Welcome to August Hill

ABOUT

We began our journey by renovating the guesthouse to use as a vacation rental. The relaxed atmosphere of the house, great views, and vibes the property offered soon brought requests from our guests to use the barn for family gatherings and weddings. In the short time we offered the property for rent the positive reviews were overwhelming. Hearing from families that enjoyed the space we had worked so hard to create made the effort worthwhile. Two years of rentals brought travelers from China, India, and Canada. We have hosted families from all over the United States, here to enjoy the beauty of Michigan. In the fall of 2018 we started renovations on the barn in order to host events. The summer of 2019 would be entirely consumed with work. Bringing an old barn back to life while renting the property to make ends meet proved to be a challenge, but we continued to push forward. Our first bride, Mrs. Heidi Prince saw the vision and signed on to be married at the property while standing in a barn that still had a dirt floor and only three walls. Heidi's hope and our hard work made way for a beautiful wedding and August Hill had officially opened it's doors.

OUR MISSION

At August Hill we believe that a wedding should be beautiful, simple, and fun.

Our goal is to provide an elegant but rustic space where you can create your dream wedding while having time to make memories with family and friends. We cater to personal, intimate gatherings with a focus on slowing down and enjoying your event. We also aim to provide a space where everyone feels welcome, at a price point that is attainable for the average couple.

HISTORY

August Hill is located in one of Harrison's oldest farming communities. Harrison Avenue and the surrounding area is rich with history and still home to some of our areas oldest working farms. Our ten acre parcel is placed on what was once the Heintz farm, one of Clare County's earliest working farms. The property sits adjacent to the Phonnes farm, which was founded in 1894. The Nearby Hoskey farm, which was founded in the early 1900's is still in business today working nearly 600 acres.   

The exact details of our property's history are somewhat unknown, but neighbors and local historians have dated the barn's construction to the early 1960’s. The property was used for livestock overflow from neighboring farms. Pieces of the original fencing still remain. The house that was initially built on the property was destroyed by a fire in the late 1970’s and the original foundation buried in the field. The guesthouse on the property came to be around 1980 when the property was sold to Edsel and Jean Mayberry. At that point the property was retired of any farm related use and the barn was closed up, only to be used for storage until we began renovations in late 2018.