Langeland House is named for Henry E. Langeland, who emigrated from the Netherlands to Muskegon in 1867 and established a successful manufacturing firm. He built the house in 1892 and the Langeland family lived here until 1947.

The house contains a number of original features, the most notable of which is the extensive decoration of the foyer, staircase and upstairs hall with Lincrusta-Walton embossed paper, which has the effect of wood-carved paneling. The large living room features a marble fireplace, a baby grand piano and comfortable sitting area. The formal dining room, which seats up to eight guests at a large table, is enhanced by an unusual built-in china cabinet that was imported from the Netherlands. Guests can enjoy a more casual setting and a view of the shady garden from the glassed-in curved porch, or relax in the library and television room.

Your host is Elizabeth B. Sherman, author of Beyond the Windswept Dunes: The Story of Maritime Muskegon, and the great-granddaughter of one of Muskegon's leading lumbermen, Thomas Hume. In keeping with her interests, the home is decorated with Great Lakes maritime art and artifacts, a number of antiques, and contains an extensive collection of books -- fiction and non-fiction -- on subjects from art and history to maritime lore and ghost stories. The books are available to guests for their reading pleasure during their visit.