Ralph W. Hammett and the Dr. Kellogg Medical Works Building,

Ann Arbor, Michigan

In 1865, Dr. Daniel B. Kellogg, a "clairvoyant physician," purchased the building to your far right which then had four stories. Kellogg was a medium who performed his medical wizardry by "communicating" through the disembodied spirits of two Native American medicine men, Walapaca and Owosso. During trances, Kellogg claimed to see patients' internal organs in glowing electric tints. Letters arrived from all over the country seeking his aid. All that was needed for a mail order diagnosis was the patient's name, age, address—and the usual fee. To answer the demand for Daniel's cures, he and his brother Leverett marketed a line of family medicines, which included Kellogg's Liver Invigorator and Kellogg's Magic Red Drops. After Daniel died in 1876, Leverett continued the patent medicine business. Daniel's son Albert served as the new medium.

April 22, 1937. This is Eck Stanger’s photograph of various buildings on Broadway, in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The Wurster Building (far right) had recently been designed by the Architect, Ralph W. Hammett. Dr. Kellogg ’s 4-storey building is in the center.

February 1938. This is Eck Stanger’s photograph of same spot on Broadway a year later in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The Wurster building can still be seen on the right, but the four storey building in the center has been redesigned by Architect Ralph W. Hammett and been turned into a 2 storey building.

February 1938. This is Eck Stanger’s photograph of the new Ann Arbor headquarters and building of the American News Company on Broadway. It was formerly the 4-storey “Dr. Kellogg Medical Works” building redesigned by local architect and University of Michigan professor, Ralph W. Hammett.

(Photo from Ann Arbor Archives, Time Period: 1915-1925)

EARLIER PICTURES OF THIS BUILDING:

Dr. Daniel Kellogg’s Medical Works Building, Period of 1865-1876.