84. House of the Seven Gables

The House of Seven Gables in 1999 when it was located at 758 Pleasant Street, Saugatuck.

With seven gables decorated with wooden verge boards, this “Gothic Revival” house was built in 1873 for the Rev. J. Rice Taylor, the pastor of the nearby All Saints Church. The design was taken from an early plan book published by one of the best-known American architects of the time, Andrew Jackson Downing. Mr. Downing suggested that the house be built on “a sharp declivity, where a fine view, either upon a river or extended valley, is to be had.” The house, when built, overlooked the Kalamazoo River from the Pleasant Street hill.

In about 2015, the building was cut into pieces, placed on a truck, and moved across the river to 9 E. Fremont in Douglas where is commands a fine view of Beery Field.