Scripps Mansion

The Scripps Mansion is a Tudor style mansion located in Orion Township, Michigan. The buildings and surrounding land are known collectively as The William E. Scripps Estate.HistoryBuilt by William Edmund Scripps for his family in 1927, it now serves as a Catholic Guest House and Retreat Center. Scripps, the son of the founder of the Detroit News and WWJ radio, began the farm as a "hobby", before eventually settling. It is currently not open to the public due to ongoing repairs, but tours and events have been offered in the past to showcase the interior design and garden.The farmland of 3000acre was purchased by Scripps in 1916 from several different landowners. At its peak, the farm featured angus cattle, cows, swine, sheep, and poultry. During the Depression years, the farmhands and mansion servants all lived on the property. A small one-room schoolhouse for children of farm employees was established in 1925, and in 1952 was converted into an Episcopalian church.Amelia Earhart, at the request of Scripps, flew an experimental glider at the property in 1929. Scripps, a pilot himself, became a glider enthusiast and formed his own company in 1929, Gliders, Inc.. He began his venture by manufacturing a primary type glider.