Inside the Historic Mann House in Concord: Jackson County, Michigan
The village of Concord settled in 1831 and lies in the lower left side of Jackson County. The village is saturated in Victorian charm with shaded streets and houses that showed off the prosperity that was abundant here in the 1800s.
One of the houses here that has taken on some fame of its own is the Mann House, built and owned by Daniel and Ellen Mann in 1883. Wanting to reside closer to town, they left their farm behind to enjoy living closer to where things were happening.
The Manns were not typical residents: they were interested in modern technology and in 1900 were the first family to install Concord’s first telephone. Unlike other Concord residents, both Manns were college graduates and their daughters, Mary Ida and Jessie Ellen, also attended college. It might not seem like much these days, but back then roughly 10% of Americans finished high school.
The Mann sisters graduated college and became teachers, living together in the family home from the mid-1940s to the mid-1960s.
According to the Michigan History Center, during the 1950s the girls thought it would be a good idea to somehow preserve the house in local history. They contacted the Michigan Historical Commission and sought to turn the home into a house museum. In 1969 the sisters’ donation was accepted by the state and the house museum opened to the public in October 1970.
Today, walking through the Mann House you can almost expect Mary Ida and Jessie Ellen to come walking around the corner, as they had for 86 years. All their original belongings remain in the house - like horsehair furniture, library books, and even their clothing.
Pay a visit and check out this historic slice of Jackson County history. Admission is free and is open every summer. Now scroll down to see photos in the gallery below.
The Mann House, Concord
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