Michigan Governor's Residence
Encyclopedia
The Michigan Governor's Mansion is located in the U.S. state capital of Lansing, Michigan
. The gated mansion is in a secured area of a private neighborhood. An official 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 there to be a Governor's residence at the seat of government, and that the seat of Government shall be at Lansing.
. 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 8700 sq ft (808.3 m²), five bedrooms, and four baths.
.
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.
Lansing, Michigan
Lansing is the capital of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is located mostly in Ingham County, although small portions of the city extend into Eaton County. The 2010 Census places the city's population at 114,297, making it the fifth largest city in Michigan...
. The gated mansion is in a secured area of a private neighborhood. An official summer residence is located on Mackinac Island
Mackinac Island
Mackinac Island is an island and resort area covering in land area, part of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is located in Lake Huron, at the eastern end of the Straits of Mackinac, between the state's Upper and Lower Peninsulas. The island was home to a Native American settlement before European...
. Both residences are owned by the state of Michigan and are maintained with private donations. The Michigan Constitution
Michigan Constitution
The Constitution of the State of Michigan is the governing document of the U.S. state of Michigan. It describes the structure and function of the state's government....
specifies there to be a Governor's residence at the seat of government, and that the seat of Government shall be at Lansing.
Architecture
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 RiverGrand River (Michigan)
The Grand River is the longest river in the U.S. state of Michigan. It runs through the cities of Jackson, Eaton Rapids, Lansing, Grand Rapids, and Grand Haven.-Description:...
. Governors who have lived in the mansion during their office tenure include William Milliken
William Milliken
William Grawn Milliken , is an American politician and served as the 44th Governor of Michigan from January 1969 to January 1983.-Biography:...
, James Blanchard
James Blanchard
James Johnston "Jim" Blanchard is a politician from the US state of Michigan. A Democrat, Blanchard has served in the United States House of Representatives, as the 45th Governor of Michigan, and as United States Ambassador to Canada....
, John Engler
John Engler
John Mathias Engler is an American politician and a member of the Republican Party. He served as the 46th Governor of Michigan from 1991 to 2003....
, and Jennifer Granholm
Jennifer Granholm
Jennifer Mulhern Granholm is a Canadian-born American politician, educator, and author who served as Attorney General and 47th Governor of the U.S. state of Michigan. A member of the Democratic Party, Granholm became Michigan's first female governor on January 1, 2003, when she succeeded Governor...
. The mansion in Lansing was renovated during the early 2000s and contains 8700 sq ft (808.3 m²), five bedrooms, and four baths.
Summer residence
Built in 1902, the governor’s summer residence on Mackinac Island is a three-story structure located on a bluff overlooking the Straits of MackinacStraits of Mackinac
The Straits of Mackinac is the strip of water that connects two of the Great Lakes, Lake Michigan and Lake Huron, and separates the Lower Peninsula of Michigan from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. It is a shipping lane providing passage for raw materials and finished goods, connecting, for...
.
It was built originally as a private residence for Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
attorney Lawrence Andrew Young and owned later by the Hugo Scherer family of Detroit. In 1944, the Mackinac Island State Park Commission
Mackinac Island State Park Commission
The Mackinac Island State Park Commission is an appointed board of the State of Michigan that administers state parklands in the Straits of Mackinac area. It performs public activities under the name Mackinac State Historic Parks...
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
Loblolly Pine
Pinus taeda is one of several pines native to the Southeastern United States, from central Texas east to Florida, and north to Delaware. It is particularly dominant in the eastern half of North Carolina, where there are huge expanses consisting solely of Loblolly Pine trees...
, while the exterior is constructed of Michigan white pine
Eastern White Pine
Pinus strobus, commonly known as the eastern white pine, is a large pine native to eastern North America, occurring from Newfoundland west to Minnesota and southeastern Manitoba, and south along the Appalachian Mountains to the northern edge of Georgia.It is occasionally known as simply 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
John Engler
John Mathias Engler is an American politician and a member of the Republican Party. He served as the 46th Governor of Michigan from 1991 to 2003....
'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.