|
Michigan City Photos |
|
Updated on June 30, 2010 |
Did you know that at one time you could drive along the Lake Michigan shore line from Chicago up into Michigan? Unfortunately the wheels of progress and also sand erosion along the shore removed much of the roadway. Many homes that were built along this ever changing shore line have been taken by the lake.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`
*** Grand Beach Company founded around 1903. It was designed to be a short-stay resort. People would come from Chicago and surrounding areas and take the Michigan Central Railroad to Grand Beach station. They would rent small cottages for a day or two, eat in the dining hall (located at the corner of Lakeview and Whitewood), and enjoy bathing, golfing and even a gambling casino at one time. The Golfmore Hotel was built as a luxury hotel just across the creek from the Michigan state boundary in Michiana Shores, Indiana. It made its debut in 1921 and boasted 175 rooms, hosting up to 500 guests and 250 rooms to wander and enjoy. An entertainment pier was built out into Lake Michigan and the Golfmore Hotel offered dining and even dancing in the 1920's. Due to the ravages of time and storms of Lake Michigan, the pier has long since disappeared. For years some of its supporting posts were visible when the lake levels were low. A footbridge over the creek linked the hotel to the pier area. The hotel played an important part of the social life of the beach in the 1920's even in the winter when it hosted ski jumping events. Charles S. Knapp was the hotel proprietor in the 1930's.
During 16 years of litigation over Grand Beach properties the hotel had deteriorated, but during the year of the fire, it had been acquired by Jay-Bee Realty Co., Chicago, Illinois. They were in the process of extensively improving and beautifying the hotel along with putting in automatic sprinkler system throughout the hotel. The job was about half completed when disaster struck.
On the 19th of November, 1939 the hotel burned down. A passing motorist , Harry Meyers, 1107 Tennessee, Michigan City, noticed a red glow while driving down the highway and went to investigate. He sounded the alarm, but it was hopeless. By the time both Michigan City and New Buffalo fire fighters arrived, the hotel was fully engulfed in flames and could not be extinguished. They were however, able to prevent the fire from spreading to other buildings near by. The entire three-story building was merely a smouldering pile of rubble by the morning of the 20th. Cause for this fire was never determined and losses were estimated well over $300,000. It was only insured for about $100,000, so rebuilding was out of the question.
The hotel had been closed for the season after the previous Labor Day weekend. Bill Behr, brother of Johnny Behr, widely known Chicago boxing and athletic coach was the watchman. He stayed at a lodge 200 yards from the hotel. During the time of the fire, Behr was in northern Michigan on a hunting trip and was not scheduled to return until later in the week.
"Jeep" Joseph Mikulski is delivering beer in the above photo at Hyer's Tavern. "Jeep" later become a Michigan City police officer.
Additional Photos Available at: http://www.emichigancity.com/history/memoirs.htm
For additional History and Progress go here for Friendship Gardens
