Summer 2007 Update
Oshtemo Historical Society has held a few events at the Drake Homestead this summer, such as tours and a Ice Cream social and antique sale. The property itself has been well maintained, but I can not put an update as to what work has been done on the interior of the house itself. I can only hope for good things. I will update as soon as I know more.
The Oshtemo Historical Society has opened the Drake Homestead to the public for the first time. It was great to go in and see so many people with such a love for the house.
The following is the article from the Kalamazoo Gazette announcing the open house.
Historical home set for repair is open for viewing Saturday
Thursday, July 13, 2006
By Ken Witzgall
Special to the Gazette
The Oshtemo Historical Society will hold an open house Saturday to show off the future site of its main facility.
The Drake Homestead will be made open to the public for the first time in an effort to showcase plans for its renovation. The event goes from 12:30 to 4 p.m., and admission price is a minimum $5 donation per person or $10 per family.
``People have always been curious about it,'' said Kay Oppliger, president of the society. ``We hope to restore it to its heyday. There's an awful lot of history.'' The Drake Homestead, located at 927 N. Drake Road, is the former home of Benjamin and Maria Drake, who are believed to be the first settlers in Oshtemo Township.
The house changed ownership three times and eventually came under the auspices of Kalamazoo College. It was donated to Oshtemo Township three years ago. It was then that Oshtemo's historical society was formed.
Carol Gray, a descendant of the Drake family, will be on hand during the tour to answer questions and describe the history of the 15-room house.
The restoration of the home of early Oshtemo settlers is good news to the Historical Society after the home of Enoch and Deborah Harris -- recognized as the first African-American settlers in Oshtemo's Genesee Prairie -- was destroyed earlier this year.
A major difference between the two homes: Oshtemo Township owns the Drake Homestead; the Harris home was privately owned.
The former Harris home had fallen into disrepair and the owner, Lewis Buell, said he couldn't afford the estimated $100,000 renovation cost. He did allow members of the Historical Society to salvage what artifacts they could from the home before it was burned.
End of Article
It is now March 1st, 2006, and the Oshtemo Historical society appears to be on hiatus from restoring the Drake farm. It is completely boarded up, and they have a security company on hire to monitor the property. One only hopes that come spring, work will continue. Boarding up a house can often cause more harm than good, allowing rain to enter the house thru small overhangs and unprotected nail holes. It also prevents moisture to escape the house which can lead to mold problems.
As of March 1, 2005, the Oshtemo historical society owns the Drake Farm!!! They will be restoring the house to use as a museum.
If you are interested in helping with the restoration, please contact the historical society at:
269) 375-2549
or
269) 375-9222
This site is dedication to the preservation of Drake Farm, the second homestead of Benjamin Drake Sr.
Mr. Drake was the first European settler to the Oshtemo, Michigan area, and a respected area landowner that made many grand contributions to the Kalamazoo area.
The above picture is very close to what the house looked like in it's golden days.
PLEASE NOTE!!! This farm is Private property. Please do not trespass. This site is about preservation, not destruction.
It is my understanding that there have been people being destructive-which has led up to the township boarding up the house in order to prevent further destruction. Please be respectful.
If you are interested in helping to preserve this building, you should call the Oshtemo Township clerk and let them know about your interest.
The home was originally built in the Greek Revival style. This was changed after a fire in the home on April 25, 1882.
The low-pitched, gable-ended roof was replaced with a steep pitched roof.Additions added to the house now make the house look Italianate in style.
Mr.and Mrs. Drake were well respected citizens, and lived by the golden rule, treating all people with respect and compassion.
The house itself has two main floors, a "Michigan" basement, and attic space. The first floor has four rooms, not including the one and a half baths and a modern kitchen that have been added in the last century, and three fire places.
The second floor of the house, which is reached by both a front and a back stairs, has six bed rooms, all in need of patching of plaster and vigorous cleaning.
The house is a gem for the Oshtemo area. It should be preserved for future generations to come as an example of what resourcefulness and good living can do.
Update as of July 6th, 2004
An apartment complex has been built on the land adjoining the farm. A road runs along side the house, which is now visible all seasons. This is both bad and good. Good, for it is more likely that the house will be viewable by the police, keeping looters and other riff raff out of the picture. The opposite is also possible, now that more people know that the house is standing there empty.
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Pictures of Drake/Freys before renovations
More Pics
