Seirn B. Cole House

This flamboyant Arts and Crafts-style house was constructed in 1912. Its first resident, Seirn B. Cole (1861-1947), was a native of New Jersey. He and his wife, Elizabeth Farmer, lived in Detroit before they moved here where Cole was the contractor for the Battle Creek City Hall. Cole eventually became one of the city’s most active contractors. By the time he retired in 1934, his contributions to the city’s architecture included the Ralston-Purina Plant, the Masonic Temple, the Battle Creek High School, and the YWCA. During his fifty-year career, he also worked on the Ypsilanti Stone Water Tower and schools throughout the state. Cole was a civic leader. He was a 32nd degree Mason and a charter member of the Battle Creek Country Club.