A town of 33,000 souls, give or take. Wikipedia:

"Founded in 1829, it was named after President Andrew Jackson. By the late 19th century, it had developed as a railroad hub and was known as the crossroads of Michigan. By 1910 it had strong manufacturing of a variety of automobiles and parts and was also a center of corset manufacturing into the 1920s. As an industrial city, it attracted numerous migrants from the American South, both white and black, and European immigrants who were seeking better economic opportunity.

"The first state prison was built here. By 1882 it had developed as the largest walled prison in the world, containing both factory facilities and farmland."

There's a distinction.

It was the worst of times, it was the worst of times.

 
Seriously, two bad ideas right there - but at least the tall one honestly expresses its era, as opposed to the one that expresses its era with ersatz gimcrack stylings.
It was the worst of times, it was the worst of times.

Seriously, two bad ideas right there - but at least the tall one honestly expresses its era, as opposed to the one that expresses its era with ersatz gimcrack stylings.
Turn around, and it’s quite heartening

That’s lovely, and the trees add something instead of taking it away.
Wow:

Opened in 1930, the last of the town’s big movie houses. (Gee, wonder why.) Now renovated and open for business.

Cinema Treasure photos, here.

It’s as if they couldn’t bring themselves to take this off.

Shame stayed their hands.

The look of a prosperous place:

Someone had the cornice shaved, though. Probably after a chunk or two fell off.
Uh -

I can’t imagine how that was economically viable, but it was. Tallest building in town when it went up in ’26.

But not for long.
Built for the Union and Peoples’ Bank.

They went bust before they could move in.

You know what this was.

Mlive:

The Hayes Hotel is named for the founder of Hayes Wheel Company, later Kelsey-Hayes Company, which became the largest wheel manufacturer in the world.

Fantastic post-abandonment pictures here. Its current status - about to be renovated? Possibly not? - seems unclear.

 

Beautiful perfect old variety store.

If it wasn’t a Woolworth, I’ll eat my hat.
Nice grouping:

Civic building? Court? US Mail? No:
The old building for the Citizen-Patriot. It’s a Bible verse, by the way.

It doesn't look like the style of building that would have something ornate between the third-floor windows and the cornice. But surely there was something there.

DAMS BLOCK
 
P. L. FOX. Original windows.

Eloquence, indeed.

Finally:

The little windows suggest a hotel - the bathroom? Let us google . . . Ah!
It was the Otswego.