Walking tours Thursday, July 7 through August 11, 10:30 am
Meet at the Pentwater Historical Society at Rutledge and First Street. 90-minute walk features stories of historic homes and buildings dating 1860s-1880s.
Last summer it was my great pleasure to lead walking tours once again after a Pandemic hiatus. The goal is always to unearth and share details that bring to life the beautiful homes and buildings in this historic village. When you research a building, it always becomes a story about people. And on each of the four 2021 tours, at least one or two curious current owners came out to greet us. Suddenly we were hearing about resident ghosts and learning details that aren’t written down anywhere. Once standing in front of a classic Greek Revival home, we were invited in for an impromptu tour. This summer I was honored and humbled to meet tour participants whose families have been coming here for generations, some since the 1860s. My greatest joy is always in knowing more at the end of the tour than at the beginning. Pam VanderPloeg
7-24-2019 Pentwater Historical Society Walking Tour led by VanderPloeg
Welcome to PentwaterArchitecture.com
This website shares stories about the modern and historic homes and buildings of Pentwater, Michigan. Pentwater is a charming Lake Michigan coastal village overlooking Pentwater Lake. First settled in the 1850’s and incorporated in 1867, the village has a rich history. Interestingly, the village has a large stock of intact and homes built between 1858 and 1880 with general architectural integrity. Today these many historic structures mingle comfortably with new historic revival homes and contemporary structures.
Of course, this website is a work in progress. Many new stories are ready to be added, so check back frequently to read more.
The sources for information include home and building owner interviews and anecdotes, newspaper articles and books
Pentwater 1853-1942 by Florence R. Schrumpf. Reprinted with the Consent of the Family of Florence R. Schrumpf by the Pentwater Historical Society. 2nd Printing 1993 Oceana Herald Journal.
Pentwater Centennial Historical Program 1867-1967. Published by Pentwater Centennial and Homecoming Inc. 1967.
Pentwater Historical Home Tours published by the Pentwater Historical Society 2017
Pentwater Historical Society Newsletters: https://pentwaterhistoricalsociety.org/newsletters.html
Pentwater Historical Society Museum Archives and Exhibits: https://pentwaterhistoricalsociety.org
Also consulted were numerous articles from local and statewide newspapers including but not limited to the Pentwater News, Ludington Daily News and The Grand Rapids Press and Chicago newspapers
Hope you enjoy the website!
Pam VanderPloeg