File this under “curiosities.” This is the northern terminus of the sidewalk on the east side of Elvin Court. Ahead is the Armory.

What makes this a curiosity is that the sidewalk ends mid-lot without any apparent reasoning behind it. On the west side, the sidewalk ends at the end of the last house’s lot, providing a de facto path into the Armory grounds. Here, though, it ends in front of the house, but not at the front door (which is on the south side of the house). Why did they say “this far, and no farther”? Usually if a sidewalk doesn’t go to the end of the block, it ends at someone’s front walk.

There is another curiosity on Elvin Court, which it shares with Horton Street one block east. The street numbers on the northernmost end go up to 253 instead of topping out at 237 which is normal for a Lansing block. This is a consequence of the fact that the 200 block actually extends past Vine Street, which is usually the border between the 200 and 300 block. Although Vine doesn’t cross Elvin, the invisible extended line of absent cross streets is still usually taken to demarcate blocks and the house numbers change accordingly. But on Elvin and Horton, the 200 block continues north of this invisible line. If one were to walk due east from Horton’s 200 block, one would end up on the 300 block of Clemens. Most of the house numbering in Lansing is so satisfyingly orderly that I’m always a bit affronted when I find the odd exceptions.