Hackley-Holt House / Hackley-Holt House

In 1850 Joseph Hackley came to Michigan from Wisconsin to serve as superintendent of construction for the Durkee, Truesdell and Company sawmill. In 1860 he purchased this house, built in 1857. Hackley and his first wife, Salina Fuller Hackley, were the parents of Charles Hackley, one of Michigan’s most successful lumbermen and a prominent Muskegon philanthropist. Salina Hackley died in 1864 and, in 1867, Joseph married Catherine Palmer. Joseph died on January 8, 1874, while living in this house. New Yorker Henry Holt came to Michigan in 1852. He soon returned to New York to attend law school, but came back to Michigan to practice law in Grand Rapids. In 1858 Holt moved to Muskegon, was elected prosecuting attorney of Ottawa County and began a long political career, which included serving two terms as lieutenant governor, five terms in the state legislature and two terms as mayor of Muskegon. In 1878 Holt married Catherine Palmer Hackley. Henry and Catherine lived in this house until Henry died here in 1898.