JANUARY 19 ISSUE ANSWERS (photo to right): This home was razed last month. It was located on the west side of South Main across from the McDonald’s restaurant in Washington Township. The 1859 map of Macomb County shows a house at this location. Our researcher says that the location might have been the birth place of Dwight Lowell, a well-known Romeo lawyer. In 1875, the property was owned by John L. Benjamin, who with Lazalier was a dealer in groceries, paints lumber and real estate. Benjamin built a block of 4 stores in the center of Romeo (two are still standing.) The village purchased the land to the west for the Romeo well. By 1906 Frank Bowerman owned the property. Bowerman played baseball professionally for the Baltimore Orioles, New York Giants, Pittsburgh Pirates and the Boston Doves. He was known as the player who created the current position of catcher. He was the first to stand behind the batter. Previously the ball would smack against the backboard and a catch would recover the ball for the pitcher. They didn’t use gloves at that time. He also discovered Christy Mathewson, one of the greatest pitchers of the time. Frank and Christy used to come to Romeo and play ball with the locals. The original house has been added on and Bowerman added the new craftsman style porch with pillars in 1921. Bowerman became a fruit grower after retiring from pro ball. Romeo Historical Society members