Red Fox Inn (Horton Bay, Michigan) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Horton Bay House--Red Fox Inn
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 Location in Michigan
Location in the United States
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| Location | 05156 Boyne City Rd., Bay Township, Horton Bay, Michigan |
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| Area | 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| Built | 1876 |
| Built by | William H. Ohle |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian Vernacular |
| NRHP reference No. | 95000372 |
| Added to NRHP | April 7, 1995 |
The Red Fox Inn, also known as the Horton Bay House, is a historic building in Horton Bay, Michigan. It is located at 05156 Boyne City Road. This building was first a boardinghouse and later became a famous inn. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1995.
The inn is mentioned in a short story by the famous writer Ernest Hemingway. The story is called "Up in Michigan." People say that Vollie Fox, who owned the inn in the early 1900s, taught Hemingway how to fish.
Contents
The Story of the Red Fox Inn
In 1870, a man named Samuel Horton started a settlement in this area. In 1876, Alonzo J. Stroud and William H. Ohle built a sawmill nearby. They soon had up to 30 workers. Because of these workers, Horton Bay quickly grew into a small town.
The town needed a general store and other services. William H. Ohle left the sawmill business. He focused on building homes and other structures in the new community. Ohle helped build many early buildings in Horton Bay. These included the Horton Bay General Store. He also built the boardinghouse next door, which is now the Red Fox Inn. This was around 1878.
From Boardinghouse to Hotel
The boardinghouse quickly became known as the "Horton Bay House." It offered rooms for millworkers. It also served as a hotel for people traveling through the area. The boardinghouse was busy until the sawmill closed in 1890.
After the mill closed, the Horton Bay House still worked as a hotel. However, fewer travelers were coming. So, many rooms were rented to local families for longer periods. During this time, James Dilworth owned the house. He used to be a blacksmith at the sawmill.
The Fox Family Takes Over
In 1910, James Dilworth sold the building. It was bought by James Wixham Fox and his wife Mary. James Fox was the local highway commissioner. James Fox passed away in 1914. In 1915, Mary gave the property to her son, Vollie Fox.
In 1919, Vollie Fox and his wife Lizzie Spura Fox opened a restaurant in the building. They named it the Red Fox Inn. Around this time, cars became very popular. This part of Michigan became a favorite summer spot for tourists. The Red Fox Inn became a popular place for these visitors.
Vollie Fox died in 1947. His wife, Lizzie Spura Fox, became the only owner. In 1955, Lizzie Fox sold the Red Fox Inn to her daughter, Marian Ruth Fox Hartwell. Marian Hartwell owned the inn until 1984. Then, she sold it to her son, James Vol Hartwell.
The restaurant inside the building stayed open until the 1970s. After that, the Red Fox Inn became a bed-and-breakfast. It was open during the summer months. The Red Fox Inn also sold local products. These included items related to Ernest Hemingway. James Vol Hartwell died in 2015. The building and store then went to his children, Ernest and Prudence Hartwell.
What the Red Fox Inn Looks Like
The Red Fox Inn is a two-story building. It is painted white and has a roof that slopes down on two sides. It was built in a style common in the late 1800s. This style is called vernacular.
The outside walls are covered with horizontal wooden boards called clapboard. It has simple, flat boards at the corners. The roof edges stick out a bit. There is a screened-in porch that runs across the entire front of the building.
Inside, the first floor has three large dining rooms. There are also several kitchen rooms. These kitchen areas were added between 1919 and 1935. The second floor has four guest rooms, a living room, and a bathroom. The third floor is a long attic that is not finished. The whole house still has its original wooden trim. It also has the original doors, doorknobs, and hinges.
