Entry Hall

There are three original features of the 1860 home in this front hall. First, notice the window panes on either side of the door. All of them are original except for the one on the bottom right if you are facing the front door. This window was broken when the historical society purchased the home and a local artist restored it. Second, the parquet floor is original to the 1860 home and would have extended from the front door to the back door and stopped at the parlor doors. Third, take a look up at the top of the staircase. Abner Pratt, the original builder of the home, had this mural painted in 1860 as yet another grand feature of his home. There are three different styles of architecture that architect William Buck implemented when he designed this home: Italianate, Gothic Revival, and Polynesian (also called tropical). The rectangular windows and doorways and the cupola on top of the home are features indicative of the Italianate style of architecture. Gothic features include the archways and columns on the front of the home. The height and decorative stylings of the home are Polynesian styles of architecture. There are 15-foot ceilings and 10-foot doorways in this home. The height serves a key purpose to keep the house cool in hot climates. In Michigan, however, this is only convenient a few months out of the year. The house is easy to cool during the summer but the winter brings new challenges as the heat rises up to the ceilings. There were originally 12 fireplaces in this home to provide heat.