If you like old Estates, and Restoration projects. This is the place to stop if your in the area. We just stumbled onto this Estate when we were traveling. The Staff was so welcoming to us and had such a passion for this project.
A ton of work went into restoring this treasure set in Saugatuck State Park. They truly kept the integrity of the home. Wonderful place to just look around and go back in time a bit. They do have facilities to host parties and weddings there. And you are close to the Saugatuck Dunes Park which offers a wide range of hiking options.
I went there with my girlfriend, her sister and her child and it was beyond beautiful. You are able to browse through wedding albums that have taken place there. A felt mansion they have a girls' room for weddings that they can get ready in that have make up there already. The rooms are beautiful. We were all in awe. Being a big history buff, this was wonderful to take a step back in time and see the history and beauty of the estate.
A great restored mansion with a true historically redo in mind. The outside water feature was terrific.
Loved the fact they had someone explaining what has been done to remodle the mansion. We started on the main floor and it was so interesting all the things that have been there.I did not like the fact that their were steps to climb after standing for a hour litening to the stories.I want to go back and go up so I can see that also.One bad thing is that you can only go aroiund Christmas time.
When you decide to tour a mansion, you want to see something amazing; at least I would. The estate is huge, but there is not a lot of information to go along with the tour. It is self guided and some of the rooms were working offices, so there was nothing old in them. The top floor is a ballroom that is used for weddings, I thought it just smelled like beer and was not impressed. There is also a chapel and barn on the property but they were not open.
my wedding reception (in may of 2010... sorry for the late review) was at the felt mansion. the grounds are beautiful, the ballroom was perfect. the mansion has taken on a handful of different identities throughout its lifespan- a convent, a state police headquarters and the supposed home of the 'melonheads', a southwest michigan legend. to see it today, restored to its 1920s glory, is pretty impressive.
Great location for a wedding; amble rooms for the bride and groom parties; a chapel for the ceremony, ball room, room for a tent, and history for all the guests.
If you like history from the early 1900's, this place is for you. Built in 1926 by Dorr E. Felt, this is a beautiful place to spend a few hours. The mansion is breathtaking. Restoration of the mansion began in 2001. Before that, the mansion was used as a seminary, a prison, and used by the state police. The grounds are beautiful, with walking trails leading off the property, into beautiful dunes. Sledding hills are on the grounds also. The mansion itself is breathtaking. Guided and unguided tours are available. Check in advance for open hours. We took the guided tour, which was given by Patty, the woman who spearheaded the restoration process. Cost $15 and $10 for seniors. Bathroom facilities, stairs. Future project for the mansion is to build an elevator.
If you like history and Mansions -- this is a must see when you are in the area. It's a self tour and the cost is $10 which goes towards restoring the Mansion. I love the victorian decor of the early 1900's & amazed that Dorr Felt had a 25 room built on serveral hundred of acres for his wife Agnes and called it a summer home.