DeGrand House History
Alphonce DeGrandgagnage was born in Belgium and moved to Wisconsin in the late 1800s. There he met and married Catherine Maccoux. In 1890 they moved to Escanaba and purchased five acres of land from Eli and Sarah Royce for $500. Construction on the home began in 1912 and was completed in 1914.
A horticulturist by trade, the crumbling remains of his greenhouse were located on the southeast side of the home. Here, too, is where Butcher Creek ran by the home as evidenced by the large depression on the east lawn. This creek now runs underground.
A horticulturist by trade, the crumbling remains of his greenhouse were located on the southeast side of the home. Here, too, is where Butcher Creek ran by the home as evidenced by the large depression on the east lawn. This creek now runs underground.
The barn stood to the west of the home and was torn down by a city demolition crew in the l980s. Remains of one of the outbuildings are on an adjoining lot on the southwest side of the property.
The home remained in the hands of the DeGrand (shortened from "DeGrandgagnage") family after Alphonce died in 1929 with the property transferring to his wife and two of his daughters. The daughters, Rose and Flora, were appropriately named as they were the children of a horticulturist. Mrs. DeGrand passed away in 1940, Flora in 1983, and Rose in 1996 at the age of 95. She was the last of the ten children of the DeGrand family. The home was quite run down and had no running hot water or maintenance for years. No one has lived in the home since 1996.
Since purchasing the property, the present owner has been working to restore the home to its original farmhouse splendor.
The home remained in the hands of the DeGrand (shortened from "DeGrandgagnage") family after Alphonce died in 1929 with the property transferring to his wife and two of his daughters. The daughters, Rose and Flora, were appropriately named as they were the children of a horticulturist. Mrs. DeGrand passed away in 1940, Flora in 1983, and Rose in 1996 at the age of 95. She was the last of the ten children of the DeGrand family. The home was quite run down and had no running hot water or maintenance for years. No one has lived in the home since 1996.
Since purchasing the property, the present owner has been working to restore the home to its original farmhouse splendor.
