East side of 1st Street between Lake and Mill Streets
This big white house was built by Henry Starke as his personal residence.
It often accommodated Starke's guests, employees, and other travelers in
need of housing. The basement served as Arcadia's first general store. It
is said that at one time the third story was an unfinished dormitory room
that housed as many as seventeen lumberjacks.
After Mr. Starke's death in 1898, his widow Maria (Behrens) shared this
home with Adolph and Anna (Behrens) Haase who cared for her until her
death in 1929. The Haase's inherited the home and raised five children
here. The original entry was on the opposite side of the house facing an
open park with grape arbors and benches where people would sit and visit.
the present owners have restored the home and have enhanced it with the
spacious porch facing Lake Arcadia
