By: Alyssa Ochss | Fraser-Clinton Chronicle | Published March 17, 2025
FRASER — At its meeting on March 13, the Fraser City Council voted to approve the request to nominate the Baumgartner House to the National Register of Historic Places in a 6-0 vote.
Councilwoman Sherry Stein was excused for the meeting.
Members from the Fraser Historical Society as well as the great-great-great granddaughter of the Baumgartners, Amanda Baumgartner, were in attendance. Baumgartner said she’s excited to have her son in the next generation and that the nomination would help the whole city.
Janet Calabrese, a Fraser Historical Society member, presented the item to the council. Calabrese said the nomination will give the house national recognition, putting it in a national historical database.
“It also gives us some city and community pride,” Calabrese said. “Because our historic properties tell the story of our city and community and there’s a lot of history there.”
With the nomination, the city will also be able to utilize grants from the federal government for work on the house and other things.
Councilwoman Amy Baranski asked what the consequences of getting the designation were.
“Because we have a lot of people talking about buildings being designated historical or not and so I think it’s important for everyone to understand what it means when it does get this designation,” Baranski said. “It’s not honorary and it’s not taken lightly.”
Fraser City Manager Elaine Leven said she does not know the full extent of what it means, but that it does include keeping up the exterior of the building in accordance with its history.
The Baumgartner House is on the northwest corner of the Masonic Boulevard and Kelly Road intersection.
“It might govern things like paint color, window replacement, those types of things,” Leven said.
Councilwoman Patrice Schornak said the Historical Commission first replaced the windows, but because of its designation as a historical property in Michigan, they had to replace them again.
“It is very particular on how it can be done,” Schornak said. “I know the society and the commission have done tons of work, always having to replace exactly what was there.”
Calabrese said there are no restrictions on the city for the property due to the historical designation. She said it’s already a historical property.
“If we started getting federal funding for different things, and then that would add a little bit more to it,” Calabrese said.
Councilman Patrick O’Dell thanked the groups who take care of the house.
“It is (a) major piece of history in our area and I know a lot of work goes into it for not a lot of thank yous and things like that,” O’Dell said.
Mayor Michael Lesich called the house a gem.
“And the volunteers work tirelessly to make this thing work,” Lesich said.