Dowagiac, Michigan
Find out why guests give us glowing reviews!
We pride ourselves on being a clean, comfortable, welcoming space, as well as our excellent guest communication. We're travelers ourselves and know the experience matters!
We're close to wedding venues, Sister Lakes, Notre Dame, and much more — downtown Dowagiac's shops and restaurants are a short walk away.
Built in 1870, this whole-home rental is the best of both worlds: old-world grandeur meets today’s conveniences, like fast, reliable wifi.
*** New! An elevated outdoor deck, located just off the kitchen, gives your party a private space that overlooks the beautiful shared backyard. Enjoy your coffee outside in the morning, read a book at lunch, and grill up amazing local goods on the brand-new BBQ grill to be enjoyed on your outdoor dining table!
Located in the heart of Dowagiac, 1870 House is just a short walk from charming Front Street, full of vintage stores, sweet shops, and multiple bars and restaurants. 1870 House features a welcoming sunroom complete with swing, multiple first-floor living areas, and a formal dining room that is as stunning as it is Instagram-worthy! Two of the five bedrooms are located in the Derby Wing, which can be closed off from the rest of the house, and have desks to accommodate remote work or schooling.
Shuffleboard, anyone The living room features a shuffleboard table and a selection of board games to keep you entertained when you're not watching one of the two smart TVs in the house.
Feel like cooking Use the full kitchen, stocked with cookware, utensils, and basics. Don't feel like cooking We'll share recommendations for the best of the many great options in the area.
You'll marvel at 1870 House's unique grandeur and not soon forget your experience.
We're two hours from Chicago, 2.5 from Detroit, 35 minutes from Notre Dame, 12 minutes from the Sister Lakes, and a world away from your worries.
We're within walking distance of several downtown Dowagiac shops and restaurants, and a quick drive from a variety of outdoor activities, golf courses, breweries and wineries, and many other unique attractions.
Not only is 1870 House an easy drive from several cities, but it's a 7-minute walk from the Dowagiac Amtrak stop.
Your hosts live directly across from 1870 House and are here to make sure your stay is enjoyable. After checking in, we can give you personal recommendations for things to do in the area and share a drink or coffee, or we can completely stay out of your hair unless there’s an issue. It’s totally up to you.
***Guest access
The entire home is exclusively for the use of our guests. There is a backyard that is shared with our coach house tenant (that is an entirely separate home), but our new deck, complete with BBQ grill, is for the exclusive use of our guests.
I'm a frequent traveler who's learned over the years that not all short-term rentals are created equal. 1870 House is one of those special properties that truly stands out from the crowd. I loved 1870 House when a small group of us did a quick weekend getaway there a few years ago. This year, three generations of my family decided to meet there for a post-Thanksgiving get-together. We're based in Chicago, Detroit, and Lansing, and it was an easy drive for all of us. The house has a unique design that lends itself to people spending quality time together. People in our group would chat at the kitchen table, enjoy the in-house porch swing, do a puzzle in the formal dining room, sit on the couch and watch the smart TV, play a game of shuffleboard, or take a nap on the comfortable beds, all at the same time, without interrupting one another. We didn't take advantage of the backyard deck and grill since it was cold out, but that adds to the home's appeal in warmer months. We also cooked a lot. You can tell that the hosts put a lot of thought into stocking the kitchen and making sure we had everything we needed. One night, Grandma watched the young kids, and a group of us went on a short walk to Wood Fire Trattoria for a wonderful Italian dinner. We then capped off the night with a game of pool down the street at the Wounded Minnow Saloon. 1870 House's layout, location, and hosts made it easy for our family to create special memories. Whether you're headed to Dowagiac for a
Awesome home for our family weekend. The house was well supplied from kitchen supplies/spices/coffee, more towels than we would need for a week, stacks of games, etc...We walked downtown for barbeque and shopping. Downtown has great shops and very walkable. Our hosts were very accessable before our trip and available during it. Lots of laughs and good family time was spent here. We would highly recommend this home for a stay in the area.
WE loved our stay,, it was perfect for what we needed, and everything was as advertised. There were several little things that the owners did that just made it special. Best we have ever stayed at.
Great communication with owners. Everything we needed was there. The house was enough space to house 8 of us. Interesting staying someplace 150 yrs old, we didn't pick it specifically for that reason but was cute and unique. It was rather warm in the upstairs bedrooms, there was addl ac unit and fans but it was a bit uncomfortable, something we shld have thought about ahead of time given the age. Some wear in the house but nothing that bothered us. Close access to a great downtown and 35 min from great beaches.
This was a very cool old house in a great little town of Dowagiac. The owners were fantastic. Glad they were able to accommodate the reservation within in about a two week notice. Would definitely stay here again.
Thank you again for a fantastic weekend. The property is spotless, the hosts are charming, and the location is perfect for what we needed for a couple of days away from our hectic lives in Chi. Will definitely be back.
Our family had a glorious time staying at this beautiful historical property! The house is filled with so much character throughout. The owners have done an incredible job in maintaining all of its original historical while including all of our modern day amenities. This pristinely clean home is very spacious and comfortable. It was fully equipped with all of your daily essentials. The hosts, Zena and Richard, were readily available at all times, provided lots of information about the adorable little town of Dowagiac and nearby surrounding towns, suggested amazingly good places to eat, and provided so many personal and welcoming touches that made you feel special and right at home. Everyone in our group absolutely loved this house and we truly enjoyed our stay. We highly recommend this property and can’t wait to return with more of our family and friends! Thank you Zena and Richard for allowing our family to create wonderful long lasting memories at your lovely 1870’s home!
Booking this stay couldn’t have been easier and the location/town were wonderfully pleasant and agreeable. We will definitely use this host again (and again!!)
My family and I discovered this gem last week and were so lucky to be able to book it for 3 night weekend. This home magically transfers you back in time. It was a luxury home designed in the 1800s with the modern conveniences of todays. Even my 17 and 18-year old said this was their favorite house they have ever seen. They keep asking me When we are going back?. The curved walls at the staircase (2 of them), 12-foot high ceilings, golden dining room walls, beautiful open floor plan and large windows, original floors, windows and door frames, tranquil back porch with a large swing. The kitchen is equipped for the ones that like to cook daily, beautiful large new stove. The beds are very comfortable. Few minutes to the small downtown of this town, we enjoyed visiting the antique shop and picking up artifacts from over 100 years ago. It is only 30 min away from the great beaches, driving through beautiful green farm fields. We are going back! Thank you Zena and Richard for making this magical home available!
Our family of four was looking for an easy getaway from Chicago and this was the perfect spot! The home had everything we needed and is absolutely beautiful. We also liked being able to walk to downtown Dowagiac and being close to everything Sister Lakes has to offer. We’ll definitely stay here again!
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