In the early 1920s, auto industry executive Arnold Goss constructed a distinctive residence on a 600-acre estate near Ann Arbor, Michigan, that combined elements of Craftsman and Georgian Colonial architecture. The property, originally built for Goss and his wife Gertrude, also functioned as a working Jersey cow farm producing “Just Jerseys” dairy products, with livestock that earned international blue ribbons.

Goss, who was a vice president at General Motors and a founding figure of the Kelvinator refrigerator company, established the Oaklands estate about 40 miles west of Detroit, the heart of America’s automotive industry. By 1923, as Kelvinator supplied roughly 80% of the nation’s refrigerators, Goss turned toward agriculture, raising prize-winning cattle on the sprawling grounds.

Following Arnold Goss’s death in 1938, the estate ceased farm operations, though Gertrude remained in the home until her death in 1973. The family progressively sold much of the original land, and in 1985, a developer subdivided the remaining 40 acres into residential lots.

That same year, Sally and Ian Bund, a historic preservationist and venture capitalist respectively, purchased the house along with five acres. The couple undertook an extensive restoration project costing approximately $300,000, which involved removing later aluminum siding to reveal original cypress clapboard, restoring architectural details such as columns, French doors, chimneys, and stone walkways, and reactivating the home’s vintage servants’ call box system.

Designed by notable Michigan architect George D. Mason, the house features a central Colonial-style hall with detailed moldings and Craftsman traits emphasizing horizontal lines through deep overhangs. In 2012, the Bunds secured a preservation easement to protect the property against future demolition or subdivision, recognizing the potential for significant redevelopment given its size and location.

The couple, now in their 80s, have decided to downsize but intend to stay in the Ann Arbor area. They hope their stewardship of the historic property will appeal to buyers who appreciate its architectural significance and rich past. According to local real estate agent Matt Dejanovich, the house’s unique heritage could command a premium compared to the median home price in Ann Arbor, which recently hovered around $475,000.

For the Bunds, living in the historic home offered a daily connection to the region’s industrial and agricultural legacy, along with the challenge of maintaining such a property to exacting standards. Their efforts have preserved a notable Michigan landmark that reflects the state’s early 20th-century ties to both innovation and rural life.