“One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things.” — Henry Miller
Charles Hackley could be called Muskegon’s founding father. He didn’t really found Muskegon, but he did help put Muskegon on the map.
His rags-to-riches story lives on nearly 135 years later through the preservation of his former home at the Hackley & Hume Historic Site.
Hackley, born in Michigan City, Indiana, followed his father to Muskegon in 1856. The eldest of five children, he started as a laborer in the lumber mills. Charles Hackley made a home in Muskegon and helped the city transform from a lumber town to a city with industry. He became a millionaire in the process.
A Hoosier myself, I got a quick education on Charles Hackley’s prominence when I moved to Muskegon in 2005 to cover the local arts scene. But I didn’t have to look far. I moved downtown where several buildings and the popular Hackley Park bear his name.
Hackley home artist date
When I embarked on my weekly artist dates a year ago, I started thinking of places I had not been in a while or always wanted to go and added them to my list. Touring the Hackley & Hume homes made it on the list.
I used to cover the Lakeshore Museum Center and the historic sites when I worked at the Muskegon Chronicle. But I had not been in the homes for well over a decade.
I am also a fan of free, so I put the free Hackley Day tour on my calendar. In an ironic coincidence, the former Chronicle circulation manager was also on the tour, although I did not realize it until we were near the end.
I had forgotten much of Charles Hackley’s made-it-in-Muskegon story. I didn’t know how or when he got here and was surprised to learn he never had biological children. Hackley and wife Julia adopted one son and raised a foster daughter. Charles Hackley, along with several others, also died in his home in 1905.
Charles Hackley Day celebration
In May, the Lakeshore Museum Center celebrates Hackley Day with a community celebration and free tours for Muskegon County residents.
Charles Hackley’s home, and that of his business partner, Thomas Hume, sit at the corner of Webster Avenue and Sixth Street in downtown Muskegon. The homes represent Queen Anne-style architecture and reflect the décor and customs of the Victorian era.
Hackley’s home is more ornate with stained glass windows and intricate woodcarvings in the main foyer. Hume had a large family, and his home has a more casual, lived-in feel.
The tour starts in the City Barn, which houses the museum gift shop and small exhibits showing the living quarters of the coachmen. The City Barn’s style incorporates elements from both houses and was shared by the families for their horses, equipment, and carriages.
The homes and related historic sites are open May through October with special tours and programs offered throughout the year. For more information on hours and admission, visit lakeshoremuseum.org.
Charles Hackley’s legacy
Within a few years of moving to Muskegon, Charles Hackley advanced to foreman and then bookkeeper for a local lumber company.
In 1859, a 22-year-old Charles Hackley convinced his father, Joseph Hackley, and his boss, Gideon Truesdell, to buy a mill, according to MichiganHistory.org. By 1881, Hackley partnered with Thomas Hume to form Hackley & Hume Company.
The mill grew into one of the largest lumber operations in the nation, according to HackleyLibrary.org. They amassed a fortune as lumber was cut, processed, and shipped from Muskegon Lake to the rest of the country.
Charles Hackley became one of 40 millionaires who called Muskegon home during the 1870s and 1880s. After the lumber boom busted, Hackley stayed in Muskegon and diversified into the financial and industrial sectors.
Charles Hackley’s philanthropy
Charles Hackley also generously gave back to the community, donating millions to support public projects and improve quality of life for the citizens of Muskegon.
His philanthropy established a manual training school and athletic field, Hackley Public Library, Hackley Park, Hackley Hospital, and the Hackley Picture Fund.
Through a bequest in his will, he left money to purchase “pictures of the best kind.” Those art acquisitions led to the creation of Hackley Art Museum, which opened in 1912 and gained acclaim for its notable permanent collection.
The newly opened $35 million Charles Hackley Middle School exemplifies his ongoing impact on the city.
Maybe it is legend or lore, but I have always had this sense that Charles Hackley’s presence is still around downtown Muskegon. I used to take daily walks around all of the blocks where he walked, worked, and lived.
I think it’s cool they still exist over a century later. That was his goal – to improve the quality of life for residents. You can also enjoy a walking tour and explore public art and the historic buildings. Read my blog here.
Hackley & Hume Historic Homes
The Hackley & Hume Historic Site is part of a larger museum complex that includes the Muskegon Museum of History & Science, Fire Barn Museum, Scolnik House of the Depression Era, and the Muskegon Heritage Museum of Business & Industry.
Highlights of the homes:
- Constructed between 1887 and 1889
- Hackley home structurally restored to its 1890s appearance, featuring a three-story tower with Moorish influences, prominent gables, and a porte-cochere
- Hackley House represents Victorian architecture and interior furnishings from the late nineteenth century
- Original samples uncovered during the Hackley home restoration were used to bring the interior stenciling and the 13-color exterior paint scheme back to life
- Hume House features nine bedrooms, a library, large dining room, and attic play area
- Hume House has a sleeping porch off a second-floor bedroom with a terne metal floor
- The exterior of the Hume House reflects its original 14-tone restored color scheme
- Many personal items and furniture on display from the Hackley and Hume families
- Listed on the National Register of Historic Places
Admission to the Fire Barn and Depression Era home are included with the Hackley & Hume Home tour.
Other Lakeshore Museum sites
The Muskegon Heritage Museum of Business & Industry on Western Avenue is another museum that is well worth the price of admission.
Hidden inside the unassuming storefront, you’ll find a rich and interesting collection related to Muskegon’s early lumber, foundries, furniture, and manufacturing industries.
The museum is home to an 1890 circa Corliss Valve steam engine, with a line shaft that runs 11 machine tools. Read my story from the Muskegon Chronicle on the volunteers who worked tirelessly to restore it back in 2009.
The industrial museum also houses a working Brunswick pinsetter, office furniture from Shaw-Walker, engines manufactured by Continental Motors, and early household appliances. Over 80 companies are represented in exhibits and help tell the story of Muskegon’s impressive industrial heritage.
“Made in Muskegon” highlights the diverse machines and products that were manufactured in Muskegon from the mid-1800s until today. The Snurfer, Bennett Pump gasoline pumps, Raggedy Ann dolls, Beebe violins, Alaska refrigerators, and other inventions can be traced back to Muskegon.
History sparks curiosity
On an earlier artist date, I actually visited the free Muskegon Museum of History & Science and visited Hackley Public Library. A painting hangs on the wall depicting the library’s dedication day.
A tour of the Hackley & Hume home highlights how Muskegon’s most famous lumber barons lived during the Victorian Era and shares tidbits about their families. The Fire Barn explains how volunteer groups fought fires via teams of horses and early pumping systems. The Depression Era house offers insight into the lean times people lived through almost a century ago.
I also left with a local history lesson and an appreciation for architecture – not to mention the importance of preserving history. And the cool things to see in the industrial museum are endless. Seriously, the collection is impressive.
Living in West Michigan, it is easy to take for granted that people plan vacations here. We often overlook the history museums, the lighthouses, and the free concerts. Muskegon is also home to two World War II museums: LST 393 landing ship tank and USS Silversides Submarine.
Cruise ships visit in the summer, and festivalgoers travel to attend music and beer-on-the-beach festivals.
Be a tourist in your town
The beauty of the artist date idea is that you are not restricted to doing one thing. You don’t have to paint or write on the regular. Your artist date does not have to be a costly endeavor. Nature walks, beach time, thrifting, museum visits, garden tours, drawing, painting rocks – it all counts.
You can start by being a tourist in your own town and seeking out free and local things to do. Give yourself permission to explore, to feel inspired, to discover things that make you go WOW.
Even if you don’t live in a touristy area, I am sure you can find free and unique things close to where you live – local farmers markets, history and children’s museums, antique shops, and state parks.
If you have a community college or university nearby, check out their free calendar of events, lectures, concerts, even art museums and planetariums.
In my hometown of Muncie, Indiana, we have Ball State University. It’s also home to the Ball Brothers glass jar manufacturing facilities. In the late 1880s, the Ball Brothers started what would become a glass jar empire that endures today. The Ball Brothers left their mark on Muncie like Charles Hackley left his on Muskegon.
It never hurts to revisit a place you have been. You may gain a fresh perspective, learn something new, or reconnect with your community.
And if a vacation isn’t in the budget this summer, try a staycation and start planning those artist dates. I’ll bet it will renew your sense of wonder, your zest for life, and your appreciation for the place you call home.
“Blessed are the curious for they shall have adventures.” — Lovelle Drachman
Marla R. Miller is an award-winning journalist, travel writer, and content marketing writer who lives in West Michigan. Please “like” or follow me on Facebook, X, Instagram, or LinkedIn. Let me help grow your business. Check out my Writing Services or Read My Work.
