Felt Estate hosting free conservation event

The Felt Estate is getting back to its roots – and leaves and butterflies, too – with its first Conservation in Your Own Backyard event from 6-9:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 5, 2025.

“This event was borne out of a desire to help our neighbors learn more about small steps we all can take in our own yards to help our environment, and to inspire our community to try a few of those small steps. As we all know, small steps can lead to big changes,” said Elizabeth McEwen, executive director of the Felt Estate, 6597 138^th Ave.

Take a look at the Felt Estate conservation events in a video here.

What’s happening

The free family friendly event on the Felt grounds includes interactive activity stations, information booths and handouts, conservation-themed crafts for children, nature walks and demonstrations.

So far, participants include the Hosting Butterflies, Outdoor Discovery Center, Michigan Department of Natural Resources Natural Resources Steward, Allegan Conservation District, Ottawa Parks Nature Center, and West Michigan Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area. More groups are expected.

“Stroll the beautiful grounds of the Felt Estate while connecting with local organizations and conservation experts. Whether you have a sprawling backyard or a potted patio garden, you’ll find tools, tips, and inspiration for nurturing pollinators, planting native species, reducing chemical use, supporting wildlife, and protecting our water sources,” McEwen said.

Name or dedicate a plant in the estate’s new butterfly garden and get a plant to bring home.

Bring a blanket, lawn chair, and picnic snacks for an outdoor screening of “A Bug’s Life” at dusk. Night owls can stick around for the double-feature, “Honey, I Shrunk the Kids!” followed by moth observations at strategically placed light stations.

In case of rain, events will shift inside the Carriage House on the Felt grounds.

Conservation history

Construction on the mansion began in 1925 by Dorr Felt, inventor of the Comptometer, the first machine that could do all four math functions — add, subtract, multiply and divide. The building was finished in 1928.

Felt was an avid naturalist and conservationist.

“From alternative energy sources (he used water and wind power at the mansion) to rainwater collection to duneland stabilization, Dorr immersed himself in his environment. In fact, the forest that we now know as Saugatuck Dunes State Park was originally all planted by Dorr Felt. He planted more than 250,000 trees during his time at Shore Acres Farm,” McEwen said.

The mansion’s solar array, active since 2015, is a nod to Felt’s legacy.

“During the summer months, we produce enough energy to cover all our energy needs and put power back into the grid,” said McEwen.

Butterfly ecosystem

Improvements on the property are constant including managing invasives, planting native species, embracing milkweed and prairie flowers, and working to minimize the amount of turfgrass on the property.

“Traditional grass lawns can be detrimental to the environment due to their high level of water consumption and reliance on pesticides and fertilizers. They also negatively impact biodiversity and can contribute to water pollution,” McEwen said.

“We also minimize our formal gardens and instead lean into the natural landscapes,” she added.

The mansion is working with Melissa Eikenberry of Hosting Butterflies to make the grounds an entire butterfly and pollinator ecosystem. This conservation event is the kick-off of a series of events and experiences led by Eikenberry and Hosting Butterflies.

“We have some trees and plants already that are necessary ‘host’ plants — things that butterflies lay eggs on and that caterpillars like to eat — and we will be partnering on a series of experiences for people interested in learning more about what it means to actually be a good host to these beneficial insects, not just a pretty place for them to land,” McEwen said.

More about the estate

Felt’s wife Agnes died in 1928 after the house was complete. Dorr died a year-and-a-half later.

After his death, the estate became a seminary for the Augustinian order that was attended by Pope Leo XIV. After the seminary closed, the land became a state prison and Michigan State Police post before the property was purchased by Laketown Township.

The mansion has been restored and is a top historical and educational site as well as a wedding and event destination.

Learn more at www.feltmansion.org

Saugatuck Dunes State Park, once Felt’s property, surrounds the current estate.

The 1,000-acre park includes hiking trails of varying difficulty through dunes to Lake Michigan with 2.5 miles of lake front. The park’s 300-acre Patty Birkholz Natural Area contains a coastal dune system and three endangered plant species.