Carsten Burfiend Farm

The Carsten Burfiend farm is on both sides of the Port Oneida Road about 1 mile north of M-22. The house, garage, and other out-buildings are on the west side of the road on the bluff overlooking Lake Michigan. The foundation of the barn, silo, and milkhouse as well as the corn crib, machine shed, and old machinery is on the east side of the road. Notice that the houses face the Lake Michigan bluff and have their backs toward Port Oneida Road. That is because the original Port Oneida Road ran along the bluff on the other side of the houses.

 

Carsten Burfiend Original Homestead

Susan Pocklington, Preserve Historic Sleeping Bear

This farm was settled by Carsten and Elizabeth Burfiend, Port Oneida's first settlers. They emigrated from Kootenhold, Germany and arrived in New York state, where Mrs. Burfiend remained while her husband continued on to North manitou Island. The family originally lived in a log cabin marked by a lilac clump remaining in a field next to Port Oneida Road.

Carsten and Elizabeth Burfiend's son, Peter (b. 1861), built their first house in 1893. The house contains hand-hewn timbers; some of which came from the original Burfiend cabin. Peter and Jennie (Goffar) Burfiend's son, Howard (b. 1895), and his wife, Orpha (Fralick), came to the farm in 1926. At one time, Orpha Fralick Burfiend had a land grant from President Franklin Pierce and a deed for the property signed by President Abraham Lincoln.

 

Howard Burfiend farmhouse

Susan Pocklington, Preserve Historic Sleeping Bear

In 1930, Howard and Orpha Burfiend hired a Lake Leelanau contractor to build the second house, and moved the farm buildings across Port Oneida Road. The granary is the only remaining outbuilding predating the move. The barn and pump house burned in 1982.

 

Burfiend Farm with outbuildings across the street from the houses

Susan Pocklington, Preserve Historic Sleeping Bear