Coral Gables (Saugatuck, Michigan) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Leiendecker's Inn–Coral Gables
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 Location in Michigan
Location in the United States
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| Location | 220 Water St., Saugatuck, Michigan |
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| Area | 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| Built | 1900 |
| Architect | William K. Johnston |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne |
| NRHP reference No. | 09000520 |
| Added to NRHP | July 16, 2009 |
Coral Gables is a famous restaurant and resort located in Saugatuck, Michigan. It was once known as Leiendecker's Inn. This historic building is at 220 Water Street. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2009. This means it's an important place in history.
Contents
History of Coral Gables
Early Days and Tourism Boom
In the 1890s, the area around Lake Michigan became very popular. Many people from cities like Chicago came to visit for their summer vacations. Saugatuck and Douglas were popular spots. In 1896, a new train line from Holland made it easy for visitors to arrive.
In 1898, the Leiendecker Brothers from Chicago bought the land where Coral Gables now stands. They paid $3750 for the property. At that time, there was a small place for visitors to relax and enjoy themselves. The Leiendecker Brothers kept this place open. They also added a two-story hotel and a dock for boats.
Fire and Rebuilding
Business was very good in 1899. After the summer season, the Leiendeckers started to make the hotel even bigger. But in early 1900, the whole building burned down. This probably happened because of heaters used during construction.
Edward Leiendecker quickly started planning a new building. He hired William K. Johnston, an architect from Chicago, to design it. The foundation for the new building was ready by May 1900. The first rooms in the south part of the building were open by June. This new place was called Leiendecker's Inn. However, the rest of the building wasn't finished until late 1905. The new inn officially opened on June 1, 1906.
Changes in Ownership and Name
In 1907, the people of Saugatuck voted to make the town "dry." This meant certain types of businesses were not allowed, which likely affected the inn's profits. In 1911, Leiendecker tried to sell the hotel. When he couldn't find a buyer, he leased it to J.F. Hall. Hall renamed it the Columbia Hotel.
After a big event in 1915, the hotel lost money in 1916. It closed at the end of that year. The building stayed empty until 1920. Francis Horrigan then bought it and called it the Hotel Saugatuck. He ran the hotel until 1928.
Edson Crow bought the building in 1928. He was a restaurant owner. Crow focused on making the restaurant and lounge better. He ran the business with his brother, Dale, for many years.
In 1958, Thomas A. Johnson bought the property. He owned a popular restaurant and night club in East Lansing called Coral Gables. Johnson made the restaurant bigger and updated it. He also opened another smaller restaurant in the basement.
Expanding the Resort
Johnson continued to add more dining and entertainment areas. By the early 1970s, the building stopped being a hotel. The old hotel rooms were then used mostly for storage.
Thomas Johnson passed away in 1979. His sons, Topper and Michael, took over the business. Topper Johnson managed the building until he passed away in 1985. Then Michael Johnson took over. He kept expanding and updating the dining and entertainment choices at Coral Gables.
What Coral Gables Looks Like
Coral Gables is a rectangular building. It sits on land that slopes down towards the Kalamazoo River. This means the basement is at ground level at the back of the building.
Building Design
The main part of the building, which used to be the hotel, has a U-shape above the ground floor. The front of the building forms the bottom of the "U." It has a tall, interesting roof called a cross-gambrel roof. This roof covers the third story at the front and the "arms" of the U-shape.
There are pointed roof sections, called gables, at the front and back of each "arm" of the U. Another gable is near the middle of each "arm." The front roof between the two front gables has three smaller gabled windows, called dormers. There are more dormers on the "arms" of the building.
Exterior Features
The front of the hotel on the first floor has vertical wooden boards. It features large picture windows and some older double-hung windows. The other windows on the building are placed in an uneven pattern. They are double-hung windows with one pane over another, in square openings.
There are three main entrances to the building. One is in the center of the front. The other two are under each front gable. A single-story porch runs along the entire front of the building. It has square wooden posts and a metal railing. This porch was likely added around 1960. There are also single-story additions on each side of the building.
Inside the Building
Inside, the main floor and the basement level have a large dining room. There's also a room for a bar, dancing, and billiards. The basement level has another bar and a snack bar. The second and third stories used to be hotel rooms. Now, they are mostly used for storage.
