The Douville Home

This Pine Street lot was purchased in 1871 by William G. Hawley, who is believed to have built a home (or improved an existing dwelling) the following year. In 1873, the property was sold to local builder Jasper N. Preston for nearly double the value of two years earlier. It seems logical that Jasper N. Preston would have made substantial improvements to the home. It is easy to imagine that Preston used his own home as an advertisement for his work and made it one of the most beautiful (and at the time, modern) homes in Manistee. Preston sold the home in 1877 and disappeared from Manistee history. The new owner was Edward C. Lewis, a local shingle manufacturer, who paid $1,350 for the home. Two years later, Lewis sold the home to a business associate, Eugene E. Douville, who was to occupy the home for many years.