The Glarum House is a beautiful dog-friendly Victorian home that was built in 1895 by the Glarum family. The home has been completely renovated over the past few years and is now a spectacular historic home in wonderfully eclectic downtown Elberta! The home features central A/C, high-speed Wi-Fi with live streaming television, washer and dryer, large fenced-in backyard, and a great location in downtown Elberta! Provides for a wonderful family or group getaway to northern Michigan!
INTERACTION:
We have a local property manager that lives in Elberta and is available to address any issues.
NEIGHBORHOOD:
Elberta is a delightfully eclectic little town on Lake Michigan just south of Betsie Bay (which is also called Betsie Lake). It is just across the bay from nearby Frankfort. (Downtown Frankfort is just a 5-minute drive from the house.) Elberta is famous for its huge natural sand dunes, which are between the village and Lake Michigan. There is a wonderful hiking trail through the dunes (Elberta Dunes South Natural Area) that starts just 0.7 miles from the house. There is also a great bike trail (the Betsie Valley Trail) that goes right next to downtown Elberta and is less than one-half of a mile from the house. There is also a small public park with a full court outdoor basketball court just across the street from the house.
Downtown Elberta is just a short walk from the house and it has a wonderful traditional breakfast cafe (The Lighthouse Cafe) along with a few shops and restaurants. Elberta has a fun collection of different sizes and styles of homes, including several large and beautiful historic homes like The Glarum House. There is a public kayak launch in downtown Elberta for kayaking around Betsie Bay, including the option of kayaking out to Lake Michigan or else up the Betsie River. There are 2 marinas in Elberta on Betsie Bay, both of which are only about 100 yards from the house. Between the 2 marinas is the famous Cabbage Shed historic restaurant, which is a great place for dining outside on the water and enjoying live music.
Elberta has its own beach on Lake Michigan (Elberta Beach), which is only 0.9 miles from the house. Elberta Beach is dog-friendly, allows bonfires at night, and does not get a lot of traffic as it is somewhat hidden behind the beautiful dunes. There is also a waterfront park on Betsie Bay in Elberta that has playground equipment for kids and has live music in its amphitheater on Monday nights in the summer.
On the other side of Betsie Bay is Frankfort, which is larger than Elberta and has a very charming downtown area with a lovely collection of cafes, restaurants, shops, a vintage movie theater (the Garden Theater), and a microbrewery (Stormcloud). Frankfort also has a very popular public beach (Frankfort Beach) on Lake Michigan and a pier that goes out to a large, famous, and historic lighthouse. It's always fun to walk the pier out to the lighthouse! Downtown Frankfort is less than a 5-minute drive from the property.
Just outside of Elberta and Frankfort, there are also a great many things to see and do. The start of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is just a 15-minute drive from the property to the north. Sleeping Bear Dunes features a incredible collection of hiking trails, biking trails, scenic lookouts on Lake Michigan, and kayaking or tubing down the Platte River through the park and out to Lake Michigan.
Crystal Lake, Point Betsie Lighthouse on Lake Michigan, Crystal Mountain Resort, Arcadia Dunes Golf Course, and the cute beach towns of Arcadia, Beulah, and Empire are all also less than 30 minutes from the house. If you are looking for more excitement and culture, downtown Traverse City, which is the gem of northern Michigan for restaurants, nightlife, and shopping, is only about a 1-hour drive from the house.
ACCESS:
Guests have access to the entire property, except for the attached garage and apartment above the garage where the property owner lives.
SPACE:
As part of the recent renovation of the house, the home is beautifully decorated with a lot of gorgeous wooden furniture that is consistent with the Victorian design and feel of the house. For an older home, the home has a great deal of natural lighting with a lot of large windows throughout the house. The home is very family-friendly, but children should be careful of the circular stairs leading up to the third floor tower.
The home is very comfortable year-round with a forced-air gas furnace for heating and central air conditioning for cooling. It also has a completely updated and modern kitchen with all appliances, including a dishwasher and a large kitchen island with bar stools. Note that one of the second floor bathrooms has also been enhanced with a jetted bathtub for guest enjoyment!
HISTORY OF THE HOME:
The home was built in 1895 by Nils and Mary Jane (Jeanne-Marie) Glarum on the southwest corner of Steele and George M (which is now Cartwright Street). At that time, they had 4 children. Nils unfortunately died in 1899 of tuberculosis as a result of his work at a lumber camp in the Betsie River valley. The house was passed down to the family's oldest son, Sivert Glarum. after Mary Jane's death in 1931. The home remained in the Glarum family until the 1960's. The home was a treasure for the Glarum family for many years and is now available for guests to make treasured memories!
TRANSIT:
The is public transportation available (the Benzie Bus), but neither Uber nor Lift operate in the area and there is no local taxi service. As such, it is recommended that guests have their own means of transportation.
PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING:
1) GARAGE: The attached garage is not available for guest usage.
2) OWNER: The property owner lives in the small apartment above the attached garage. The apartment is completely sectioned off from the rest of the house though and the property owner will not disturb you.
3) BEDS: In addition to the beds in the five bedrooms and the sofa bed in the upstairs living room, there are 2 fold-out cots that are available for guest usage.
4) PETS: Up to 2 dogs are permitted. Please make certain that the pet fee is paid if bringing 1 or 2 dogs. More than 2 dogs is prohibited and pets other than dogs are also prohibited.
