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Monday, November 11, 2013

Tour of Historic homes

We had such fun Saturday afternoon!  The nearby villages of Lamont and Eastmanville (about 5 minutes from my house) had a tour of historic homes. The small villages of Lamont and Eastmanville are  next to each other on the Grand River.  At one time they were very busy places because of their location on the river.  Riverboats made regular stops, and there were hotels, factories and stores built.  Wealthy people built beautiful houses along the shore.  When the riverboat traffic stopped and the railroad traffic went to the north, the villages became quiet little communities.  However, some of the historic houses remain.
The Civic Association set up the tour of homes to raise money for a new community park.  There were 7 homes that participated and we saw all of them.  They asked that photos not be taken inside the homes, but I did take pictures of the exterior of each home to share with you.



The Menning home was built sometime between 1861-1863.  It was left vacant for a number of years and was quite deteriorated when the present owners purchased it in 1969.  They had major repairs to do, including lifting the foundation.  This house is beautiful on the outside, but we weren't too excited about the inside. It looked like they started fixing it up in the 70's and it was still stuck in that era.  However, the widows peak on the top was really neat to see out of.  There was a built in bench to sit and look out of the windows and you could see for miles.



This is the Stoel house.  It's not a fancy house like the last one, but a typical old farmhouse from 100 years ago.  The present owners bought it a year ago and are in the process of a complete gutting and renovation.  During the process of removing drywall, they found a hidden staircase!  The inside is looking beautiful and I have a feeling the outside will soon be a work in progress too.



This is the Katerberg home.  It was built in 1880.  The house has been completely remodeled and is beautiful inside.  There is a large dining room that has all windows on 2 sides and a beautiful view.


The man who owns this house is an artist, and this little building by the pond is his studio.



The Shrock home was built in 1838.  It was originally built on the riverbank and was used as a general store and ticket office for riverboat passage.  After the Civil War it was hauled by horses up the hill to it's present location to serve as a private residence.  The current owners have been restoring the house to reflect the time of it's construction and walking into it feels like stepping back in time.  It's filled with antiques and has the original wide planked wood floors.  Even the kitchen looks old, but we found that the old stove, was actually very modern, but disguised  to look like an antique!



This home was built in 1904 and was vacant for 6 years before the present owners bought it.  It has been completely renovated over the past 2 years.  I love the wrap around porch!



This home was built in 1851 and was originally the parsonage of the Congregational church.  It's been enlarged and beautifully renovated with much of the original woodwork remaining.



Look at the gorgeous view from this home.  The river doesn't show up in this picture but it's winding through those trees.

 

This is the back of the house.  You can see the addition, with the stonework that matches the original house.

 

This home was my favorite from the tour.  It was built in 1841 by Dr  and Mrs Timothy Eastman, who moved to  Michigan Territory from Boston.  They raised 9 children in this house and the village of Eastmanville got it's name from this family.  It's said that Abraham Lincoln slept in this home when he came down the river in 1856 campaigning for the presidency.
This home was also featured in Better Homes and Gardens in 1951.


                                                                                             



The back of the house, showing all the windows that provide beautiful views of the river.

 

The view from the back yard.



Even the garage of this house is charming!

We thoroughly enjoyed this tour of homes.  It really showed the charm and interest that can be found in older homes.

14 comments:

Marsha Young said...

Mari,
What a lovely home tour. Isn't it interesting to see what has changed and what has not changed over the years/

Imagine that stove that was "made to look ancient" - now I have had a few that really WERE ancient. :)

Thanks for sharing.

Hootin Anni said...

Wow...do I ever like this kinda thing to do. You gave us a grand tour of the area and shared a lot of history, all of which I'm very much appreciative.

That one that was in the BH&G in the 50s is my favorite.

Unknown said...

My best friend and I used to go every year to the 'Tour of Homes' in our area. Those you visited are beautiful and the older the better to me. Thanks for sharing with us.

Pat said...

I'm jealous! You know how much I love these old home tours, and these are right near where you live...that just couldn't get any better! Is this a yearly event?
My favorite is your favorite, but I think each had it's own charm. What beautiful land and views!

Linda said...

Oh my goodness! I can not pick which one is my favorite!! I love them all. What a fabulous time you had. Blessings

Jennifer Hays said...

They're all really beautiful but I think the last one is my favorite too. The garage might be the same size as my whole house! Thank you for taking us on this great tour. :)

Terri D said...

I LOVE going on historic home tours and look forward to Lakeland's each year.

These homes are all beautiful and how wonderful that they have been restored and are being cared for. Your favorite is probably mine too, just from your photos, but I do love the wrap-around porch house, too! Thanks for sharing, Mari!

NanaNor's said...

Hi Mari, Today we have the same post title and subject-how funny. I had to make sure you were in Colorado for the weekend. I love the homes you saw-so beautiful. We were able to take photos-at least I never saw anything saying not to, so my photos are more of inside decor.
Thanks for sharing.
Hugs, Noreen

Kim said...

Every year, I tell myself that I am going to go on this tour "next year", and every year I forget about it. I will have to tag along with you next year! Thanks for sharing these. Fun side note: Many years ago (maybe 20 or so) I used to house clean one of these (#6 on your list).

Anita said...

You definitely saved the best for last! What a view!

I would have loved that tour. Thanks for sharing it.

As my children get older and more mature, I hope they'll join me in tours like this. And maybe my husband will pull himself away from "the game" and join me too. :)

Beth said...

I agree with you about your favorite house. I like it best too. A close 2nd is the first house because of the porch and that awesome window cupola on top. Can they get up there?! I so enjoy tour of homes!:>)

Jenny said...

Gorgeous. The Eastman house is my favorite too, although I think the first one is so beautiful.

LL Cool Joe said...

When we come to America they are the kind of houses you expect to see! You just don't see homes like that anywhere else in the world I don't think. Beautiful!

Jean said...

That last house is amazing!!! And the view!!