McNally Cottage Preservation
No where on earth is the following more true:
"the past is our future, the future is our past"
Call 847-3594 for more information on forming a Committee to Explore Preservation of the McNally Cottage, fund raising, financing suggestions, and ideas about strategies...
Below is the certificate of tribute from the Governor of Michigan over two decades ago to the McNally descendants on the completion of one hundred years of service as a family-owned B&B, begun just two years after the Grand Hotel opened its doors and rooms to visitors to the first popular National Park in America.
this is not a minor piece of our history, but a single family's story here more connected by time to one place than any other on this, our island, which encompasses the birth of this national resort, through its entire historic park era, pre-automotive, pre-modern, continuously connecting Us from our present to our past.
It encompasses the story of us, of how we came to be. It is Authentic.
It is irreplaceable.
and there is far more to its story than is represented by the longevity of its tradition, a longer familial tradition than any other on an island of family traditions. . .
There is far more to this story than the realization of a family union which had connections to Fort Mackinac when it still guarded and defended our nation. Far more than the story of a family which arrived during the largest immigration and mass-exodus, from a single country in a shorter period than any other in U.S. history, and a connection to the Fort which had soldiers dressed in uniforms exactly as they are historically depicted now by the interpretive guides explaining the history of one of only two still existing Revolutionary War era Forts in America.
The McNally family and the Donnelly family both came during the great Irish famine, and were looked down upon as all immigrants have been. This is truly the story of America, of all of us. The Donnelly family donated the land, and so was in the name of Catherine, and Michael, who was a hard drinker, and bar brawler, who had fights at the local soldier's bar, the "Bucket of Blood" as it was known, vowed and promised to never drink again upon marriage, and legend has it stayed true to his word, never drinking again. They were married at St.Anne's Catholic Church when it was right next door to them (at the corner of Main & Hoban). There is far more to that story for all of us.
The family moved out of the use of the entire house during the summers and moved up to the attic, 6 kids together, with a sheet strung for privacy. Rooms were rented out to families for entire parts of the summers, and it was an auxiliary source of money. Michael worked in the ice house, on the historic coal dock, and in the fishing industry when it was waning, and in salvage. This is truly a story of the transformation of the island into a summer resort, and the transformation of our nation built by immigrants into our world.
(oral histories) www.McNallyCottage.info (oral histories)
It represents the most amazing full story in the entire downtown, from its beginning, if it can be kept in existence. And it contains within it a deeper story that only in time can be fully appreciated, as it reveals a far older history, and one at the same time far more relevant to NOW than is yet realized. Far more will be lost, and taken from all of us, and our potential, FOREVER.
Below is the full text of the 1989 commemoration tribute from the state of Michigan:
STATE OF MICHIGAN
SPECIAL TRIBUTE
McNally Cottage
LET IT BE KNOWN, that it is with deep appreciation for its contributions to the heritage and charm of Mackinac Island that we are proud to extend congratulations upon the occasion of the centenial of the McNally Cottage. We extend congratulations to all the descendants of Mary McNally Golden in this milestone in the history of this beautiful home.
Michael McNally built his cottage in the heart of the activity on Mackinac Island and it opened its doors in 1889. At that time Benjamin Harrison was the President. During that year, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Montana, and Washington were entered into the Union, bringing the number of stars on Old Glory to forty-two. Michigan's northern forests were alive with the energies of the lumber era. Also in those days, horse-drawn buggies were everywhere -- not just Mackinac Island -- as the "horseless carriage" rolled only in the dreams of tinkerers.
Although great changes have taken place throughout Michigan and everywhere over the past century, at the McNally Cottage, much of the unique warmth of the Victorian era remains intact. Certainly the hospitality and service that have always marked this guest home are alive and well. Its nine rooms, enclosed front porch overlooking the Straits, and its accomodating managers and staff offer guests an unsurpassed opportunity to enjoy one of the most unique experiences Michigan has to offer.
IN SPECIAL TRIBUTE, Therefore, This document is signed and dedicated to observe the centenial of the McNally Cottage on Mackinac Island. We extend the Golden family our congratulations on this milestone and our best wishes for continued success in the years to come.
(signed)
James J. Blanchard, Governor, the State of Michigan, Mitch Irwin, State Senator, the Thirty-Seventh Distict, Pat Gagliardi, State Representative, the One Hundred-seventh District, the Eighty-fifth Legislature at Lansing, September 19th, 1989.
Michigan State Centennial Special Tribute
[END]
Offer to meet the Proposed Offer to Sell with a Proposed Purchase Offer
Below is the text of the Ad in the Town Crier, with some corrections and additions:
Notice to Explore an Offer to Purchase McNally Cottage, seeking ideas, advice, volunteers & Offers.
Beginning with a proposed base price of one million, variations on the proposal can include such features as:
1. Deducting a potential amount from the proposed offer to a new owner, a Community Fund drive to purchase the huge side Yard, filled with unique Lilac Trees, an example proposed below.
2. Prior to a sale, a community volunteer effort to paint and fix interior/exterior features bringing the cottage back to functioning condition, the cottage sold then could be renovated with an example of this cost/calculation below.
3. Because Mackinac Island is a designated National Historic Landmark this historic building would qualify for both the federal and state historic preservation tax credits if its use is income producing. The building has had few recent modern renovations and is a good candidate for the 20 percent federal tax credit to LARGE whole-building renovations. The state preservation tax credit can be used for modern improvements such as new bathrooms, modern plumbing, and modern electrical upgrading. The building already has a nearly new roof.
The combined tax credits could potentially cover up to 45 percent of rehabilitation costs.
EXAMPLE:
Say for example, $300,000 could be raised locally (not considering state-wide), this would mean perhaps 10 donors of $10,000.00 each, 20 donors of $5,000 each, and 50 donors of $2,000 each, to save the lilacs of the side yard...
This would bring the cost to $700,000.00 for the most centrally located, directly across from a boat line, cottage, with 9 full rentable bedrooms, for a family, a huge home, right downtown, the best possible location on the island for a home/B&B, and additionally, several rooms on the first floor, capable of use for the community, for meetings, and social gatherings, with the possibility of more donations for this purpose, or just as the best located home/B&B on the island, with the following then possible, which as a bed and breakfast (meeting rooms only used for this purpose mornings), this nine room B&B would become the most authentic oldest downtown building, maintained closer to the original than any other building because:
1. Restoring interior original features is allowable under the tax credit program if good documentation and historic photographs are available. As noted during the tax credit workshop significant changes made more than 50 years ago are considered historic, as in this case one continuous family made these changes for one continuous use. (in fact, restoring exterior features such as the original tower of the Opera house are eligible as well with significant photographic or other evidence) Both inside and out, the Cottage would become the most authentic place for anyone to spend a night on Mackinac Island, recalling an era from 1889, the height of the National Park era, thus making the B&B the most marketable B&B on the ISLAND. No building downtown is a better candidate for this, being structurally sound and having had this same continuous purpose for over 120 years, longer than any other downtown structure.
2.For example, if the development can be done at the best use of potential tax benefits, a $500,000.00 for example, cost of full renovation could potentially cost less than $300,000.00 after tax credits. This is the best case scenario but this cottage appears to have the best potential of any downtown building for such a consideration, along with the Opera house. However the Opera house has not been offered for SALE as this developer made the offer to sell just recently and openly in an open meeting. This effort would require an appraisal of the building and a separate appraisal of the land value, by an independent non-financially connected, appraiser, for both. It would appear this situation is potentially ideal.
3. The developer estimated the post-renovation value of the cottage as $2,000,000.00.
4. The community volunteers, can bring these costs down further.
5. The most authentic downtown property would ensure our future, and our reputation, in the eyes of our Nation.
Please asking for volunteers for this effort. Contact: 1-906-847-3594 Save Our Island
A proposed website example for a B&B restored cottage, showing the possibilities:
this website shows what potential there is in rehabilitating the Cottage with the Potential of what our history means to us as a people, the experience so unique and without equal any where.
IN SUMMARY
The support of the entire community for a downtown historic district has opened up this information to all of our developers and all of us, the full extent of the help made available by the entire state and our entire nation, to communities and individuals who care for our irreplaceable history, and who use every opportunity to pursue what is possible rather than shun every very real effort to do so. The offer to sell is the opportunity.
A majority of the downtown has signed the moratorium which is meant to affect all historic downtown properties equally, with no special consideration to any historic property to not be included.
This effort at the rehabilitation of the potentially most authentic preservation downtown by a single caring developer/individual combined with the concerted help of the entire community is the best way to ensure the best possible outcome for everyone and can spur the competitive spirit of us all to do better...
It can lead to and spur the restoration of other community buildings, as nothing works better than example. And the community and individual competitive spirit to do even better of our great nation, knows no equal...
This was pointed out at the tax credit workshop on June 28th, that from real world examples, the rehabilitation of one historic property can potentially lead to many other efforts...
The huge budget crisis of our City, has meant that there is no elected representative sentiment to purchase historic buildings which are under threat, of being either replaced or of falling down, and was the reason we came into existence as a group seeking an alternative non-profit solution.
Since the tax workshop on the 28th, this view is further reinforced as some legislative members by their public statements are reluctant to spend public money to even research our essential historic resources, which is why non-profit entities have stepped up, to offer the support of the community for saving our essential historic resources.
The Opera House downtown, urgently in need of repair, and with the understanding that for this effort public spending may not be an option, only through a non-profit, community example of rehabilitation on a building with a proven history of successfully surviving for nearly 120 years in spite of many owners, the McNally Cottage, is presenting the best opportunity to show this can work for another building downtown such as the Opera House, with both the community support of individuals and individual initiative & caring by community developers, in BOTH instances. The McNally Cottage has far more advantages to such an effort than the Opera House, but its success will show that it is possible.
NO other viable solution has been proposed yet, which could lead to the rehabilitation of the amazing Opera House under the current situation. OR, through a sale, not yet offered, of this wonderful building. There is a difference between saying you believe in historic preservation and doing something about it. Combined with the loud statement by our City in support for historic preservation, this is our opportunity to show this can happen, and show it can work...
A loud statement by the council is now urgently needed to open up a public discussion on how to preserve our irreplaceable and economically essential historic character, followed not by words but actions...
ph. 906-847-3594 e-mail: SaveOurIsland@AOL.com
