84. House of the Seven Gables
With seven gables decorated with wooden verge boards, this “Gothic Revival” house was built in 1873 for the Reverend 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 East Fremont in Douglas where is commands a fine view of Beery Field. In the process of reconstruction, an eighth gable was added.