National Register of Historic Places

Ferry, Edward P., House

Grand Haven, Ottawa County, Michigan
Listed
March 19, 1982
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
82002860

About this property

The Edward P. Ferry House is a private house located at 514 Lafayette Street in Grand Haven, Michigan. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. This house was constructed in 1871 or 1871-72 by or for Phillip Wooley, about whom little is known. However, Wooley apparently never lived in the house, as he sold it to Edward Payson Ferry in June 1872. Ferry was born in 1837 in Grand Haven, the son of Rev. William M. Ferry, who participated in the platting of Grand Haven and was one of its first settlers. William Ferry was involved in a range of Grand Haven enterprises, including stores, banking, shipping, shipbuilding, land speculation, and lumbering. William's sons, including Edward, were often partners in his ventures. Specifically, William and Edward Ferry partnered with George E. Dowling to found Ferry, Dowling & Co. This firm platted the nearby village of Montague, Michigan in 1865; the town became a bustling lumbering center in the 1870s. After the elder Ferry's death in 1867, Edward Ferry inherited shares in his father's businesses, including the lumbering business of Ferry & Son managed by Edward's brother (and later US Senator) Thomas W. Ferry. Edward Ferry continued as one of Grand Haven's most prominent businessmen through the 1870s and into the 1880s. In the mid-1880s, as the lumber business sagged, Ferry moved from this house to Wisconsin, and later to Park City, Utah to take up silver mining. Ferry sold the house in Grand Haven in 1885. The Edward P. Ferry House is a narrow-front two-story Italianate structure with a hip roof on a brick foundation. The exterior has fanciful, Italian-inspired detailing about the main cornice, the west-side bay window, and the doorway and window openings. These details were likely added by Ferry some time after the house was constructed. The windows have round heads, and the front entrance is a double door arrangement with large panels of frosted glass in each door. On the interior, the first floor is a side hall plan, with a high-ceilinged stair hall in the corner. Off the side hall are a front parlor and a dining room. Both rooms have plaster ceilings with heavy molded cornices and a central rectangular panel and marble mantlepieces. Media related to Edward P. Ferry House at Wikimedia Commons

Location

514 Lafayette St.
Grand Haven, Ottawa County, Michigan
43.05973, -86.22726

Categories

INDUSTRYCOMMERCEARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Ferry, Edward P., House

This page lists Ferry, Edward P., House. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Ferry, Edward P., House report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

Robbins, Nathaniel and Esther (Savidge), House
Industrial
0.1 mi
Grand Trunk Western Railroad Grand Haven Coal Tipple
Industrial
0.6 mi
Pere Marquette Railway Locomotive #1223
Pre Contact
0.6 mi
Piers and Revetments at Grand Haven, Michigan
Industrial
0.6 mi
Bilz, Aloys, House
Industrial
1.8 mi

Questions about this property

When was Ferry, Edward P., House listed on the National Register?

Ferry, Edward P., House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on March 19, 1982.

What type of historic resource is Ferry, Edward P., House?

Ferry, Edward P., House is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Ferry, Edward P., House?

The period of significance for Ferry, Edward P., House is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Ferry, Edward P., House?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Ferry, Edward P., House will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Ottawa County

Historic places, battles, and census history across Ottawa County.

Explore OttawaCounty ›

More historic places in Michigan

Browse all historic places in Michigan.

View Michiganhistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

Michigan history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

Michiganhistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near Ferry, Edward P., House will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report