Portage Point Inn Complex
Portage Point Inn Complex is a historic lakeside resort complex on Portage Point in Onekama, Michigan, now operating as Portage Point Resort.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
Portage Point Inn Complex is a historic resort hotel and collection of associated buildings located at the western end of Portage Lake on Portage Point, a peninsula separating Portage Lake from Lake Michigan near Onekama, Michigan. The property emerged during the transition of northern Michigan from a lumber-based economy to a recreational and tourism economy. It is recognized for its early twentieth-century resort architecture, its relationship to lake transportation, and the concentration of hotels, lodges, cottages, and recreational structures assembled on the site. The land occupied by the complex was acquired by Lucius S. Marvin in 1869. The wider Portage Lake area had developed during the late nineteenth-century lumber boom, including a water-powered sawmill built at the original outlet of Portage Lake in 1845. By the 1890s, however, timber resources were being depleted and the area's economic prospects increasingly shifted toward lakeshore recreation. Marvin later sold the property to associates, who transferred it in 1902 to a private development corporation initially called Sunnyside Assembly. The organization soon adopted the name Portage Point Assembly and began construction of the inn on July 12, 1902. The first inn opened to tourists in June 1903. During the following decade the site expanded into a substantial seasonal resort. Additions included a larger Main Hotel, also known as the New Inn; Beech Lodge, which served as a hotel annex; a casino and dancing pavilion; and approximately twenty cottages. The channel serving the property was dredged so that larger steamers could dock directly at the hotel, improving access and linking the resort to regional passenger transportation. The Northern Michigan Transportation Company became an investment and operating partner in 1909 and assumed full management in 1914. This relationship reflected the importance of steamship travel to resort development in the Great Lakes region. In 1932, the complex was sold to J. J. Smith, who relocated clientele from the Pine Ridge Resort complex near Ludington after that property burned. Smith retained ownership until his death in 1960. The resort subsequently experienced periods of uneven operation and changing fortunes. The historic complex includes fifteen buildings constructed between 1902 and 1954. Its principal structures represent several architectural modes, including Colonial Revival, Craftsman, Queen Anne, and Neo-Colonial design. The original Inn is a three-story Colonial Revival building with white clapboard siding and a gambrel roof; its veranda was enclosed in 1913–1914. The New Inn, built in 1911–1912, is a larger three-and-one-half-story hotel with a two-story portico supported by Tuscan columns. Beech Lodge, several named cottages, the Hull House Cottage, and six Dollhouse Cottages contribute to the resort's historic character. The Terrace Building, completed in 1954, is a later Neo-Colonial addition. In October 1985, the Portage Point Inn Complex was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The listing recognized the resort's architectural and historical significance as a representative early twentieth-century northern Michigan tourism complex. By 2017, the property had been acquired by a developer, with rehabilitation plans under consideration. The resort is identified in contemporary references as Portage Point Resort. The casino and dance pavilion, one of the historic complex's recreational buildings, was demolished in 2024, according to the supplied reference material.
History
The history of Portage Point Inn Complex is tied to the economic and geographic development of the Portage Lake area. A water-powered sawmill was established at the original outlet of Portage Lake in 1845, and the surrounding region was settled more extensively during the late nineteenth-century lumber boom. Lucius S. Marvin purchased the property on Portage Point in 1869. By 1880, the mill and related buildings had been moved several miles away to Onekama, leaving the point increasingly available for a different type of development. As northern Michigan's timber resources were exhausted and lumbering declined during the 1890s, investors began to view the lakeshore as a destination for recreation and tourism. Marvin sold the Point to two associates, who in 1902 conveyed the property to a private development corporation called Sunnyside Assembly. The corporation soon changed its name to Portage Point Assembly. Construction of the principal inn began on July 12, 1902, and the building received tourists beginning in June 1903. The enterprise expanded rapidly during its first decade. A larger Main Hotel was constructed, Beech Lodge was added as an annex, and a casino or dancing pavilion provided entertainment. Approximately twenty cottages were also developed for visitors seeking more private accommodations. To improve transportation access, the channel to the property was dredged, allowing larger steamships to reach the hotel directly. This infrastructure connected the resort to the broader Great Lakes passenger and vacation network. In 1909, the Northern Michigan Transportation Company became an investment and operating partner. The transportation company assumed complete management of the inn in 1914, demonstrating the close relationship between steamship operators and resort properties during the period. The complex continued to function as a seasonal destination through subsequent decades, although its ownership and commercial fortunes changed. J. J. Smith purchased the resort in 1932. After the Pine Ridge Resort complex at Hamlin Lake near Ludington burned, Smith transferred that resort's clientele to Portage Point. He owned the property until his death in 1960. The inn continued operating for a number of years afterward but experienced periods of instability and uneven performance. The surviving complex consists of fifteen buildings dating from 1902 to 1954. The original Inn, begun in 1901–1902 and modified in 1913–1914, is a three-story Colonial Revival structure with a gambrel roof and white clapboard exterior. The New Inn, built in 1911–1912, is a larger hotel marked by a two-story portico with Tuscan columns. Beech Lodge is a Craftsman-style cross-gable building, while the Hull House Cottage reflects Queen Anne influences. Rexwood Cottage, Lakeview Cottage, Avalon Cottage, and the Dollhouse Cottages provide additional examples of the resort's varied early twentieth-century residential architecture. The Terrace Building, completed in 1954 and designed by Cincinnati architect Jarres Nordloh, is a later Neo-Colonial structure with lake-facing double-decker verandas. The Portage Point Inn Complex was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in October 1985. The designation acknowledged the property's architectural integrity and its role in the history of northern Michigan resort development. By 2017, the property had passed to a developer, who was considering rehabilitation. The site operates today under the Portage Point Resort name. The casino and dance pavilion was demolished in 2024, reducing the number of surviving historic structures associated with the complex.
- 2024
Casino and dance pavilion removed
[1]The casino and dance pavilion was demolished.
- 2017
Developer acquisition and rehabilitation planning
[1]A developer had acquired the property and was considering rehabilitation plans.
- 1985
National Register of Historic Places listing
[1]The complex was added to the National Register of Historic Places in October 1985.
- 1960
J. J. Smith's ownership ends
[1]Smith owned the resort until his death in 1960.
- 1932
J. J. Smith acquires the resort
[1]J. J. Smith purchased the inn and moved clientele from the burned Pine Ridge Resort complex to Portage Point.
- 1914
Transportation company assumes management
[1]The Northern Michigan Transportation Company took over complete management of the resort.
- 1909
Northern Michigan Transportation Company becomes partner
[1]The steamship company joined the resort as an investing and operating partner.
- 1903
Inn opens to tourists
[1]The original inn opened for tourists in June 1903.
- 1902
Portage Point Assembly begins inn construction
[1]The property was transferred to Sunnyside Assembly, later renamed Portage Point Assembly, and construction of the inn began on July 12.
- 1869
Lucius S. Marvin purchases Portage Point property
[1]Lucius S. Marvin acquired the land on which the later resort complex would be developed.
Products and positioning
A historic, lakeside Michigan resort centered on heritage lodging, cottage accommodation, and the architectural character of an early twentieth-century vacation complex.
Historic hotel · 1902
Original Inn
The Original Inn is the resort's earliest principal hotel building. Constructed in 1901–1902, it is a three-story Colonial Revival structure with white clapboard siding and a gambrel roof. Its veranda was enclosed in 1913–1914. The building represents the first phase of Portage Point's transformation into a seasonal tourist destination.
Hotel · 1912
New Inn (Main Hotel)
Built in 1911–1912, the New Inn, also called the Main Hotel, expanded the resort's lodging capacity. It is a three-and-one-half-story building with a gambrel roof and a prominent two-story portico supported by Tuscan columns. The building is one of the complex's defining large-scale architectural elements.
Hotel annex · 1906
Beech Lodge
Beech Lodge was built in 1906 as an annex to the resort hotel. Its H-shaped, cross-gable form and steeply pitched roof reflect the Craftsman style. Open triangular brackets and a wood beltcourse add distinctive architectural detail.
Cottage lodging · 1901
Hull House Cottage
Hull House Cottage dates from approximately 1900–1901 and is a two-story, white-clapboard structure with a gabled roof and Queen Anne-style wraparound porch. It is among the older residential buildings associated with the resort.
Cottage lodging · 1917
Rexwood Cottage
Rexwood Cottage was built in 1917. The single-story, T-shaped Colonial building has a gabled roof and a porch supported by square wooden posts.
Cottage lodging · 1910
Lakeview Cottage
Lakeview Cottage is a single-story, L-shaped Colonial cottage dating from approximately 1910. Its gabled roof and square-post porch reflect the informal residential character of the resort's cottage accommodation.
Cottage lodging · 1911
Avalon Cottage
Avalon Cottage, constructed in 1911, is a single-story Craftsman-influenced structure with clapboard siding. Its curved pergola entrance and triangular stick brackets under the broad eaves give it a distinctive architectural profile.
Cottage lodging · 1918
Dollhouse Cottages 1–6
The six Dollhouse Cottages are a group of similarly designed, single-story, end-gabled structures with shed-roof porches. They formed part of the resort's cottage-oriented lodging inventory and contributed to the visual unity of the historic complex.
Resort lodging and guest facility · 1954
Terrace Building
Completed in 1954, the Terrace Building is a two-story Neo-Colonial structure designed by Cincinnati architect Jarres Nordloh. It is clad in white-painted shingles and features double-decker verandas facing the lake. It is the latest building identified in the historic complex.
Recreation and entertainment venue · 1908
Casino and Dance Pavilion
The casino and dance pavilion was a rectangular, one-and-one-half-story recreational building with a high gabled roof and surrounding verandas. It served the resort's entertainment program but was demolished in 2024.
Brand decisions
2024
Demolition of casino and dance pavilionOtherBackground
The casino and dance pavilion was one of the recreational structures associated with the historic resort complex.
Action taken
The building was demolished.
Aftermath
The complex lost one of its historically associated buildings; the supplied material does not describe any further redevelopment consequences.
2017
Rehabilitation planning after developer acquisitionStrategyBackground
The historic resort had experienced changing fortunes and required renewed investment.
Action taken
A developer acquired the property and began considering rehabilitation plans.
Aftermath
The site continued to be identified as Portage Point Resort, although the supplied material does not specify the final scope or completion of rehabilitation work.
1932
Transfer of Pine Ridge Resort clienteleStrategyBackground
The Pine Ridge Resort complex near Ludington had burned, leaving its clientele without their previous destination.
Action taken
After acquiring Portage Point, J. J. Smith moved the Pine Ridge clientele to the Portage Point resort.
Aftermath
The transfer supported Portage Point's continuing role as a northern Michigan vacation resort.
1909
Partnership with Northern Michigan Transportation CompanyStrategyBackground
Direct water access and steamship travel were important to the resort's ability to attract visitors.
Action taken
The Northern Michigan Transportation Company joined as an investor and operating partner, later taking over management.
Aftermath
The partnership strengthened the relationship between the resort and regional Great Lakes transportation networks.
1902
Shift from lumber-era property to tourism resortStrategyBackground
As lumbering declined in the Portage Lake region, the property was repositioned for lakeshore recreation and seasonal tourism.
Action taken
Sunnyside Assembly, later Portage Point Assembly, began constructing a dedicated tourist inn and developing the surrounding property for resort use.
Aftermath
The property became a substantial resort complex with hotels, lodges, cottages, entertainment facilities, and improved steamship access.
Sources1 sources
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