Dorr E. Felt Mansion facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Dorr E. Felt Mansion
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 Location in Michigan
Location in the United States
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| Location | 66th St. and 138th Ave., Laketown Township, Michigan |
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| Area | 3 acres (1.2 ha) |
| Built | 1927 |
| Architect | Frank P. Allen & Son |
| Architectural style | Classical Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 96001418 |
| Added to NRHP | December 12, 1996 |
The Felt Mansion is a beautiful old house located in Laketown Township, Michigan, near Saugatuck, Michigan. It was built a long time ago and is now a special place listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's an important building with a lot of history!
Contents
History of the Felt Mansion
Who Built the Felt Mansion?
The Felt Mansion was built by a clever inventor named Dorr Felt. He was born in 1862. When he was 18, he moved to Chicago and worked in a factory.
Dorr Felt's Big Idea
In 1885, Dorr had a brilliant idea. He wanted to create a machine to help people with math. He worked hard and invented a calculating machine. He even got a patent for it! In 1889, he opened his own factory. His company became very successful.
Building a Dream Home
Dorr Felt married Agnes McNulty in 1891. They had four daughters. The Felt family first visited the Saugatuck area in the early 1900s. They loved the beautiful scenery there.
Starting in 1919, they began buying land in the area. In 1926, they bought the specific lots where the mansion now stands. At that time, they lived in a small farmhouse on the property.
In 1927, the Felts hired a company called Frank P. Allen & Son to design their summer house. Construction began in July 1927 and was finished in 1928.
Changes After Dorr Felt's Death
Sadly, Agnes Felt died suddenly at the estate in August 1928. Dorr Felt remarried the next year. However, his new wife preferred living in Chicago. Dorr Felt himself passed away in August 1930.
The mansion was left to his children. They owned it until 1949. Then, they sold it to a Catholic group called the Augustinian Order.
The Mansion as a School and Police Post
In 1949, the Felt Mansion became the St. Augustine Catholic Seminary preparatory school. The mansion was used as a chapel. It also provided homes for priests and students.
In 1962, the Augustinians leased the mansion to a group of nuns. In 1963, the Augustinian Order built a larger school on the Felt Estate. This school was for students in grades 9-12. It had its own chapel and housing.
In 1977, the State of Michigan bought the Felt Estate. The state used the Felt Mansion as a state police post. The school building was changed into a correctional facility.
The correctional facility closed in 1991. In 1995, the state sold 44 acres of the Estate to Laketown Township for just $1. The agreement said that the mansion must be saved and used by the public.
A group called the Friends of the Felt Estate formed in 2002. They started working to restore the house and its grounds. The property is now officially listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
What the Felt Mansion Looks Like
The Felt Mansion is a large, three-story house. It is made of yellow brick and has a rectangular shape. The roof is covered with slate tiles.
The house has many windows. Some are tall and narrow. Others are round-arched. There are also special three-part windows. The front entrance has a fancy limestone archway.
Inside the Mansion
Inside, the house has a main hallway in the middle. Rooms are arranged neatly around it. On one side, there was a dining room, a kitchen, and a sun porch. On the other side, there was a large sunroom and a living room.
A grand staircase leads to the second floor. This floor had family rooms. There was a master bedroom suite with a special cedar closet and a sun porch. Other bedrooms were for children and guests. There were also sleeping areas for servants.
The third floor of the mansion held a large ballroom. Imagine having a party in a ballroom on the top floor of your house!
Local Legend
According to a local story, the forest around the Felt Mansion is a place where mysterious creatures called melon heads are said to live. It's just a legend, but it adds a fun, spooky touch to the mansion's history!
