The Willis House Inn sits on the North East corner of Willis and Bunton Roads in Willis Michigan. We believe the house is the oldest house in Willis, with the original house being built in 1856 under the ownership of a family named Albin. There was an addition added to the house in 1872 that was used as the kitchen. When we were refurbishing the house the mason’s tore down nearly the whole west wall due to the bow in the wall. We removed the old mortar and reused the original bricks to rebuild the wall. During the process we found a brick that someone had written “1872” in it while it was still wet.
The Albin’s sold the house to a family named Finney. Mr. Finney died in the parlor, and his wife died in the house a week later. It is rumored that his wife was invalid and die because he was not there to care for her. Their daughter sold the house to the Martz family.
The Martz family, who owned the home next, started The Detroit Brewing Company. The second generation used the house as their summer home. When the parents passed away, two of their son’s Oscar and Edward kept the house and continued to use it as a vacation house. Our neighbor Fred use to mow the yard for the brothers. He said he had to have it done by 5 pm on Friday, because at 5 o’clock the brothers would arrive and unload cases of beer and would party all weekend. It is also rumored that they made alcohol here during prohibition and shipped it on the railroad that runs through town. When you come to visit we will tell you the story of the murderer that stayed the night at the Martz brothers invitation, that occurred after the brothers retired and were living here full time.
In 1968 the brothers decided they would give the house to the Catholic Church. The church added the large 2 floor addition on the west side of the house. Sadly there was no effort to make the addition blend well with the original brick house. Several of the rafters of the house still have “convent” written on them for the drivers who deliver the supplies. The nuns used it as a convent, as well as a home for unwed teenage girls and a day care center, not only for the babies of the girls, but for the children of the community. This is a period of the house’s history we are still researching.
In the Early 80’s The house was bought by the Schrock Family. Mrs. Schrock, ran the house as an adult foster care home that housed about 22 people. In the late 90’s she sold the house to one of her employees, Ms. Silbert, who changed the home into a closed head injury facility. During the time between the change of hands, some of the children of one of the above owners lived in the home, and experienced extreme paranormal phenomena, including levitations, non-human creatures, and hearing voices to just name few experiences. Two exorcisms have been preformed in the house. Ms. Silbert had a stroke herself around 2005 and her son attempted to run the house, but the state closed him down in 2006.
The house was sold at Sheriff’s auction in 2007 to a young woman that we bought the house from. She told me it was her “20 something project” but then she met her husband, who didn’t want the house. He had a young son and wanted to live in Saline. This prompted the sell of the house, but not before she gutted the entire house. The All the plumbing and wonderful trim was ripped out. Don was thrilled to have found two short pieces of the original trim under the stairs, so we can make trim that will be at least the original design. Don had Loved the house since the first time he saw it. I had grown up a mile up the road and had always liked the house, but presumed it had an ugly commercial kitchen in it. Don often mentioned how he wished we could buy it
In mid September of 2012, Don had come to the barber across the street to get his hair cut. The barber, who kept what ever hours he choose, was not there. A week later, he decided he should try again. As he sat in the barber chair that faced the house, Don noticed a older man in the yard. He asked Jim the barber if that was the owner. Jim said, “no, they put the house up for sale today”. As so as he was finished Don dashed across the street to check the house out and he called me…. hey guess what, he asked. What I replied back THE HOUSE just went up for sale today. I didn’t have to ask what house. I knew. He came and got me and we called the realtor. He said, it’s totally gutted, there’s nothing you can hurt. I’ll give you the lock box number, just be sure to lock it up when you are done.
We walked through this huge gutted to the gills monster of a house. Dirty and dusty from years of sitting empty, except from the obvious signs that raccoons and other animals had been making the house home, and said to each other, this feels like it could be home. That was on a Wednesday. Sunday we brought in third and fourth sets of experienced eyes to see if we were missing anything that would change our minds. Monday we made an offer. Tuesday we got the call that the house was ours. Later we learned our mason had put in an offer for the full price (we had offer 5K less) and they had already taken our offer.
Since we have owned the home, the former residents have made their presence know by talking to us and several workers and visitors. They have also appeared to a few, and show up in pictures, both as unintended subjects and cameras set by Marter Parnormal Research Team, and other visitors. We are working to make this a wonderful home for us, them, and a beautiful bed and breakfast.
