IXL museum, Hermansville, MI -- 1881/82 office/boarding bldg + cottage, etc

I recently returned to the IXL museum in Hermansville, Michigan (in da U.P., hey).  This time I took a camera with me.  

Imagine, if you will, an office building (with living quarters on the 2nd floor) built during 1881-1882 and fully furnished as appropriate.  Then imagine that building being in use for a number of decades without anybody messing it up...exception being the addition of electricity and some additional plumbing.  Finally, imagine that building sitting locked up for a number of decades without anybody messing it up.  In short, this is a pretty awesome place that hasn't been messed up.

Millwork supposedly from a sash/door factory in Fond du Lac, WI.  IXL was a maker of hardwood flooring.  The company town (Hermansville, MI) still carries on long after the company folded.

One of the ceilings on the 2nd floor has been restored.  Very nice.

Perhaps my favorite thing is the worker's cottage that they have moved onto the property.  Note the general lack of plaster on the walls (millwork being much cheaper given the company's products).

The main building is an excellent document source for period colors, millwork, office arrangement, plumbing, etc.  The cottage offers similar insight.

This is my first attempt at using Flickr . . . please let me know if there are troubles.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/64258322@N04/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IXL_Historical_Museum

- Jason

Beautiful tour.  Thanks for sharing the shots, which worked fine in slideshow mode, BTW.  Nice to see something unmucked around with.  Someone should film a movie there.

Beautiful. The atmosphere is enveloping!!