| The lot for this house was owned by James Gifford, who sold it to Martin for $50.00. Thomas Martin was a bricklayer and stone mason from Scotland, and he built this unusual concrete house, one of the few cement structures in Elgin. It has undergone drastic alterations over the years, including the exterior cladding, which hides the cast-in-place concrete walls. It is currently a tastefully presented two-unit with spacious, bright and modern interiors on both the upper and lower units. The restoration of this house was complete in the 1980s by Al Berg, the founder of Elgin's popular Al's Cafe & Creamery. |