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Abigail Manor is located at 377 Fourth St. in Manistee. It is part of the Lakeside Club's Tour of Homes, slated for July 16.

Abigail Manor, located in Manistee, was built in 1888. The home has been updated with an eclectic look for a 1930s feel.

EDITOR’S NOTE: The Lakeside Club’s bi-annual Tour of Homes is set for July 16. In the days leading up to the event, the News Advocate will publish descriptions of each home and garden on the tour. 

Built in 1888, Abigail Manor is an example of “French farm Victorian.” 

Built by a French architect who first lived in the dwelling, it was intended to have a family feel. Current owner David Gregory explains that he has updated the home with an eclectic look as though the former owners updated over the decades to about the 1930s. To that end, there are antiques in-house, but there are definitely newer furnishings as well.

Abigail Manor is located at 377 Fourth St. Airbnb guests and the owner use the Sycamore Street entrance from which they see the beautiful Guardian Angels Church.

As you enter the gated yard, you will see the gardens that Gregory planted when he purchased the property five years ago. There are spring blooms which lead into summer flowers, followed by the glory of autumn. In the winter, he decorates with evergreens. This is also where Abby the Airedale Terrier — from which the name of the manor originates — first greets guests.

Step into the country-style kitchen of red and white. A large island provides guests with information, coffee and goodies each morning. Just off the kitchen is a full bath with black and white floor tiles that suggest a 1930s look.

The dining room was once utilized as a bedroom, so Gregory has hung a bit of tapestry to cover what had been a closet. Many delightful pieces of art are hung in the house, and this room is no exception. The buffet is a beautiful 1930s cherry wood piece with a “waterfall design.”  

The fireplace in the family living area was “adorned” with faux brick by a previous owner which has been painted rather than been removed. The mantelpiece and the lighting are new. A pre-Civil War era wooden chair with a slightly rounded seat rests next to the stairway. One more room on this floor is a salon where the owner often spends time on his writing. You may notice some Asian art pieces as Victorians were highly interested in adorning their homes with them.

As you ascend the stairs, there is a wonderful lamp located on the newel post. The wood is all tiger oak, something unattainable today. At the top is a full bath with claw foot tub and spa products for luxuriating baths.

The first bedroom on the right is called the “Manistee Suite.” Surprisingly, for a home built at this time, bedrooms include closets. The main dresser boasts a reproduction of a Tiffany dragonfly lamp. The bureau is again of the waterfall design.  

You won't miss the Marilyn Monroe room — for reasons which will become obvious. Currently, there is a writing desk for guests as well as a washer and a dryer. The pink textured wall paper definitely works in this space. And finally, the master bedroom is at the end of the hallway facing Fourth Street.   If no guests are present, you will then be able to exit the house and walk to the separate Mackinaw Suite, with its entrance at the head of the garage. A fully functional kitchenette with appliances, pantry and antique drop leaf table will greet you. Overhead, providing more of a “beachy feel,” is a bamboo curtain draped under the garage ceiling.  

The Lakeside Club's Tour of Homes is set for 1-5 p.m. on July 16. 

Tickets can be purchased online now, available for pick up after 12:30 p.m. on July 16 at the Manistee Municipal Marina, located at 480 River St. in Manistee. Those taking the tour can find refreshments and an opportunity to win door prizes provided at the marina.

Tickets are $15 and can be purchased in advance at lakesideclubmanistee.org/ or on the day of the event at the Manistee Municipal Marina. Tickets also are available at Kelli's Hallmark, Manistee County Visitors Bureau, TJ's Pub, Alex Doucett's, MacBeth & Company in Onekama. For more information, visit lakesideclubmanistee.org

A stairway takes you to the second floor where there is a small landing. Overhead, the ceiling is sloped, and covered with white lattice work for one to take notice. To the right is the “poop deck” decorated with more black and white floor tiles. Ship lanterns provide light on either side of the sink. Towels are stored in former post office shelving.

The bedroom has room for a king-sized bed and some furnishings. The bedroom is named for the movie “Somewhere in Time” which was filmed on Mackinac Island in 1980. A DVD awaits those who wish to immerse themselves in the romance of Mackinaw. Astonishingly, Gregory has obtained and displayed the costume jewelry that Jane Seymour wore in the film along with photos of the main characters.    

Whether you are a fan of the Great Lakes, Victorian architecture, eclectic art collections, Marilyn Monroe, “Somewhere in Time” or gardens, this home has something to offer you – all in a peaceful neighborhood with the ambiance of  the Guardian Angels bells.