Margaret N. Smith

1204 Lake Shore Drive, Gladstone

Built in 1885 by Cleveland Cliffs Iron Company for Austin Farrel, the first manager of the Kipling plant, the Smith Home, located at 1204 Lake Shore Drive in Gladstone, is a three-story home with full Michigan basement.

Most of the woodwork is original to the home. What could not be salvaged during restoration was replicated to the original style. Maplewood flooring on first floor, upstairs hallways, and west bedroom are original to the home and were milled at Anderson Lumber Company in Rapid River. Upstairs bedrooms with pine board flooring have been carpeted.

The kitchen

The red oak staircase to the second floor was stripped of whitewash and re-stained in a cherry finish, as was the wainscoting in the vestibule.

There are four fireplaces it the home. The fireplace in the main parlor is woodburning. The fireplace in the dining room — former library or music room — has been converted to gas. The fireplaces in the southeast bedroom and the west bedroom were coal burners that have been converted to gas.

There are five bedrooms on the second floor. The master bedroom is connected by a walk-through closet to what may have been a nursery. A small north bedroom has been converted to a walk-in closet.

The original formal dining room has been remodeled into a welcoming kitchen and furnished with high-end appliances and marble countertops. The large windows in the kitchen are original to the home. The original kitchen serves as a small den.

The first- and second-floor bathrooms have been remodeled in black and white tile designs in fitting with the style and era of the home.

The Smith home, located at 1204 Lake Shore Drive in Gladstone

The third-floor suite includes a bathroom with walk-in shower, a sitting room and a bedroom.

A glassed-in porch on the west side of the home with a doorway leading to the front porch may have been a summer sleeping porch or greenhouse. It is an inviting space to spend the afternoon reading a book on a warm, sunshiny afternoon.

The chicken coop in the backyard is currently without a tenant, but looking to rent.

Notable owners of the house have been:

— Austin Farrel, first manager of Cleveland Cliffs Iron Works, Kipling plant

— Soren Johnson, Sr. Family, Johnson Oil Company, Gladstone

— Soren Johnson, Jr. Family, Johnson Oil Company, Gladstone

— Dr. Otto S. and Mrs. Margaret Hult and daughters

— Arthur and Marjorie Pope and daughter, Ann

The Smiths purchased the home in 2013 and began major renovations in 2014. The previous owners removed the original hot water radiator heat and replaced with forced air. The formal dining room and first floor bathrooms were down to studs, all walls had holes and portions of baseboard was missing. The butler’s pantry was being used as an office, but has been restored to its original purpose. It is the perfect location for the double hung ovens, a wine refrigerator, and plenty of storage and workspace.

The Dr. Hult’s meat locker is now the laundry.

The ceiling fixture in the main entry foyer is original to the house.

A servant’s stairway connects the second floor to the the original kitchen.

A toe tap bell to summon the servant to the formal dining room was located in the wood floor. The remains of a dumbwaiter from the second floor to the original kitchen is still in place.

A new walkway to the main entrance and stone staircase were installed in 2018.

Remaining projects include installing fireplace inserts and replacing back entry stairway.

The home is a wonderful location to enjoy the beauty of the scenic Gladstone lake shore and Van Cleve Park.

The AAUW Homes for the Holidays house tours will be held on Sunday, Dec. 8, from 1 until 4 p.m. Tickets are available at Positively (1212 Ludington Street), Gust Asp (616 Ludington Street) and The Frame Farm (920 Delta Ave, Gladstone). No tickets will be be sold at the door. The first fifty ticket purchasers will be eligible for five door prize drawings. AAUW is open to men and women holding an associate’s degree or higher. Proceeds from the Homes for the Holidays house tours will provide funding for two AAUW scholarships at Bay College.