A Historic Retreat in the Heart of Town

A traveler arriving in Saugatuck often feels it before they see it—the hush of old trees, the soft clap of water against docks, the sense that time here moves with the patience of the lake. And at the center of that quiet rhythm stands the Maplewood Hotel, a white‑columned sentinel that has watched more than a century and a half of summers drift in and out like tides.

What follows is a poetic journey through its life, told as both story and timeline—because the Maplewood is not just a place to stay, but a place that remembers.

A Poetic Journey Through the Maplewood Hotel

The Maplewood rises like a memory at the edge of downtown, its façade calm and dignified, its porch a threshold between the present and the past. Step inside and the air seems to hold the warmth of countless arrivals—artists with paint‑stained hands, families escaping the city heat, travelers seeking the quiet companionship of a lakeshore town.
The floors creak in a friendly way, as if greeting you. Light pools in corners where generations have read morning papers. The scent of coffee drifts through hallways that once echoed with the footsteps of boarders, bakers, dispatchers, and dreamers.

The Maplewood is not merely preserved—it is lived in. It breathes. It listens. It carries the stories of Saugatuck the way the dunes carry the wind.

Timeline of a Lakeshore Landmark

1860s — A Beginning in the Lumber Era

A simple commercial building rises on the site of the old Burns & Whitney general store. Saugatuck is young, busy with sawmills and river trade, unaware that it is planting the seed of a future retreat.

1870s — Edward S. Pride and the First Guests

Edward S. Pride buys the structure, fills it with furniture, then transforms it into a summer boarding house. Travelers arrive seeking breezes off the lake, and the building learns the language of hospitality.

1923 — Columns, Craft, and a New Identity

Frank and Carrie Wicks take ownership and call upon architect George W. Maher. Tall Greek Revival columns rise. Prairie School lines soften the edges. Arts and Crafts whispers mingle with American tradition. The Maplewood becomes a “Grand Hotel,” a place where visiting artists linger and the Ox‑Bow School of Art finds a welcoming neighbor.

1950s — A Community’s Chameleon

Under Lynn and Bobbie McCray, the Maplewood becomes whatever Saugatuck needs: a police dispatch, a bus station, a bakery. The hotel wears each role with grace, never losing its sense of place.

Late 20th Century — Restoration and Renewal

New stewards restore the building’s historic bones, polishing its character rather than replacing it. The Maplewood becomes once again what it was always meant to be: a haven for travelers.

1990–Present — Catherine L. Simon’s Care
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Catherine L. Simon takes the helm, tending the hotel like a cherished garden. Rooms glow with quiet charm. Breakfast is warm and personal. The Maplewood stands ready for each new season, each new story.

What It Feels Like to Stay There Today

Staying at the Maplewood is like stepping into a painting where the brushstrokes are soft and the colors warm. Mornings begin with sunlight slipping through curtains. Evenings end with the murmur of downtown drifting through open windows. The hotel doesn’t try to impress—it invites you to slow down, to notice, to breathe.
It is a place where time doesn’t stop, but it does loosen its grip.