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1-800-878-7248 |
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Onekama, Michigan |
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Enjoy the
Charm of Yesteryear...with the Amenities of Today |
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CHECK OUT THE WEATHER IN ONEKAMA
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A BIT
OF HISTORY and RENOVATIONS TO DATE....
Portage Point Inn is
registered on
Today ... generations later...
During the early 1900s, there were many of these resorts along the Lake Michgian shoreline, in Saugatuck, Holland, Ludington, Onekama, Frankfort, Petoskey, etc. Many of these resorts were destroyed by fire, and some by neglect. At one time, on Portage Lake alone, there wee as many as six hotel resorts: Glen Springs Lodge, Springer's Inn, Amslen Inn, Red Park Lodge, Tosebo Place and Portage Point Inn. One building, Tosebo Place, still stands; thankfully Portage Point Inn has survived. Yet, in 1988 fire destroyed a major section of the original Inn, now rebuilt to closely match the original architecture. The resort flourished during Prohibition, when high grade alcohol was shipped in from Canada on luxury schooners. Stories also circulate that Al Capone spent some time at the resort, enjoying cards, alcohol, etc., far from the city atmosphere. Ernest Hemingway, Will Shirer and Orson Wells, to name a few, wrote about their experiences in the Western Michigan area, and both Shirer and Wells were guests of the Inn. Bill Shirer wrote in his biography "My Early Years" about coming through the channel from Lake Michigan on a steamship from Chicago, and "spying Portage Point Inn nestled against the sand due. What a glorious sight!"
The purchase was an opportunity for Smith, who owned Piney Ridge Resort complex on Hamlin Lake, near Ludington, Michigan (some 40 miles south of Onekama) as well as another resort in Florida. The Piney Ridge Resort was lost to fire in the spring, and Smith was able to convert his clientele to Portage Point Inn immediately.
A 1957 flyer, produced during the "J.J. Smith era" states that dinner dances were held four nights a week to music of the Portage Point Orchestra, and square dances were held twice a week. Juke Box dancing was enjoyed every night in "The Casino" which at one time housed a few "one armed bandits". Locals say that young girls would come for miles to meet and socialize with the "wealthy boys" from the city who lodged at the resort with their families. That same flyer described the "Dollhouse" cottages as "new and modern" - yet they were built in 1908 and 1918. J. J. Smith passed away in 1958and Portage Point Inn was sold by the executor of his estate to two couples,Bill and Alice Murray and Lee and Clare Nordloh. These owners added the Terrace building in 1959, in place of the former parking garages where the cottagers on the Point kept cars. Retired architect James Nordloh recalls drawing the original plans on a napkin, when there wasn't enough room for their family to lodge at the resort. At that time, the Terrace housed 12 guest rooms and "Center Terrace", a two‑level, six‑bedroom suite, including a large common area with fireplace. These owners retired in the early 1970's, and again, Portage Point Inn moved on to new owners. Today, many members of the Nordloh family continue to vacation at The Inn year after year. During the late 1970s and 80s, and a succession of back to back owners, the Inn fell on hard times and the number of customers dwindled. Some of these owners undertook major renovations, but were unable to complete them or secure adequate financing to maintain the property. During this decade, a "kidney shaped" swimming pool was added mere feet from the entryway of the historic hotel - which current owners latere removed, to return the landscaping to the original appearance. Also during these years, guests may remember receiving original Christmas cards illustrated with winter scenes of The Inn and the creative verses about the resort. By 1988, the IRS foreclosed on the property for the back taxes, and Portage Point Inn was closed down. The ownership of Stewart and Marilyn Luckman and Robb Swanson is credited for the historic registration of the property. Portage Point Inn Complex was approved and formally listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 8, 1985. AND NOW.. Under a succession of managers and owners, the resort has been constantly improved upon or renovated. Many changes and additions have transformed the 18 acre "campus style" resort of Portage Point, and 100 years later, the original Inn has a different focus. Still a bustle of activity, it now houses the registration lobby, management offices and fireside room, gift shop as well as a lounge, and four large two-level, two-bedroom townhouses on the second and third floors, replacing the guest rooms and employee quarters of yesteryear which a fire destroyed during 1988.
During 2001, "The Casino" pavilion was relocated on the property and now rests behind the original Inn- giving way to construction of a new condominium building in its previous location. Built in 1908, the "Casino" has been a long time favorite neighborhood hangout, and has provided a variety of summertime entertainment over the decades. The Portage Point Casino continues to offer guests an activity center with, video arcade, pool tables, juke box, etc. The Casino building also houses the Portage Point Inn Gift Shop.
The dining room (1913) connects the original
Inn (1903) to the "Main Hotel" (1911/12). standing three stories tall, the
stark white structure with proud columns has a Colonial Revival architecture,
and faces the west shores of Portage Lake, offering guests a peaceful sunrise
wakening. Originally housing 60 rooms, with several conveniently placed
club baths has now been renovated to 30 units - with one, two or three bedrooms.
Modern times have come to pass, and though each room had running water and a
sink, the last of the "club baths" were removed during 2001 and now the "Main
Hotel" has a bathroom in every room/suite. Rooms are still in the
remodeling stage - and the hotel is still described as "very basic" in decor.
Like the resort's cottages, it is not air conditioned. These spacious open
porches on all three levels offer magnificent lake views and sunrises. You
can feel the history just standing there. The Beech Lodge ‑ Built in 1906, was advertised at that time in a Chicago newspaper, as the "hotel annex", to the original Inn. In the early 1900s it housed 26 rooms and 10 bathrooms, and later, the a manager's apartment on one side, with small guest rooms throughout the remaining structure. Now a cozy 6‑unit condo 'lodge', Beech Lodge houses four two‑bedroom units complete with fireplaces, and two cozy one‑bedroom units on the third floor. Additionally, two small conference rooms are located on the first and second floors. (This three story building would be ideal for corporate use, for a combination of lodging and meeting space for groups under 20) The Terrace Condominiums are a guest favorite all year long. Added to the resort in 1959 as a 'motel', this three level building was converted to 18 condominiums during the late 1990's. All the Terrace units face Portage Lake, and each unit is complete with fireplace, kitchen, living room and one or two bedrooms. As all the condo and townhouses on the property, each compliments its owners taste in decor, so no two are identical. Terrace, and all the property condos are investment units and may be added to the resort's rental pool of lodging. The newest accommodations on the Portage Point Inn property is the Pavilion Condominium. This building was constructed during 2001, on the previous site of the historic "Casino Pavilion". The swimming pool and whirlpoolformerly outdoors, were enclosed within its structure. This building offers all guests a large sun deck, fitness room, and shower room for marina guests. Ten spacious two and three‑bedroom units, complete with fireplace, kitchen, living room and one or two baths, are the newest accommodations on the Portage Point Inn property.
Keeping with the maritime beginning of the resort ... a deep water marina ‑ capable of handling yachts to 100' ‑ with shorepower and shower room is also available. Trailerable boats are welcome, and a boat launch is nearby. A rental fleet of boats are available for summer guests, which include sail, power, pontoon, fishing, canoe, paddle boat, and jet skis. The resort is located in a protected harbor of Portage Lake, just 3/8 mile from the channel connecting to Lake Michigan, so guests have easy access to the pleasures of both bodies of water. The beach ‑ still a main focus 100 years later ‑ continues to provide childhood memories for the future or enhances romance for couples of all ages that stroll during sunset. Our beaches have been an integral part of many vacations, wedding parties and family reunions. Due to location, The Inn has also been host to several events; bass fishing tournaments, float planes, and foot races, etc. The Portage Point Inn property includes 1,000' of frontage on Portage Lake ‑ and, just a short walk past our cottages Lake Michigan offers our guests over 14 miles of unobstructed beach for walking, exploring, sunbathing or watching a beautiful sunset or interesting incoming storm. Unlike 100 years ago ‑ or many decades since ... the resort is now open year 'round. It was winterized during 1996. The lobby fireside room is a welcome and cozy spot to relax and read, work a jigsaw puzzle or enjoying a small dinner party in front of a cozy fire. "Bed and Sled Packages" ‑ unique to the area ‑ are available during the winter months ‑ or guests can rent our sleds and helmets by the day. Snowmobile guides are available when prearranged ‑ or sleds will be trailered to the snowmobile trailheads of Manistee County trailheads ‑ which connect to both Wexford and Benzie counties. Skiers are always welcome ... as one of Northern Michigan's busiest ski resorts, Crystal Mountain, is less than a half hours drive. And ... for the gamers ... Manistee's Little River Casino is just 10 miles away, and offers round‑the‑clock shuttle service. From November through January, Portage Point Inn has become a favorite for annual Christmas Party gatherings. The abundant Christmas decorations add a delightful ambiance to the 'old place'. Our chef creates many delightful dishes served in the dining room complete with piano stage and wooden dance floor. Spring and Fall are still considered "off season" in the northern parts of Western Michigan ‑ but that's even more reason to visit. Rates are reduced... rooms are available ... the resort takes on a quiet and peaceful atmosphere and the scenery is simply beautiful. This is an ideal time for business meetings, golf groups, car clubs, bus tours, weddings, receptions and events. A couple of spring and fall weekends are set aside for our popular Big Band Dinner/Dances... Murder Mystery Weekends ... and Women's Retreat. Specially price golf packages for groups of 8 or more are available during the spring and fall. Portage Point Inn is located just minutes from over 8 18‑hole championship golf courses, including Arcadia Bluffs in Arcadia, two courses at Manistee National in Manistee, and The Heathlands ... just across the lake. Tee times will be arranged for you or your group, and as a convenience, green fees can be added to your lodging charges. For adventurers, we've mapped out some day trips, indicating many points of interest, if our guests care to venture out from the resort and explore. Aside from the history, charm and water, what still makes Portage Point Inn so appealing is its contrast to the norm. It's off the beaten path ... yet "conveniently remote"... and a safe and easy drive from all over the state of Michigan, and beyond. How many properties can there be that offer two beautiful lakes with sunrises and sunsets, miles of unobstructed beach ‑ and is so convenient to so many recreational activities? The Portage Point Inn has been developing at a slow and constant rate by appreciative property owners over the past 100 years. It remains as one of the few examples of the posh, late 19th early 20th century resort-hotel properties on Lake Michigan. Thank you for your patronage ... and for being part of our history. A Special Place of
Charm., Tradition and Nature ‑ Authored by Linda Ziska, Director of Marketing/Group Sales 06/02, with historical facts take in part from an essay of local historian, Steve Harold, various published articles, interviews an files on the Portage Point property. |
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Onekama: (O-neck-ama...not "One Comma"- as frequently
mispronounced), is an Indian name for "Place of Great Beauty". To the Indians,
the peninsula of land, merely 300 yards wide, separating Portage Lake from Lake
Michigan was known as a point of portage. In 1871, settlers hand dug a 500'
channel to connect the two lakes and open additional flood-free farm land.
Within a few years, the U. S. Government constructed a permanent channel to
which provided one of the best protected harbors on the Great Lakes. Around
1890, when these lands opened to settlement and lumbering began to decline, the
recreational potential of the lake shore began to gain interest. Early
loggers and homesteaders were stirred by visions of opportunity when a period of
recreation and tourism along the Lake Michigan shoreline experienced rapid
growth. It is on
this wooded peninsula that Portage Point Inn was built.
Just west of the village of Onekama,
Michigan, Portage Point Inn was built during 1902 by the Portage Point Assembly and
opened as a summer retreat on June 20, 1903. The Assembly's
resort was the vacation dream of many elite city dwellers from Chicago,
Milwaukee and beyond, wanting to escape the pressures of city life. In 1905,
the property became a new health resort. Natural mineral springs and
scenic shorelines drew patrons by passenger ship and eventually by rail from hundreds of miles,
away. During the early 1900's, guests arrived in Manistee by large Lake Michigan
steamers, and transferred to smaller local steamers, the Dewar or Joe, for the
trip to the resort's dock. By 1914, steamers of both the Northern
Michigan Transportation Company and the Pere Marquette Line stopped at the
resort's dock, providing direct passenger service. For a
number of years Portage Point Inn was an exclusive resort, opened to
guests by invitation only. Past guests would wait for a Christmas card from the
management of the
resort each year to know whether they were on the guest list for the coming
summer.
Lifestyles, trends and even families have
changed over the years ... and now, many guests find us by way of the
internet... instead of steamships... but the Portage Point historic resort
remains, and families generations strong have returned for that special time
called "vacation". Early literature states that rooms rented for $10/week
or a "Tent Cottage" was available for $2.50/week. A completely furnished
Tent Cottage could be rented for $4/week. Yes ... times have
changed!
In 1928, Michigan Bank & Trust foreclosed on
The Assembly, and the entire Plat of Portage Point (which included "The Inn")was
sold on the courthouse steps to the former president of The Assembly, Harry
Jewell, a judge from Grand Rapids. Jewell became a developer selling lots, as
well as "The Inn", and in 1930, he sold "The Inn" to
John Blodgett, who operated
it under his name, then later as Portage Point Inn. The Inn was not prospering
at that time, so; in 1939, Blodgett sold it to J. J. Smith who brought
the resort back to life.
For the next 20 years, J.J. Smith ran
Portage Point Inn and the stories are endless! (The movie "Dirty
Dancing" comes to mind.) Evidently a huge competitor and baseball
enthusiast, one story suggests that he would scout the job applicants and choose
the best baseball players for his summer staff. Games were played between his
staff and the guests, as well as his staff and area church camps or Camp Tosebo
boys camp, across Portage Lake. A winner's trophy passed between the front desk
and the dining room, with placement depending on the winner.
All guests were expected to participate in resort activities. In fact,
brochures printed under later ownership all seem to read: "We're not regimented;
Come and go as you like, using all or part of our facilities as you please." - which inferred the previous owner's military camp style. A retired condo owner who has been
visiting Portage Point Inn since she was a young child remembers well the "regimented" vacations she spent with her family at The Inn, but says
the guests just loved it, and came back year after year.
Renamed Portage Point Inn ‑ Historic Inn & Yacht
Club, the resort is now owned by Northwoods Development, LLC, an Indianapolis based investment group, formed by its
president, Michael DeVoe. An avid sailor, DeVoe discovered the resort in
1991 while sailing in from Lake Michigan. Researching northern Michigan
for an investment property, he found promise in the beautiful
property that was boarded up and in severe disrepair, describing it to others as his
"dream project." In June 1993, he finalized
the purchase, and with his wife, Jane, moved to Onekama. The DeVoe's,with Mike's
childhood friend and General Manager, Jeff Sternberger, his wife Cindy, and
over 100 Onekama area residents developed the project "Save the Inn." As
local enthusiasm grew, many construction crews put other jobs on hold to assist
in the project. They worked around the clock and in three weeks were able to
reopen the Terrace suites, cottages and restaurant - all the while, practically
gutting and renovating the historic hotel buildings that were critter and rodent run and had
suffered vandalism over the years. Today
renovations and new projects continue to enhance the property and
the area of Onekama. From 1993 to 2005, major improvements throughout
the resort have been completed - many which are not
visible to the guests, such as new mattersses, box springs and bed frams for most of the beds in the main hotel in 2005. Since the time of purchase, Northwoods Development forges
on to preserve this beautiful property, and the staff welcomes guests back year
after year, with story after story of past visits or memories of yesteryear.
First time guests are always in awe and previous guests, many in their later years,
are happily reminded of their youth when they vacationed or worked in some
capacity at "The Inn".
Today, Portage Point Inn offers a
wide variety of lodging options. Many cottages were added over several
decades. Today, six dollhouse" cottages aren't "new or modern" ‑ as
described in 1957 literature ‑ they're old and rustic, and provide one bedroom and a bath,
built in 1908 and 1918.
Those six, along with four two bedroom rustic cottages; Avalon, 1911, Rexwood,
1917,
Lakeview and Carey Cottage, 1910, are available from Memorial Day weekend through
the fall, as they are not winterized. In addition, two large year‑ round family
cottages; Bennett and McKee Cottage, offer several bedrooms and wonderful
fireplaces, creating a cozy fall/winter/spring atmosphere. Historic and
comfortable, both cottages offer large kitchens and living space. McKee Cottage
formally known as Hull House (1900/01), is one of the oldest cottages left on
the penninsula. Completely renovated, it has a large wrap‑around exterior
porch, while Bennett has an enclosed sun porch or "day room", with two sets of
windowed French doors opening into the living room area. Though not on the
water, these cottages are ideal for larger families or groups. Both cottages are
located in quieter locations of the property with limited views of Portage Lake.
With all the lodging options... in a
picturesque, historical and charming setting on the water... meetings and
retreats held at Portage Point offer a dramatic change to the sterile "hotel" style
conferences. Three 