Holiday tours extended at Felt Mansion

If the last-minute rush of the season has you scrambling, there’s now some extra time to take a break and reflect on history and holiday splendor. The Felt Mansion has added more self-guided tour hours into the New Year.

“We know that much of our community is welcoming family for the holidays, and what better way to show off Laketown’s assets than a hike through the woods, a winter walk on the beach, or a family visit to see The Felt Estate’s annual Christmas decorations?” said Elizabeth McEwen, executive director of the Felt Estate.

The mansion is decorated with more than 70 Christmas trees and 50,000 lights and candles. Garlands and wreaths adorn the mantles, staircases and doors.

Tours

Here is a list of the holiday tours.

For complete information about the mansion and tours, and to get tickets, visit https://www.feltmansion.org/current-events

Self-Guided Tours: 4-8 p.m. Monday, Dec. 22 and 29; Tuesday, Dec. 23 and 30; and Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026; and the recently added 1-5 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 24. Adults (21 and up) $15, Seniors (60 and up) $12, Adolescents (8-17) $10; Children (7 and under) free.

Coffee & Cocoa Self-Guided Tours: 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Sundays, Dec. 21, 28 and Jan. 4, 2026; and Saturdays Dec. 27 and Jan. 3, 2026. Adults (21 and up) $18, Seniors (60 and up) $15, Adolescents (8-17) $12; Children (7 and under) $5.

Candlelight Guided Tours: 5 p.m., 6:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. Fridays, Dec.19, 26 and Jan. 2, 2026. Tickets $25.

Self-guided tours last about an hour and tour booklets are available at check-in. Self-guided tour admission can be reserved online or paid upon arrival.

Guided tours must be reserved online, and typically last one to one-and-a-half hours.

About the mansion

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’s wife, Agnes, died in 1928, six weeks after the house was complete. Dorr died two years later.

The property went on to serve as a minor seminary for the Augustinian order (attended by Pope Leo XIV), a state prison, and a Michigan State Police post before the property was purchased by Laketown Township.

Today, following years of restoration by the Friends of the Felt Estate, the mansion is a top cultural, educational, and event destination, welcoming thousands of visitors annually.

The Friends of the Felt Estate is raising money to handle repairs around the mansion, including the main entrance.

The portico, a columned front entrance that serves as the grand threshold into the Georgian Revival mansion, is suffering from age-related deterioration. Cracked masonry, settling foundations, and water damage threaten both its appearance and its stability. Repairs are estimated in the hundreds of thousands of dollars and will require specialized materials and craftsmanship to restore the structure in keeping with its historic integrity.