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Scanned from Box 1 of the Frederica Pantlind Papers at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library
OTTAWA BEACH 1899 - 1926
The year 1899 was very successful for the resorts. In August a train
with 1,000 passengers left Grand Rapids and it added many other passengers
on stops en route to Ottawa Beach. On another day the steamer, CITY OF MILWAU-
KEE, came with 800 excursionists from St. Joseph and Benton Harbor.
One of the exciting events of the year occurred on the Fourth of July
when an errant firecracker started a fire under the flooring of the Annex of
the hotel. Both the Life Saving crew and the Holland Fire Department helped
to extinguish the flames which were extensive enough to cause guests to begin
Holland Harbor Channels
throwing trunks and personal effects out of the windows.
In November, 1899, the Pere Marquette Railroad was formed and its Arti-
cles of Association were filed. One of the objectives of this new company was
to acquire the C. & W.M. Railway, which it did. C.M. Heald, formerly of the
C. & W.M., became President of the Pere Marquette, and he immediately announced
that improvements and changes would be made at Ottawa Beach.
MACATAWA
The permanent residents of the beach area frequently had to cross Black
Lake, summer or winter. One special reason would be to ride the new Interurban
rail line which had service to Holland and Grand Rapids during the long fall
Ottawa
and winter season. In February, 1900, several of the young people had a cool
Beach
adventure while crossing on the ice. The newspaper reported:
Mary, John and Henry Bakker met with a dangerous adventure last
Sunday night. They are the children of Mr. Bakker, the Ottawa Beach ice-
man, and they were on their way home from a visit with friends living
on the south shore.
E
Macatawa
About 10 o'clock at night they started to skate from the fruit
Park
original Outlet
dock to Ottawa Beach. When about one third of the distance had been cov-
ered, John, a young man of 19 who was ahead, skated into an airhole.
Proposed Channel
Luckily he struck a submerged cake of ice and the force of the fall threw
Channel as constructed
M. Cook
him to a large cake some distance away. He arose just in time to catch
his brother Harry, who plunged head first into the water. Harry was fol-
lowed by Mary, a young lady of 21, who escaped by the merest accident.
She struck the water head first and when she came to the surface it was
so dark that her brothers could not see her. Luckily she can swim, and
she kept afloat until John grasped her by the dress and pulled her to
the cake of ice. They stayed there until it floated towards the solid
ice when John made a jump and landed safely. Harry and Mary were not
so fortunate, but as they struck the water John helped them out.
During all this time of peril the young men and their sister were
coolheaded and maintained rare presence of mind, and to this they are
indebted for their safety. After reaching the solid ice they had to walk
a distance of two miles to their home, and though they suffered greatly
from the cold, they show no ill effects of their dangerous experience.
92
93
THE
The 1900 resort season began, as usual, with a pre-season April train
street car to Macatawa Park or go to Ottawa Beach on a train leaving
for the cottagers who wished to look over their properties. This was especial-
here at 9:55 p.m. Later in the season, probably about June 15, excursions
ly necessary because of the barrenness of the area and the great amount of
will be given from Milwaukee to Ottawa Beach and from Ottawa Beach to
shifting sand which settled on verandas and blocked walkways and doors. On
Milwaukee every Saturday night at one fare for the round trip.
this train trip Mr. Heald announced that F.B. Stearns would be the hotel mana-
ger and that in another year the hotel would once again be enlarged. In May
Entertainments of various kinds were always featured at the resorts.
the following announcement was made:
In August, 1900, a balloon ascension was arranged and John Grouix of Grand
Rapids was the featured aeronaut. The ascension was made in the late after-
The Pere Marquette Boat Line between Ottawa Beach and Chicago will
noon when there was little wind.
begin operations next Monday. This line will run in connection with the
passenger train from Detroit. The train will leave Detroit at 5:15 p.m.,
As the balloon left the earth the clever young athlete performed
arriving at the beach at 11 o'clock, when the steamer will leave for
gymnastic feats and waved a goodbye salute to the crowd. Never was a
Milwaukee. A steamer will also leave Milwaukee every night, arriving
finer ascension witnessed. Every move of the young man showed that he
at the Beach in time to connect with a train for Detroit at 6 a.m.
knew not the meaning of the word "danger." When he reached a height of
about 2,500 feet the crowd watched while he left the balloon and started
This important event took place and later the newspaper reported:
down with the parachute. A sudden jerk caused him to lose his grip and,
to the horror of the spectators, he fell to the water He came whirl-
The new Pere Marquette Boat line from Ottawa Beach to Milwaukee
ing through space, his arms and legs dangling and twisting. Then his
began operations last Monday. The first boat in port was the PERE MAR-
body started to turn over and with frightful rapidity as he plunged
QUETTE NO. 3. She made the first trip in place of NO. 4, which was under-
to death. He struck in about 2 feet of water a few rods east of the Pere
going repairs at the time and was not put on the line until Wednesday.
Marquette freight dock. His body bounded in the air and a shower of water
The PETOSKY arrived Tuesday morning and with the NUMBER 4 will remain
was dashed in the air
in service during the season. Both steamers are ranked with the finest
in the lake and are handsomely equipped to take care of the passenger
The rail and boat service of the Pere Marquette continued all through
and freight traffic.
the summer and it was discontinued at the end of the season on October 14.
Captain Joseph Dorrity is in command of the PETOSKY and Capt. Jo-
At that time the newspaper noted:
seph Russell has charge of the NO. 4. Both captains are veteran seamen
and their record in marine circles is A-1.
Passenger Solicitor Cleveland, representing the Milwaukee end of
Cottages at Ottawa Beach, Mich.
the line, was in Holland on Tuesday and, in company with Agent J.C. Hol-
comb, visited many points of interest in this city Parties desiring
to go to Milwaukee under the present arrangement must go either by the
Cottages at Ottawa Beach, Mich.
The lack of vegetation gives a clue to the massive amounts of sand which were
shifted each year by autumn and winter winds. There is much more plant life
in the area at the present time.
94
95
CD. RAPIDS, OTTAWA BEACH AND MILWAUKEE LINE
GOING WEST
Mls.
*Every day.
GOING EAST
The Pere Marquette Railroad Company is considering plans for the
GRAND RAPIDS. Ar
6.1
GRANDVILLE
establishment of an elaborate freight and passenger car ferry service
7.4
JENISON
11.0
HUDSONVILLE
between Chicago and Ottawa Beach. The scheme is to operate the boat lines
16.5
VRIESLAND
in connection with the railway system. The company is now having built
During
Summer
Season
Only
20.8
ZEELAND
Ar
HOLLAND
Lv
Lv
HOLLAND
Ar
an immense ferry car with elaborate passenger accommodations, and it is
WAVERLY
Lv
said that this, with three other boats of equal size, will be put on
32.0 Ar..OTTAWA BEACH.
117.0 Ar MILWAUKEE
the Chicago-Ottawa Beach line.
(Steamer)
For several years the Chicago and West Michigan road, which is
J. K. V. AGNEW. Superintendent, Grand Rapids.
now part of the Pere Marquette system, has been operating through pass-
enger trains between Chicago and points on the line north of New Buf-
From a 1900 timetable
falo, Indiana, as far as Grand Rapids. Between Chicago and New Buffalo
the trains are operated over the Michigan Central, for which the Pere
the freighter into a passenger boat to operate between Holland and Milwaukee.
Marquette pays the former $2 for each passenger carried between Chicago
Part of the change involved making cabins on the upper and lower decks, as
and New Buffalo. As the Pere Marquette has gone into the ferry business
well as an area for evening entertainments. These changes would provide space
extensively, its officers are of the opinion that the lake service might
for many more passengers.
be extended to cover the Chicago business.
The idea is to take freight and passengers by ferry from Chicago
In the summer of 1900 the Pere Marquette also announced plans for a mass-
to Ottawa Beach, and there to connect with the railroad for this city,
ive extension and enlargement of the Hotel Ottawa. The changes were estimated
Mackinac, and Detroit, to all of which points the road has through lines.
to cost over $50,000. The changes were not implemented immediately; after a
The company now operates freight and passenger car ferries between Mil-
delay of a year the newspaper stated:
waukee and Ottawa Beach, Milwaukee and Muskegon, and Milwaukee and Lud-
ington. It also operates ferries between Manitowoc and Ludington.
The Pere Marquette will break ground for the immediate erection
of a $40,000 hotel at Ottawa Beach. The plans are not yet drawn but the
The changes proposed were further explained when the details of the
contractor has instructions to commence operations at once, and he will
modeling of PERE MARQUETTE No. 5 were announced. It was proposed to convert re-
be furnished running plans so that no time will be lost. Mr. Heald, Pres-
ident of the Pere Marquette, called on Architect William Williamson and
told him he could go ahead and put up the hotel, a rough sketch of which
was prepared a year ago at the time that Mr. Heald announced that the
property at Ottawa Beach would be enlarged.
The new part will have a frontage of 318 feet on the channel and
will be 64 feet deep. It is designed to follow the bend of the channel
just below the present house; and at the extreme west end towards the
big lake, there will be a T shaped wing. The top of the T will be 152
feet long and 45 feet deep. An idea of the magnitude of the new hotel
when it is added to the present accommodation may be obtained from the
statement of the architect that there will be 185 rooms available for
guests. This will take care of any crowd that has ever been in the resort
and provides for growth.
The new hotel will contain 32 rooms with private baths which will
be a convenience not often met with in summer resort houses.
July 1 is the date set when the building must be completed and
ready, not only to be turned over to the Pere Marquette, but also to
be used by guests. To carry out the work the architect will rush the
plans, not preparing any elevation designs or perspectives. He will fur-
nish Henry Green, to whom the contract for the hotel has been awarded,
LEAVING
the plans for the foundation and work will immediately begin.
Early in 1901, the Pere Marquette, which had not previously kept the
Ottawa Beach branch line open in winter, cleared the line from Waverly to the
Beach so that materials for the hotel construction could be brought in. The
hotel work then went ahead all that spring. In March it was announced that,
The $50,000 Pere Marquette hotel which is being erected at Ottawa
96
97
CANCADO
JENSON
PARK
TITALA
BEACH
MACATAWA PARK
An artist's sketch of the entrance to Black Lake in 1900. The Ottawa
Hotel it. is a three story building with a walkway to the Annex which is behind Beach
An artist's sketch of the entrance to Black Lake in 1910. Notice the great
The railroad comes between the Hotel and the Annex. The piers are straight.
length of the Ottawa Beach Hotel and the railroad with its five sidings. The
arrow shaped piers extend quite far into Lake Michigan.
97a
97b
Beach will be leased to J. Boyd Pantlind, proprietor of the Morton House.
the hotel and for the entire area. A second improvement was the enlargement
The deal is not entirely completed but it is expected that it will be
and strengthening of the Ottawa Beach pier. The pier improvement was very nec-
announced with full particulars on Mr. Pantlind's return from the South.
essary for the safe landing of the Flint and Pere Marquette boats NO. 3 and
He and Pres. Charles M. Heald of the P.M. are together at Hot Springs,
NO. 4, but "the water at the harbor is too shallow to admit [boat] NO. 5 and
Arkansas, and it was stated before they left that the terms would proba-
until some dredging is done at this port she will run on the Ludington-Milwau-
bly be arranged before the trip was finished. Chief Clerk J. Mortimer
kee Route." A later dredging eliminated the shallowness, and the F. & P.M.
Rathbone of the Morton will be put in charge of the Ottawa Beach Hotel
NO. 5 began coming to Ottawa Beach in June.
by Mr. Pantlind if the arrangements are carried out. Mr. Pantlind him-
self will probably have little personal supervision over the house ex-
The hotel work went forward in the spring; J. Boyd Pantlind arranged
cept as he will be the Manager and will make frequent visits to see the
for the purchase of over $10,000 worth of new furniture and furnishings. The
place and keep in touch with the conditions. Naturally, the furniture
newspaper noted:
men will be turned toward Ottawa Beach when Mr. Pantlind assumes control,
and it is believed that many of them can be taught to come to Michigan
On the Ottawa Beach side naturally everything is centered in the
for resorting as well as for furniture. The new hotel is to be opened
building of the hotel for the Pere Marquette. One can hardly realize
on July 4 if all goes well. The contractor promised to have it ready
what a big thing the house is going to be unless it is seen. The old
for use on July 1, and the force of men that he has at work now shows
part of the hotel is retained but it is dwarfed by the addition. The
that he means business. At present the men are putting in the 140 odd
trains are running to the lower end of the new house, nearer the big
piers. These are of concrete and have a spider base.
lake, and the P.M. passenger boats for Milwaukee are stopping at the
wharf at that end and not at the old wharf opposite the station where
Mr. Pantlind, an experienced hotelier from Grand Rapids, had ideas on
the Holland-Chicago line of boats stopped. On the Beach side too, cot-
daily room rates, on bringing in. "a skilled corps of colored waiters," and
tages are being rebuilt and generally there are signs of the approach
also on bringing in special bands and entertainments. He also planned on having
of the holiday season. Later, when the hotel is completed, there will
the families of out-of-state furniture buyers (who went to Grand Rapids each
be some improvements made to the grounds which will add greatly to the
year for special furniture buying days) stay at Ottawa Beach.
appearance of the resort as it is approached from the lake. The acquis-
ition of the Holland line of boats by the Graham & Morton people is con-
A major improvement for the hotel and its guests in 1901 was the instal-
sidered very fortunate for the Beach by those who have cottages there.
lation of an electric light plant which could provide electrical power for
They say that Chicago is covered with signs announcing and booming the
5784. Hotel Ottawa, Ottawa Beach, Mich,
GRAND RAPIDS, MICH. BIRD'S-EYE VIEW OF OTTAWA BEACH.
A rare post card view of the Ottawa Beach Hotel before it was enlarged in 1901.
Note the walkway going over the railway to the Annex.
99
98
Fred would tell them, "Throw your nickel and you get the corn." or When
season of the famous little Michigan resort and that the boat line will
peanuts. coin came, then Fred was a sure shot with either bags of popcorn to pea- en-
pour resorters in there when the weather warms up.
nuts. the Colby made enough money from his years of operating concessions
able him to retire to California.
The greatly enlarged hotel opened, as planned, early in July, 1901, and
it had a very successful summer season. Before the season ended, there were
that winter 28 new cottages were built, as well as a new depot
announcements of still other improvements which would be made for the next
with was built as were the tennis courts and the golf course. The large their
pedestrian During walkways both to the hotel and to the beach. A pair of bowling dock
year's guests:
was alleys repaired; on Sunday, May 25, 1902, the steamers to Milwaukee began
Tennis courts and golf links are going to be a feature at Ottawa
Beach by another year. There is plenty of room for them directly near
daily crossings.
the hotel and within a score of feet of the waters of Black Lake
Fishing was always a popular activity at Ottawa Beach. The following was
These sports will be of interest, not only to players, but to guests
account, in a 1902 newspaper, includes the name of Bill Murphy whose name
of the hotel from the porches. At the hotel too some changes are going
for decades connected with Ottawa Beach:
to be made. It is understood that the Ottawa was taken by Pantlind as
an experiment, but that it has proved a great success so that the house
A gentleman employed by the P.M. railway at Ottawa Beach has a
will probably run more full days than any other hotel in the north and
that Mr. Pantlind will take the management again for another season.
new a friend name. and His went friends out call to spear him "Pitchfork." fish. Luck He thought He was borrowed with it him was a and pitchfork a muskellunge he impaled from
Many of these plans matured. The Pere Marquette purchased the 160-acre
and on invited his friends to dine with him. They did so but found inves-
the glistening tines a ten pounder. that
Bosman vineyard which was later developed into a golf course. Improvements
were planned on the pavilion and a small rail line to the beach at Lake Michi-
the tigation and it turned out that it was not a 'muskie' but a tough Ottawa dog-
tempting looking dish of fish was hard to chew. This led to
gan. The railroad also gave B.J. Reynolds, a Grand Rapids cigar dealer, a six-
fish. They say that spearing with a pitchfork is now the style at to
year lease of the "provision and souvenir stands at Ottawa Beach" which had
Beach and that Murphy, the keeper of the fishing tackle, is lines. going
previously been operated by F.K. Colby who now operated the concession at Ma-
put in a stock of pitchforks and rent them instead of hooks and
catawa.
Colby had been the first operator of the concession and, among other
Another fishing story, of a slightly later period, is told by hands Stanley who
things, had a small popcorn wagon at the docks. His stand was very popular as
"Doc" Curtis. He tells of seeing plump Chicago ladies with bejeweled
passengers on the steamers frequently called down to the dock for popcorn or
No. 15. Fishing in Macalama Bay, Holland, Alich
No. 02 Ottawa Beach, Mich.
101
100
GERALDA
were sitting on the docks on hotel chairs and fishing for perch. When a fish
said a large dog had shoved a little girl off the dock. Another said
was hooked they would pull it up so a bellboy could take the fish off the hook
a child was in the water. All agreed that something dreadful must have
and place a new bait on the hook so that the ladies could again place their
happened. The danger signal was blown and the life saving crew responded.
lines in the water.
The hooks and grapnels were thrown overboard and the search for the body
was begun. An object was brought to the surface. In breathless suspense
In June the Pere Marquette steamer NO. 5 came to Ottawa Beach to begin
the crowd peered into the black water and saw a log. Another object was
a daily run to Milwaukee. Over $50,000 had been spent on remodeling the ship
brought to the surface. It looked white, like a face, but it was a string
which was 226 feet long and 31 feet wide. This steamer, along with PERE MAR-
of fish.
QUETTE NO. 2, continued on the cross lake run until September, 1902. The steam-
The search for a body was fruitless. But the keen-eyed life savers
ers always carried passengers, but their major function was to carry "break
discovered a clue. On a timber under the dock was the imprint of a wet
bulk" freight to and from Milwaukee. This cargo was unloaded at Ottawa Beach
arm, further on was another imprint. From timber to timber they followed
and loaded into railroad cars for shipment to the east.
the damp trail. It led to the platform skirting the hotel grounds and
there they found the imprint of bare feet leading to the lawn. Under
The Ottawa opened with a fanfare on July 4, 1902. The season was a good
the dock they found two skirts and then it dawned upon the frenzied crowd
one. One macabre event, a practical joke, took place in August:
that it was the victim of a cruel joke that some young resorter, whose
brains are in his feet, had dressed in his sister's clothes and jumped
They are looking for a fresh resorter at Ottawa Beach. He did his
off the dock, that he had crept ashore over the timbers, and that he
grand fool act last Saturday night. The steamer HARVEY WATSON was at
had fled to his cottage to laugh to his heart's content
the dock which was very crowded. A splash was heard and the cry went
up "man overboard." Capt. Frank Van Ry peered over the steamer's rail
Although the season was moderately successful for the hotel, the Pere
and saw a dark object struggling in the water. He is an ex-life saver
Marquette, as a railroad, did not do very well. At the close of the year Pres-
and his first thought was to jump to the rescue. He seized the life buoy
ident Charles M. Heald and most of the Board of Directors had to resign. They
and was about to leap into the water when a woman became entangled in
were replaced by a new Board with F.H. Prince as President, and M.J. Carpenter
the line. When the tangle was cleared the object had disappeared. The
as Vice President and General Manager. A few months later an announcement was
captain knew then that it was useless to jump and started an investiga-
made that the PERE MARQUETTE NO. 2, 3, and 4 were sold. The following spring
tion. Screams from the dock told plainly what had happened. One woman
the company announced that it would no longer run trains to connect at Ottawa
Beach with the Graham & Morton steamers until the heavy summer season began.
This lack of service led to a greater cooperation between the Interurban Rail-
The Heald cottage, which is still at Ottawa Beach, was taken over by the Pant-
lind family who lived in it for many decades. The porch and the roofline have
been modified in recent years.
The Pantlind cottage in the 1920's
102
103
road at Macatawa and the Graham & Morton Line. It also laid the groundwork
for the later closing of the rail line to Ottawa Beach.
In 1904, Fred A. Wurzburg was appointed Postmaster at Ottawa Beach. He
also took over the entire management of the pavilion, the grocery store, and
The golf course was laid out and developed in 1903. W.H. Symons, a golf
the art store, all of which were in one large building. The 1905 season was
expert from the Kent County Golf Club, came to put the new course into first
a good one. In July, the Ottawa had its greatest day ever for it served 328
class condition.
breakfasts, 364 dinners, and 386 suppers. It should be noted that in that year
the lake water was abnormally high and it flooded over the lawns and cement
The newly enlarged hotel required a reliable staff and 50 German people
walks near the water's edge. Albert Tanner, the custodian, had to lay planking
were brought in from Chicago to help with the hotel services. At various times
on the walks so as to enable people to walk near or on the docks.
of staff, in 1904, seems to have eliminated such problems.
in previous years there had been problems of staff dishonesty but this change
The tourist activity to the Holland resorts became very significant in
the first decade of this century. Many ferry boats were built and operated
Once again, in 1904, there was a renewal of the long dormant feud be-
at this time. The Wolverine Boat Works built a resort ferry boat, the SKIDOO
tween authorities at Ottawa Beach and Macatawa Park. The Macatawa ferry boats,
which was 45 feet long and with a 16 foot beam. It was powered by a 27 horse-
HARVEY WATSON and POST BOY, refused to pay for landing rights at Ottawa Beach.
power gasoline engine. Judge Everett also contracted, with the Bird Company
This meant that those Graham & Morton passengers wanting to go to Macatawa
of Saugatuck, for a ferry steamer for his Waukazoo resort. This boat, the TUS-
had to disembark from the steamer directly to the ferry boat without stepping
CARORA, was also gasoline powered and it was 45 feet long with a 12 foot beam.
ashore at Ottawa Beach. (The Pere Marquette wanted $350 docking privileges
W.J. Murphy of Ottawa Beach purchased a 30-foot boat with a 10 horsepower en-
for the season.) In retaliation the ferryboat from Ottawa Beach was not al-
gine so that he could ferry passengers to Jenison Park. This boat was named
lowed to land at the Macatawa dock although it could, and did, land passengers
the QUO VADIS. Other boats in operation in 1906 were the HARVEY WATSON and
at the Life Saving Station. It took several months to settle these differences
the MARY.
and by that time the ARTHUR S., owned by boat liveryman Arthur Tanner, and
the GLADYS, also entered the ferry business. The Waukazoo authorities did not
The increased depth of the channel made it possible for the G. & M. line
enter into this controversy and their ferry, JENNIE G., under Captain Oliver
to plan for its steamers to stop at both Ottawa Beach and Macatawa. Dredging
Deto, continued to serve all the resorts.
continued at the Ottawa Beach dock but the waters were very shallow and the
steamship line finally made arrangements for all freight to go by way of the
Interurban to Grand Rapids. The Pere Marquette only handled freight for cities
beyond Grand Rapids.
A 4-4-0 locomotive inherited by the Pere Marquette from a previous railroad
line. This engine was useful when there were sharp curves, steep grades and a
roadbed that was not well stabilized. Such engines were chiefly used for branch
work and thus were well suited to work on the Ottawa Beach line.
Murphy collection
104
105
At Ottawa Beach Mr. H. Baker, who had a grocery business, opened with
night. The hotels and the yacht clubs also sponsored fireworks which were,
an enlarged stock in 1906. A relative, Capt. Gus Baker, went into commercial
at times, set off from a barge in Black Lake, but at other times from the sand
fishing at this time. He would set his nets out in Lake Michigan and then,
dunes at Macatawa. Truly it was a glamorous and festive night.
from day to day, he would lift them. He sold his fresh fish to the resort ho-
tels and also to the cottagers. In this year the Michigan Bankers Association
The success of the shipping and the passenger service encouraged the
held their convention at Ottawa Beach in late June. One of the features of
Graham & Morton Line to take the PURITAN out of service at the close of the
the hotel was the 9-hole golf course managed by W.H. Downs. The course opened
1907 season so that she could be rebuilt at Manitowoc. The ship was cut in
on June 25 so that the visiting bankers could have a round of golf on the new
two, and fifty feet were added to her length, making a total of 300 feet. The
course.
PURITAN was a very fast ship and usually made the trip to Chicago in less than
six hours.
One of the summer outings that year was a group from the Kent Scientific
Museum of Grand Rapids. Seventeen young men came to collect insects; in 10
In 1908 the ferrying of passengers around the lake was taken over by
days they collected 20,000 insects of about 600 different species.
the new Macatawa Transportation Company which did the ferrying for the resorts
and for the rail and steamship companies. The new company had four boats: NIMA,
The highlight of the season was the Venetian Night held on August 2.
SKIDOO, HOLIDAY, and FLORENCE. Since the owners of the company no longer com-
Over 300 boats participated. They were all lighted and decorated as were the
peted with each other and did not duplicate services, the business grew very
docks, the hotels, and the cottages. A cannon was placed high on the Ottawa
rapidly.
Beach dunes so as to boom the signal for the fireworks display to begin in
the harbor.
Fishing continued to be a major lure of the Holland resorts. The news-
paper reported:
In the days before movies, television, radio, and all other forms of
entertainment, Venetian Night was a marvelous entertainment. Stanley "Doc"
Seldom has the fishing been as good in local waters as at present.
Curtis mentions the large numbers of people who came by ship, or by the Inter-
The fishermen at the piers and breakwater have had very good success
urban, and he tells of the great numbers of Pullman cars which came with guests
this summer catching perch and, with a westerly wind blowing, the white
from Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and elsewhere. These people lived in their Pull-
bass fishing was never better than it is this season. Great schools of
man cars on the sidings behind the Ottawa Beach Hotel for the few days of Ve-
them enter the channel and fishermen have had the best of luck. The black
netian Night. The entertainments were the lighted and decorated boats which
bass, large and small mouth, are biting well, to say nothing of the pick-
paraded around the shores of Black Lake. At the hotels and at many private
erel and other game fish.
lakefront homes Japanese lanterns were part of the beauty and glamour of the
The newspaper also reported on the growth of Holland's tourist industry:
All the resorts this season have been doing a phenomenal amount
P. M. Station, Ollawa Beach, Mich
of business. The volume of business far exceeds that of last year or,
in fact, any previous year in the history of the resorts. One rather
Fishing on Piers, Macatawa, Mich.
106
107
Unusual ships came to Holland from time to time. In July, 1909, the WOL-
PERE MARQUETTE
VERINE, a three-masted, iron-hulled man-of-war which had been launched in 1843,
arrived on a tour. The ship had been built to protect the interests of the
CHICAGO-GRAND RAPIDS-OTTAWA BEACH TRAINS
United States in the Great Lakes, and it was powered by steam as well as by
sails. [The WOLVERINE was scrapped in 1949 in Erie, Pennsylvania.]
Sat'd'v
Daily
Every
Week
TO THE BEACH
S'nd'y
Week
S'nd'y
Only
Ex.Sat
Day
Days
Only
Days
Only
PM
PM
AM
AM
PM
PM
PM
On Monday, July 26, 1909, the Pere Marquette rail line to Ottawa Beach
Lv. Chicago
55
11
55
40
Grand Rapids
7 00
had its first and only fatal accident. The line to the beach was single track
Ar. Ottawa Beach.
52
AM
AM
FM
PM
PM
FM
and trains often backed down the six mile length of track since there was no
OTTAWA BEACH TO GRAND RAPIDS AND CHICAGO
way to turn the engines around at the end. On this morning Engineer Michael
Week
S'nd'y
Week
FROM THE BEACH
Week
S'nd'y
Week
S'nd'y
Powers had a train consisting of a baggage car and several coaches. The wheels
Days
Only
Days
Days
Only
Days
Only
of the engine's tender, which carried coal and water, jumped the tracks north-
AM
AM
AM
PM
PM
PM
PM
Lv. Ottawa Beach.
10
11
00
40
9
15
west of Waukazoo, and the baggage car and coaches broke loose and went a quar-
Grand Repids
6
Ar. Chicago
AM
AM
PM
PM
PM
ter of a mile on the incline. The engine's driving wheels jumped the track;
AM
AM
Through sleeping car leaves Chicago Saturday night only at 11.55 PM.
after riding on the ties for a few yards, the engine fell over on its side
arrives Ottawa Beach 5.52 AM. Leaves Ottawa Beach Sunday night only
at 9.15 PM, arrives Chicago 6.55.AM.
and into a nearby ditch. The fireman, L.E. Lewis, was then hurled through the
Taken from the 1908 timetable
doorway and landed near the fence line 25 feet away. Powers, the engineer,
did not have a chance to save himself, being penned in the cab. Farmers from
the neighborhood came to the scene and managed to release Powers; however,
observing businessman estimates that the amount of business was fully
he died soon after.
double that of the 1906 season, and even greatly exceeding the business
of 1907.
The wreck caused about 500 feet of damage to the track but that was soon
In all departments of the resort activity the businessmen are more
repaired and was in use again. At the coroner's inquest it was reported that
than satisfied. The hotel business, boat ferry, boat livery, laundry,
the train was going about 30 miles per hour instead of the normal 12 miles
grocery, and all the other lines of business were exceptionally good
per hour.
this year. This is all the more remarkable on account of the shortness
of the season.
Mail service to Ottawa Beach was very poor for most of the year. In the
summer time there was a fourth class post office; the Postmaster was paid,
The level of Black Lake varied from year to year. In the winter of 1908-
not for the stamps sold, but for the stamps cancelled which, in 1909, amounted
1909 the level was again extremely low. In many places boat houses were so
to $352. There was twice a day mail service to Ottawa Beach, but there was no
high out of the water that men could walk under them. They almost seemed like
bird houses as they perched on their pilings.
Bathing, Ottawa Beach, Mich.
No. 8 was a 4-4-0 type locomotive built in 1871. It had been owned by the Chi-
Note how close the bath house is to the water's edge
cago & West Michigan Railroad.
108
109
mail box service for residents of the area who had to depend on kindly neigh-
bors for help with their mail. After every resident signed a petition asking
for a mail route extension, Rural Route Number 11 was extended to the area
residents.
The success of the 1909 ferrying service to the resorts encouraged Cap-
tain Frank Van Ry to look for an additional steamer for the next season. He
was able to purchase the 84-foot YORK at Peoria, Illinois, and added it to
the ferry fleet with the name D.P. PERRY.
The major event in Holland in June, 1910, was the state G.A.R. encamp-
ment. This was planned for early in June when all the area hotels, including
the Ottawa Beach Hotel, opened early to accommodate the many visitors. Boyd
Pantlind, who had just signed another 5-year lease for the Hotel Ottawa, pro-
vided quality service at the beach as well as in his Grand Rapids hotels, the
Morton House and the Pantlind Hotel.
The affairs of the cottagers and the land owners at Ottawa Beach were
always somewhat confused. In July, 1910, the newspaper reported:
The Ottawa Beach Improvement Association, which has been in opera-
tion for the past 3 years, plans merging with the old West Michigan Park
Association. The latter organization has been inactive for many years,
but an order of the Kent Circuit Court just issued has revived it. By
the decision, the Park Association was held to have no legal control
over the affairs of the resort, and as the Improvement Association acted
merely on agreement, a merger was planned. It is hoped that the tan-
gled affairs of the resort management may be straightened out.
The Association's controversy with the railroad continued for many years.
Views of the train wreck on the Ottawa Beach line on July 26, 1909
The ferry D.P. PERRY in the channel with the Hotel Ottawa at the right. Note
the elevated walkway to the Annex which was on the hillside.
Kayes collection
110
111
In January, 1912, Judge Padgham of the Allegan Circuit Court decided that the
In 1913 the Pere Marquette Railroad Company, which was in receivership,
West Michigan Park Association could not eject the railroad from the lands
discontinued the rail service to Ottawa Beach. It was at this time that Benja-
in controversy. Because this decision did not decide all the points at issue
min S. Hanchett, who controlled the Interurban (Grand Rapids, Holland and Chi-
in the controversy, it was decided to carry the matter to the Michigan Supreme
cago Railroad) which ran on the south shore of Black Lake, said:
Court for a decision.
The Ottawa Beach trade has never received special attention from
When the lots at Ottawa Beach were platted and houses built, there was
the Holland Interurban road, but it is our intention to give particular
no provision made for automobiles or other conveyances. The houses were very
thought to the future development of the Beach service.
close together, but there were park areas which created open space for the
cottagers. The closeness of the houses was a serious problem when fires broke
One immediate outcome was the establishment of a ferry service by the
out from time to time.
Interurban to the north shore resorts. Hanchett also ordered a new ferry boat,
the OTTAWA, from the Johnson Boat Company of Ferrysburg; it was launched on
In August, 1910, there was a serious fire. It began in the chimney of
June 5, 1914. The OTTAWA had very modern facilities, and it could carry 250
the Ralph Dutton home and burned that cottage as well as the Steinhardt, Ross,
passengers on its ferrying run from the Interurban dock at Jenison Park to
and Bates cottages. The Life Saving crew took charge of the fire fighting;
Ottawa Beach and to Waukazoo.
they were assisted by the ferry boat crews who used the hoses from the ferry
boats. Another hose line was run from the Ottawa Beach electric power plant.
The cessation of the railroad service also generated other new ideas.
It took 1½ hours to bring the fire under control.
J. Newton Hind of Ottawa Beach stated:
Other fires, in boathouses, took place in August and October, 1911. In
It is entirely probable that within the next year or two the Ottawa
the latter fire the boathouses of Alfred Baxter and Charles B. Judd were de-
Beach branch of the Pere Marquette railway will pass into the hands of
stroyed as well as some of the boats which were in storage.
the company which has so recently taken over the Holland Interurban.
With frequent trains early and late in the season, and some change in
The impact of the automobile first struck the Holland resorts in the
the line of the road, the North shore of Black Lake will become dotted
summer of 1912. Business was slow because it was thought that people were be-
with cottages just as the South shore is now lined with them. There will
ginning to travel from place to place during their vacation instead of staying
be a steady growth at Ottawa Beach, and at Waukazoo, the latter already
in a single location. The summer was cool and rainy; this, too, had adverse
a community of fully 40 cottages, with a hotel which is always filled
effects on the resorts. Even the Venetian Night was neglected.
when open. Presumably when the present Ottawa Beach branch of the Pere
Marquette is electrified, the line will swing into Waukazoo
The OTTAWA was built by the Interurban railroad so as to provide service to
The cement water tower is still standing by the last house on Auburn Avenue.
the guests of the Hotel Ottawa.
Center for Archival Collections
Kiekintveld collection
Bowling Green State University, Ohio
112
113
In June, 1913, Hanchett (of the Interurban), Morton (of the Graham
Morton Line), and J. Boyd Pantlind (of the Grand Rapids hotels) secured and
Other changes and improvements were also made. Highland & Green, a Chic-
under option the on the Ottawa Beach Hotel from the Pere Marquette Railway. That an
ago architectural firm, made plans for doubling the size of the dining room
management of M.H. Turner, everything was very successful. The summer,
by extending it into the porch. The office was enlarged, and the parlors on
was well booked for the entire season; on one occasion there were over Hotel 500
the second floor were converted into suites with full baths. Other rooms with
guests who were served dinners.
baths were placed on the third floor. The Annex, which was on the hill behind
the railroad, was turned around to give the rooms frontage on the lake; there
The new owners of the Hotel created two different companies in 1914
were also porches added to the Annex. On the lake front the old freight house
conduct ized their affairs. One company, the Ottawa Beach Resort Company, to
and dock, formerly used by the Pere Marquette, were removed to provide better
at $40,000, would handle the affairs of the resort, i.e., the beach, capital-
views of the lake. There were also improvements on the grounds, principally
at bathing, etc. The other company, the Ottawa Beach Hotel Company, capitalized the
better walks and better lighting.
$50,000, in controlled the hotel itself. J. Boyd Pantlind, one of the
was who overall charge of managing the hotel although there was a resident owners, man-
A new resort company, later called Chippewa Resort, was planned at this
ager was concerned with daily affairs.
time by the Kent-Ottawa Realty Company. The officers of this new company were
James Buys, President; Isaac Kouw, Vice President; William H. Hinsey, Secre-
tary; and G.J. Stewart, Treasurer. Access to this 75 acres of resort land,
just east of the Ottawa Beach Golf Club, was by ferry boat from both Ottawa
Beach and Jenison Park although it was hoped that the electric railway would
Convenient to
be coming through on the Pere Marquette right-of-way.
Reach
By the summer of 1915, Chippewa Resort, with 205 lots platted, was in
the process of building a dock 168 feet long so that there would be plenty
of space for any of the ferry boats. William Van Anrooy, Holland's waterfront
Milwaukee
Grand Rapids
contractor, completed this dock.
Holland
OTTAWA BEACH
Detroit
O
T
T
A
W
A
To those who do' not know the Ottawa
Beach Hotel it may be said that Ottawa Beach
Opens June Twenty-seven
is in Michigan, across Lake Michigan from
Chicago. It is in an ideal location, with the Big
LINES
Nineteen Fourteen
Lake on one side, and Black Lake or Macatawa
Bay on the other, these making a harbor for
passenger steamers. At the head of this bay is
E
A
C
H
Holland, five miles from Ottawa Beach. The
Beach is reached by the splendid steamers of
the Graham & Morton Transportation Com-
pany, plying from Chicago to Holland, first
stopping at a Resort Pier directly in front of
the hotel, built to accommodate this Summer
Traffic. From this Pier to Grand Rapids there
is a high speed double track electric railway
running half hourly cars and making the trip
in an hour. Thus located, let us revert to the
interesting news that the Ottawa Beach Hotel
Company has been reorganized with Mr. J.
Boyd Pantlind as President. The fact that
Mr. Pantlind will again personally manage the
Hotel assures a brilliant and successful season.
PLATTED AND OWNED BY
The Hotel has undergone extensive im-
Big Bay Realty Co.
provements since last season. It has been
Chippewa Resort as shown by the plat is a strip of land containing 70
acres of choicest lakefront property. The lake frontage consists of shallow
beach for 150 to 200 feet from the shore with beautiful white sand bottom,
making one of the finest bathing beaches on Black Lake. [An early brochure]
114
115
One of the challenges for the new owners of the Ottawa Beach Hotel was
to have a bar for its patrons. No bar had been permitted for several years,
Lake Michigan now that many more people were using automobiles. These ideas
and the new owners wanted to have one. The problem was not as much in securing
encouraged the merchants, the cottage owners, and Holland's merchants and cit-
a license as in securing bondsmen for the license. The Holland Township Board
izens to collect money for building a concrete highway on Alpena Beach Road
would not recognize any bonds from outside the township. Applicants for the
(now Lakewood Boulevard.) Road construction was begun late that year, and Getz
licenses could get bondsmen from outside the township, but the Board noted
and Gold contributed $3,000 as their share in building three miles of an 8-foot
that the law stated "they were compelled to approve those who had sufficient
wide cement highway towards Lake Michigan. This 8-foot wide highway was useful,
amount of property in the township, and then the Board had to approve both
but soon there were complaints about it; people felt the need for a 16-foot
the bonds and the license for the bar at the Hotel Ottawa."
wide roadway. In the general discussion which ensued the Ottawa County Road
Commission proposed to make road improvements "providing Park Township is will-
The resorts did not have any outside source of electric power until, in
ing to do their bit." It was proposed to vote on a bond issue so as to complete
the spring of 1915, the Muskegon Power Company made plans to put power into
the roads. [Note: Park Township was set off as a separate township in 1915.]
every store and cottage. The Hotel gladly made use of this new power source,
but it continued to operate its own generator so that there would not be any
In August of 1915, the newspaper reported:
problems for hotel guests.
Fishing has been better during the past two weeks than at any time
The golf course, which had opened many years earlier, was remodeled in
during the past 20 years. Thousands of perch have been caught. Three
the spring of 1915. The clubhouse was moved from the first hole to the latter
weeks are left before the new law goes into effect that sets limits on
part of the course at a higher elevation. In this new hillside location people
the number of perch that anyone can catch to twenty-five. Many persons
had a view of the entire 9 holes as well as of Black Lake and the shoreline.
are taking advantage of the time left and are doing as much fishing as
The President of the club, J.B. Howard, also made other improvements for the
possible now.
golfers.
The last week of August in 1915, there was a massive Beach Party at Ot-
George Getz, who lived a mile north of Ottawa Beach, and Egbert Gold
tawa Beach with a band playing every afternoon and evening. The lighted board-
of Waukazoo, were both energetic men who were actively engaged in community
walk from the hotel to the beach made walking easy for both old and young.
matters. Both men were honorary members of the Holland Chamber of Commerce.
Many activities were planned for both the beach and the water. Balloon ascen-
At one meeting of the Chamber in 1915, Getz mentioned that the very poor dock-
sions were made daily; these attractions, together with a round trip ferry
ing facilities in Holland did not encourage cottagers to trade in the city.
ride from Holland for 25¢, brought thousands of people to the beach. This was
Both Getz and Gold also pointed out that there was a need for a good road to
the parting event of the summer for most of the hotel staff. Housekeeping,
dining room, and kitchen help were all transferred to the Pantlind Hotel in
Grand Rapids even before Labor Day.
18. Hotel Ottawa, Ottawa Beach, Mich,
The club house at the Ottawa Beach Golf Course (ca. 1915)
Kayes collection
116
117
The mother and daughter had packed their trunks ready to depart
At the beginning of 1916, the resorts had problems. The high price of
for Canada for the winter. They had lighted a lamp and then strolled
gasoline made it unprofitable to run the ferry boats to the various resorts.
to the docks where several fishermen were fishing. They watched the men
Only the Interurban ferry, the OTTAWA, continued to give regular service from
for a while and were about to return when they saw that their dwelling
the trains coming to Jenison Park. The OTTAWA did not give any other ferry
was in flames.
service. The great heat of that summer drew many thousands of people to the
The alarm was quickly given and the Coast Guard, together with
beaches; the season was successful until the resorts closed abruptly before
the fishermen, tried to be of service but the fire had gained such head-
Labor Day because the labor unions promised a general strike which would close
way that nothing could be saved, so they centered their attention on
down all the rail service in the country.
the cottages of the immediate neighborhood, and it was only through dil-
igent efforts that these were saved. The night was very quiet and this
Minor changes and improvements were always being made at Ottawa Beach.
no doubt had a great deal to do with saving a block of 12 cottages which
The amenities of civilization gradually appeared. In 1916 the Ottawa Beach
were separated from one another by only a few feet.
Hotel Company purchased several all steel community garages for the many auto-
It is said that the Indians also had a large amount of money hidden
mobiles of its guests. A boon for the area residents also came when gas (made
away in the house which was also destroyed. The Benedicts have been very
from coal) was promised. Prior to this time much of the lighting at many of
thrifty Indians and their Indian wares of baskets and curios have had
the cottages was with kerosene lamps, and heating of both foods and space was
a ready sale among the resorters for several years. Although the place
by gasoline and kerosene stoves. With the advent of piped gas, life would be
is insured the loss will be a heavy one for the Benedicts.
easier for resorters because the danger of fires from leaking stoves would
be decreased.
Prior to 1917 the residents of Park Township were not concerned with
road improvements; but in October of that year the property owners met and
Although all the resorts closed for the winter, activity continued at
decided to work towards building a 16-foot wide concrete road. This was a sig-
Ottawa Beach and all around Black Lake. When it was cold enough for the ice
nificant development, for such a road would open both Waukazoo and Ottawa Beach
to form, people crossed from shore to shore on the lake. In December, 1916,
to increasing automobile traffic. In March, the property owners voted on this
Ryan Baker, the Ottawa Beach iceman, claimed the honor of being the first to
project. At that time the property values were listed as farmland, $184,000,
cross Black Lake over the ice when he crossed to Jenison Park on a Monday morn-
and resort property, $672,775. A road bonding proposal was passed so that con-
ing. He reported that there was already 4 inches of ice. This news brought
crete could be laid on Alpena Beach Road [Lakewood Boulevard.] The township
out the fish shanties allowing the ice fishermen to indulge in their winter-
planned on paying for 1 3/4 miles expecting the county to pay for an additional
time activity. The news of the ice crossing brought out tales by other of Hol-
mile. But, promises are not facts; early in 1921 the road was still not com-
land's stalwarts, such as John Van Vulpen and Fred Quist, who claimed to have
walked from Central Park to Marigold Lodge on the previous Saturday. Joe Sha-
sauguay, too, had crossed the ice when he went to work at the Aniline Factory
9455
STEAMER HOLLAND.
on Saturday. The continuing cold weather brought on the annual harvest of ice
FROM GRAND RAPIDS TO CHICAGO
from Black Lake.
DAYLIGHT TRIP $1 50
HOLLAND INTERURBAN CARS CONNECT.
Storms and weather are a continual part of the story of Ottawa Beach.
The fact of summer sunshine and sand are a bright memory for anyone who has
vacationed there, but there are other seasons as well. In late August, 1917,
there was a summer storm which, to older resorters, was fierce and furious
beyond any of their memories. Waves went over the breakwaters, spraying as
high as the lighthouse. A few weeks later an inexplicable seiche occurred:
A medium sized tidal wave washed up from the lake on the beach
covering the entire space between the water line and the sidewalk. The
water for a brief time was even with the walk along the lake. It came
up through the floor of the bathhouse, wetting the feet of the employees.
The wave receded very soon and no serious damage was done.
Indians, who were the original residents at Ottawa Beach, continued to
be a part of the summer population there. The newspaper, in 1917, reported:
A fire Monday evening totally consumed the cottage belonging to
the three Indians who have been in the basket making business at Ottawa
Beach for a great number of years, consuming the house, a large consign-
ment of baskets, reeds, and other Indian wares, besides the furniture
Van Ark collection
of the house.
119
118
pietery AL Lildt time part or the road was concrete, 8 feet wide,
The major event at Ottawa Beach in 1919 was the annual meeting or the
part was 16-foot wide concrete, and part of it was macadam. The road was not
Society of Automotive Engineers. The entire hotel was booked for this event
completed until 1923 when George Getz loaned the Ottawa County Road Commission
which opened on June 23, a week earlier than the normal hotel opening. One
the $8,000 needed for the last bit of roadway.
of the special features of the convention was a daily seaplane to Chicago for
carrying mail back and forth.
On November 6, 1917, the United States entered World War I. Prior to
this date the effects of the war were beginning to be noted as when resorter
The same group came to Holland early in the 1920 season. The scheduled
A.W. Hempe sold his 75 foot yacht DOLOMA to the U.S. Navy. By the end of Nov-
events of speeches, voting, exhibits and lectures were only part of the pro-
ember the newspaper reported that the hotel at Ottawa Beach was being consid-
gram which also included water sports, dances, and lawn tournaments. The en-
ered as a reconstruction hospital for "wounded American soldiers who return
gineers stayed at the Ottawa Beach Hotel and its Annex as well as at Waukazoo
from the front incapacitated for further war service." Nothing ever came of
and Macatawa. One night everyone was aroused by a unique advertising stunt:
this idea.
When the guests were quietly sleeping at 4 o'clock, everyone of
The war had other effects on the local scene. In June, 1918, a ship from
the 600 rooms contained excited guests. At the given hour 600 new alarm
the Great Lakes Training School came for a brief stay. The ship, the ISLA DE
clocks went off at the same time. When the guests opened the doors they
LUZON, had been captured in Manila Bay in 1918, and it housed 75 sailors who
found, tied with baby ribbon, an alarm clock about the size of "Little
were being trained for other wartime service. At this time the licensing and
Ben," to the knob of each door, and these were merrily jingling at in-
registering of boats over 16-feet long was required. A wartime fuel tax was
tervals until the occupants got up and stopped them. Attached to each
also imposed, but there was no limit on the use of fuel on boats.
clock was "Presented by Mr. Klaxon of the Hyatt Roller Company."
In May of 1918, one of Ottawa Beach's notable citizens, "Big Martin"
The winter of 1918-1919 was the beginning of the end of the ice harvest
Witteveen, died. He had come from the Netherlands in the late 1860's and set-
from Black Lake. In January, 1919, the ice was only 5 inches thick, hardly
tled at the mouth of Holland Harbor. He was involved in the building of the
enough for cutting; and by February 20 the channel to Lake Michigan was open.
first cottages, the hotel, and the adjoining docks. He served as custodian
In Holland the Superior Ice Company, which could manufacture 16 tons of ice
of the hotel and the grounds. Besides considerable acreage, he also had a very
per day, was able to provide for all the ice dealers. The Ottawa Beach Hotel,
special 10-acre vineyard which, in season, drew great numbers of visitors.
however, had to get its supply of ice from Grand Rapids.
The newspaper reported that "He was big in heart, and big in person, and well
known and popular with the thousands of resorters who have known him for many
Fires continued to be a problem and in July, 1919, one of the many fires
years.'
at Ottawa Beach occurred. The details, as reported in the newspaper, give us
a good idea of the life styles and the habits of the era.
One of the most disastrous fires in years destroyed four cottages
at Ottawa Beach and nearly consumed a fifth Tuesday morning.
The fire started in the Sherwood-Hall Cottage in amongst the hills
at 6:30 and soon communicated itself to several other cottages alongside.
The fire originated, it is said, from an oil stove that the maid had
lighted, preparatory to getting breakfast ready for a family.
All Steel Garege-Hatel Otlawa
The famous arches on the veranda of the Ottawa Beach Hotel
Murphy collection
Murphy collection
120
121
The story goes that after the maid had lighted the fire she then
When the alarm was given Bill pulled out, singlehanded, the hand
returned upstairs to complete her toilet, and upon returning found the
reel filled with hose, connected this up with the Ottawa Beach waterworks
stove and part of the kitchen in a blaze. Her cries brought the members
hydrant nearby, and soon had a stream playing on the fire. It was impos-
of the family and neighbors. Fire soon spread to the Wegusen cottage,
sible to save the four cottages for these were closely nestled in to-
E.N. Brown cottage, and the cottage of Joe Siegel, who are all Grand
gether and it is doubtful if any kind of protection could have saved
Rapids people.
them. Murphy did save the cottages in close proximity, where repeatedly
The intense heat caused the fire to spread to the home of Charles
small blazes started in the roof by heat and sparks from the burning
Springer. The loss to the buildings and furniture of more than $15,000
buildings.
is only partially covered by insurance.
At no time was the big hotel in danger
The hills at Ottawa Beach are littered with furniture. Cottage
owners all along the hill streets are dragging out the contents of their
The next month, at the annual meeting of the West Michigan Park Associa-
homes and depositing these out of possible reach of the flames. Joe Sie-
tion, plans were put in place to have a local fire department. At the meeting
gel of Grand Rapids, owner of a jewelry store, had planned to take his
it was noted that every available cottage was being occupied. The Association
employees for a day's outing on Thursday.
elected Howard F. Baxter, Fred Z. Pantlind, and Charles H. Springer as Direc-
An alarm was sent to Holland. The run was made in 15 minutes. The
tors for the next year.
cottages, however, are more than 2,000 feet from Black Lake and the fire
truck did not carry sufficient hose to reach that far.
Swimming and bathing at Ottawa Beach came to a sudden end late in August,
The Coast Guards at Macatawa, as usual, did valiant service. Fran-
cis Deto, Tony Vander Bie, Alvin Smith, and George Haas saved the Bunnel
1919, when the lumber barge DELTA, with 400,000 feet of hardwood lumber, broke
cottage through the aid of a bucket brigade.
into two parts just north of the Holland breakwater. The lumber drifted all
Jacob Witteveen, custodian of Ottawa Beach, also did excellent
along the shore, but it was thickest at Ottawa Beach where it was a serious
hazard to water activity. The DELTA was finally torn apart to clear the area.
work, but the man of the hour was Bill Murphy, the Mayor of Ottawa Beach,
who not alone proved to be the chief executive of the summer resort but
There was a fire in the Annex to the Ottawa Beach Hotel in August, 1920.
chief of police and chief of the fire department as well.
The story of this fire appeared in the newspaper and the facts, as presented,
show some of the firemen's problems.
BILL SANDWICHES. MURPHY'S LUNCH ROOM
COFFEE
AND
SOFT
DRINKS
MURPHY
a-Cola
A later photograph of Bill Murphy. Note his fishing houseboat at the end of
CIGARS
the dock.
Murphy collection
Besides a lunch room, Bill Murphy had a boat livery and a bait and tackle shop.
Murphy collection
122
123
A large part of Holland motorists made flying trips to Ottawa Beach
many good people, but they also attracted many others. In 1921, Deputy Jacob
at 9:30 last evening when news quickly spread that the big hotel, filled
Witteveen had to protect a man, by arresting him, who had been molesting and
with guests, was all ablaze and Holland's aid was needed to put out the
pinching women in the ballroom of the hotel. A crowd of angry men was going
fire.
to assault the man when the deputy appeared on the scene.
Chief Blom received a phone message that the hotel was afire and
to come as quickly as possible. He turned in an alarm from Box 21, Hotel
Michigan fishing laws were frequently a problem for resorters. At times
Holland corner, and the fire department was soon on hand to answer an
the rules for lakes open to Lake Michigan were different from rules for inland
alarm in this section of the city. The chief then instructed some of
lakes. In 1921, for example, there was no longer any limit on the number of
the firemen of Company 1 to man the big pumper and go immediately to
perch that could be caught; but now a rule, that perch had to be at least 7
Ottawa Beach.
inches long, came into effect. The newspaper stated that the "application of
It took about 5 minutes to gas up sufficiently should the pumper
the 7-inch rule will practically stop the perch fishing in that lake."
be needed for any length of time.
The chief, before hopping off with the pumper, delegated Patrolman
August, 1922, brought two tragedies to Ottawa Beach. One of the waiters,
Steketee to follow with 500 feet of extra hose which the patrolman quick-
a "colored boy" named James Hudson, drowned while swimming. Although the Coast
ly did with the Citizens Transfer Company's truck.
Guard recovered the body very quickly, the crew could not resuscitate him. The
It took the Holland department just 30 minutes to get to Ottawa
second tragedy was the robbery of the safe at the hotel. Word of this did not
Beach and start fighting the fire after the phone call was received.
come out very quickly because it was not discovered until guests, several days
When Holland's force arrived they found that the blaze was in the attic
later, began to claim the jewelry they had left in storage.
of the Annex which is some 500 feet from the main hotel and connected
with the hotel with a sort of a bridge.
Early in 1923 Jim Baker of Ottawa Beach purchased the winter fishing
Bill Murphy and his crew of excellent fire fighters were already
business (the rental of fishing shanties) from the Jesiek Brothers. All the
busy on the job and had the fire pretty well under control. The local
shanties were taken to Ottawa Beach and were rented from that location. A sig-
firemen, however, aided with chemicals and between the two firefighting
nificant real estate transaction took place in 1923 when the Ottawa Beach Hotel
forces the blaze was soon extinguished.
and its grounds, including the golf course and 600 acres of land with frontage
Ottawa Beach Hotel is filled with guests and these, with the guests
from the other parts of the resorts and hundreds of automobile loads
from Holland, made up a vast crowd.
City motorists impeded the speed of the big pumper as there was
a regular parade of automobiles from Holland going to Ottawa Beach, many
of them trying to get around the truck in order to beat it there. At
one time there was a jam lasting about 5 minutes and the fire fighters
simply had to wait until the congestion was relieved.
The bad stretch of road just before coming to the turn to Ottawa
Beach, dubbed the "cinder path," also gave the driver of the pumper some
trouble and all these things certainly were not conducive to any speed
making. Notwithstanding all these handicaps, the management of the hotel
and the guests were loud in their praises of Holland's fire department.
The fire has damaged two of the rooms, part of the roof, and some
bedding. The total loss will not exceed $500 and the damage will not
in the least inconvenience the guests or the management of the hotel.
Theft was another problem at the Ottawa Beach Hotel. In July, 1920, a
nickel plated, six-volt Sireno horn was stolen from the automobile of Lewis
Heath of Grand Rapids. Since this was really a siren, Heath wrote to the Coun-
ty Sheriff to say that it would be easy to identify. At the same time the West
Michigan Park Association offered a $50 reward for information about the theft
of the siren. Other thefts took place in the hotel itself; from time to time
sheriff's deputies were called in to investigate thefts of jewelry.
The proprietors of the Hotel did what they could to attract business.
In the summer of 1921 they posted conspicuous yellow signs along the highway
from Chicago all the way to the resort. One such sign, in front of Holland's
Tower Clock Building, said, "Ottawa Beach 7 3/10 miles." These signs attracted
The automobiles of cottagers parked on the road below the hill
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125
BERALD
America' S veterans!
by deeds
Noble by birth yet nobler
on Lake Michigan, the channel, and on Black Lake were
were posted all along the West Michigan Pike from Chicago to Holland. A large
igan Railway and the Graham & Morton Steamship Company. The purchasers, in-
lighted billboard, 12 feet high by 30 feet wide, was also placed at the corner
cluding Fred Z. Pantlind and George Getz, made immediate plans for improve-
where Alpena Beach Road went west from the Pike. Great numbers of guests came
ment of the entire property, besides the usual remodeling and decorating. The
convention groups were welcomed. In June the naval veterans from the Fur-
developments included "a large outside playground, a covered playground for
and niture City Post of the American Legion came with 50 automobile loads of peo-
rainy weather, a dancing pavilion, and a much larger garage, a cement road
from the hotel to the beach, and an improved road from the hotel to connect
ple ators Association came; they were followed in August by the Ohio
with banners and streamers. In July the Michigan Master Painters Life and Insur- Decor-
with the main roads on the outside." At this time it was reported that the
ance Company. The season was so succesful that the hotel stayed open until
resort still had "about 300 building sites" which could be opened to would
the middle of September.
be purchasers.
A great improvement in the access to Ottawa Beach came in the summer
The new owners started with a policy of inviting the people of Holland
of 1923 when the new concrete Alpena Beach Road was finally completed. Near of
to come to Ottawa Beach to enjoy themselves. [Note: At this time the Interur-
the hotel itself a new concrete road followed a part of the right-of-way
ban railroad, which ran through the city of Holland, was still carrying its
old railroad tracks. A larger parking area was provided on the grounds
passengers to Macatawa, the competitor of Ottawa Beach.] The welcome to the
of the the hotel. The entire resort had been laid out in days when automobiles
people of Holland included the use of the porches, the pier, the bathing beach,
were not known and no space had been provided for them.
dancing pavilion, cafe, and any part of the grounds. It was at this time that
the Hotel Ottawa Company placed two thousand $100 par value shares of preferred
of the attraction of Ottawa Beach was its nearness to Chicago which Beach
stock on the market place. The directors of the company included such notables
it Part practical for short yacht races to and from that city. The Ottawa arranged
as G.J. Diekema, A.H. Landwehr, Charles R. Sligh, Wm. T. Bertles, Nat Robbins,
made Club, under the leadership of George Getz and Fred Pantlind, Besides the
George F. Getz, Robert Erwin and Ferry K. Heath.
Yacht massive Labor Day race and outing at Ottawa Beach in 1923. advertised water
for a classes of boat races, there was also a large, well Guard
An extensive advertising campaign accompanied the new ownership. Signs
different carnival. There was competitive swimming and diving, and the skills. U.S. Coast
arranged to provide a display of both its equipment and its
In the foreground are the Ottawa Beach tennis courts and dock. Across the chan-
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Parking problems at the Ottawa Beach Hotel
Murphy collection
nel are the Coast Guard station and the lighthouse.
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126
The Ottawa Beach Hotel truck in 1923
Reroofing the Annex in the summer of 1923. The Annex was also painted.
CHIPP
An aerial view of Ottawa Beach and Chippewa Point in the summer of 1923
The Post Office at Ottawa Beach
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Archives, Hope College
FORD
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Chicago Yacht Club Day
-AT-
OTTAWA BEACH, SEPTEMBER 1st, 1923
The Milwaukee Yacht Club and the
hotels in Western Michigan - that is the loss that Holland and the re-
Chicago Yacht Club had numbers of sailing
sort region sustained late Tuesday afternoon when fire wiped out the
yachts in the Labor Day race to Black
big Ottawa Beach Hotel. For it is a loss to Holland as well as to the
Lake. There were other races, all with
resort. Ottawa Beach Hotel was a great asset to this city and during
prizes of gold cups provided by Getz,
the past summer it had taken on a new life.
Holland's fire department did valiant work in saving the other
Gold and Pantlind, for local sailboats
buildings at Ottawa Beach, and hundreds of automobiles went to the scene
and speedboats. The swimming and beach
of the fire on both sides of the bay. Volunteers from Holland helped
events, which were directed by Commodore
the firemen, and it was due to these factors that the fire was confined
George Getz, went on through the after-
to the Hotel, the Hotel Annex, the hotel laundry and other buildings
noon with interruptions for the slowly
immediately connected with the hotel. So effective was the work of the
arriving sailboats which endured an al-
fire fighters that even the pavilion, only a few paces away from the
OFFICIAL PROGRAM
most windless day. One notable sailing
new addition, was saved, as was the dock building and the nearby Murphy
yacht, the NAKOMIS, captained by Howard
THE FOLLOWING ENTERTAINMENT
Wetzel, came from Saugatuck flying a
FOR THE DAY AND ENENING:
residence. The fire started about 5:15 o'clock, a short time after the last
pirate skull and bones with its bare-
workman, engaged in putting on the finishing touches to a magnificent
Ottawa Beach Yacht Club, Sail Boat Race on Lake Michigan, 10 a.m.
chested crew standing on the rigging
$15,000 dance hall addition, had left the hotel - placed in order only
Arrival of Chicago Yacht Club. Sailing and Power Boats, expected
in full pirate regalia of white trousers,
during the forenoon, depending upon the weather.
red sashes, and swords and cutlasses.
a few days ago for the opening of the next season.
Finish of Race at outer Light House, Lake Michigan.
The first sign of the fire, a blaze so small that spectators be-
This ship received a great ovation from
Special exhibition by the U.S. Coast Guards-2:30 m.
lieved it might have been quenched with only a bucket of water, was dis-
Starting at 1:30 p. m., the following events will be given in Iront of
the very large crowd and from the thou-
covered by Edwin Antisdel, clerk at the hotel for the past few summers.
the Ottawa Beach Hotel and in order as named below:
sand "jackies of the training ship WIL-
He said he was passing the main building, when he saw a burst of flames
1. Fancy Diving
METTE." These "jackies" entered into
2 Boys Swimming-50 yards
inside. Before he was able to call for aid and dash toward the building,
the spirit of the day with many individ-
3. Cirls
the fire had started its work of destruction and within ten minutes the
uals participating in the day's events.
4. Men
100
The prizes for individual events were
building was doomed.
5. Surf Board Riding
Despite valiant cohorts of a hundred volunteers aided by a crew
6. Johnson's Water Bug Ball [given under auspices of Corner
$5 gold pieces.
of Holland firemen and members of the Coast Guard crew in the harbor,
Hardware, Holland).
7. Mystery Swimming Race [Men only)
the fire quickly passed along a hall extending to the hotel annex, and
In the early evening there was a
& Canoe Race-1 mile straight away [2 Boys to Canoe]
attacked the hotel laundry, a two story building equipped with rooms
dinner at the hotel at which over 900
9. Evenrude-Single Motor-and out board 1 Man to Boat
for girl employees, the cooks' quarters which contained 22 rooms, the
10. Evenrude-Double
mile 8 return)
guests were served. Later in the evening,
11. High Power Speed Boats
after the fireworks from a SCOW on Black
kitchens, two storage buildings, and a small garage.
The fire originated either in the hotel barber shop or manicuring
12 Apple Swimming Race
Lake, there was a dance in the well-
13. Water Melon Race-Motor Boats-[Evenrude or Out-Board
decorated Ottawa Beach Hotel. In the
parlor near the center of the main building. The cause may never be de- of
[2 Boat)
termined. The only theory advanced by Fred Z. Pantlind, president
14. Melon Race-Canoes [2 to Canoe)
morning the yachtsmen were first enter-
the Ottawa Beach Hotel Company, who was the first officer of the company
15. Punting Contest from Boats
tained on the Gold houseboat and home;
on the ground, was that defective wiring had caused the blaze.
16. Tub Race-Boys
later in the afternoon they went to the
Antisdel, upon seeing the flames, called Mrs. William Murphy, wife
17. Motor Boat Race [Evenrude or Out-Board]
Getz summer home to see his farm and
18. Sailing Boat Race-Black Lake
of the custodian, who lives in a cottage nearby, and she immediately
ZOO.
19. Greased Pole Climbing-open to all
called to Holland for aid. A hurriedly organized crew of volunteers began
20. Pillow Fight-open to all.
firefighting operations against hopeless odds, despite the hotel's elab-
The success of this first water
FIRE WORKS-8:30
orate fire equipment, including 1,600 feet of hose and a tank constructed hotel
carnival of the Ottawa Beach Yacht Club
In event of rain the various events (except the Chicago Yacht
(which used the Getz boathouse as its
to provide sufficient pressure to send water to every part of the
Sailing) will be postponed. Same place and time, Monday, Sept.
3rd (Labor Day].
headquarters) led George Getz to say,
grounds. The water tank was drained a few days ago when the custodian left
OTTAWA BEACH YACHT CLUB.
"This year is only a start - watch us
deer hunting trip to northern Michigan, and in consequence water,
next year!" The entire holiday enterprise
which on a might have saved the Annex and some of the smaller buildings from
reflected the enterprise, skills and talents of the leaders of the Ottawa Beach
destruction, was lacking. Usually the tank was not drained until freezing
Hotel which, obviously, was well advertised in affluent yachting circles.
weather set in.
A brisk wind, sweeping down the lake shore from the northwest,
On Tuesday, November 6, 1923, the hotel at Ottawa Beach burned. The story
fanned the flames, and with the hotel and its contents doomed, the fire-
was well reported in the local newspapers. The following are segments of the
concentrated their efforts to save the Murphy cottage, the boat cot-
stories as reported in the Holland City News:
fighters tage of Mrs. Boyd Pantlind nearby, the store and post office, the
A half million dollar fire and the loss of one of the finest resort
houses, the resort garage and the docks.
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130
LIBRARY
The Pantlind and Murphy cottges and about 75 others on the slope
above the hotel would have been doomed, but for the direction of the
wind and the heroic efforts of the volunteers. Recent reshingling of
the dock buildings and the store in the path of the flames, probably
averted their destruction, new roofing forming a protection against the
falling embers.
Plans for rebuilding the hotel will be discussed Thursday at a
meeting of the officers of the company in the Hotel Pantlind in Grand
Rapids according to Fred 2. Pantlind, President of the company
He
estimated the hotel could not be replaced under the present building
conditions for less than $750,000. Insurance approximating $300,000 was
carried on the hotel property, but this included docks and boathouses
that were not damaged.
In another story the newspaper reported:
Charles Jackson of Lakewood Farm deserves a great deal of credit
in helping to prevent confusion among those who offered their services
to fight the fire at Ottawa Beach Tuesday night. Mr. Jackson took it
upon himself to direct the work and his expert knowledge of the place
and its equipment stood the fire fighters in good stead. He superintend-
ed the laying of the plank road to the water's edge on which the pumper
could run and he directed the men who formed the bucket brigade to put
A view northwards from the dock across the ashes of the Ottawa Beach Hotel.
out the miniature fires on the docks. He brought a truckload of hose
The cottages are on the hillside facing Black Lake.
Murphy collection
from Lakewood Farm to help in the work. Fourteen hundred feet of hose
of the Holland Fire Department was used, as well as a considerable length
of hose belonging to the Ottawa Beach Association, which was coupled
on to the Holland hose.
Looking west along the ruins of the Ottawa Beach Hotel. It was built on the
The ruins of the Ottawa Beach Hotel which burned on November 6, 1923
series of concrete pilings.
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Van Ark collection
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To those who went to Ottawa Beach, Macatawa Park and Jenison Park
The next difficulty was to get the suction hose laid so that it
on Tuesday night to watch the big fire it appeared as if every person
would not suck sand from the bottom of the lake and thus clog the pipe.
in Holland who has a car was there. There are no statistics or even esti-
Some of the firemen took off their shoes and stockings, rolled up their
mates as to how many cars went to the scene of the fire, but there has
trousers, and went into the water to build a platform of boards on which
seldom been a celebration when more automobiles were parked at the var-
to lay the hose
ious resorts. The scene was the same on both sides of the lake. Every
All the gasoline supply tanks at Ottawa Beach were drained
available inch of space was taken by a car and the traffic jams were
to supply the big pumper with enough fuel, and in addition to that a
at times serious. Some people were compelled to walk a long distance
supply was sent from Macatawa Park.
being unable to get near the usual parking space and being compelled
to leave their cars along the roadside.
It was due to the quick work of a group of Holland men on their
way to the Ottawa Beach fire that the cottages on the south side of the
The Holland Fire Department made the run to the Ottawa Beach fire
bay at Virginia Park were saved from destruction. A blazing piece of
in 20 minutes Tuesday night. When the alarm was turned in and the call
material had been blown across the water and had started a blaze in the
for help came from Ottawa Beach, the big pumper was immediately manned
boat house of Dan Steketee. The Holland men, passing by on their way
and it was rushed to the scene of the blaze without the loss of a minute.
to Jenison Park, saw the blaze and stopped to put it out.
Every ounce of determination of the firemen was put back of the job and
The fire had obtained a hold at the base of the boat house and
the firemen fought from the first to last with all the energy at their
it looked as if it would be impossible to get at it. Moreover, the Hol-
command.
land men had no pails or axes or other implements with which to fight
The first difficulty encountered was to get the heavy pumper from
the blaze. They borrowed some things and broke into other empty cottages
the concrete road at Ottawa Beach to the water's edge so that the sucker
to get the necessary equipment for dipping up water. With the aid of
could be put into the lake. A road of heavy planks had to be laid, and
axes they broke into the boat house and were finally able to get the
the firemen and a large number of volunteers took part in the work. It
fire under control.
took but a short time when the work had once been begun.
After the Ottawa Beach Hotel burned, area residents wanted to see the
ruins. The most conspicuous relic was the massive brick chimney, but that too,
for safety reasons, had to be demolished. The sightseers went out on Alpena
Beach Road, a very narrow highway which was only a single lane of concrete
at places; during the day cars were lined up for several hours. One man made
a report that it took three hours to drive to the beach and return to Holland.
The burning of the hotel necessitated many decisions by diverse groups.
The owners had to decide on a building program, but they sensed that the in-
vestment of great sums into a hotel with a limited season was not really a
good investment. In March, 1924, grandiose plans were made for a large club
house to be built at the edge of the sand hill where the Annex had stood. This
club house would have a great hall, 35 by 80 feet, and would face Black Lake
at one end and Lake Michigan at the other end. A residential wing of 40 to
60 rooms was also part of the plan. In August still other plans were made for
rebuilding at Ottawa Beach.
One of the problems inherent in any rebuilding program was to have a
clear title to the property. When the hotel was moved in 1895, it was moved
to a site originally platted as a park by the Association. Since the title
was not cleared for individual ownership, it was not prudent to invest in de-
velopments. There has never been any building on the site of the Annex or of
the Hotel.
The Interurban railroad, which ran on the south shore of Black Lake,
had its own ferryboat, the OTTAWA, which had carried passengers from Jenison
Park to Ottawa Beach since 1915. After the hotel fire there was no longer a
need for this ferry boat, and it was sold to the Cleveland Cliffs Company for
service on Lake Superior.
The ruins of the Ottawa Beach Hotel Annex as seen from the veranda of the Pant-
lind Cottage. Some of the concrete pilings were still on the hillside in 1986.
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On December 17, 1925, the newspaper headline read: STATE PARK BOARD AC-
came to Camp Keewano Wohelo in July, 1927. The camp was used by the Campfire
CEPTS THE OTTAWA BEACH SITE. This news was a surprise to Holland residents;
Girls for many decades. In very recent years the Spyglass Condominiums have
it so happened that Fred Z. Pantlind was a member of the State Park Board,
been built on this site.
and he had encouraged the Board to buy the beach property. The newspaper pro-
phetically stated:
Part of the normal activity at the Hotel Ottawa was the nine hole golf
course. After the hotel burned, the golf course, which ranged up and down the
The Ottawa Beach State Park bids fair, within a year or two, to
dunes (at the present site of the Macatawa Camp Ground), continued to attract
become one of the most popular spots in this section of the state and
area golfers. It had its own club house and its own officers. The caddies con-
will become a recreation spot for people from all parts of this and many
tinued to have their annual tournament as late as 1926 when Gerrit Hoving,
other states.
Richard Baker, Andrew Witteveen, and Jack Woodall won prizes.
Many plans were made in 1926 for the development of this park. The Ot-
In the 1920's Maurice Collins and Elton Cobb were both caddies at this
tawa County Board of Supervisors authorized and began planning 3½ miles of
course; the 'pro' was M.G. 'Mitt' West whose wife was also involved in the
new roadway to Waukazoo, to Big Bay, and to the State Park. Later it was an-
clubhouse. On summer evenings, A.H. Landwehr of the Holland Furnace Company,
nounced that the Road Commission would use the grade and roadbed of the Pere
as well as his brothers and cronies, often came to the beach for a round of
Marquette line to Ottawa Beach. The rails and most of the ties were long gone,
golf. When they came to the 7th hole, which was up the hill and then beyond
but the grade was well preserved and the "new road will make for a pleasant
the crest of the hill, the men would send the caddies to the top to observe
drive since it will be laid through the dense woods of Waukazoo, while the
the golf balls as they were driven. The caddies would, if the ball was reason-
last 21/2 miles of it will skirt Macatawa Bay. Although highway plans were de-
ably close to the hole, call down, "It's in!" Then they would go to the hole
veloped, the cement for this construction did not arrive until May, 1927, when
(the men being slow to climb the hill) and place the ball in the cup. [Note:
it came on the SAMUEL L. MITCHELL.
Collins reports that there was frequently a cash tip when this occurred.]
Pantlind's Ottawa Beach Resort Company also planned its own improvements
One of Holland's long forgotten authors, Rev. John M. Vander Meulen,
in the area with a swimming pool, a dance pavilion, lighting, water, etc.,
wrote a book about Christians and golfing called Getting Out of The Rough in
but once again, the dreams did not mature.
which he describes one of the boorish foursomes which he met at the Ottawa
Beach Golf Course. He used their boorishness as a basis for a speech at the
One unique development on the dunes was sponsored by the Grand Rapids
dedication of the Holland Country Club the next day.
unit of the Campfire Girls which acquired the duneland and beach just north
of Ottawa Beach. They immediately built an extensive resort in 1926 which
could, in the course of a summer, accommodate thousands of campers. The 21
acres of land was purchased for $20,000; Holland's Bolhuis Lumber Company con-
tracted the erection of the necessary buildings. The kitchen, dining hall,
and officer's quarters were permanent buildings, but 25 tents, with solid wood
floors and partial walls, were erected for the campers. The first 95 campers
BLUE
BIRDS
NEST
CAMP
KEEWANO
HOLLAND
MICH
The Post Office building was scorched by the Ottawa Beach Hotel fire.
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OTTAWA BEACH AND HOLLAND STATE PARK 1927 - 1946
In the summer of 1927, Alpena Beach Road was extended to the east of
U.S. 31 (River Avenue), the concrete road to Waukazoo from Alpena Beach Road
was being built, and the road along the old rail bed (Ottawa Beach Road) was
being developed. In July, 1927, the State released $30,000 for necessary im-
provements at the new 32-acre state Park; however, by that time it was too
late to have any effect on the park for that season. The money was spent on
camping and sanitary facilities. A 90 room bathhouse already on the property
was donated to the state by Fred Pantlind and this was remodeled.
There was no blaring of trumpets nor assemblies of politicians when Hol-
land State Park opened in 1928. There is, in fact, little mention of the event
in the local newspaper. An early report tells of the teachers of Washington
School going there for a beach party the day before Decoration Day in 1928.
Great numbers of visitors came to the beach on the Fourth of July but the num-
bers given, 60,000, were for both the Grand Haven and Holland State Parks.
The State Park was a success from the time it opened. The fact that there
were good roads to the park, and that there was an oval around which people
could drive to see the lake, the beach, and the lighthouse was pleasureable.
Visitors could park for long periods of time for fishing, bathing, and for
picnicking, and that too made for great numbers of visitors. In the summer
a water slide and several land slides were placed along the beach for the plea-
sure of the children. People came to the State Park from the immediate area,
but many families came from Grand Rapids and from even further away.
In 1930 state funds were allocated for park improvements and plans were
considered for extending the oval to the north and to the east where there
was undeveloped land. Because $3,450 did not go very far, no improvements were
made. The next year there was much local agitation to get an enlarged oval.
A committee was sent to Lansing to see what could be done, but the State, be-
cause of the Great Depression, had cut the total budget of all the state parks
from $415,000 to $86,000. With such a drastic reduction of funds, no improve-
ments could be considered at any of the state parks.
In those depression days people could and did camp at the State Park
even though there were severe restrictions. At most state parks the limit for
camping was 15 days, but at Ottawa Beach the limit was only 7 days because
the park was so crowded and so busy. The newspaper reported:
Last year there was altogether too much congestion at the Oval
for comfort, but this year it is even beyond congestion and has become
a stampede.
The attendance reports for those early years show 1929, over 631,000
Relics of the Ottawa Beach Hotel
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