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Egbert H. Gold Estate
Egbert H. Gold Summer House.jpg
Egbert H. Gold Estate is located in Michigan
Egbert H. Gold Estate
Location in Michigan
Egbert H. Gold Estate is located in the United States
Egbert H. Gold Estate
Location in the United States
Location 1116 Hazel Ave., Holland, Michigan
Area 7.5 acres (3.0 ha)
Built 1913 (1913)
Built by H. D. Deam
Architect Thomas Eddy Tallmadge, Tallmadge & Watson
Architectural style Prairie School
NRHP reference No. 84000548
Added to NRHP December 27, 1984

The Egbert H. Gold Estate, also known as the Marigold Lodge, is a beautiful summer home located in Holland, Michigan. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1984 because of its important history and unique design. Today, a furniture company called Herman Miller owns the estate. They use it as a special place for training and as a private hotel for their customers.

History of Marigold Lodge

Egbert H. Gold was born in 1868 in Cornwall, Connecticut. His family was known for designing and making steam heating systems. In fact, Gold's father invented the very first cast-iron radiator! Egbert first worked in his family's business.

Building the Summer Home

In 1901, Egbert Gold decided to start his own company in Chicago. Years later, in 1913, he was sailing with his wife, Margaret. They anchored their yacht in Lake Macatawa and explored a nearby piece of land. Gold saw how special this land was. He bought the property in December of that year.

Soon after, in 1913, Gold began building a large lodge on the land. He hired a talented architect named Thomas Eddy Tallmadge to design the lodge. H. D. Deam was the builder. Gold named his new summer home "Marigold." This name was a mix of his wife's name, Margaret, and his daughter's name, Mary Jayne.

Life at the Estate

Egbert Gold loved gardening. He brought in many different plants to make the grounds beautiful. He even built greenhouses on the property. In the 1920s, Gold made the lodge bigger and updated it. He continued to visit his beloved Marigold Lodge until he passed away in 1928.

After Egbert's death, his wife Margaret later married an opera singer named Mischa Thorgevsky. The family kept using the estate as their summer home until Margaret passed away in 1968.

New Owners and Uses

In 1969, Mary Jane Gold, who was Egbert and Margaret's only child still living, gave the lodge and its grounds to Hope College. However, keeping up such a large estate was very expensive for the college. So, in 1978, Hope College sold the property to the furniture company Herman Miller.

Herman Miller carefully fixed up and updated the buildings and furniture. Today, they use the Marigold Lodge as a special training center. It also serves as a private hotel for their customers, offering a unique and historic place to stay.

About Marigold Lodge

The Marigold Lodge sits on a 7½-acre piece of land that sticks out into Lake Macatawa. The main house is a two-story building designed in the Prairie School style. This style often uses natural materials like dark wood and stucco.

Main House Features

The main lodge has a roof that is not very steep, covered with brown shingles. Red brick chimneys and pointed windows stick out from the roof. The outside walls are covered with stucco. They also have horizontal lines of dark wood.

  • The south side of the house has a sun porch on the first floor. This porch is now used as a dining room.
  • The east and west sides of the house also have smaller enclosed porches.
  • A special wing for services and guests is connected to the north side of the house.

Inside the Lodge

On the first floor of the lodge, you will find a living room, two dining rooms, a library, and the sun porch. The service wing has a modern kitchen, an office, and a lounge for employees. Upstairs, on the second floor, there are eight bedrooms. Each bedroom has its own bathroom.

The property also includes a guest house, a gazebo, and other newer buildings. Herman Miller has turned the main house into a visitor's center and hotel. Some of the older buildings have been replaced or rebuilt by Herman Miller to fit their needs.

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