Harry Palmer House
Photo of the back of the house in the early 1940s
225 North Main Street
1906
Charles Palmer built this Gothic Revival home in 1906 for his son, Harry. Mr. Palmer had Railroad Street, which ran diagonally through the block, closed off to build at this location. Harry was president and head cashier of People’s State Bank; the bank his father founded. There was a two-story barn behind the house where the family car was stored.
Harry Edward Palmer was born on March 6, 1869 in Port Huron, Michigan. He died August 14, 1944 in Detroit, Michigan. He married E. Louise Bramen on June 28, 1906 in Flint, Michigan. They lived in Imlay City and Ann Arbor. Harry and Louise had five children, Charles Edward, William Bramen, Harold Bruce, Dorothy Louise (married Frederic Harrington) and Harry Douglas. All five children were born in Imlay City.
Harry owned a large farm at the edge of town where he grew onions, later to become celery farms. He was active in the Masonic Order, the Zach Chandler Club and Republican politics. He also served as director of the Agricultural Society for a period of time.
After the failure of banks across the state in 1932, Harry Palmer left the area and settled in Ann Arbor. The property went into receivership. The home was rented in the late 1930s to Dr. Kenneth Dick and then in the early 1940s to Dr. Glenn Smith. Both practiced medicine from the house. The property was then purchased in 1941 by William Muir for $3,600 and later transferred to his brother Allen Muir.
Muir Brothers Funeral Home was established in 1946 by father Allen Muir and his sons Paul and Grant. Paul later established a funeral home in Lapeer. In 1962 an addition was placed on the south side of the home which contained a new chapel and restrooms as well as a casket room and lab in the lower level. In 1982, Robert Muir, son of Grant, took over the business and operates the funeral home today. In 1994 an outdoor and indoor ramp were added to the north side of the house. The upstairs served as living quarters for Grant’s family until 1980 and from 1982 until 1988 it was the living quarters for Robert’s family.