The Old Mission Inn, previously known as Hedden Hall or the Porter Hotel, is an inn located at 18599 Old Mission Road near
Traverse City, Michigan
Traverse City ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is the county seat of Grand Traverse County, although a small portion extends into Leelanau County. It is the largest city in the 21-county Northern Michigan region. The population was ...
. It was designated a Michigan State Historic Site in 1980
and listed on the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...
in 1982.
History
In 1867, George and Amanda Hedden purchased of land that had previously been part of the nearby
Old Mission,
which had been abandoned in 1852.
The Heddens constructed this 25-room inn on the property in 1874,
and operated it as "Heddon Hall."
In the 1880s, the railroad and steamship lines service in the area began promoting the Grand Traverse region as a summer tourist destination, and the Old Mission Inn was recognized as one of the best hotels in the area. In 1890, the Heddens added a section onto the inn.
The Heddens continued to run the inn until Amanda Hedden's death in 1900.
In 1902, George Hedden sold the inn to Alfred and Ella Porter, who changed the name to the "Porter Hotel" and managed the property for 40 years. It was sold again in 1945 to Norman and Doris Nevinger, who named it the "Old Mission Inn." The Nevingers ran the property until 1998, when they sold it to the Jensen family.
It continues to be used as a historic inn.
Description
The Old Mission Inn is a -story L-shaped frame structure sided with
clapboards
Clapboard (), also called bevel siding, lap siding, and weatherboard, with regional variation in the definition of these terms, is wooden siding of a building in the form of horizontal boards, often overlapping.
''Clapboard'' in modern Americ ...
, sitting on a
cobblestone
Cobblestone is a natural building material based on cobble-sized stones, and is used for pavement roads, streets, and buildings.
Setts, also called Belgian blocks, are often casually referred to as "cobbles", although a sett is distinct fro ...
foundation, and covered with a shingled
gable
A gable is the generally triangular portion of a wall between the edges of intersecting roof pitches. The shape of the gable and how it is detailed depends on the structural system used, which reflects climate, material availability, and aesth ...
roof.
The front features a wide open
veranda
A veranda or verandah is a roofed, open-air gallery or porch, attached to the outside of a building. A veranda is often partly enclosed by a railing and frequently extends across the front and sides of the structure.
Although the form ''veran ...
and overhanging eaves supported by triangular brackets. Gabled dormers project from the roof.
Images
File:Dougherty Mission.jpg
File:Hedden Hall 2.jpg
References
External links
Old Mission Inn website
{{National Register of Historic Places
Hotel buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in Michigan
Hotel buildings completed in 1874
Buildings and structures in Grand Traverse County, Michigan
Michigan State Historic Sites
National Register of Historic Places in Grand Traverse County, Michigan