Owosso, MI – The Gould House, a historic mansion nestled in the heart of Owosso, Michigan, stands as a testament to the city’s rich heritage, but it is not Owosso’s only mansion. Local resident Beth Fairweather’s personal anecdotes offer a glimpse into the vibrant social scene that once thrived within the buildings of Owosso’s past wealth, and rumors of the literal tunnels that may have connected them.
“So I thought I’d share what I remember my mom telling me about what things were like back in the early 60’s in Owosso,” Fairweather began. “Like I mentioned she worked as a maid for Mrs. Christian and her husband. They owned Christian’s Department store downtown and were very influential. They lived on the corner of Water Street and Oliver, the big brown mansion.”
Fairweather’s mother boarded at the Christian residence and was taken under Mrs. Christian’s wing, as she was an orphan with only a sister in Owosso. “When my mom married my dad Mrs. Christian actually paid for the wedding and my mom’s wedding dress,” Fairweather recalled. “My brother was given the middle name Leigh after Mr. Christian.”
“My mom told me that Mrs. Christian had this really plush carpet in the library of the house that would leave footprints in it when you walked on it,” Fairweather continued. “My mom had to back out of the room and smooth her footprints out as she went LOL.”
She also shared a humorous anecdote about her mother’s accidental intoxication. “She also told me one time she accidentally got drunk by drinking what she thought was tomato juice in the fridge – it was actually a blood mary mix!”
The Christians were known for their connections within Owosso’s high society. “They were friends with all the other ‘society’ people in Owosso,” Fairweather explained. “People would lend out their maids for parties, and my mom talked about working in many of the big houses on Oliver Street, down by the hospital,” including at the Gould House. “At one party she dropped an entire tray of food on one guy!”
Fairweather’s mother also mentioned the existence of underground tunnels that connected the Gould House to other grand residences in the area. “Mom said the tunnels in the basement led to several of the other big houses, I am not sure which ones exactly but there may be documentation that tells which ones,” Fairweather said. “They were originally part of the underground railroad I believe. I’m not sure when they were boarded up.”
For those interested in delving deeper into Owosso’s history, Fairweather recommended several resources. “Have you read Dewey Defeats Truman by Thomas Mallon? This is an excellent novel that was set in Owosso and is very accurate in terms of what it was like here back in the day,” she suggested. “A lot of what is in it is pretty spot on from what my parents would talk about. There is also a very good book by Helen Harrelson on the history of Owosso. At the Owosso library they have some interesting history books on many of the houses in town.”
Fairweather also shared a personal connection to the city’s history. “My parents both attended the college in town, what is now Baker College but it used to be a Bible college. That’s where they met,” she said. “My uncle was the music professor there. That’s how my mom and her sister ended up here from West Virginia, where they grew up in an orphanage.”
Through Fairweather’s personal anecdotes, we gain a valuable glimpse into the rich history of the Gould House and the social fabric of Owosso during the mid-20th century. Her stories offer a fascinating glimpse into a time long past, providing a deeper understanding of the city’s past and the people who shaped it.
