Harsha House Museum
The Harsha House Museum is operated by the Charlevoix Historical Society, one of the oldest organizations in the city. It’s found at 103 State Street, just off Park Avenue.
The house was built in 1891 by Horace Harsha, community leader and local businessman. Horace’s daughter Irene Harsha, known for her talent as a painter, married Earl Young in 1918, after an easy courtship — Young lived across the street at 102 State. The Harsha family donated the home, for years occupied mostly by boarders, to the Historical Society in 1979.
The original building is a Queen Anne style Victorian. It is shown in the photograph below:
The museum was built as an addition to the house in 1980. It has extensive collections of photographs, memorability, and other items. It has 3 Victorian period rooms, which can be explored. Note cards, books, historic photographs, ornaments, and other items are for sale in the gift shop.
For more information, see the web site: http://www.chxhistory.com/harsha.htm
Wonder what used to be one lot south, where the Charlevoix State Bank is today? It was once the grandest home in Charlevoix, built by Byron and Louisa See, whom we met at the beginning of our walk. Here is a picture of Byron and Louisa in front of their house, built in the 1890s, shortly before they left Charlevoix to join “society” in Detroit. The Sees were another of the Mormon families from Beaver island that stayed on in Charlevoix County after the assassination of Strang.
After the Sees left town, their home at some point passed to Mr. Bartholomew, whom you will meet at the end of our walking tour. The home was known as “the Bartholomew place” when it was demolished to build the bank.
