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2014 meeting, the township board had once again agreed to hold off demolition while the historical society continued fundraising to save the landmarks. A news report in
January 2024 stated that the towers "remained shuttered" due to a lack of funding. Only a basic preservation had been completed: "without cash flow, the vision to restore the towers and reopen them as a museum attraction goes unrealized".
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315:-painted exterior), an act which brought the two edifices to an even height. The MOC informed Kelly that if he attempted to compete with more height given to his tower, they would tear down their own and construct a metal observatory so large that Kelly's efforts would be nullified. He conceded, and turned his efforts instead to drawing more revenue to his creation.
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The Irish Hills Towers closed to the public at the end of the summer of 2000. The township deemed the towers unsafe in April 2013. The Irish Hills
Historical Society began demolition of the tops of the towers on July 1, 2013 to begin the process of bringing them up to code. As of their September
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in
September 1924. In a gala celebration on October 4 and October 5, hundreds of people ascended the hill and tower to gaze upon the rolling landscape and crystal blue lakes in all directions. Kelly seemed angered by the exploitation of the MOC's venture, and protested by erecting his own tower. By
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The Irish Hills Towers operated as separate and competitive entities through the 1950s, when Frank
Lamping acquired both and connected them with a gift shop at the ground floor. They briefly closed in the late 1960s, and were refurbished in 1972, by Allen Good. They were given new observation
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In the early 1920s, the
Michigan Observation Company sought places of high elevation to erect 50-foot-high (15 m) enclosed platforms to boost tourism. In southern Michigan, a tower was placed atop Bundy Hill in
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Lenawee County. A farmer who owned half of the knoll, Edward Kelly, turned down the company's offer to purchase his portion of the land. The adjoining land owner,
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The
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the end of
November, 1924, his own observation platform was in place, just feet away from the MOC's structure and several feet higher.
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Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.
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University and college buildings listed on the
National Register of Historic Places
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Buildings and structures on the
National Register of Historic Places in Michigan
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Saint Michael and All Angels' Episcopal Church and Cambridge Township Cemetery
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NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES REGISTRATION FORM: Irish Hills Towers
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National Register of Historic Places listings in Lenawee County, Michigan
493:"Lenawee County history: Irish Hills towers turn 100 years old this year"
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List of jails and prisons on the National Register of Historic Places
391:"Threat of demolition looms for Michigan's iconic Irish Hills towers"
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National Register of Historic Places in Lenawee County, Michigan
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415:. Jim O’Rourke. Associated Press. May 30, 2013. Archived from
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platforms, and, as a result, attained a near-identical look.
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The opening of the Irish Hills Observatory was announced by
467:"Cambridge Twp. Board: Irish Hills Towers to be inspected"
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are two wooden observation towers located at 8433 West
409:"Towers in Michigan's Irish Hills could be demolished"
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Buildings and structures in Lenawee County, Michigan
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History of the National Register of Historic Places
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288:and officials sought a knoll in the heart of the
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1312:National Register of Historic Places portal
820:List of National Historic Landmarks in Michigan
440:"Irish Hills Towers dismantling project begins"
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603:Tecumseh Downtown Historic District
220:, Lenawee County, Michigan, in the
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224:region. They were added to the
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109:Show map of the United States
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18:United States historic place
129:8433 West U.S. Highway 12,
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762:Nathaniel S. Wheeler House
608:Tecumseh Historic District
309:Original Irish Hills Tower
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682:Dr. Samuel Catlin House
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894:Keeper of the Register
792:Samuel W. Temple House
677:Dr. Leonard Hall House
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899:National Park Service
879:Contributing property
702:George J. Kempf House
667:David Carpenter House
642:Adrian Public Library
354:National Park Service
301:The Brooklyn Exponent
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162:42.05611°N 84.15639°W
1254:District of Columbia
802:William Hayden House
752:Musgrove Evans House
737:Joseph E. Hall House
444:The Techumseh Herald
81:Show map of Michigan
662:Clark Memorial Hall
276:Twin towers in the
167:42.05611; -84.15639
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1358:Towers in Michigan
722:Irish Hills Towers
712:G. P. Sparks House
657:Civil War Memorial
652:Brookside Cemetery
499:. January 25, 2024
471:The Daily Telegram
446:. James L. Lincoln
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210:Irish Hills Towers
131:Cambridge Township
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475:. Retrieved
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448:. Retrieved
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421:. Retrieved
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956:Connecticut
473:. Rob Young
290:Irish Hills
278:Irish Hills
261:August 2021
222:Irish Hills
202:May 2, 2007
165: /
141:Coordinates
1337:Categories
1156:Washington
1076:New Mexico
1071:New Jersey
946:California
629:properties
327:References
153:84°09′23″W
150:42°03′22″N
1166:Wisconsin
1131:Tennessee
1036:Minnesota
1011:Louisiana
813:See also:
560:districts
503:April 15,
1322:Category
1151:Virginia
1101:Oklahoma
1081:New York
1056:Nebraska
1046:Missouri
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1006:Kentucky
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951:Colorado
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627:Historic
558:Historic
193:07000380
135:Michigan
126:Location
1268:Related
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1146:Vermont
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991:Indiana
971:Georgia
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936:Arizona
926:Alabama
251:updated
232:History
1106:Oregon
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931:Alaska
867:Topics
1238:Palau
1136:Texas
1016:Maine
981:Idaho
178:Built
1192:Guam
1141:Utah
1096:Ohio
996:Iowa
818:and
505:2024
479:2014
452:2014
425:2014
313:gray
208:The
181:1924
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216:in
188:No.
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