl C. & Bertha Heap, along with Chauncey C. Adams, purchased the property from Jose Giles on Friday, October 4, 1946, with the sole purpose of building a house to sell, maybe specifically building it for Ed & Mae Nordman...?
On February 11, 1947, the Heap’s took out a loan with The Detroit Bank in order to build the house.
I believe they started building the house in the spring and summer of 1947 and finished up building the house in August 1948.
They sold the house to Ed and Mae Nordman officially on Saturday, November 6, 1948 for the money they still owed the bank; $9218.54 with an interest rate of 4.5% + $1. The Nordman's assumed the loan and began paying on it June 1, 1948, five months prior to the official purchase of the house.
I believe the brick on east facing side of the chimney would be the date the house was completed; 8/16/1948, so, I will most likely request a plaque with the date of 1948 and the house will be named “The Earl C. Heap - Chauncey C. Adams House”...or The Heap-Adams House.
I spoke to the president, Sue Kane and also to Richard Beringer. I showed them what I have uncovered so far. They were pretty confident that the scrapping on the brick on the outside chimney would be the date that the house was built. That would be proof enough to request a plaque. Nonetheless, by their request, I am still going to check with the Village of Romeo and possibly Bruce Township offices to check the tax records. According to Sue and Richard, there will be a jump in taxes owed from when there was only vacant land to when there was a house built on the land. Makes sense.
Actually, it was a bit embarrassing to go to the “HISTORICAL” society in a village that was founded in 1838 (the year after Michigan joined the union) with a house that was built in the late 1940’s. Richard even mentioned that it shouldn’t be all that hard to find out everything about the house since it’s so “young”.
While there I was asked for help on a number of things, of which I can only help with a couple. They need some legal software to keep an accurate inventory, they need a newer computer or an upgrade in memory and they need someone to enter data into a database. I can help with the software and the data entry. I mentioned that when Del DeRees used to be involved in the Historical Society, I was his secretary and I would do a lot of the typing for the meetings, etc. That and the Home & Heart Craft Show and the Concours d’Elegance at Meadowbrook. Del was involved in all those things, and so, through him, so was I.
Wanna know my hypothesis? Here it is:
Earl C. & Bertha Heap, along with Chauncey C. Adams, purchased the property from Jose Giles on Friday, October 4, 1946, with the sole purpose of building a house to sell, maybe specifically building it for Ed & Mae Nordman...?
On February 11, 1947, the Heap’s took out a loan with The Detroit Bank in order to build the house.
I believe they started building the house in the spring and summer of 1947 and finished up building the house in August 1948.
They sold the house to Ed and Mae Nordman officially on Saturday, November 6, 1948 for the money they still owed the bank; $9218.54 with an interest rate of 4.5% + $1. The Nordman's assumed the loan and began paying on it June 1, 1948, five months prior to the official purchase of the house.
I believe the brick on east facing side of the chimney would be the date the house was completed; 8/16/1948, so, I will most likely request a plaque with the date of 1948 and the house will be named “The Earl C. Heap - Chauncey C. Adams House”...or The Heap-Adams House.
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