Little Traverse Bay, Past and Present

Wequetonsing

Wequetonsing 245 Wequetonsing (originally known as the Presbyterian Summer Resort Association) began in 1877 when the citizens of Little Traverse (Harbor Springs) donated eighty acres for a Presbyterian summer resort just east of the village.The grounds were laid out and construction of a hotel began that summer. Opened in 1881, the hotel had 109 rooms that were available only for association members. It eventually expanded to accommodate up to four hundred guests and, like the hotel at Harbor Point, it served meals Wequetonsing Wequetonsing’s earliest visitors stayed in tents until cottages were built. (Courtesy of Little Traverse Historical Society) with the creation of WestWequetonsing (thirty-six cottages) and EastWequetonsing (twenty cottages). As is true of so many of these summer communities, the original families’ descendants create their own summer memories walking the same streets as previous generations did. to many association members and was a popular gathering spot. The hotel was torn down in 1964; its location is now a park. Wequetonsing came to include a post office, train depot, golf course, bathing beach, dock, and assembly hall. Eventually it would grow to one hundred cottages and expand to two hundred acres 246 Summer Communities Summer entertainment included brass bands. (Courtesy of Little Traverse Historical Society) Wequetonsing 247 The Wequetonsing depot. Note the men ready to help move arriving goods to cottages. (Courtesy of Little Traverse Historical Society) Those not arriving by train did so by bay ferry. (Courtesy of Little Traverse Historical Society) 248 Summer Communities Wequetonsing 249 Over the years, beautiful summer homes began to line Wequetonsing’s streets. (Courtesy of Little Traverse Historical Society) 250 Summer Communities Wequetonsing 251 (Rebecca Zeiss) 252 Summer Communities Wequetonsing 253 (Rebecca Zeiss) 254 Summer Communities (Rebecca Zeiss) Wequetonsing 255 256 (Courtesy of Little Traverse Historical Society) ...