Michigan Underground Railroad Tour

It is alleged that the Munro House Bed and Breakfast in Jonesville Michigan was a Station on the Underground Railroad. There is no written documentation--as it was an illegal activity--but local legend insists that the stories are true. Runaway slaves from the South would funnel through Michigan to get to the furthest Southern point of Canada which is near Detroit. The Sauk Trail was a well travelled path that led across Southern Michigan to Detroit. Jonesville is situated in the middle of the state along the trail. Munro House has a portion of what is left of a 200 foot long tunnel, along with a pair of secret rooms that are only accessible through a panel in the first floor ceiling. The evidence points to the distinct possibility that the legend is fact.

February is Black History Month. The local elementary school traditionally sends all of its 4th grade students to tour Munro House. We give a great tour and talk about the Underground Railroad, the history of Jonesville, and life in the mid 1800's. We like to split the classes into groups of about 20 students and schedule them throughout the month--we only charge $1 per person. Individuals and small groups can also take the tour for $5 per person. All tours are by appointment only and can be scheduled at any time.

Mike Venturini
Jonesville Michigan Bed and Breakfast Innkeeper
1-800-320-3792
"Life is good in Jonesville"
Munro House Bed and Breakfast

Munro House Quilts

After a few months of reading, training, and practicing, Lori Venturini is almost ready to begin using her long-arm quilting machine for fun and profit. Settings and quirks needed to be adjusted and fixed before the machine was able to work at its maximum efficiency. Now it is time for the test quilt to be completed. Her first quilt has several mistakes and imperfections. It is the ideal item to do further testing on while perfecting the learning process. Soon she will be open for business as she manages Munro House Quilts.

Mike Venturini
Jonesville Michigan Bed and Breakfast Innkeeper
"Life is good in Jonesville"
Munro House Bed and Breakfast

Wedding Officiant in Hillsdale MI, Jonesville, Coldwater, or Jackson MI

Reverend Mike Venturini performs weddings at Munro House B&B in Jonesville Michigan. No church affiliation is necessary because Reverend Mike believes that adults who want to get married should be able to get married. The historic Munro House has a $1,000 wedding package that includes the site, plus flowers, wedding officiant, cake reception, and 2 nights bed and breakfast for the wedding couple.

Reverend Mike will also travel to Hillsdale, Coldwater, Jackson, or anywhere nearby to perform the wedding ceremony at the location of your choice. The ceremony can be traditional, modern, or personal. The service can be religious, spiritual, civil, or non-denominational.

The wedding couple needs to get a license and 2 witnesses or witnesses can be provided with sufficient notice. The rest can be pre-arranged with the Munro House. The guest list and reception is limited to 20 people. The wedding cake is provided by our local baker.

Mike Venturini
Jonesville Michigan Bed and Breakfast Innkeeper
"Life is good in Jonesville"
Munro House Bed and Breakfast

Shoveling Snow in Michigan

Winter in Southern Michigan isn't too bad until the wind starts blowing. It really doesn't seem cold until the temperature drop into single digits, or the wind chill factor makes it feel like single digits. We got a few inches of snow this week, but with temperatures in the upper 20's and virtually no wind, there was no reason to get all bundled up to go outside and work, so I didn't. I already had my gym clothes on and felt manly enough to just "man up" and get it done. With my Yooper Scooper in hand, it only took a few minutes to clear the sidewalks of my corner lot in downtown Jonesville. It was exhilarating to push the powder onto the lawn while getting a light workout. I did not get cold, despite my lack of hat, gloves, and pants. The day will come when it will be necessary to get all geared up to shovel and blow the snow. Until then, I will remain comfortable when doing quick work on my property.

Mike Venturini
Jonesville Michigan Bed and Breakfast Innkeeper
"Life is good in Jonesville"
Munro House Bed and Breakfast

New Years Eve Party in Michigan

It is New Years Eve. We are hosting a Murder Mystery Dinner Party at the Munro House in Jonesville, and it's 41 degrees outside. That is just too nice a day to not be able to enjoy because of work, so I took 30 minutes and rode my motorcycle around town. I got a snapshot of me in front of the time and temperature at the bank, in front of the Jonesville Water Tower, at the local gas station, and in the Wal-Mart parking lot. So this is my time capsule of what it was like on this day. The price of gas was reasonable, my town was progressive, the parking lots were full, and the weather was outstanding (for December). Now I've got a house full of nice people and everyone is having a good time. Lady Gaga will be on the countdown from Times Square. We'll pour champagne at midnight and I will have to work on day 1 of 2012. It is all good.  Life is good in Jonesville.

Mike Venturini
Jonesville Michigan Bed and Breakfast Innkeeper
"Life is good in Jonesville"

Munro House Bed and Breakfast

Christmas Carolers

A group of kids came by tonight singing Christmas Carols. First, there was a knock on the door. Then we heard the youth chorus begin to sing. We went outside to enjoy their performance. They moved on from house to house as they brought Christmas cheer to the neighborhood. Thanks kids. We enjoyed it.


Mike Venturini
Jonesville Michigan Bed and Breakfast Innkeeper
"Life is good in Jonesville"
Munro House Bed and Breakfast

Unusual Temperatures in Southern Michigan

Temperature 12/15/11 9:33 a.m.

On the 15th of December, the Village of Jonesville experienced unseasonable weather. The temperature went up to a balmy 55 degrees. It was a comfortable Spring-like day in mid-December. It was too wet to take a bike ride or enjoy the unusual weather outside, but it was pleasant enough to open the windows and let some fresh air in the house. 

The next day, December 16, the weather was back to normal with the temperatures in the mid 30's--which brings to mind the old saying, "Don't like the weather? Wait a little while--it'll change."

Temperature 12/16/11 9:38 a.m.

Mike Venturini
Jonesville Michigan Bed and Breakfast Innkeeper
"Life is good in Jonesville"
Munro House Bed and Breakfast

Grosvenor House Museum Christmas

On the first 2 weekends in December, ancestors of the Ebenezer Grosvenor House host an old time Christmas Party in the museum that bears his name. All of the rooms are decorated by various organizations, clubs, and individuals to create a nostagic look at Christmas past. Soft drinks and snacks are served while live entertainers perform in the parlor.

Mike Venturini
Jonesville Michigan Bed and Breakfast Innkeeper
"Life is good in Jonesville"
Munro House Bed and Breakfast

Veteran's Day in Jonesville

Munro House was the only Jonesville Michigan Bed and Breakfast participating in the international B&Bs for Vets program. This event gave free rooms to veterans and current active duty military personnel on the night before Veterans Day so they could participate in local morning programs.

Seven couples from three service branches and four conflicts were honored with a veterans reception at the Munro House that also included members of the local American Legion. After breakfast, a rededication of the G.A.R. Memorial in downtown Jonesville was this year's program. The Grand Army of the Republic Statue was constructed in Carl Fast Park in 1912. The local American Legion funded the project that repositioned the statue on a new stone foundation. A new flagpole with a lighted base now flanks the lone soldier. 

A photo slideshow of the local attendants, participants, and band is online at Mr. Mike's Blog.

Mike Venturini
Jonesville Michigan Bed and Breakfast Innkeeper
"Life is good in Jonesville"
Munro House Bed and Breakfast

Snow in Jonesville

I had gone to bed while snow flurries scattered the area and awoke to find a significant amount of snow in Jonesville. A full ground covering of snow was the first of the season and the earliest in recent memory. Thankfully, the streets and sidewalks were warm enough to melt the snow on contact and did not require snow shovel removal.

Mike Venturini
Jonesville Michigan Bed and Breakfast Innkeeper
"Life is good in Jonesville"
Munro House Bed and Breakfast

Scottish Terrier Goes for a Walk

Ozzie, resident Scottish Terrier at the Munro House in Jonesville, loves to go for a walk. Guests often ask permission to walk with him around our small town neighborhood. Thanks Joy. Ozzie loved it!

Mike Venturini
Jonesville Michigan Bed and Breakfast Innkeeper
"Life is good in Jonesville"
Munro House Bed and Breakfast

Short Notice Wedding Planner

A nice young couple was informed by their wedding chapel that their date was cancelled. So with 2 weeks notice, they had to plan a wedding all over again. A family relative found the Munro House B&B online and booked the $1,000 Wedding Package. With one phone call to our wedding planner, they reserved the venue, hired the officiant, ordered flowers, designed a cake, and had a place to stay for two nights. Guests were informed that the wedding location was changed to Jonesville and a disaster was averted.

An intimate ceremony in a historic home became the start of their life together. A champagne toast wished them to "live happily ever after". A proud groom and a beautiful bride had their special day just the way they wanted it. Congratulations Damian & Kristin.


Mike Venturini
Jonesville Michigan Bed and Breakfast Innkeeper
"Life is good in Jonesville"
Munro House Bed and Breakfast

Halloween Costume Ideas 2011

My personal blog has a slideshow of hundreds of trick or treaters in costume on Halloween at Munro House in Jonesville. We gave candy to an estimated 722 visitors on the most beautiful All Hallows Eve we've had in a long time. Temperatures in the mid 50's with no precipitation made it a comfortable evening to be out on the porch in our underwear having fun with children of all ages.

Mike Venturini

Jonesville Michigan Bed and Breakfast Innkeeper

...and his sidekick "Buggy"

"Life is good in Jonesville"

Munro House Bed and Breakfast

Enjoying Hillsdale County Via Motorcycle

One of the best things about running a bed and breakfast in Michigan is the free time at mid-day. It isn't every day, but it is most days that we have a 2-4 hour window of opportunity where we can just get out and enjoy the day after the morning work is done and before new guests arrive for check-in. I have had several days like that this week already.

Touring on my Honda GoldWing Motorcycle is my favorite thing to do until the temperatures get into the low 30's. My wife enjoys rides on nice days like today--60+ degrees. We cruise the back roads, the side streets, and the lakes area. We help to support the Hillsdale County economy by having lunch at a different location and visiting out-of-the-way stores and shops.

The Fall Colors are past peak, but a crisp day with sunshine is a good day to enjoy the great state of Michigan. The myriad of colors from the leaves is gone but the earth tones of the harvest is just beginning. Folks are out raking leaves, farmers are tilling their soil, and families are enjoying outdoor activities before winter arrives.

"Life is good in Jonesville"


Mike Venturini
Jonesville Michigan Bed and Breakfast Innkeeper
Munro House Bed and Breakfast

Jonesville Paves Side Streets

Another thing I love about living in Jonesville is that they repair the side streets before they become unnavigable. Two secondary streets in my neighborhood are currently under construction and should be resurfaced within a week. Neighboring cities should take notice as some of their main arteries are well past due for maintenance and are close to being dangerous.

Mike Venturini
Jonesville Michigan Bed and Breakfast Innkeeper
"Life is good in Jonesville"
Munro House Bed and Breakfast

Olivia's Chop House New Menu

Olivia's Chop House in Jonesville MI has updated their menu. Many of the local favorites are still there, but tonight we enjoyed the new fresh lake perch and chicken scallopini saltimbocca. Both were very good.

The crowds move quickly, the beer is cold, the food comes fast, the portions are generous, the service is good, and the prices are reasonable. It is a bonus that this fine dining restaurant is just a 2 block walk from my house.












Mike Venturini
Jonesville Michigan Bed and Breakfast Innkeeper
"Life is good in Jonesville"
Munro House Bed and Breakfast

Jonesville MI Wedding Officiant

Couples who need a wedding officiant in Hillsdale County can call on the services of Reverend Mike Venturini of Jonesville, MI. Many weddings have been performed at the Munro House for an intimate and elegant wedding ceremony.

Most have chosen the Thousand Dollar Wedding Package that includes site, flowers, officiant, reception, and lodging for the bride and groom. However, some choose just to have Reverend Mike perform the ceremony.

Couples who do not have a local religious affiliation have few choices for finding someone to perform their wedding ceremony to make it legal. Reverend Mike fills that niche and offers his services at the Munro House or anywhere in Hillsdale County.


Mike Venturini
Jonesville Michigan Bed and Breakfast Innkeeper
"Life is good in Jonesville"
Munro House Bed and Breakfast

Jonesville High School Students Helping Out

I was pleasantly surprised to find a bunch of teen-agers raking leaves in front of my house. I didn't hire them, so I asked what they were doing. They told me that they were Jonesville High School Students who were doing community service for NHS and FFA clubs.

This group of 5 young ladies made quick work of my yard and went on to do the same to each of my neighbors. They went to each home unannounced, did the work, and asked for nothing in return.

I took my dog for a walk and found more small groups of students raking leaves throughout the neighborhood. With 5-10 young people per group, it didn't take long to rake the front yards of many appreciative home-owners in Jonesville.

It is good to see young people working together and serving the community they live in. I chatted briefly with several of them and found that they were cheerful, interesting, and hard-working individuals.

Mike Venturini
Jonesville Michigan Bed and Breakfast Innkeeper
"Life is good in Jonesville"
Munro House Bed and Breakfast

Frankenstein opens at Sauk Theater in Jonevsille

Mary Shelly's "Frankenstein" opens tonight for a 2 week run at the Sauk Theater in Jonesville. Friday and Saturday night shows at 8:00 p.m. plus a Saturday matinee at 2:00 p.m. through October 22, 2011.

Mike Venturini
Jonesville Michigan Bed and Breakfast Innkeeper
"Life is good in Jonesville"
Munro House Bed and Breakfast


p.s. Went to opening night and enjoyed the performance. The young man who played the creature was outstanding.

Jonesville MI Haunted House

The best haunted house in Southern Michigan is open Friday and Saturday nights from dusk until past midnight through Halloween. Darksyde Acres has a Jonesville address but is located 10 minutes away in Mosherville, MI. $20 admission allows visitors to walk through three haunted buildings to be entertained by professional actors who will sneak up behind you, suddenly appear around corners, and will literally come out of the woodwork.

The mazes, make-up, and mayhem along with well-done backdrops, gift shop, bonfire, refreshment stand, and paintball gallery combine for top-notch entertainment on weekend nights in Jonesville, MI. Yes, the Zombie Paintball Arcade allows the opportunity to shoot a creature with a paintball gun.

The extra large waiting area is indoors, so the weather does not matter. Head out for a good scare at a reasonable price. A highlight of the Halloween Season in South Central Michigan.

Mike Venturini
Jonesville Michigan Bed and Breakfast Innkeeper
"Life is good in Jonesville"
Munro House Bed and Breakfast