At the corner of Sheffield and 13th street in Niles, Michigan
1106 N. 13th Street in Niles, Michigan. This is where my great aunt Nettie lived with her 3rd (4th?) husband, Walter Miller, and her son, Joseph Miller. It was, by far, the most stable of her 5(6?) marriages, lasting 15 years. According to property records, this home was built in 1920, but the Millers were not its first owners. However, this was where they were living by 1930. In that census, Walter and Nettie owned this home, and it was valued at $3,000.
Do I know any actual stories associated with this house? Yes and no. I know that, in 1929, Joseph was attending Niles High School. I imagine him coming back to this house in the afternoons, Nettie waiting in the doorway. I imagine arguments about grades, behavior...maybe girls. The usual teenager stuff.
I know that, in 1933, Walter filed for divorce.
The Herald Press, 8 Dec. 1933, p. 3
The article suggests a hostile living environment, dangerous and destructive. How did Joseph handle it? Maybe he went down to the basement to hide from the arguments and projectiles.
I know that, while Nettie might have been volatile, she was not the only one exhibiting questionable behavior in this household. Weeks after Walter and Nettie's divorce was finalized, Walter was found guilty of a litany of crimes.
The Herald Palladium, 21 Dec. 1933, p. 1
I can now infer that Nettie's conduct was not without its extenuating circumstances. So if I had to tell the story of this address from 1929-1933, I guess it would go something like this:
Walter and Nettie, a happily married couple, purchase a home just before the stock market collapse of 1929. Nettie's son (and Walter's adopted son) attends local high school and experiences the usual adolescent angst. When the Great Depression hits, Walter is faced with the possibility of losing his home and tries to find ways to make/save money and keep his family together. He steals electricity from the city, steals from his employer, and even tries to supplement his income by illegally distilling spirits in his home. Nettie discovers his indiscretions and declares she will leave if he does not stop. She threatens him with a knife, a gun, and - at dinner - with a pan of hot grease. Joseph, not wanting to involve himself in adult business, excuses himself from the room any time the conversation becomes too heated. Walter sees no alternative but to file for divorce. This address was witness to 15 years of marriage being destroyed by an economic disaster.
Based on the area surrounding their home, I don't think this story can be too far from the truth. The place is surrounded by defunct factories and derelict buildings (see pictures below). I wonder how many other addresses from the 1930s have a similar story...
*** All photos taken in July of 2025.
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