264 Paris Avenue SE
- Year Built: 1875
- Style: Victorian Gothic Cottage
- Description: Baxter House
- Comments: Alfred Baxter built his lovely home in 1875, but did not move into the house until 1893. Arriving in Grand Rapids in 1872, Mr.. Baxter was employed as a shirt cutter at Ball & Company, men's clothier, until 1875 when he bought into the firm which became known as Ball & Baxter. In 1878 he joined Fred A. Gardiner in Gardiner & Baxter, men's furnishings, goods and shirt manufacturers. He remained with Gardiner until 1903 when he began the Baxter Company, a laundry company and dealers in men's furnishings. Today, this home is literally one of Cinderellas of Heritage Hill. For many years it stood as a gloomy Victorian Gothic cottage, inhabited by a lonely widow. In 1975, it was purchased by an energetic young couple who could see past the overgrown shrubbery and peeling paint. By removing the wild bushed, the dusty, rusty screens and exposing the home to the light of day and the eyes of the neighborhood once again, they completed the exterior transformation with a fresh coat of paint, highlighting the trim and original shutters.
Owners
- Alfred Baxter
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