Please note this article was originally published in July 2020 & updated with current information.
Muskegon received nationwide attention on the History Channel’s TV Show The Curse of Civil War Gold. My husband enjoyed watching the show, and after a few episodes, it made me want to check out all the interesting historic places in downtown Muskegon too!
Before going, I did a lot of research into the buildings and sculptures in downtown Muskegon. I looked at records in the National Registrar of Historic Places as well as newspaper records. In total, downtown Muskegon’s historic district is not large – about 6 blocks. It took us a couple hours to complete our tour.
Love history? Interested in exploring more historic sites in Michigan? Consider checking out my other articles on historic towns and places in Michigan:
- Travel the Underground Railroad in Michigan
- Visit Michigan’s almost Capitol City – Marshall
- Explore where Kellogg’s got its start – Battle Creek
~ History of Muskegon, Michigan ~
Muskegon is a mid-sized city located in Western Michigan along Lake Michigan. In fact, it’s Michigan’s largest city on Lake Michigan! The area was originally settled by both the Ottawa and Pottawatomie Native tribes. They referred to the area as, ‘Masquigon’ meaning a marshy river or swamp.
Muskegon initially rose to recognition in the second half of the 1800s. The lumber from Michigan’s white pine forests helped build many mid-American cities. Charles Hackley was the most notable sawmill owner at the time. With his fortune, he funded the construction of many local buildings such as the public library and school. Throughout downtown Muskegon you may notice how connected to the city Hackley was.
Following the lumber boom, Muskegon continually tried to attract new industry and investment. However the city never returned to the level of prosperity it achieved in the mid to late 1800’s.
Today, Muskegon is in the midst of a broad revitalization project. Most of Muskegon’s shoreline on Lake Michigan is publicly owned! And many of the post-industrial buildings located along Muskegon Lake are removed or transformed. Muskegon is a fantastic place in Michigan to visit no matter what your interest is!
~ Interesting Historic Places in Downtown Muskegon Map ~
Stop 1: Union Depot
Initially on this site sat a trading post in 1835. And across the street from it, Muskegon’s first sawmill was built in 1837. Finally, in 1894, Union Depot was constructed on this site out of brick and Marquette, Michigan sandstone in the Richardsonian Romanesque Style. It served as Muskegon’s passenger depot, serving 3 train lines – the Toledo, Saginaw & Muskegon (Grand Trunk), the Chicago & West Michigan (Pere Marquette), and Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroads that ran through the city, until 1971.
The exterior of the building remains in its original condition (with the exception of the chimney’s). From 1978 to the early 1990s, it sat vacant. Then in 1994, it was renovated and converted into the Muskegon Visitors Bureau.
Next to the depot is a former passenger platform. While the original train tracks were removed in the 1970’s, a 40 foot section of railroad track remains. On it sits an historic caboose on display. The passenger canopy from the 1920’s also remains.
Over the years, the Depot received several landmark designations. Some include its addition to the State Registrar of Historic Sites in 1978, Historic Preservation Certification by the NPS in 1986, Historic Engineering Landmark Award in 1990, and finally, the National Register of Historic Places in 2000.
Stop 2: Amazon Building
No not that Amazon… About a block away from Union Depot stands the Amazon Building, which is currently an apartment building. From the late 1800’s until 1952, a hosiery/knitting mill operated out of this building. The establishment of this business was one example of Muskegons success in attracting new industry after the lumber boom collapse.
Amazon Hosiery Company was originally founded in Michigan City, Indiana. Its founder George Powell agreed to move the mill to Muskegon after the city created a set of incentives to attract new industries. The original one story mill was built in 1895. Before that, sawmill saloons and restaurants once occupied this area.
From its beginning in Muskegon, Amazon didn’t perform well. Two years after the move, local millionaire Charles Hackley rescued the business with a $100,000 investment, gaining control of the company. The investment helped. And by 1899, an addition to the building was made and up to 650 people were employed.
Unfortunately in 1952, the company went out of business. Between then and the late 20th century, the building sat empty. Finally, in 2001, it was converted into residential and commercial spaces. In 2017, it reopened as the Amazon Apartments.
In 1982, the building was entered into the National Registry of Historic Places.
Stop 3: Hackley-Holt House
Next up is the Hackley-Holt house, which is around the block from the Amazon Apartments. In 1860, Joseph Hackley purchased this house. Joseph Hackley was the father to Muskegon lumber baron Charles Hackley. In 1856 Joseph and his 3 sons entered into the lumber business founding a company called J.H. Hackley Co. where he served as senior partner until his death in 1874.
After his death, his wife Catherine remarried to Henry Holt in 1880, and they moved into this house. Holt moved to Muskegon in 1858 where he worked as a lawyer and got into local and state politics. He later served as the Mayor of Muskegon for 2 terms and Lieutenant Governor for 2 terms. Holt died in 1898 while Catherine passed in 1920.
Currently, this house is privately owned so please admire it from the sidewalk.
Stop 4: Fire Barn Museum & Scolnik House
Across the street from the Hackley-Holt House is the Fire Barn Museum and Scolnik House. The Fire Barn Museum is a replica of the original C. H. Hackley Hose Company No. 2Â (1875-1892). Built in 1976, the original firehouse was funded by Charles Hackley in response to devastating fires between 1871 and 1874. It was also located about a block away from the replica on the corner of 7th and Webster. Inside the museum is historical firefighting equipment on display. In 1989, the Museum became part of the Lakeshore Museum Center and is open to tours.
To its right is the 1880s-Queen Anne-Inspired Folk Victorian style Scolnik House of the Depression Era. Named after the family who lived in this house throughout the Great Depression, this interactive museum transports one back to the 1930s. Within the home are stories shared by families that lived within Muskegon during this era.
Stop 5: Monet Garden
Down the street is the Monet Garden. This beautiful garden’s creation was inspired by the gardens of Claude Monet in Giverny, France. The all volunteer Lakeshore Garden Masters group regularly works on and maintains this garden just as they’ve done for over 20 years! Another great perk of this garden is that it’s free to walk through and enjoy!
Stop 6: Lakeshore Museum Center
As you continue down the road from the Monet Garden, you’ll run into the Lakeshore Museum Center. While the museum was closed when we visited, we appreciated Moxie the Mastodon outside its entrance. If you are exploring with children, the museum has a mini mastodon scavenger hunt throughout downtown Muskegon! Check out the clues here and location map here.
Stop 7: Hackley Park
Across the street from the Lakeshore Museum Center is Hackley Park. This is where we stopped next. This park is one of the most interesting historic places in all of downtown Muskegon! Named and created by lumber tycoon Charles Hackley in 1890, the park’s design raises some eyebrows if looked into further. Local history buff’s Kevin Dykstra and Brad Richards, of History Channel’s The Curse of Civil War Gold believe the park’s layout pays homage to the Confederacy in that the sidewalks resemble the Confederate flag’s diagonals.
The parks official purpose is to recognize Civil War veterans from the Union side. In the center of the park is an 80 foot tall soldiers monument. There are bronze statues of David Farragut, first admiral of the U.S. Navy; William Tecumseh Sherman, general in The Union Army; President Abraham Lincoln, and Ulysses S. Grant, commanding general of The Union Army and later, President. These statues are at each corner of the park.
Stop 8: Hackley Statue
Kitty corner from and facing Hackley Park is the bronze statue of Charles Hackley. Installed in 2009, this life size sculpture was completed by artist Bill Duffy. Hackley is intentionally sitting on a bench to encourage sitting down next to him for photos. He’s also depicted as older, during the heyday of his philanthropy.
Stop 9: St Paul’s Episcopal Church
Located right between Hackley Park and the Hackley Statue sits the current Saint Paul’s Episcopal Church. Founded in 1866, it is constructed in an English Gothic-style of architecture. Built of Bedford limestone and green bluff stone from Stony Point, Michigan, Thomas Hume paid off its construction debt after its consecration. The Humes and Hackley’s daughter gifted the church with English windows, an Italian Carrara white marble alter, and mosaic tile work throughout its early years.
Stop 10: Hackley Public Library
Just next to the church is the Hackley Public Library. Built in the American Romanesque Style in 1890, its creation was funded by Charles Hackley. Hackley announced his intentions to have a community library built in 1888 and created a competition for architects to submit their designs. After 6 submissions, the winning design was from the Chicago-based architectural firm Patton. Their design appealed to Hackley’s vision for Muskegon: a large granite structure to serve as an enduring symbol of Muskegon’s strength and optimism.
Inside the library is a replica Book of Kells, a book from 800 AD written by Medieval Irish monks that survived to the modern era. In 1990, the Muskegon Irish-American Society and the Friends of Hackley Library fundraised $14,800 to purchase one of the limited replicas.
Stop 11: Muskegon Museum of Art
Next door to the library on Webster Avenue stands the Muskegon Museum of Art. Formerly known as the Hackley Art Gallery, it was constructed in 1912. While Hackley didn’t live to see the gallery opened, he left $150,000 in his will for the ‘Hackley Picture Fund.’ This money was to be used to purchase “pictures of the best kind.” Many of the original works purchased from this fund are still on display at the museum.
In 1916, the museum made national headlines when Lulu Miller became the second female director of an art museum in the US.
Every decade since the 1940s, local businessman and philanthropist L.C. Walker and his family contributed generously to the museum until 1979 when the family helped fund its $1.6 million expansion. When the museum reopened to the public in 1980, it was as the Muskegon Museum of Art.
Stop 12: Torrent House
Another notable historic home within downtown Muskegon is the Torrent House. John Torrent, another lumberman from the boom era, built this 30 room granite house in 1891 in the Richardsonian Romanesque Style with Victorian Gothic ornamentation. Torrent served as the mayor of Muskegon for 3 terms.
After serving as a private residence, in 1942 the Muskegon General Hospital started here. The building also served at one point as a mortuary and local Red Cross Headquarters. Today the Torrent House is a part of the Hackley Public Library housing the library’s Local History & Genealogy Department.
Stop 13: Muskegon Board of Education building
Traveling back towards Hackley Park, you can’t miss the towering Muskegon Board of Education building. Also built in the Richardsonian Romanesque style, the building was constructed in 1889 with money donated by Charles Hackley. Hackley High School once stood here, replacing Central High after its destruction by fire in 1890. In 2020, the Muskegon Public Schools moved out of the building and in June of 2021, sold the building to the nonprofit Reset Ventures for $1. Reset Ventures plans to restore the building and convert it into a mixed use building with parts that are open to the public.
In front of the building is the oldest memorial statue of President William McKinley. Completed by sculptor Charles Henry Niehaus, Niehaus approached Hackley to fund it right after McKinley’s assassination. Another fun fact: this sculpture is the oldest statue of McKinley.
Stop 14: Hume House
Near the intersection of Seaway Drive and 6th Street are the Hackley and Hume homes. But first, a little history on who Hume is. Thomas Hume moved to Muskegon from Ireland in 1870. In 1872 he became Charles Hackley’s bookkeeper and later, business partner in the lumber industry. He also partnered with Hackley in the later half of the century to invest in the transformation of Muskegon to a manufacturing center.
He and Hackley built their houses at the same time in 1887/88 using the same architect, D.S. Hopkins of Grand Rapids, and carpenters, the Kelly Brothers. Both homes are built of white pine (the material that fueled the lumber boom). And both homes are Queen Anne style. While the Hume House is larger than the Hackley, it contains less architectural details. The two homes share a carriage house. Today the carriage house is known as the “City Barn.” Finally, Hume lived in this house until his death in 1920.
After Hume’s passing, in the 1950’s the house became a day care center. Then in 1971, the Hackley Heritage Association took ownership of the house. In 1972, it was listed in the National Register of Historic Places. After its restoration, in 2017 it opened for guided tours.
Stop 15: Charles Hackley House
The final interesting historic place in downtown Muskegon is the Hackley House. Charles Hackley was born in 1837 in Indiana and followed his father Joseph to Muskegon in 1856 to work as a laborer at a lumber mill. By 1859, he had worked his way up in the industry and helped his father establish their own lumber mill called J.H. Hackley & Co. This eventually became Hackley & Hume. Besides lumber, Hackley engaged in other financial and industrial interests.
Like the Hume House, the Hackley House was built in 1887/88 in the Queen Anne style. Its interior is heavily ornamented on its doors, trim and molding. It is also decorated in multiple themes including Byzantine, Cambodian, Michigan timber, and brotherhood of man.
With more time, we recommend the guided and self-guided tours managed by the Lakeshore Museum Center.
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Have you ever visited Muskegon’s Historic District? Were there any interesting historic places in downtown Muskegon you enjoyed visiting?
from Michigan with Love,
Jackie
Sources used: National Registrar of Historic Places Catalog, Mlive
