Seven unique historic cottages will be open to the public during the Bay View Cottage Walk on July 10. Delicate gingerbread trim, pastel paint palettes, original wood flooring, and furniture passed down through the generations make these cottages special. Bay View is a Victorian summer community just north of Petoskey on the shores of Little Traverse Bay, Michigan.

One of the homes on the tour was built in 1877. The original cottage was very small—the current-day dining room fills the entire footprint of the original cottage. Beneath it, in the basement and adjoining crawlspace, you can see the cedar tree trunks that served as the original foundation. While the foundation is now secure, the sloping, uneven floors attest to the shifting and settling of those early makeshift supports. Most Bay View cottages boast a similar lineage.

The self-guided walking tour also includes four Bay View campus buildings: two museums, the beautiful library (with more than 9,000 titles), and Evelyn Hall, built in 1889 as the summer headquarters of the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union. An optional picnic box lunch, live music, and educational presentations will round out the day. Easy parking is available at Petoskey High School with a free shuttle to Bay View. Due to their age and history, the buildings featured on the tour are not handicap accessible.

The Bay View Cottage Walk is a joint fundraising effort of the Bay View Woman’s Council and Bay View Morning Council. Both groups work to sustain and enhance Bay View programming, activities, and facilities, all of which are open to the public. Grants are also given to Petoskey, Harbor Springs, and county-wide nonprofits.

The Bay View Cottage Walk is 10 a.m.–4 p.m. on July 10, 2018. Tickets are $31.50 or $36.50 after July 5. Box lunches cost $15 in advance.

Buy tickets and find more information at BayViewAssociation.org.

Founded in 1875, the Bay View Association continues its tradition of excellence in educational programming, spiritual enrichment, recreation, and music. Bay View offers a retreat for restoration and reflection where family, friends, giving, and community take center stage. Find events, concerts, tennis, sailing, worship, continuing education classes, foreign films, and more at BayViewAssociation.org.

—Press release provided by Bay View Morning Council


Northern Michigan Homes & Cottages

Photo(s) by Bay View Association