Ypsilanti Public Library
229 W. Michigan
1915, Classical Revival

The Michigan Avenue branch of the Ypsilanti Public Library was formerly the U.S. Post Office and originally built by the federal government. The City purchased the building when a new post office was built to handle a growing volume of mail. Construction is of solid masonry with dressed limestone facing in high relief detail typical of the style. The front facade is composed on an octastyle order with sides being divided into five bays of an hexastyle composition. Close inspection will reveal an extraordinary degree of finely crafted details in stone — turned balusters, curved crown and egg—and-dart moldings, dentils, scrolled consoles supporting window sills, bed moldings edging the transom and spandral panels above and below the windows. The building remains one of the community’s finest works of historic architecture.