Pontiac: The Land of Opportunity?

After writing about the great city of Detroit, I would be remised not to take a moment to speak about my very own hometown,  Pontiac, MI (also known as "The Yak" to the natives).

Little town, big potential...

Although Pontiac is quite a bit smaller than Detroit, our historic district is nothing to slouch at; yes indeedy, we can hang with the best of them. Similar to the Detroit areas I previously mentioned in my Motor City post, Pontiac's historic neighborhoods are akin to suburbs tucked away inside of a busier city. As soon as you turn off the main road  you transcend into an entirely different place--one where the elderly walk dogs and little kids set up lemonade stands on the corner ;-) Let's take a look at some of the splendor that the town has to offer, shall we? :-)

First up...

 

Now isn’t that a beaut? It now operates as Murphy House Bed & Breakfast...swoon times 2! This home was built over time between 1895 and 1902--a true piece of history.

And look at this gorgeous close-up shot I found on the net!

Even when Old Man Winter makes his arrival, this place is absolutely stunning. Although its within walking distance of my house I plan on staying at least one night here this winter.

 

And the inside?

Super refined!

 

Not what everyone is clamoring for now days (no granite countertops here) but this Kitchen stopped my heart a wee bit. So sweet and simple. I can almost taste the yummy goodness that can be created here.

I could sleep here...could you? If you could, head over to http://www.murphyhousebb.com/history.html and book a room!

 

Let's move on, albeit reluctantly...

 

 

 

This house looks modern, but it was actually built in 1931, talk about ahead of its time! It’s currently on the market for $187,900 (a steal for this) AND we can be neighbors! :-)

And just beyond the door...

I'm all about this life! I would NEVER move.

And here's Pine Grove, the former estate of Governor Moses Wisner. The home currently operates as a museum...take a tour if you're ever in the area! 

 

Looks straight out of a fairytale aye? Love the little window boxes. Charming!

 And this…this speaks to my soul…it needs some repairs but I would LOVE this with everything inside of my being...

*pic does not display the to-die-for split level sun-rooms

And what about this????

 

I would feel like I’ve “arrived” every time I pulled up here...I mean  just look at it...

 This picture does it absolutely no justice, but this is my favorite house in my hood--especially when the vines come alive. God its gorgeous. This looks to be an early winter pic so it looks a little funky...don't be fooled.


Matter of fact, hold up...

 

 

Ok, so I couldn't just leave you with the little internet pic--I mean the house is right around the corner. So I got up off my lazy bum and got some much needed exercise. Unfortunately, this pic still doesn't do it any justice (and I couldn't keep trying to capture it perfectly...I didn't want to get caught being the creepy camera lady) so I can only hope you get a better idea of  just how stunning this home truly is. 

 

 

This one is a winner too. Built in 1900 and boasts 3756 sq. feet, I used to work right down the street from this house. Needless to say I'd stop in the stairwell and admire it every now and then--even if the view was obstructed.

Awesome sauce! This house was recently for sale and had it been an option when we were looking, let's just say that the hubby and I wouldn't be knee deep in a renovation project...

 

 

The entire inside was nice, but this bathroom may have been my favorite room. I'm a sucker for details...that chandelier over the clawfoot tub did it for me.

 Okay, come on...

 

So since I had already ventured out into the neighborhood (to get a better pic of my favorite house) I decided to make my little trip really worth the while and snap some more shots of other homes that I enjoying seeing. It was a great decision. Looking at historic homes never gets old in my book ;-) 

 

 Two for one...love both of these homes, but I especially like the ivy covered yard on the first one (no one else in the area has it)...

Classic...

This is one of the hubby's favs, and I have to admit, I kinda dig it too

 

LOVE the colonial style, LOVE the color combination, LOVE the old timey charm...what's not to love? If you ask my hubby he'll say all of the the free-flowing (aka messy) wild flowers, but even then he still has to agree that this is NICE

Spanish Style Perfection!

 I like this house because it's different. I remember seeing this even as a little girl and thinking to myself that it looked like it belonged somewhere else. Mexico perhaps? I don't know!

 Vines win me over every time...

Picture isn't that great, but both of these dwellings have that fairytale charm that I adore

 

I likes!

That porch!!! As the young folks say, its everything ;-)

And last, but certainly not least...it speaks for itself



The thing that I love the most about my neighborhood (and historic homes in general) is the variety of styles, no two homes are exactly alike, and being a creative spirit, I think that's awesome.  

As I mentioned earlier, Pontiac is quite a bit smaller so there isn't as much to do as it is in Detroit, however,  the possibilities are endless! It's truly a land of opportunity with enough space to house a plethora of entertainment options to a willing investor. If you have money and great business ideas, give Pontiac a shot!

Despite the lack of entertainment options, I still find time to get out in my city, even if it's nothing more than a walk around downtown (which by the way is starting to pop up with gems. Every time I go, there's something new).

Downtown Pontiac back in the day...

Downtown Pontiac on my wedding day. Held my wedding reception in the same spot as the pic above...cause history

 

 

And here's a few shots of me and my family enjoying the city...

 

 

But by far, my favorite place in the city is here:

 

My granny's house!

 

This is the view from my grandmother's back porch. Over time, what once was an actual neighborhood has returned to the land...but I love it. I can't say how many times I have sat here on the back steps and wrote poetry, prayed, contemplated, been silent...

I grew up here, this is home. I love the country vibe. I love the peace. And though I am absolutely crazy about historic homes and all their splendor, it ain't nothing like this place right here. 



When I took this picture, I was super excited to catch the raw beauty of it--in fact it's one of my favorite photographs that I've personally taken. I showed it to my grandmother and unfortunately she didn't share my same sentiments. She scrunched her face up and said, "Why you wanna go and take a picture of some old rags on the line?" LOL, gotta love the elders!

Regardless of what my granny thinks, somehow I think an enlarged version of this shot will find it's way onto my walls, bringing the historic and the "country" together for good.

 

So there you have it--that's my hood--where I live and where I'm from. :-) If you're interested in learning more about Pontiac, head over to http://www.pontiac.mi.us/about/history/photo_gallery.php to get more information. Enjoy!