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1999
HERITAGE HILL HOME TOUR
TOUR HOUSE DETAILS
Click on thumbnail to view larger image.
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516
College SE
One of the grandest
homes on this year's tour, the Brayton Mansion still hosts many fine
parties and visitors to Grand Rapids as it most assuredly once did in its
heyday. Built by James Brayton in 1889, the house -- other than updates
and modern amenities -- stands today virtually unchanged. From the
one-of-a-kind wall coverings downstairs to the ballroom on the third
floor, we imagine a lifestyle only dreamed of today. Even the carriage
house, with its generous living quarters and "turntable" carriage stalls
remind us of the opulence of the time. |
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529
Fountain NE
Originally constructed
in the 1870's, this home has definite Italianate features including tall,
narrow windows with elaborate crowns. In the early 1900's, it underwent a
makeover that gave it several Queen Anne details including the wrap-around
porch. The present owners have taken great pains to give the home its
third rebirth with stately, albeit not-so-traditional, decoration
befitting the home's design and their significant art collection. A state
of the art kitchen, library, and garden room are must sees. |
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310
Union SE
A modest farmhouse,
circa 1874, with not-so-modest detail throughout. All the original
woodwork and even the living room fireplace are reminiscent of a much
finer home, but typical of a Victorian builder trying to capture the
essence of the lavish life on a much smaller budget. |
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350
Cherry SE
Built in 1874, the
quaint English Cottage style appearance of this home belies the roominess
of its 3400 square feet of living space. The warmth of each room comes as
much from design as of decoration by the current owners. Original features
like the decorative trim work and lighting on the main floor to the
nickel-plated hardware of the second floor seem only to need a family to
fulfill its cozy feeling. The owners own taste and collections (like an
exquisite box collection you'll see throughout) fill the bill perfectly. |
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559
College SE
The features that
represented grandness when this home was first built are still its glory
today. This 1906 Georgian Revival is a wood-lover's dream. From the front
porch, through the entryway and on into the foyer, the wood and its design
are impeccable. Columns and wainscoting take the visitor's eye through a
world of care and craftsmanship of a bygone era. Leaded glass windows
throughout the main floor lend a quiet dignity to each room as they
diffuse the light over furnishings and floor. |
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106
Union SE
One of the oldest homes on this year's tour, this 1876 home has a definite
"stick-style" as the decorative trusses in the gables suggest. The two
apartments of this house still maintain the flavor and unique
characteristics of the single-family original including an unusual
metal-framed skylight, the glazed green tiled fireplace front and the
larger bath of the smaller apartment which was the original home's main
bath. |
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347
Madison SE
Here we see a
Tudor-style with craftsman or "stick" influences. Unique to this 1901 home
is the fact it and the apartment building to its immediate south were
purchased in the 1940's by the Catholic Church as a home for the Carmelite
Sisters of the Divine Heart of Jesus. There was an enclosed hallway
constructed between the two for the convenience of the Sisters of St. Anne's
Home. |
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356
Cherry SE
This 1885 home was
designed and built by noted architect Robert Charles Coit. Though the
house had a wealthy beginning, it's the survival from desertion and
vandalism that makes this tour home special. A resurrection that started
in the mid-seventies and continued by the current owners has returned the
home to its once-stately opulence tempered by today's lifestyle. |
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423
Madison SE
In 1882, Robert Corson,
a director for the Berkey & Gay Furniture Company, built this Queen
Anne style home. Characterized by the extensive use of wood shingles and
long, sweeping roof lines, the "New England" look even incorporated a
unique bungalow style porch. Once inside, the ample room and hall sizes
contradict the styling of the home's exterior. Built without indoor
plumbing, baths were added around 1900 and have a most unique feature
--ceramic tiling not only on the floors, but on the walls and entire
ceilings. |
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450
Madison SE
The perennial
Tour favorite! Commissioned in 1908 by a prominent Grand Rapids clothier,
this incredible home was designed by America’s most famous architect,
Frank Lloyd Wright. After suffering years of neglect, it was meticulously
restored by Steelcase, Inc. in 1987. (Links to Steelcase web site) |
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115
College SE -- the Voigt House Victorian Museum
Built in 1895 by
local businessman, Carl Voigt, this opulent structure is really a romantic
adaptation of a French chateau. Home to two generations of the Voigt
family, the mansion is furnished with belongings the family used over the
years. The Voigt House is a property of the Public Museum and admission is
$3 for adults and $2 for seniors and students (charged in addition to the
Tour tickets). |
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Also on
tour this year is Central High
School, the second oldest high school in the state. Central High
alumni include Senator Vandenberg, First Lady Betty Ford, and astronaut
Roger Chaffee. |
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