Birch Lodge facts for kids
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Birch Lodge Hospital and Summer Resort Sanitarium
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Birch Lodge, c. 1912
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 Location in Michigan
Location in the United States
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| Location | Co. Rt. H-40, .6 mi. W of MI 123, Trout Lake, Michigan |
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| Area | 20 acres (8.1 ha) |
| Built | 1911 |
| Built by | H. Emery |
| Architect | Dr. Edgar Ford |
| NRHP reference No. | 96001376 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | November 29, 1996 |
The Birch Lodge is a historic resort found on the northern shore of Trout Lake in Trout Lake Township, Michigan. It's also known as the Birch Lodge Hospital and Summer Resort Sanitarium. This special place was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1996. It was also named a Michigan State Historic Site in 1987.
Contents
History of Birch Lodge
How Birch Lodge Started
Birch Lodge was created as one of many resorts built in northern Michigan. This happened around the early 1900s. Dr. Edgar David Ford and his wife Cornelia from Cambria, Wisconsin started it. They wanted it to be both a summer resort and a health retreat. People could come for fun and also for medical care.
The Fords bought land on Trout Lake in 1911. They hired H. Emery to build the lodge. It was designed for outdoor activities and health. Sadly, Edgar Ford passed away before the lodge opened. Even so, Cornelia Ford and her sons opened the resort in 1912.
Changes Over the Years
The Birch Lodge Hospital soon faced money problems. In 1915, the ownership went to Oliver W. Smith. A group of early state police used the site from 1918 to 1922. For a while, it was even a private home.
Charles and Estelle Moore bought Birch Lodge in 1926. They reopened it as a resort. They ran it until 1938. The resort had three more owners and some updates. Then, Cliff and Anna Badgley bought it in 1952. The Badgleys added an eight-room brick motel in 1964. Cliff Badgley passed away in 1981. Anna kept running the resort. The main lodge closed in 1985. The motel stayed open until Anna passed away in 2006. New owners bought the property in 2010 and reopened it.
What Birch Lodge Looks Like
Birch Lodge sits on 20 acres of land. It is located along the northern shore of Trout Lake. When it first opened, the lodge had small cabins and a recreation room. It also had boats and a dancing area. It even had hospital rooms, like an operating room.
Today, there are six buildings on the property. These include the main lodge and three utility buildings. There are also two log cabins. The main lodge is the biggest building. It has three stories and is made of wood. It was built in 1911. The outside is mostly covered in wood siding. The windows have green shutters with diamond shapes. The roof is made of asphalt shingles. Many of the things inside the lodge are from when it was first built. It is a great example of an early 1900s resort building.
