Grand Hotel
Grand Hotel is a historic hotel that is located on Mackinac Island, Michigan. The Mackinac Island Hotel Company, a group comprised of the Michigan Central Railroad, Grand Rapids & Indiana Railroad, and Detroit & Cleveland Steamship Navigation Company, originally purchased the land on which the Grand Hotel was to be built. The hotel began construction in 1886, taking only 93 days to complete. Grand Hotel was advertised as a summer retreat for vacationers, who would travel by rail from across the continent or by lake steamer from Chicago, Erie, Montreal, and Detroit. Nightly rates ranged from $3 to $5 a night when the hotel first opened.
Today, visiting the hotel is like stepping back in time. Horse-drawn carriages and bicycles are the main form of transportation. Afternoon Tea occurs in the Parlor every day between lunch and dinner, the latter being treated as a grand event every evening, which includes a five-course meal. After 6:30pm the hotel turns into a formal affair where ladies wear dresses and gentlemen wear suit coats, neckties, and dress pants. Guests can finish the evening by dancing to the sounds of Grand Hotel Orchestra.
Grand Hotel is known as America’s Summer Place. Guests can enjoy sitting in a rocking chair on the world’s longest front porch overlooking the Straits of Mackinac. Out on the lawn, families can challenge each other in croquet or bocce ball. Such an experience and opportunity should be preserved, as we continue to learn from our past through our nation’s treasures. Let’s continue to support our national historic landmarks and Save MI History!
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Help make a difference and voice the importance of Michigan's National Historic Landmarks by signing an online petition that will be submitted to Michigan's legislature at the end of the year.
Links and Further Readings
"Grand Hotel," Michigan State Housing Development Authority
