After the Great Chicago Fire, small communities in Southwest Michigan started popping up after the area had been logged to re-build Chicago. In those days, many of the villages were segregated, except for Union Pier, which has always been a somewhat Bohemian area, attracting artisans and craftsmen from many different ethnic and religious backgrounds.

This is the quintessential Michigan family home, located on the shores of Lake Michigan, which spans three generations of the Harry Brown family, the maternal grandfather of Cary Frank. John Cannon joined the family in 1980 and together they transformed the house from a summer home to an extraordinary year- round residence. With so much history, it is hard to change things, so the old vinyl floor rug still remains in what was once the nursery, all the wicker is the original Art Deco “Egyptian” style furnishings from 1931, and even the original swing on which Cary’s grandparents used to sit on a sultry summer’s eve has stayed.

Great care has been taken to keep the original details, while updating all the systems (electrical, plumbing, kitchen and baths) and making changes without any noticeable alterations. The addition of extensive gardens, Koi ponds, limestone terraces and sidewalks has been a personal passion to make this home a truly serene sanctuary…it is really nice to be home.

Photograhy by Nathan Kirkman, Jim Yochum and Cary Frank