Lake Erie's Historic Tudor Estate Captures Internet's Imagination

A stately Lakewood, Ohio, home has become the latest social media sensation, featured by the popular Instagram account Zillow Gone Wild. The Tudor-style estate, commanding over an acre on the Lake Erie shoreline, is listed for $3.25 million.

The property at 13904 Edgewater Drive offers more than 6,300 square feet of living space, complete with an elevator, a heated pool, and a distinctive widow's walk overlooking the water. The Instagram post, which playfully questioned the body of water at its doorstep, drew over 7,600 likes and sparked a flurry of comments from defenders of the Great Lakes. "This caption has to be some Ohio-directed rage bait," read one reply. "The Great Lakes deserve more love."

Its history is as rich as its amenities. Built in 1931, it was once owned by Dr. Jared Potter Kirtland, a noted 19th-century physician and naturalist. Later, in 1958, Cleveland philanthropists David and Lindsay Morganthaler purchased it, with Lindsay adding the tower, murals, and elaborate gardens. The current owners, who bought the home in 2019, undertook a significant restoration, updating infrastructure and remodeling the kitchen and primary suite.

In a statement, the owners described the home as a haven for their family of artists, musicians, and beekeepers. "When you have a home that greets visitors with dragons on the front porch, an elevator with a three-story mural, and a widow’s walk with unmatched views," they wrote, "you’re excited to share the experience."

The listing details a library with a cathedral ceiling, five en-suite bedrooms, and a primary suite with a sauna and Jacuzzi. Outside, gardens, a productive apiary, and a three-season room complete the grounds. As one Instagram admirer mused, "Oh, that indoor balcony is calling for a performance of 'Don’t Cry For Me Argentina.'"