Antique Boats at Birch Lodge

As a member of the St. Ignace Chamber of Commerce we are happy to be included on their wonderful website. We noticed that Les Cheneaux Antique Wooden Boat Show is next weekend, Saturday-Sunday August 13 and 14, one of the largest shows of its kind in the nation.

Deb and I hope to get over to Hessel which is only about 45 minutes from Birch Lodge, and it is a darn scenic drive.

This got us to thinking about our own old boats here at Birch Lodge, which while not good ol woodies, we think are still pretty neat.


The previous owners of the lodge deposited about a dozen galvanized steel rowboats at the wood edge. These craft are 14 to 16 feet long with wooden gunnels and had wood grate flooring. These probably date to the 1940s and are in many of the old photos in the lodge.

We selected the best preserved of the batch and they are now being restored, down to the green, yellow and red paint job, by Trout Lake Services in town. You can see they still retained this paint scheme when they were in still in service in this vintage 1970s image.

We hoped to have them back this summer, but you will definitely see them in the water next year. Meanwhile, maybe we will see you at the show!

Oh, and Deb is a big sailboat lover too. She gets this from her dad who loved sailing and building boats. Some big and small. One of her favorites is this small model that is now at the lodge.

It is a wooden model crafted by Deb's father about 1930 from plans provided by Popular Science Magazine. It is intricate in detail, including lead anchors produced from molds by Don Rhead, and extending to the sails, which he stained with tea to simulate age and weathering. Check it out when you visit!

The Birch Lodge Motel and Trout Lake, MI

Birch Lodge remains as one of the oldest buildings in Trout Lake, MI, but what is the history of the Birch Lodge Motel? Although Birch Lodge operated with 34 guest rooms and two log cabins, apparently it wasn't large enough to meet the demands of the guests who wanted to stay there.

John (Jack) and May Bell (Mabel) Taylor, a brother and sister who owned the lodge in the 1940's, owned seven cabins in Trout Lake across from the post office. Perhaps because of their small size (and with apologies to Walt Disney), the dimunitive structures were called the "Seven Dwarfs." After acquiring the lodge, the Taylors moved several of these to the area where the Birch Lodge Motel now stands.

When Ann and Cliff Badgley purchased the property in 1954, the need for expansion must have been clear. According to a booking plans for the first week of deer season, during each year of the 1950s they had over 74 registered guests, filling the place to capacity. In 1963 they moved two cabins to the area behind the lodge (still standing as the work shop and "bait shop"), and began construction of the Birch Lodge Motel. The location between the woods and the birches takes in some of the best views of the lake. This was showcased by giving each room a large picture window looking onto the lake. Each room included mocha colored tile in the bath with "modern" mosaic tile floors, and was fitted with very cutting edge Mid-Century Modern furniture, including Danish Modern "Z" chairs, which are retained today. The exterior and interior of the 8-unit motel retain the original "feel" offered to the first guests nearly a half century ago.

The Ford Family at Birch Lodge

We have been in touch recently with a grand-daughter of Dr. Edgar Ford, Jacque Ford Tauriainen, who has kindly shared a number of old family photos of the Ford family at Birch Lodge. (Place the cursor on the photo for the caption.)

Dr. Ford was the man who envisioned Birch Lodge. He purchased the property in 1910, and oversaw the construction of the lodge in 1911. He and his wife Cornelia came with their sons (Edgar A., Samuel M., and Herbert L.) and lived in tents while the lodge was under construction. We knew he died before the lodge was open, but did not know that he died of rabies, contracted when he was bitten by the dog of one of his patients in Cambria, Wisconsin. He died a difficult death under the care of his son Herbert, to whom he entrusted the running of the lodge. (Herbert - or Bert - was Jacque's father.)





Early days at the lodge were difficult, and as a young man, Herbert was charged with taking money to the bank on the train, in close company with a number of rough looking characters. In retrospect, many of these were probably loggers on their way to and from the area looking for work as the logging slowed down. He was probably right to worry.





On the right above, Jacque's brother Paul feeds a deer, with I believe, Mr. Moore, a later owner of the Lodge. On the left is a photo of the Birch Lodge Orchestra: left to right "Ed, Nestor, Sam, Bert" and a piano player from St. Ignace.

After the Ford family left Birch Lodge, Herbert worked in Furlong's store in the village for a while, but eventually left the area. However, they did return to visit periodically and maintain an interest in the lodge. I hope you will enjoy these early photos as much as we did. Thanks Jacque!

Governor G. Mennen Williams and "Moore"

Birch Lodge has long been more than a place merely to welcome vacationers. In 1918, a unit of the newly established Michigan State Constabulary (forerunner of state police) was stationed here - keeping their horses in the small barn still behind the lodge - to run mounted patrols. The story goes that they nearly froze without adequate heat, stacking tables to get near the ceiling to stay warm!

The lodge’s association with local law enforcement continued after Charles and Estelle Moore acquired the property in during the 1920s. Charles was elected Justice of the Peace and his son was appointed deputy sheriff. One can imagine there may have been Prohibition violators brought before Moore in his courtroom in the east wing of the lodge, which ironically, was transformed after World War II and remains today, the somewhat less “sobering” Birch Bar.

Moore had the vision of a “first-class hotel-resort.” The grounds and shoreline were cleared, and the lodge was refurbished with central heat. The lodge and its large dining room became a focal point for community events such as the Annual Game Suppers that were held there between 1926 and 1940. During the 1940s and 1950s, state-wide meetings such as the Michigan Association of County Drain Commissioners met at the lodge, featuring keynote speakers such as Victor A. Knox, who was Speaker of Michigan House of Representatives from 1947-1952 and a US Congressman from 1953-1965.


Perhaps the high point of Birch Lodge’s “social life” occurred during the 1950s after owner Cliff Badgley became a prime mover with the Upper Peninsula Sportsmen’s Association, a politically active group. On July 19, 1953, Michigan Governor G. Mennen “Soapy” Williams and his family visited the lodge for a “Governor’s Picnic”, a combined political and social event featuring a buffet luncheon, entertainment, boat races, and a ball game.

We discovered photos of the governor at the lodge, towering above the locals, and other images including racing boats, one of which is named “Soapy” , another at the dock is "Soapy Too".

The governor apparently was favorably enough impressed that Ann and Cliff Badgley were added to his Christmas card list, which continued through the 1960 edition--which included “President-Elect” John. F. Kennedy.

In closing, Governors and Congressmen Have Visited Here, Maybe You Should Too!!!!

Old Postcards of Birch Lodge, Trout Lake, MI

Over the years Bill has collected old postcards of Trout Lake, MI, and it's surrounding area. Birch Lodge, of course, was always his favorite. Having the lodge now, these are a great source to see how it was originally, and observe the changes through the years. The oldest one (top) dates from about 1912, shows Birch Lodge newly completed.

The porch was originally two full stories tall. You can see by the snow up on top, that it was not a good idea, and it wasn't too long before the porch was one story tall. If you look closely at the card with the man on the porch, you can see the towering pine trees out in front of Birch Lodge as very small trees.

We enjoy old photos of people enjoying the area. My personal favorites are these two: the early Model A? touring car coming out the gate and a fun shot of folks hitting the beach!

History of the Lodge

Birch Lodge, Trout Lake, MI 1990's

Birch Lodge currently sits on 19 acres with 1/4 mile of frontage on Big Trout Lake (aka Carp Lake), just west of the village of Trout Lake, Michigan off of Hwy 40. Now listed in the National Register of Historic Places, the lodge was built in 1911 by Dr. Edgar Ford as a T.B. sanitarium and summer resort. At the time the fresh air of the north woods was considered "restorative" and part of the cure. Dr. Ford died shortly before the lodge was completed, and the lodge was opened as a summer resort.

Described in the St. Ignace newspaper of Oct., 19111, the lodge was the "ultimate design complete from health, pleasure and recreation points of view". In addition to the guest rooms, a recreation room, large dining room, kitchen and laundry; the doctor included a private office and consulting room, and a hospital facility in the back wing. Also offered for the guests were boating equipment, and a dance pavilion.

The lodge was purchased in 1954 by Cliff and Ann Badgley, who remodeled part of the lodge into the "Birch Bar", which was the area hot spot until Cliff's death in 1981. The Badgley's also built an eight unit motel in 1964. The motel accommodations were designed to take full advantage of the lake views, with large rooms having picture windows on the lake side.

Much loved by guests, Ann continued to run the business, although she closed the lodge and focused only on the motel to keep things manageable. Ann has passed away, and we have now purchased the property with the intention to preserve the lodge and restore it to it's function as a "restorative" lodging for summer guests. Our plans are continue to take motel reservations while the lodge is converted to a bed and breakfast.