Location:
107 N. Kalamazoo Ave.
Corner of Kalamazoo Ave. and Mansion St.
Hours:
May 6- October: Thursday- Sunday 12- 4 PM
November- December: Saturday & Sunday 12- 4 PM
Admission:
Adults – $10
Children 12 & Under – Free
Members – Free
Ticket also includes admission to the Marshall Historical Museum at the GAR Hall which is open Saturdays & Sundays.
About The Honolulu House
The Honolulu House was built in 1860 by Abner Pratt, a former chief justice of the Michigan Supreme Court and United States Consul to Hawaii.
The house was styled to be reminiscent of where he lived during his time in Hawaii. Pratt even had
the walls of the house painted in tropical scenes. In 1887, a new owner updated the interior murals to reflect a high Victorian style instead of the original tropical flora and fauna.
The building’s architecture is a unique blend of Italianate, Gothic Revival, and Polynesian influences. An elaborate nine-bay porch spans the front, with its wide center bay serving as the base of its pagoda-topped tower. Its tropical features include a raised veranda and the observation platform.
The Gothic Revival influences are evidenced in the pointed (four-centered) arch of the door, the veranda trim, and the vertical board-and-batten wood siding. In 1985, exterior paint scrapings were taken to determine the original colors of the Honolulu House. Today, the exterior matches the house’s 1885 color combination of ivory, lattice green, dark green, spring green and Jamestown red.
In the 1960s, the Marshall Historical Society obtained the house and secured its future as a museum. Through the extensive efforts of the Society, it has been brought back the 1880s elegance that visitors can enjoy today. Restoration of the building is a continuous process, funded by revenue from the annual Marshall Historic Home Tour, memberships, donations, and grants, including National Scenic Byways grants in 2004 and 2010.
Major projects have included foundation work, sandstone wall repairs, ADA compliance, a new bathroom, restorations of the ceiling and wall paintings, carpet reproductions, porch and stairs restoration, and mechanical equipment. Currently under consideration is the replacement of the bedroom wings that were removed in the early 1900s.
The Honolulu House Museum stands in the heart of Marshall’s National Historic Landmark District and is listed on the Historic American Buildings Survey.
