Yep, it was actually 3 stories, now just one. I've seen additions added to old houses before, but this major subtraction is a first for me, too.
By the way, the building was first a girls school, built in 1890, then became a women's college, then a social club, then a dorm for a local business college, then a "football" dorm from a local college football team, then a retirement home. Now, I'm not realy sure what it is actually used for. But I will get with the property owner and find out.
It sure has some history for you....Hope you find tons. Its a crying shame about them taking the additional stories off...I really hate when they screw up beautiful old architecture.
Good Luck.
Sometimes a fire would damage or destroy an upper story and the only recourse was to downscale. That might be the case with this old house. An historical society or the local county clerk's office might shed some light on the answer.
The place has had lots of visitors/residents through the years, so here's wishing you great success when you set about hunting the property.
yeah i wonder if it ever burnt to the ground and reused the foundation, reading about the old towns here in the U.P. and it seems like they all burnt down at one time or a nother in the 1800's, a cause for a lot of ghost towns, with all the lumber gone.