Still In Awe of this Old Home

Kelly and I have owned this amazing piece of history for almost 5 years now and I am still taken by the style and presence it has in the center of the block. Soon after we married, Kelly and I went searching for a vacation home. We looked in South Haven at several other homes first and when we saw this old beauty, we were smitten.

Since that June day when we bought this home, that originally was a farm house on a peach orchard, we have put countless hours into fixing it up so that it could be enjoyed again by ourselves, and by others. As I went for a walk in the neighborhood today I was over a block away and the 2-story turret caught my eye over the rooftops of other homes. That's when it struck me again - just how majestic this old lady really is. And how she must have really soared back in the 1860's when there were far few houses in the area and trees that are not quite as tall as they stand today.

Now branded as the Peach Mansion, to pay homage to the original intent of the house and "elevate" it from a farmhouse, it is amazing to think of everything that this home has witnessed. A civil war, introduction of electricity into homes, Plessy v Ferguson, the invention of the automobile, WWI, WW2, prohibition, and on and on. Wow! The people who have inhabited this home surely have stories. Over 160 years of stories to be exact.

But here she stands - still anchoring the block of residences, all but 3 blocks from the main commercial district of South Haven and just over 7 blocks from the sandy shores of Lake Michigan. It is an honor to be a part of this piece of the community. While the hours of renovations have been countless, the payoff is that families and friends still share stories and make memories in this house.

When you come and join us at the Peach Mansion, take a moment to reflect on all of the progress and innovation that has taken place in our world since the foundation was set on this home. Think about what it took with 1860 tools and machinery to construct such a house - and then you'll likely say something to the effect of "they don't make them like they use to". She is one of a kind. She is not without her 160 year-old challenges, but we keep her up so that others can continue to enjoy her beauty and her stories.