McNeil house in historic district
"Hello! You left your lights on!"
We've arrived ... small town America, where a passer by in a mini-van will roll down her window in 7 degree weather to correct my misstep. "Thank you ma'am!", I shouted back, having just unloaded luggage from our car in front of the McNeil House here in Saint Joseph, Michigan.
Satisfied her good deed was done, she waved as she drove away. Not too quickly though, the street is cobblestone.
"Saint Joe" as everyone calls it here, is a town of 8,800 just about 100 miles from Chicago and 180 miles from Detroit.
Incorporated in 1834, is it "small town America"? Well, let's see ... A downtown area composed of small shops including a 5 & 10 cent store ( G & M Variety, since 1939)? - check; a band shell with free concerts throughout the summer? - check; how about an old fashioned carousel with 48 hand carved horses? Got that too.
Want more? St. Joe is on the shore of Lake Michigan, and, a river runs through it! The St. Joseph of course. The harbor here has four marinas with many fishing charter boats and hundreds of slips for power and sail boats. The picturesque, historic North Pier Light House juts out into the lake still casting a beam. Horse drawn trolleys tug tourists throughout the town during the summer, no charge.
We are lodging at the McNeil House in an effort to find small town America. Can we park our car and not use it for a 3 day stay? So far, it's working. Plenty of eateries (highlight was Cassava with a Latin America cuisine. When's the last time you had Guava Chicken or Plantain Encrusted Salmon?) within walking distance and everything mentioned above. Art galleries, a wine tasting room connected to a gourmet cheese and bread shop too. Indeed, even a barber shop. One of the fellows looks like Floyd.
Front porch
The vacation rental house was built by Great Lakes ship captain Cornelius McNeil in 1855 for himself, his wife and three children. The Greek Revival style provides plenty of room for many sorts of functions like wedding parties and family reunions. The official City Of St. Joseph Certificate hanging on a wall list 19 permitted occupants.
The living room
Right now it's just my wife and me but our next visit will include our children and grandchildren, totaling eight. There will be plenty of room with plenty to do what with the usual stack of board games and videos.
A bedroom
You can see Lake Michigan from the upstairs bedrooms. Silver Beach is right down from our front porch, one block west to Lake Bluff Park, down some steps and you're there. Do walk and you'll save a $8 parking fee!
Kitchen with hand- painted cupboards
I can also visualize a book club vacation gathering here or a yoga, artists or religious retreat. Maybe a writers workshop. Plenty of room what with 7 bedrooms with a large living and dining room plus an eat in kitchen with a stove and microwave for cooking.
Park across the street
End of story. We found a proverbial small town both in attitude and atmosphere right here in southwest Michigan. Everything we wanted to go to in our 3 days we walked to, thereby not using a drop of gasoline. What a great way to slow down and relax.
Excuse me, got to go, I think I hear a violin tuning up down in the band shell.
For more information on the McNeil House rental,
visit homeaway.com/vacation-rental/p141154
