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Turner-Dodge House Celebrates 150 Years
This article was posted on Mon, Jul 07 2008 | Permalink
Join the Friends of Turner-Dodge in celebrating the 150th anniversary with a picnic at Turner-Dodge before the Concert in the Park on July 16. The picnic is at 6:00 and is $15, by reservation (call 483-4220.) The Concert at 7pm features the soft jazz of “Too Smooth for Notes.” The concert is free, just bring a folding chair to sit on.
The Turner Dodge House, located at 100 E. North St. in Old Town, has a fascinating history. Its members have been part of the warp and weave of the political, economic and cultural fabric of Michigan and the state capitol from statehood through the turn of the 19th century. Below is a breif history of the house and information on its very influential inhabitants.
The Turner-Dodge House History
Marion and James Turner came to Lansing in 1847 to help prepare the wilderness for the arrival of the legislature (and lobbyist) in January of 1848. The Capital City in the forest was built in seven months. At first the Turners built a small house on Turner Street not far from their general store and foundry. In 1858, the Turners built a Greek revival brick house on the bank of the Grand River in “Turner’s Woods.” The kitchen was in the basement and there was also a room with an entrance behind a bookcase. James was a Whig and helped found the Republican Party to end slavery. The house is thought to be part of the underground railroad.
The Turners worked for higher education for women and helped Abigail Rogers establish a Female College in North Lansing. They named their daughter after Abigail Rogers. Abby Turner Dodge lived in this house all of her life. Abby married Frank Dodge in 1888 and they lived with Marion. Later they purchased the house and renovated it between 1900 and 1903, enlarging it to 8,600 square feet.
Frank Dodge was an attorney and a political leader of the Democratic Party. He championed the lumber mill strikers in a Saginaw Knights of Labor strike for a ten hour work day. He was a supporter and friend of William Jennings Bryan who visited the house when campaigning in Michigan. While James Turner built the plank road to open up the area to travel and later helped develop the city as a railroad hub, Frank Dodge got the electric trolley up and running and helped establish a new Ingham County Court House in Mason.
In her later years Marion became involved in the preservation of history, support of the regulation of alcohol, the establishment of a hospital and other
reforms supported by progressive women in the late 1800s. The women of the family were also musicians and supported the development of arts and culture in the City. Abby was a gifted pianist, played for the President of the United States when she was eight years old and studied in Germany for two years.
The house is on the Register of National Historic Sites open to the public May-Oct., Wed.-Sat., 1-4 p.m. Closed for holidays and special events.
150Years 1858-2008
The Turner-Dodge House & Heritage Center
LANSING PARKS & RECREATION DEPART. CULTURAL DIVISION
100 E. North Street ● Lansing, MI 48906
517/483-4220 fax 517/483-6081
http://parks.cityoflansingmi.com/tdodge