Growing interest in historic homes leads to class and possible reactivation of Manchester’s Historic District Commission
The brick buildings of “Exchange Place” make up the heart of Manchester’s Historic District. Photo taken last summer during Northville Concours d’Elegance 2024 driving tour’s stop on Main Street for lunch. Photo by Sara Swanson.
by Sara Swanson
Manchester resident, realtor, and historic home enthusiast, Jaimie Schmidt, has recognized over the past few years a resurgence of what she likes to call, “what’s old is cool again” and with this interest in everything old, has come a renewal of interest in old houses. Schmidt, who is on the board of the Manchester Area Historical Society (MAHS), is seizing this moment to offer a class on how to research the history of your old house and is the driving force behind the effort to restart Manchester’s Historic District Commission.
Schmidt identifies herself as a small-town gal who not only has a job “slinging houses” for a dozen years but she walks the walk, giving back to the community. She serves on the Downtown Development Authority Board, Manchester Historical Socitey Board, and Michigan Main Street boards. She teaches in person and on social media about old homes, preservation/restoration, and history. She is also only one of only three realtors in the whole state of Michigan recommended by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
Schmidt stated, “For the longest time, things like houses, antiques, and clothing have gone by the wayside of popularity. People wanted new, modern, and mass-produced. As with all things that cycle, the tide of nostalgia has come rushing into younger generations. Thanks to social media and TV, users see vivid photos of mid-century modern furniture blended with new, rescuing beloved Victorian-era goodies from the secondhand store, or breathing life into a homestead with spectacular before and after photos. It goes without saying that #grannycore has reached its lacey-edged tentacles into a LOT of new people.”
We reported on a couple of weeks ago that MAHS is offering a class taught by Schmidt called “Washtenaw County Historic Home Research” here in Manchester at the KJ House. There are two dates the class is being offered, with the first being this Sunday from 4pm to 6pm. If you can’t make that one, a second class is being offered on Sunday, March 2 from 4pm to 6pm. The class costs $40 but MAHS members who are up to date on their membership will receive a discount code via email for the class. Previous members who would like to renew can go to MAHSMi.org and renew under “Join“.
Schmidt explained, “The class is a 2-3 hours class where the participants will learn the resources, and language and be assisted in navigating the specifics in finding their property’s history. The class is open to anyone living in Washtenaw County with only 12 spots per class. If we sell out, I will schedule new classes.” You can register for the class on Eventbrite at https://www.eventbrite.com/o/manchester-area-historical-society-72520322463 (Or just search “Historical Research”).
When asked how the idea of the class came about, Schmidt explained that the growth in the love of old things is represented in the housing market too. She stated, “Where older houses used to languish for longer due to a lack of education on this design, materials and history, buyers are learning about the benefits and importance of being owners of old homes. As a local resident, owner of an old home, and a Realtor who specializes in old/historic homes, I have had the honor to educate my clients, community, and friends about many of these important aspects over the last 12 years. I love to highlight architecture, building materials, and build historical biographies about those who have lived in homes. To bring names and faces of times gone by help people understand how important it is to protect a homestead and its past.”
She continued, “MAHS has also been doing an amazing job doing home research for quite some time for members and interested community members who would like to connect with the people/history of their homes. The list of interested parties has grown so much over the last several years that we aren’t able to keep up with the demand. As a board member of MAHS, I suggested we put the tools in the hands of the community and teach them how to do online research about their homes.” Once approved, she designed the class and will now be teaching her fellow residents how to do the research themselves. “Your home is the most expensive antique you’ll ever own,” she added, “so ya might as well learn all you can about it!”
In addition to organizing and designing the historic home research class for the MAHS, Schmidt has been working to restart the Manchester Historic District Commission.
Originally founded in 2007, the Manchester Historic District is made up of the brick buildings on “Exchange Place” (the old name for the main body of downtown). A study committee worked for about 2 years to create the report that allowed the district to be created. However, since there was minimal interest in historic preservation at the time, they struggled to find members, and the commission ceased to be active a few years later.
Mayor Patricia Vailliencourt, who was Village Council president at the time, states that as far as she understands, the district has not been dissolved, and that the commission can become active again just by appointing members.
The goals of the Historic District Commission (HDC) when established were to safeguard the heritage of the village, stabilize and improve property values in each district and the surrounding areas, foster civic beauty, strengthen the local economy, and promote the use of historic districts for the education, pleasure, and welfare of the citizens of the village and of the state.
The commission itself is not supported by taxes and even when active, received no funding. But a functioning commission would allow for tax and grant opportunities for owners. In addition, Schmidt states that studies have shown that living in a Historic District increases resale and possibly your property’s value from 10-20+%. One concern that is sometimes raised with Historical Districts is they will impede the ability of property owners to make improvements. Vailliencourt states that this isn’t the case here and since the inception of the district there have never been any complaints brought to her or the council.
The Historic District Commission needs members in order to become active again. Schmidt states, “We are looking for at least 4 residents who are passionate about old houses and preserving our physical past to serve on the HDC. If you’d like to participate, please email your information and any questions you have to Home@JaimieSchmidt.com.”
Through both projects, Schmidt is helping others connect with our hyper-local history which she feels passionately can create a deeper level of care and emotional investment in their homes and in our community!
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