South of downtown coldwater I saw this ornate brick mansion and in doing a little research I found out some history on it. The Italianate house was originally built by Alvin Lanphere. He was born in 1834, and manufactured lightning rods in Coldwater. In about 1870, he began work constructing this house. By 1875, the house was reportedly not completely finished, and Lanphere exchanged houses with Jacob Franklin Pratt who was born in 1829, and moved to Coldwater in about 1855. Pratt was part-owner in a tannery and boot manufacturer. Later, Pratt founded the Coldwater Cutter Company, which manufactured sleighs and children’s sleds.
Pratt lived in this house until his death in 1907. Pratt’s son, Allen J. Pratt, inherited the house, and also became president of the Coldwater Cutter Company. Allen Pratt lived in this house until 1933, when the firm went bankrupt during the Great Depression. After learning a little bit of the home’s history it makes me think of Rosebud. The house is still privately owned.
P.S. I wish there was some snow on the ground of the “sled house” but it’s Michigan and I gotta deal with whatever weather we get when I am out exploring. I will have to take another trip back down to the Coldwater area in the winter and summer. There are a lot of interesting and historic places to see.
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