Packy Offield Trail Center
Our home since 2016 sits at the junction of the North Western State Trail and Little Traverse Wheelway — with a story nearly a century deep.
Since 2016, Top of Michigan Trails has been headquartered at the Packy Offield Trail Center, 1687 M-119, Petoskey — a historic limestone cottage at the junction of the North Western State Trail and Little Traverse Wheelway. This striking building has been catching eyeballs for decades, and people often stop in just to ask about its history. We’re able to share more than ever thanks to Robert Houska, who inherited family letters and photographs and worked to research and put them into context.
Prior to the limestone cottage, another house occupied the property — destroyed in the Petoskey Brewery fire of May 11–12, 1923. In late 1931, Peter Coveyou hired noted local stonemason Fred Liegl to construct the current cottage. Through the 1930s, Peter Coveyou occupied the house with his daughter Loretta Coveyou Sears, her husband Rueben, and their daughter Lorna. Ownership later passed through other notable local families, including the Kishigo and Litzenburger families.
The railroad that crossed the property in Peter Coveyou’s time is now the Little Traverse Wheelway, and the North Western State Trail begins across M-119 at Spring Lake Park — where once ice from Mud Lake was cut for the cottage’s icehouse. Top of Michigan Trails is proud to preserve and share this history through the open doors of our Packy Offield Trail Center.
A letter from Loretta Coveyou Sears references “The Place” — Peter and son Bernard farming and staying on the land, confirming a house stood there before the stone cottage.
The Petoskey Brewery fire destroys the original house, as reported in the May 17, 1923 Cheboygan Democrat.
Limestone cottage construction by stonemason Fred J. Liegl, dated from a court filing (Statement of Lien for $154.50, sworn February 10, 1932).
A letter from Cecelia Coveyou Lewis describes the house as almost finished, with Rueben Sears working on it.
Loretta, Rueben, and daughter Lorna are living in the cottage with Peter. Letters are addressed from 312 Division Street.
Various owners — records indicate the property changed hands six times before Top of Michigan Trails Council purchased it through the generosity of our community.
