(Quoted from the Kansas State Historical Society newsletter, Topeka, Kansas, August 31, 2006)

The Michigan Building, erected in 1909, was built for $60,000 by Wichita’s first druggist, Oscar D. Barnes, and his son, Maurice P. Barnes, and remained in their family until 1972. The Barnes family played a significant role in Wichita’s commercial history by developing downtown business blocks.

Designed by Charles W. Terry, the building is a narrow structure of reinforced concrete, steel, and terra cotta brick that stands six stories tall. It is significant for its historic presence in downtown Wichita’s streetscape and as the home of several locally prominent music stores. Its physical presence contributes to the “canyon” of East Douglas Avenue, a busy downtown thoroughfare lined with towering structures.

The music stores housed within the building – the Martin & Adams Music Company, The Adams- Bennett Music Company and the Bennett Music House – drew customers from Wichita and the surrounding region.