One day, as I left the restaurant, rather than following my usual path I drove in the opposite direction. As I was turning a corner, I looked up and saw a gorgeous house on the hill. I stopped in the middle of the turn and stared at it. It looked like it was ready to fall down, but it was beautiful. I backed up, drove to the front of it and studied it. The wrap-around porch was falling apart. The steps were all askew. Weeds were overgrown. There were broken windows and some that had been open for years. The curtains at the windows were in shreds. It was obviously abandoned.

Then my car backed up and drove into the driveway. I got out and was walking toward the back porch (which was a mess), and thinking, "This is ridiculous. No one is here". I got to the back door and knocked. I heard a dog bark, and thought, "Oh, my gosh, a dog is trapped in the house!" Then the door squeaked open and a little man peeked out. A voice on the porch said, "Do you want to sell your house?" (It couldn’t have been my voice because I didn't want a house. I had one I loved). The little man said, "I might consider it". So I asked if I could see the house. He said, "It's a mess". I said, "I don't care". We were both right. It was a mess and I didn't care.

He showed me through. It was big, dark, drafty, and cold, but it was still beautiful. He said people came to the door daily wanting to buy the house, but he wouldn't sell it. He was Clifton (Red) Kerr, B. F. Kerr's grandson, and had always lived in the house. He was nearing 70. I offered to clean the house out for him at no cost, but that didn't interest him. I started visiting Red and the house sometimes when I had lunch at The Locks, and eventually we talked more about my buying it. It was light talk, as I knew I wasn't going to move, but the wheels in my head started turning and imagining how I would use such a fantastic house. I really loved it and wanted to bring it back to life.

I don't remember the details of our reaching an agreement, but we did, and then it was as if I got on a Merry-Go-Round and couldn't get off. I thought I would use the house for Yoga Classes and Yoga Retreats. When I learned that the population of Grand Rapids was only 750 people, I realized that number included the elderly, infants, and children, and I wasn't sure those in between were going to be interested in Yoga. So, I thought there were a lot of rooms, maybe we could have a beauty salon. Some time later, I thought we might have a room with natural foods. Still later, I thought about the one massage I had in my life, and I thought maybe we could get a 'masseuse' to come in and give massages.

As ideas grew on how to use the house, it was as if they got into formation. I thought, "We can do it all. Guests can come and stay and eat natural foods, get facials and massages and practice Yoga". I had always treasured weekends with my family, so I thought guests could come in Sunday evening, after their weekend, and stay until Friday afternoon in order to be home for the next weekend with their families. I only thought of drawing local people from the Toledo area, and, I thought it was a very original idea.

I day-dreamed a lot about what could happen. I wanted a program that would be extremely beneficial to anyone who came. When they left, I imagined them feeling differently than any way they could ever remember feeling. It would be a feeling they couldn't put into words, but they felt deeply. I wanted a very special staff, outstandingly good at their specialty. I wanted all of us to enjoy being a part of a very unique and special program. And, it was very important for The Kerr House to be as healing to those who worked there as to those who came in for the program.

I had arranged for a General Contractor who'd be in charge of the renovation. I expressed frequently, "I'd never consider this project if it weren't for Bob". It took a year to clear the house title, so meanwhile Bob continued other work. When we suddenly closed on the house, he was in the middle of a project and would not be available until it was completed. I didn't know what to do. I couldn't wait, but how could I get someone good on a moments notice? I had to have someone who would sincerely appreciate the historic value of the house, someone who would hire good people and see to it that things were done right. They all had to love this project.

After much consideration, I decided that even though I didn't know anything about construction, I had a lot of common sense and I'd hire people who knew what they were doing. So, I acted as General Contractor, and that really broadened my horizons - fast! I started hiring people for the first time in my life, and I must say, I made excellent choices. They did a marvelous job. No one would give me a firm estimate, though. They had experience with old houses and knew that every task would take far more time than expected.

I was the first on the job each day, and the last to leave. I made decisions, decisions, decisions! Mending the chimneys and slate roof was a major undertaking. The heating system went from 6' radiators to a boiler and 3 heat pumps. The electrical system went from a cord with a light bulb in each ceiling to an up-to-date commercial system. The inside and outside buzzed with activity. The only conflict I saw was each of the workers had their own radio and played it loudly - on different stations.

We had 8 to 25 men working daily for the next two years, and that didn't include the team working on cleaning, feeding, and polishing the vast amount of woodwork in the house, or all the friends and yoga students who gave their spare time to do odd jobs and help where needed. We spent thousands of hours on the wood, choosing not to refinish it but to restore it. We cleaned and renewed the original finish done by the Master Craftsmen from Pullman Cars, and it was well worth it.

One of the hardest things for an amateur was to find out what licenses were needed for this very unusual endeavor. It was such a unique business to everyone I consulted that I had difficulty getting help with this area. (Please keep in mind, this renovation was in the Midwest during the late 1970s.) I knew I could have problems if I didn't get the proper licensing or take care of the legalities, but no one seemed to know what I needed. The Kerr House was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. In 1982 the Ohio State Historical Board spent several days having meetings at The Kerr House. They said it was the best restoration they had seen.

My original loan was supposed to renovate the house, build a three-story barn into the back hill, and include a swimming pool and tennis court. It didn't begin to cover the house itself. During the entire two years of renovation, I kept hearing from the bank and others, "What is taking so long?" As soon as it was finished, I started hearing, "How did you do all that so quickly?"

As General Contractor, I decided where to put the kitchen, whirlpool, cafe, etc. Mike Barthold was fabulous as the decorator/architect. The Kerr House wouldn't be so grand without him, but the final decisions still rested on me.
I purchased all the furnishings to fill the 10,000 square feet in the house. I would have loved to have attended Antique Auctions and Estate Sales, but time was of the essence, and I did my purchasing on Sundays at Antique Shows. (Dave used to say, "Laurie, when you walk into an Antique Show, everyone's eyes just light up!")

I had to plan a very unique business which could open as soon as the renovation was completed. In tandem, I hired and trained the staff so they'd be ready to go. The most important, but hardest responsibility, was keeping records, financing it all, and constantly needing more money.

We opened as a Health Retreat in 1980. I had, and continue to stretch the limits of my creativity, imagination, strength, balance, energy, and learning. How often do we stretch ourselves to such a degree? Are we likely to do so if we don't have a cause, an inspiration? I believe The Kerr House has provided a growing experience for all who have entered through its doors: my family, those who have worked here, and the guests who have come for the programs. There is something magical about the house that helps people relax and desire a better life.

There were many more day-dreams which have come true. But, never did I dream we would draw people from other countries, or that Good Morning America and so many TV shows, books, newspapers, and magazines would feature The Kerr House. We've not had a Public Relations Department, so word-of-mouth has been our true friend. Now the Internet is an excellent source for potential guests to learn about us.

Twenty-five years later, we love The Kerr House as much as we did when we first opened. Guests continue to benefit from and enjoy our programs.
What a glorious experience The Kerr House truly has been!

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