Michigan Governor's Mansion

Michigan Governor's Mansion in Lansing, MI

The Michigan Governor's Mansion and summer residence are located in the U.S. state of Michigan.

The primary residence is a gated mansion in a secured area of a private neighborhood of Lansing.

The second home, a summer residence, is located on Mackinac Island.

Both residences are owned by the state of Michigan and are maintained with private donations. The Michigan Constitution specifies that there is to be a Governor's residence at the seat of government, and that the seat of Government shall be at Lansing.

Primary Residence

The governor’s mansion in Lansing was built in 1957 for Howard and Letha Sober, who donated it to the state in 1969. The furnishings were provided by the State of Michigan. American architect Wallace Frost, who was known for traditional architecture, designed the ranch-style residence with its stone exterior in a contemporary style. The contemporary architecture was a change from his usual style. A garden room was added in the mid-1970s. The gated mansion sits on approximately four acres of secured area in the Moores River Drive estates of Lansing near the scenic Grand River. Governors who have lived in the mansion during their office tenure include William Milliken, James Blanchard, John Engler, and Jennifer Granholm. The mansion in Lansing was renovated during the early 2000s and contains 10,300 sq ft (960 m2), five bedrooms, and four baths. The current governor, Rick Snyder, has elected to remain at his Ann Arbor residence.[1]

Summer Residence

The Governors House on Mackinac Island. The Governor of Michigan, while in office, can use this residence as a vacation home.
Lawrence Andrew Young Cottage

Michigan Governor's summer residence on Mackinac Island
Location Jct. of Fort Hill and Huron Rd., Mackinac Island, Michigan
Coordinates 45°51′6″N 84°37′13″W / 45.85167°N 84.62028°W / 45.85167; -84.62028
Area 1.6 acres (0.65 ha)
Built 1901
Architectural style Shingle Style
NRHP Reference # 97000800[2]
Added to NRHP November 17, 1997

Built in 1902, the governor’s summer residence on Mackinac Island is a three-story structure located on a bluff overlooking the Straits of Mackinac.

It was built originally as a private residence for Chicago attorney Lawrence Andrew Young and owned later by the Hugo Scherer family of Detroit. In 1944, the Mackinac Island State Park Commission purchased the home for its original cost of $15,000. Since then, the commission has provided the care and maintenance of the residence and surrounding gardens.

The residence home features eleven bedrooms, nine and one-half bathrooms and a full basement. The interior features U.S. Southern yellow pine, while the exterior is constructed of Michigan white pine. The house retains many original fixtures and furnishings, including the Young family crystal in a leaded-glass china cupboard located in the dining room and a tall case clock in the living room.

The governor's summer residence on Mackinac Island was refurbished during Governor Engler's 2nd term in office. Private donations funded the renovations.

Since the first official function in 1945, Michigan’s governors have used this home to host important events with national and state leaders.

The house was named to the National Register of Historical Places in 1997.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Dolan, Matthew (December 30, 2010).No Thanks, No Mansion for Me, Say More Governors-to-Be. Wall Street Journal. Retrieved January 4, 2010.
  2. ↑ National Park Service (2010-07-09). "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service.

Coordinates: 42°43′10″N 84°35′09″W / 42.71946°N 84.5859°W / 42.71946; -84.5859

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