Nelson in Muskegon in Muskegon County, Michigan — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Hackley House
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, July 28, 2017
1. Hackley House Marker (side 1)
This three-story wood frame building is one of Michigan’s most splendid examples of Queen Anne architecture. With juxtaposition of masses created by roof lines, chimneys, tower and porte-cochere it has become a symbol of Muskegon. Fifteen stained glass windows add to the elegance of the structure, and the interior decoration includes hand-stenciled walls and ceilings, carved woodwork and seven tiled fireplaces. The house is testimony to Hackley’s wealth, and to an era when Muskegon was known as the “Lumber Queen of the World.”
Charles H. Hackley (1837 – 1905) came to Muskegon in 1857. Though he had only $7 when he arrived, he was worth $12 million at the time of his death. He made his fortune in lumber, and when lumber declined, he administered the Chamber of Commerce program that rebuilt Muskegon into a center of industry. His gifts and endowments to the community totaled over $6 million and supported parks, statuary, schools, local churches, a hospital and a public library.
Erected 1988 by Bureau of History, Michigan Department of State. (Marker Number L58.)
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Charity & Public Work
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Location. 43° 13.893′ N, 86° 15.323′ W. Marker is in Muskegon, Michigan, in Muskegon County. It is in Nelson. Marker is at the intersection of West Webster Avenue and Sixth Street, on the right when traveling west on West Webster Avenue. Marker located on lawn in front of the Hackley House. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 484 West Webster Avenue, Muskegon MI 49440, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Hume House (a few steps from this marker); Hackley-Holt House (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Union Depot (approx. 0.2 miles away); Torrent House (approx. ¼ mile away); Buster Keaton (approx. ¼ mile away); Hackley Public Library (approx. ¼ mile away); Central United Methodist Church (approx. 0.3 miles away); Muskegon Woman's Club (approx. 0.3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Muskegon.
Regarding Hackley House. National Register of Historic Places #70000282. Also a contributing property in Muskegon Historic District,
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, July 28, 2017
2. Hackley House Marker (side 2)
Related markers. Click here for a list of markers that are related to this marker.
Also see . . .
1. Charles H. Hackley House.
The Hackley House is a large three-story frame Queen Anne house with a three-story tower at the corner and a two-story porch. The elaborate 13-color exterior paint scheme has been reconstructed from the original tones. It has a many-sided roof with prominent gables and a porte-cochere in front. The windows are a mix of shapes, including horseshoe and round; some are made from French plate glass and decorated with stained glass. On the interior, the house is richly ornamented. The entrance doors and trim in the entrance hall and main rooms include extensive carved, turned, and molded details. These include colonnades, spindles, panels of acanthus leaves, and small figures, all of fine craftsmanship. Ceramic tiles and fabrics are also used to decorate some of the walls.(Submitted on August 19, 2017, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
2. Charles Hackley.
One of Michigan’s spectacular rags-to-riches millionaires, lumberman Charles Hackley Born in Michigan City, Indiana in 1837, young Charles left high school at age 15 first to build roads and then to work in the newly developing lumber industry of western Michigan. As a teenager and young(Submitted on August 19, 2017, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)adult, he learned saw milling and the buying and selling of pine trees first hand. By the 1870s, he had his own company and during the 1880s his mills produced an average of 30 million board feet per year, which helped make Michigan the top lumber state in the nation.Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, July 28, 20173. Hackley House (corner view)
3. Biography: Charles Hackley.
On April 17, 1856, Charles arrived at Muskegon on the schooner Challenge, having worked his passage across Lake Michigan. He was employed that same day by the firm of Durkee, Truesdell and company as a laborer. The agreement with Charles was that he would be paid according to the value of his services. When paid, he received $22 a month, above average for the time. Shortly, his pay increased to $25 per month.(Submitted on August 19, 2017, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, July 28, 2017
4. Hackley House (turret view)
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, July 28, 2017
5. Hackley House
Credits. This page was last revised on August 2, 2023. It was originally submitted on August 19, 2017, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 522 times since then and 40 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on August 19, 2017, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.
