SWEET ON THE BETSIE
Traverse, Northern Michigan's Magazine|April 2021
JENA MATZEN AND GREGG TRAHEY WEREN’T LOOKING FOR A BIG HOME UP NORTH. BUT THEY DID WANT STYLE.
ELIZABETH EDWARDS
SWEET ON THE BETSIE

FINDING THEIR PIECE OF UP North took husband-and-wife Jena Matzen and Gregg Trahey decades. While they make their home in North Carolina, Gregg has summered in Northern Michigan his entire life—and after he met and married Jena, she joined him. In the beginning, the couple dreamed of Lake Michigan property, but that always seemed a bit out of reach. Nevertheless, they never stopped searching for their piece of the North, trying out rental properties in various locations on their vacations. For several summers, the couple rented a cabin on Green Lake in Interlochen, near the headwaters of the Betsie River— a beautiful river that they enjoyed canoeing.

Then one day in 2018, while they were at home in North Carolina, 12 acres on the Betsie River popped up for sale on Zillow. They could hardly believe their eyes. They recognized the property in the listing—they’d canoed past it. Unable to reach the listing Realtor, they reached out to Laurie Bouwman of Bouwman Realty Group in Interlochen. “She jumped on it—called us back within the hour and got the ball rolling,” Jena says. With Bouwman’s help, the couple purchased the land in September of 2018.

Denne historien er fra April 2021-utgaven av Traverse, Northern Michigan's Magazine.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

Denne historien er fra April 2021-utgaven av Traverse, Northern Michigan's Magazine.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

FLERE HISTORIER FRA TRAVERSE, NORTHERN MICHIGAN'S MAGAZINESe alt
Camping With Your Dog
Traverse, Northern Michigan's Magazine

Camping With Your Dog

Bringing your dog on your next outdoor overnight excursion? Oh, yes! With a little planning, your canine companion will enjoy camping just as much as you. These Northern Michigan spots are perfectly pet-friendly.

time-read
3 mins  |
April 2021
SWEET ON THE BETSIE
Traverse, Northern Michigan's Magazine

SWEET ON THE BETSIE

JENA MATZEN AND GREGG TRAHEY WEREN’T LOOKING FOR A BIG HOME UP NORTH. BUT THEY DID WANT STYLE.

time-read
3 mins  |
April 2021
REFRESH IN BLUE AND WHITE
Traverse, Northern Michigan's Magazine

REFRESH IN BLUE AND WHITE

ASKED TO MOVE A HARBOR SPRINGS HOME FROM TRADITIONAL TO TRANSITIONAL STYLE, INTERIOR DESIGNER GEMMA PARKER BUILT ON THE FRESH, TIMELESS ALLURE OF BLUE AND WHITE.

time-read
3 mins  |
April 2021
MAKING CONNECTIONS
Traverse, Northern Michigan's Magazine

MAKING CONNECTIONS

Explore Emmet and Cheboygan counties by foot, bike or hoof, thanks to this scenic trail.

time-read
1 min  |
April 2021
Please, eat the violets.
Traverse, Northern Michigan's Magazine

Please, eat the violets.

The wild violets that dot our forest floors are pretty enough to eat. Go ahead—let our six simple recipes fuel your culinary imagination.

time-read
3 mins  |
April 2021
OASIS ON ELK LAKE
Traverse, Northern Michigan's Magazine

OASIS ON ELK LAKE

ARCHITECT KEN RICHMOND DESIGNS A HOME THAT CAPTURES THE CARIBBEAN COLORS OF ELK LAKE WHILE FEELING COMPLETELY ORGANIC TO THE NORTHWOODS.

time-read
4 mins  |
April 2021
LOSS AND NATURE
Traverse, Northern Michigan's Magazine

LOSS AND NATURE

Leelanau's Cedar River Preserve provides peace and perspective.

time-read
2 mins  |
April 2021
GO WITH THE FLOW
Traverse, Northern Michigan's Magazine

GO WITH THE FLOW

Celebrating an unconventional trout opener among friends.

time-read
5 mins  |
April 2021
CHAMPION OF TREES
Traverse, Northern Michigan's Magazine

CHAMPION OF TREES

Archangel Ancient Tree Archive is the “most hopeful project on the planet,” says David Milarch.

time-read
2 mins  |
April 2021
DINING OUT NEAPOLITAN, BUT WITH STYLE
Traverse, Northern Michigan's Magazine

DINING OUT NEAPOLITAN, BUT WITH STYLE

American House—the Siren Hall spinoff—is making darn good pizza.

time-read
2 mins  |
April 2021