The Castle House – Manchester Landmark Up For Sale
Have you ever wanted to live in a castle? The opportunity to buy a castle doesn’t come a long very often, especially a castle in Michigan. But last month, The Castle House, a Manchester landmark went on the market and if you have dreamed of castle life, now is your chance.
The Castle house was built in 1907 by Arthur J. Waters and his wife. Waters, was born in 1860 right here in Manchester to an English father, one of the early settlers in Manchester Township, and the daughter of a Jackson County reverend and his wife. He had 6 brothers and sisters. He attended school in Manchester and after graduating high school here, he farmed and taught school in the winter. He then attended law school at the University of Michigan, graduating in 1890.
Early A.J. Waters Card and Photo from his time as a teacher..
Waters returned to Manchester, starting up a law practice and five years later married 24-year old Cora L. Halladay of Norvell. A year later they had their only child, Gaita Louise. In addition to his law practice, shortly after returning to Manchester, he and a man named Walter Mack raised money to found The Union Savings Bank, which opened in 1894. Waters served on the board of directors. He served two terms as Manchester village president, served as city attorney for six years, and was elected to the state legislature in 1904. He was an active Republican, often speaking at public events. He was well known as a strong advocate for the popular election of United Sates senators. A.J. Waters died in 1937 and Cora Waters died sixteen years later, but their home, their Castle, endures.
Later A. J. Waters photo.
Castles aren’t very common in Michigan. In fact, other than this castle house, the last castle house to go on the market in Washtenaw county sold over 40 years ago. It was built by Henry Ford’s union-busting right-hand man Harry Bennett on the Huron River in Ann Arbor. Although Manchester’s Castle House, unlike Bennett’s, doesn’t have secret tunnels leading to concrete bunkers and most likely never housed lions, it is impressive in its own right.
Manchester’s 108-year old Castle House is located right in the village on Duncan Street, one street back from MainStreet, on a large corner lot. It is 2,877 square feet, two stories tall with a magnificent wrap around porch and has its own turret with spiral stairs leading up to a private third story nook. At the top of the turret is a door onto the roof which serves as a viewing platform perfect to watch Manchester’s Independence Day Fireworks. It features 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms and 9ft 8” ceilings, and best of all, much of the original craftsmanship is still present.
The house is full of original oak hardwood floors in every room except the tiled bathrooms and kitchen. The floors were refinished just weeks ago and feature intricate patterns to fit into the octagonal corners present in many of the rooms. The first floor rooms can be closed off with 200 pound pocket doors that effortlessly slide in and out of the walls. The walls are trimmed with the original hardwood 9 & 1/2“ baseboards and feature the original built-ins. The living room has a working corner gas log fireplace. And the octagonal study which once served as Water’s law office, features a stained glass window.
The current residents, the Ingall’s family who moved in in 2004, are being transferred to Texas. The Castle House has been more than a home to them, working on the house over the last 11 years has been a labor of love. And while many of its finest features are original to the house, the Ingalls have systematically updated parts of the house. One of their major projects was redoing the downstairs bathroom and installing custom tile and a Jacuzzi Tub. Another was to transform an unused back door space at the rear of the kitchen into a lovely breakfast nook. And thanks to the Ingalls there is now an upstairs washer and dryer, in addition to the ones in the basement laundry room, at the back of a walk-in closet in the master bedroom
Outdoors, the grounds include a picturesque herb and vegetable garden, mature trees including two apple trees and a huge magnolia tree, and the original carriage house. While it could now easily be converted to a garage, the Ingalls insulated it, reinforced the structure with a central steel I-beam and turned the first story into into a workshop while leaving the remaining horse stall and trough in place.
This is a once in a lifetime chance to own A.J. Water’s legacy, Manchester’s very own architectural wonder. Lets all hope the next caretakers are as good to it as the Ingall’s family has been!
The Castle Houes is listed at $314,000. If you have questions or are interested in viewing the house, contact the Ingall’s realtor, Tom Racine at (734) 657-3954 or email him at tom.racine@live.com.
Early photo of the Castle House.
The Ingall’s family built this sunny breakfast nook where a stairway and redundant back door used to be.
Custom telework and Jacuzzi tub in the downstairs bathroom
This room served as A. J. Waters law practice office.
This view from the roof is of the Mathew Blosser house. Blosser served as editor of the Manchester Enterprise for 72 years. He lived in this house as did the next 3 generations of his family.
The two story carriage house still retains an original stall and water trough.
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