117 W Ridge Street

Some homes simply provide a place to live; others become the backdrop for a lifetime of stories. The Otto Eger Home at 117 Ridge Street is one of those rare places. A high-style Victorian designed by Ishpeming architects Demar & Lovejoy for Otto Eger, Esq. More than 135 years later, the original plans and drawings remain with the home, preserving an extraordinary record of its design and craftsmanship. Imagine welcoming guests through the enclosed front porch, opening the pocket doors between rooms, and hosting dinners beneath soaring ceilings surrounded by abundant milled woodwork and stained and leaded beveled-glass windows. In winter, the grand staircase practically calls for garland cascading along its railing, while the tall ceilings leave room for the kind of Christmas tree that becomes a tradition of its own. Evenings can end gathered around the living room’s gas fireplace, with the glow reflecting through the home’s remarkable glasswork. The expansive main level includes a formal dining and living rooms, spacious kitchen, with both gas and electric ovens, and inviting living spaces that can feel intimate on a quiet evening yet gracious when filled with guests. The home offers four bedrooms, three full bathrooms, and a separate office or flex room with potential as a fifth bedroom. Three bedrooms include walk-in closets, while the extraordinary primary suite spans more than 700 square feet. With its own gas fireplace, generous closet space, and private bathroom featuring a jetted tub, separate shower, and private toilet room, it feels like a retreat within the home. The finished attic adds another chapter to the story, offering a bedroom along with game and media space for movie nights, pool tournaments, creative projects, or simply escaping to a different corner of the house. In the basement, a traditional sauna with a separate shower provides another welcome place to unwind. Additional features include extensive basement storage and a composite rear deck. Important improvements include a high-efficiency NTI hot-water boiler installed in 2015, a 200-amp electrical panel, updated wiring, modernized plumbing, a double roof, some replacement windows, and substantial chimney work supporting the home’s two working gas fireplaces. Located near downtown Ishpeming, Bancroft Park, Ishpeming Playgrounds, the Iron Heritage Trail, and ATV and snowmobile trails, the Otto Eger Home offers more than impressive square footage. It offers documented history, irreplaceable Victorian craftsmanship, and the space to create stories that may be remembered for generations.