Amazing Northern Michigan Homes: Wellington Inn

This week’s Amazing Northern Michigan Home will take you back to the turn of the century when Traverse City was just becoming a city and the lumber industry was in full swing.

Whitney Amann and photojournalist Jeremy Erickson take you to the Wellington Inn for a look at a very historic house.

“The Wellington Inn is a mansion located in downtown Traverse City that was built in 1905 by one of the areas lumber barons,” said Kellie Sergent, realtor with Century 21 Northland. “The son and his wife lived here with their five children.”

Walking through the doors of the Wellington Inn is like taking a step back in history.

This historic home in the heart of downtown Traverse City has been a labor of love for the current owners who have gone to great lengths to preserve this beautiful piece of the past.

She said “The current owner purchased the home in 1999 and spent several years doing a complete extensive remodel of the entire property and was able to really truly bring it back to its original grandeur.”

Restoring the massive mansion was no minor task when you consider the fact that this property holds nine elegant guest suites, a large ballroom on the third floor, parlor, dining room and sitting room.

During the renovation, aspects of the homes history began revealing themselves.

“She was able to uncover multiple things in the property,” said Sergent. “For example one of the rooms has a hand painted mural on the wall that she was able to find and then had a local artist come in and touch up that piece. There’s also, as you’ll see in this room, the walls, although it looks like wallpaper, it’s actually fabric that she found on the property and was original to the home itself.”

The attention to detail extends across the lawn to what was once the property’s stable but is now home to two quaint two bedroom apartments.

“We have the carriage house which the main level is currently storage and then it has the two guest apartments and those do have full kitchens and they are also period decorated and they are just absolutely gorgeous,” she said.

Two beautiful buildings that give you a glimpse into lavish, turn of the century, living.

“As you walk throughout the property, it’s just absolutely stunning and a true gem to really have a property as unique as this right in downtown Traverse City,” said Sergent.

Click for the listing for this Amazing Northern Michigan Home.