Mooring Fever

Mooring FAQs
Feeling confused? We're here to help!

 

Pre-1992: The Mooring, end point of North Shore Drive

How can I visit the Mooring?
You can't. The Mooring closed in 1992.

Then how can you say you live there now?
If it looks (sort of) like The Mooring, feels like the Mooring, sounds like the Mooring, smells like the Mooring, and is half a block from The Mooring, in my book it IS the Mooring.

Smells like The Mooring? That sounds sketchy.
Think water, marine life, pine needles, and the occasional whiff of pickling spice from the Heinz plant in a southwesterly wind. Who are you? Is this a hostile interview?

Heinz plant? Do they give tours? Can I get free pickles?
Please go away.

Not yet. Where DO you live?
We live half a block to the east (on the other side of the road) of the big house -- The Mooring lodge.

What happened to the cottages and all the property?
When The Mooring closed, Blair and Charlotte subdivided it into an eco-friendly, low density community called Horner's Woods. Basically just a single semi-circular street they named Barkentine Drive.

Current view of North Shore Drive showing the Barkentine Drive loop

Who are Blair and Charlotte?
Charlotte Horner (1906-1996) co-founded The Mooring in 1940 with her husband, Bob.
Blair is Charlotte's heir.

Is anything left of the original property?
Yes. The lodge, occupied by Blair and Elizabeth.

Who is Elizabeth?
Blair's wife. Her last name is different from his, but I’m not going to mention either one.  That would only confuse you more.

OK, is anything else left?
Yes, the Crescent cottage is still next to the big house;  Elizabeth uses it as a studio.

And the Barkentine cottage, which was moved from its original waterfront site to an interior lot in the new subdivision. Here is a link to the realtor’s listing when it sold a couple of years ago. Contains one exterior photo.

https://www.coldwellbankerhomes.com/mi/holland/842-barkentine-dr/pid_1355813/

The Barkentine has been winterized and respectfully restored.
Also remaining at today’s Mooring: many, many extremely tall trees dating back to “the old days.”

So do you live in a historic shingled house with slamming screen doors and bathtubs on legs  that sort of looks like a Mooring cottage?
No. This is the house we bought 8 years ago.

Our  house on North Shore Drive, ca. 2008, just after remodeling began

WHY?!
You'll find out in a future post. (Hint: potential)
Now how about you go check out that pickle factory?

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