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McKeon Centennial Farm |
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| The McKeon Centennial Farm house, located in Swartz Creek, Michigan, is under going renovation. As stewards of the farm and land, it is our ancestral and future responsibility to care for the viability, and health of the house, outbuildings and soil. Soon after Michigan was admitted to the Union on January 26th, 1837 as the 26th state, much of the land in the lower peninsula was platted into 40 acres parcels. These “farms”, considered sizable by those who would eventually cultivate the land by man and animal, were homesteaded by a large influx of settlers who traveled through the Erie Canal which opened in 1825 allowing transportation by ships possible through the Great Lakes. On these new farms, barns were often the first structure to take shape since it would house livestock for farming power, and for sustenance. When the homestead was well established, the farm house was built to provide shelter to the family. In many cases, as Michigan's first farming generation matured, the farm was combined with a neighboring farm which had better financial resources, and a inheriting generation to secure it operation and future.
When Charles O. McKeon, and his wife Agnes Toomey McKeon, purchased the original 80 acres known today as the McKeon Centennial Farm in April 1898, two separate house structures had already been moved in place and combined into one home. Heat in the house was produced from a wood and coal gravity furnace and a wood burning stove in the kitchen. A well, cistern, and an outhouse were the amenities of the day known to us as sewer and water. In 1914, the third house was added with the formal Irish staircase per the hopes and dreams of Agnes McKeon. She did not live long enough to see the addition complete. Their son Paul B. McKeon, and Paul's wife Edith Trollman McKeon then cared for the The Farm. A Michigan basement was expanded with the help of their sons. Improvements of electricity, plumbing and running water were also laid in the 1930's to update the home. During the 1970's and 80's, Charles E. McKeon, their son a born and raised farmer with a career at Ford Motor Company / Tractor Division, farmed the land with the help of his family, nephews and friends. The house remained on “pause” while the focus was placed on farming the land. When he was gone, his surviving family soon focused on retaining The Farm, and ultimately renovating the house. During a spiritual revelation at a barn conference at Michigan State University, his remaining family was introduced to the concept of farm stewardship. The renovation of the farmhouse is in recognition to the family that it has supported. Not just to the family raised there, but to their children, their children's children, and their childrens' children's children. In June 2008, with 4 generations celebrating the memory of the their forefathers, Audrey Engel McKeon revealed the plans for the improvement and renovation of the farmhouse, and forward care of the homestead. The only bathroom, formerly located immediately off the dining room, will be replaced with a bathroom suite in an area which is not so “public” to the family dining area. A larger kitchen with an open format will allow family and friends to socialize during the preparation of meals for large events and family reunions. The addition of another bedroom and sleeping loft will allow family and future generations to enjoy their shared history. At the start of the renovation, the house, actually all 3 of them as 1, will be lifted off it's existing Michigan basement, and a new, full dry basement will be dug to support the home. With the existence of a new basement, the seasonal flooding, the inadequate plumbing, and the inferior electrical wiring will be corrected and updated.....and the head room variance to the basement will be corrected to avoid the proverbial ”head knock”. The renovation will also correct structural imperfections of the home associated with combining 3 separate houses of the 1870-80's era. Improvements also include the creation of a grand family and dining room with a heightened ceiling and an expanded floor-space into the area formerly known as the porch. The wood floors will be refinished, and a new, updated staircase will be built over the room formerly know as the laundry room. The new staircase will replace the back staircase in the dining room. In place of the small, back staircase, a wood burning fireplace will be installed. The existing heating system will be replaced with a natural gas system, replacing the propane tank and system that has been onsite for 40 years. The garage will be relocated and recycled to provide a secure, dry workshop for the homestead. The new foundation, electrical, and plumbing systems will provide the home with integrity and possible existence far into the 21st century, and intentionally, beyond. Any inquiries, questions or concerns, please email Tim. tmckeon277@aol.com |
