A self-guided tour
Click on links or photos to enlarge.

As soon as you enter the driveway, you will see the words, “Nesika Illihe” in 3” brass letters embedded in the pavement. The property’s name in Chinook Indian translates, (welcome to) “Our Land”.

The large expanse of what is now only grass on either side of the circular driveway, was not referred to as the yard, but originally called the orchard because of the nearly 200 fruit trees which grew there. Turftenders does our lawn.

The other trees in the yard may date back as far as 1894 but no further; a forest fire that year burned the second mansion and everything else of the bluff when it swept across north Bellingham. In 1996, Turftenders completely re-planted and re-sod the entire acreage.

Hopefully, when you enter the house, you will sense the warmth of a home, and not some cold, formal castle that the exterior might lead you to expect.

To the right, a long hallway, with three doors on the side, leads toward the kitchen. The first door is to the basements spiral staircase leading to an apartment-size area with an exercise room, lots of storage and a potential grand wine cellar. The second door is to a large cleaning closet which (can & does) hide a multitude of clutter. Finally, the third door is to a half bath that everybody calls, “Biker Betty's Room.” Guests don’t go to the bathroom anymore, they just go see Betty Boop!

The Kitchen is rather tired in decoration, having been last remodeled about 1974. While its over-large size may leave some convenience to be desired, a view is not one of them; sunsets from the sink windows are worth doing dishes anytime. There is a chimney, presently used by the vent hood, which could be exposed for an open hearth in a future update.

Off the kitchen is a side porch, for laundry appliances and a freezer, and again, a great view of the bay. In fact, every room in the house has a view except for two bathrooms.

You will pass through the pantry which serves the Kennards well since the two ladies in the house – Mike’s Wife and Mike’s Mother – each need cupboard space.

The morning room remodeled in the 70’s but updated with sunflowers of the 90’s, is great either for a sun-on-the-bay early breakfast or a sunset late dinner.

The formal dining room feels like the perfect space for any size dinner party and opens, through French doors, to the living room.

The bay window offers a great view and an alcove for conversations. The outside door to the right of the fireplace leads to a terrace presently used as a patio.

The library was updated in the mid 80’s and is now used by Mike’s mother as her day room. Sitting in one spot, she can see if anybody is sneaking up on her either by land or by sea. While her large screen T.V. does block a fireplace, she won’t suffer with one around the corner in the living room and another fireplace in her bedroom.

The master suite area is made up of a closet, large bathroom with both tub and separate shower, a fireplace, and a recently added cabinet storage wall.

Leaving the master suite wing, in the hallway leading back to the front door, there are hanging pictures of the Eldridge family and of their second mansion which was destroyed in the fire of 1894.

As you pass the front door, notice a striking similarity to the one from the Bible picture of Jesus standing at the door (Revelations 3:20, “Behold I stand at the door and knock.”) There are just too many identical things; rounded top, grooved face, graduated hinge lengths, small window, etc., for architect Piper to not have been aware. Besides, he also did St. Paul’s down the street.

The spiral stairs leads you up past the painted and stained glass with the same nautical theme found in several fireplace tiles. The chandelier matches the fixtures in the hallway and the dining room, and while not very elegant, they are all original to the house.

The bathroom at the top of the stairs is called the guest bathroom, with an eight-foot tall shower curtain.

The guest bedroom was the Carr boy’s room, but now it’s appreciated by overnighters for its view and space.

The next, much smaller bedroom is used as an office with an outside window opening to a small, two –person balcony, right above the living room bay windows.

The study is the only room in the central, two-story, main part of the house that spans its entire width. (the library downstairs also has both land/water windows, but it is part of the story-and-one half master wing) The large, picture window towards the bay is the only one in the house and is a great place to catch sailboats during the day or city lights at night.

Through the narrow (formerly a closet) door, is the area called the apartment. It features built-in cabinets, drawers, and a vanity, with recently updated make-up lighting designed by Mike Kennard. The utility of this former attic area is possible with the two gables added by Piper in his 1941 remodeling. A third gable created usable space for the full bathroom.

Watch your step (down)! The story-and-one-quarter attic room, at the end of the short hall, was converted, with lots of copper pipe, into a closet; another Kennard design. Knee-wall drawers to be installed room-length (below the hanging ties) will complete this project.

Future plans include carpeting all of the study, the apartment bedroom, the hall and the closet as one “suite”. While this area is used by Cis and Mike as their personal area, they emphasize that they truly live in the entire house.