Edwin Gruner - Anna Cherdavoine
Home built 1914
482 River Road
Coldwater, MI

G-2.4 Edwin Gruner (1861-1951). Early in 1914 Edwin and Anna decided to build a larger house for their growing family - Glen, Elsie and Mable. With his brother Frank, Ed took the train to Chicago where they met with representatives of Montgomery Ward and Co. and choose plans and materials. On May 9, 1914 the old house was moved to the rear of the lot facing River Road to make room for the new house. These materials were shipped by rail and local craftsmen built the house.

The journal that Ed kept to record his expenses is still in existence, the final cost on December 31, 1914 was $4,559.50. This cost included moving the old house, all materials including field stone for foundation (notice beautiful large stones supporting the porch), construction labor and expenses associated with the trip to Chicago.

It is a late Queen Anne Style with lots of Golden Oak woodwork, two staircases and three pocket doors. The stone foundation extends well above grade. There is a large finished basement and a third story that was never completely finished. The main floor was arranged with two parlors, dining room, kitchen, master bedroom and bath. The second floor has three large bedrooms and a large unfinished space called "The Attic". Anna changed the original plans that called for three fire places, deleting two of them in favor of a large closet for the master bedroom. She also moved the back stairs from a middle room to the rear of the house to accommodate an additional closet.

Ed and Anna lived in this house for the remainder of their lives, followed by their daughter Mable and her husband, Bert Norton who continued to operate the farm. Mable and Bert had no living descendants, and the property was willed to Elsie's daughters, Dorothy McQueen DeBoe and Constance McQueen Elliget. Connie, a widow, had no children, now lives there and maintains the house. She added a bath to the second floor, air conditioning and a complete kitchen remodeling. Also, she finished "The Attic" into an attractive livable space, with sky lights, completely transforming it.