The Degan Home

The original structure was built in 1876 by Lumberman John Canfield. Canfield lived down the street and. constructed a palatial barn structure for his livestock, which resembled a church. The square building was over 40 feet on each side and was constructed of solid masonry, containing over 100,000 bricks and 30 cords of stone. A half-century later, people were keeping automobiles instead of cows. In 1935, the barn was purchased by Jesse Wing Degan (niece of prominent lumberman, Edward Buckley) and a large home was put up on the site using materials from the barn. The residence was built by the Anderson Construction Company with plans supplied by an architect from Grand Rapids. The architect's specifications called for chemical cleaning of the brick to restore their trueness. Today, the beautiful grounds are the frequent recipient of regional garden club awards. The attention to detail in the landscaping magnifies the architectural beauty of this historic structure.