Charles G. Learned House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Charles G. Learned House
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 Location in Michigan
Location in the United States
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| Location | 8544 Lake St., Port Austin, Michigan |
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| Area | 1.8 acres (0.73 ha) |
| Built | 1837 |
| Architectural style | Second Empire, Italianate |
| NRHP reference No. | 84001400 |
| Added to NRHP | May 31, 1984 |
The Charles G. Learned House is a historic building in Port Austin, Michigan. It was built as a private home but is now a bed and breakfast called the Garfield Inn. This inn is named after US President James A. Garfield, who was a friend of the Learned family and often stayed there. The house was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1984 because of its important history.
Contents
History of the Charles G. Learned House
The Learned Family and President Garfield
Charles G. Learned was born in 1816 in West Troy, New York. His father built large public projects like roads and bridges. In 1835, Charles won a contract to build an aqueduct for New York City. He married Maria Raymond in 1838. Charles continued to work on big building projects. He also started businesses in farming and cutting timber in New York.
During this time, the Learned family met James A. Garfield. Garfield later became a US President. He was a student then and lived with the Learned family between college terms. They became lifelong friends.
Moving to Michigan and Expanding the House
By the late 1850s, Charles Learned became interested in Michigan. He saw opportunities in the timber industry there. In 1859, he sold or leased his businesses in New York. He then started new ventures in Michigan and moved to Port Austin with his family.
In Port Austin, Learned bought this property. There was already a house on it. No one knows who built the first house. It was probably built between 1837 and 1859. Charles Learned added to the house, making it twice as big. He quickly started many businesses in the area. He traded goods, dug a salt well, and opened mills. These included a saw mill, a shingle mill, a barrel factory, and a flour mill.
Around 1866, Charles and Maria built another large addition to their home. At this time, James A. Garfield, who was then a US Senator, visited the Learneds. He was a frequent guest throughout the 1860s.
Architectural Changes and Later Owners
In 1870, Jonas Learned, Charles and Maria's only son, moved into the Port Austin house. He had been involved in timber manufacturing. He also ran a successful store in Port Crescent. But he chose to join the growing community of Port Austin.
Meanwhile, Charles Learned started focusing on farm products. In 1871, Charles and Jonas worked together. Over several years, they added many Second Empire style details to the house. Before this, it had been an Italianate style house. In 1874, Jonas sold his other businesses. He then joined his father's farming company.
Maria Learned passed away in 1881, and Charles in 1891. Jonas Learned and his family continued to live in the house until 1931. Then, a local manufacturer named Mr. Mayes bought it. Mayes renamed the house the Mayes Inn. He ran it as a place for tourists to stay, a bar, and a restaurant.
In 1946, Mr. Neinaltowski bought the inn. He changed its name to the Tower Hotel. In 1979, Edward and Diana Hilgendorf bought the Tower Hotel. But in 1982, they sold it to Gail and Gary Regnier. The Regniers began a big project to restore the home to its original beauty.
What the House Looks Like
The Charles G. Learned House is a large building with three and a half stories. It has a special Second Empire style. This style shows that it was built in different stages. It has a unique mansard roof. It also has a large tower at the front. These features were likely added around the 1870s. They were added to what was originally an Italianate style house.
See also
In Spanish: Casa de Charles G. Learned para niños
