Agency Details:

Voigt House Victorian Museum

The purpose of the Voigt House Victorian Museum is to explore and present the lifestyle, customs, and traditions of late nineteenth century and early twentieth century Grand Rapids as represented by the C.G.A. Voigt family and the resources of the house and related collections.

Description:
Voigt House was built in 1895-96 by local merchant, C.G.A. Voigt, and lived in by his family for 76 years. This late Victorian home in the heart of the Heritage Hill Historic area is in the Chateauesque style of architecture with 3000 sq. ft. on each floor. The house is complete with the family's original furniture and personal possessions. A large archive documenting the family's life and businesses is housed at the Public Museum's storage facility.
Voigt House is open for public tours every week and available for group tours, meals and small wedding ceremonies by reservation only.

History:
After the death of the Voigt's youngest son, Ralph, in 1971, a group of concerned citizens raised enough money to purchase Voigt House and it's contents. It became a museum in 1972 operated by the Kent County Council for Historic Preservation. In 1974 the KCCHP transferred ownership of the house to the City of Grand Rapids and it became a property of the Public Museum. A volunteer committee of the KCCHP continued to oversee the operation of the house until 1989 when the Public Museum assumed that responsibility.

Contact people:

Christy Ham, Site Manager, (phone), (email) Joyce Makinen, Volunteer Manager, (phone), (email)

Office fax number: 616-456-4603

Address:

115 College Ave. S.E. Grand Rapids, MI 49503 (See a map)

Web Site: http://www.grmuseum.org

Directions:

US 131 to I 196 east to College Ave. Turn right and proceed South 5 1/2 blocks from Michigan Ave. The house is the second building south of Washington on the right hand side of the street. Parking. . . (more)   Nearest Bus Stop: College and Cherry, 3 minute walk

Last updated on January 26, 2009